Genetically-modified (GM) foodstuffs are here to stay.That’s not to say that food prod

conventional agriculture will disappear, but simply that food-buying patterns will polarize: there will be a niche market(瞄准机会的市场) for conventional foodstuffs just as there is for organic food. It may even be that GM food will become the food of preference because consumers come to appreciate the health benefits of reduced pesticide use.

Currently there are some 20,000 chemicals in use, but the scientists only have detailed information on around 1,000 of them. To see the advantages of GM food you have only to consider the recent press revelation that the average lettuce(莴苣) receives eleven pesticide applications before it reaches the supermarket shelf. I'm sure chemicals and their role in disease will become a big issue in the next century, as the population of the developed world worries increasingly about its health.

The reason GM food will not go away is that we need a three-fold increase in food production by the year 2050 to keep pace with the world's predicted population growth to ten or eleven billion. It's not just a question of more mouths to feed either. What is often forgotten is that all these extra people will take up space, reducing the overall land available for agriculture.

The world has 800 million hungry people. Until now, food supplies have been increased by improved varieties, pesticides and artificial fertilizers: the green revolution. Now we're on the edge of a new revolution: a genetic one.

It may well be that in the long term it is the developing world that benefits most from GM foods. It's true that for the next ten years or so GM crops may be too expensive. But the lesson of personal computers is applicable here—once the technology has been developed for money—spinning crops, like maize(玉米) and cotton, it will filter down and become affordable for all. This doesn't mean, unfortunately, that famines will disappear, but severity and duration will be helped by an improved ability to produce and distribute food.

Why may GM foodstuffs be liked by people in the future？

A．Because they will be cheaper than conventional foodstuffs.

B．Because they will remove people's worries about taking many chemicals.

C．Because it will be more convenient for people to get them.

D．Because conventional foodstuffs will not be available in the future.

Genetically modified (GM) foodstuffs are here to stay. That's not to say that food produced by conventional agriculture will disappear, 【C1】______ simply that foodbuying patterns will polarize. It may even be that GM food will become the food of 【C2】______ because consumers come to appreciate the health benefits of reduced pesticide use.

The reason GM food will not go away is that we need a three-fold increase in food production by the year 2050 to keep 【C3】______ with the world's 【C4】______ population growth to ten or eleven billion. It's not just a question of more mouths to feed either. 【C5】______ is often forgotten is that all these extra people will take up space,reducing the overall land 【C6】______ for agriculture.

It may well be that in the long term it is the developing world 【C7】______ benefits most from GM foods. It's true that for the next ten years or so GM crops may be 【C8】______ expensive. But the lesson of personal computers is applicable here—once the technology has been developed for money spinning crops, 【C9】______ maize, soy beans and cotton,it will become 【C10】______ for all.

This doesn't mean, unfortunately, that families will 【C11】______ , but severity and duration will be helped by an 【C12】______ ability to produce and distribute food.

【C13】______ we move into this new era of agriculture we're embarking on a journey the world has seen many number of times with experiments before. We have been refining species of wheat for several thousand years. Genetic engineers like me are not doing anything as 【C14】______ as making a cabbage into a cauliflower 【C15】______ has been done by plant breeders in the past.

We're simply tapping into the whole gene pool, rather than concentrating on one species at a time.

【C1】______

A．and

B．or

C．but

D．rather than

Genetically modified (GM) foodstuffs are here to stay. That2s not to say that food produced by【1】agriculture will disappear,【2】simply that food buying patterns will polarize. It may even be that GM food will become the food of【3】because consumers come to appreciate the health benefits of reduced【4】use.

The reason GM food will not go away is that we need a three-fold increase in food production by the year 2050 to keep【5】with the world’s【6】population growth to ten or eleven billion. It's not【7】a question of more mouths to feed either.【8】is often forgotten is that all these extra people will take up space, reducing the overall land【9】for agriculture.

It rr\ay well be that in the long term it is the developing world【10】benefits most from GM foods. It's true that for the next ten years or so GM crops may be【11】expensive. But the lesson of personal computers is applicable here—once the technology has been developed for money-spinning crops,【12】maize, soy beans and cotton, it will become【13】for all. This doesn't mean, unfortunately, that families will【14】, but severity and duration will be helped by an【15】 ability to produce and distribute food.

【16】we move into this new era of agriculture we're embarking on a journey the world has seen any number of times with experiments before. We have been【17】species of wheat for several thousand years. Genetic engineers like me are not doing anything as【18】as making a cabbage into a cauliflower—【19】has been done by plant breeders in the past. We're simply tapping into the whole gene pool,【20】concentrating on one species at a time.

(1)

A．conventional

B．conversational

C．converse

D．contradictory

What does the author concern most in the passage？

A．Education on genetically-modified food to the public.

B．Biotechnology of genetically-modified food.

C．Safety of genetically-modified food.

D．Research of genetically-modified food.

In European farmers' eyes, ______.

A．it's reasonable for people to worry about GM effect

B．it's understandable to set an absolute limit on GM products

C．they will be broken if EU helps them to limit GM effect

D．0.5 percent is too high a standard

What's the attitude of GM vice-president towards the prospects in summer？

A．Doubtful.

B．Pessimistic.

C．Indifferent.

D．Optimistic.

What's the attitude of GM vice-president towards the prospects in summer？

A．Doubtful.

B．Pessimistic.

C．Indifferent.

D．Optimistic.

A．△G_m＞0 △_rS_m＞0

B．△G_m＜0 △_rS_m＞0

C．△G_m＞0 △_rS_m＜0

D．△G_m＜0 △_rS_m＜0