Today there are 7 billion people on the earth.By the year 2050 there may be 9.0 billion.We will have a lot more people to feed.We need more food.
One way to produce more food is by growing stronger plants.For thousands of years,farmers have made plants better.Every season,they pick the best plants for the next season.It works very slowly.Since1983 scientists have been able to change plants more quickly by changing their genetic(遗传的) material. Foods from plants grown in this way are called genetically modified foods(转基因食品),or GM foods.
By changing the genetic material of a plant,it is possible to make new plants. They make plants which are strong against plant diseases. They can also help in our diseases:a kind of rice is being prepared,for example,which stops people from becoming blind.Rich countries produce GM foods because they are easy to grow and they bring in more money.Poor countries are interested in them because they help produce more food.
GM plants are not natural.No one knows how good or bad they are.Making GM foods is only one way of feeding people in 2050.But there are strong feelings against them,because they are unnatural. They may feed people,then hurt them or their children later.But both rich and poor countries are very interested in their use,and they are not going to die.In 2050 we may think differently about them.
Who invented the GM plants?
A.Farmers. | B.Workers |
C.Scientists. | D.Plants. |
People plant the GM plants because .
A.they make plants strong against diseases |
B.they are unnatural |
C.they can help in human diseases |
D.both A and C |
What do you think of the GM plant?
A.It grows too slowly. |
B.It is bad for people’s body. |
C.It can greatly help the poor countries. |
D.It produces less food than the general plant. |
Why do some people dislike the GM plants?
A.The GM foods may harm the human body. |
B.The GM foods have terrible taste. |
C.The GM foods are bad for the adults. |
D.The GM foods are not cheap. |
From the passage we can find out__________
A.the GM plants can produce more food |
B.scientists want to make more money |
C.scientists find the GM plants by accident |
D.scientists work on the subject for fun |