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A new kind of rice, golden rice, may soon make its way into the world’s food supply by the year 2021

英语试题 08-10
A new kind of rice, golden rice, may soon make its way into the world’s food supply by the year 2021, reports Science magazine.
Golden rice was actually first developed back in the 1990s by German scientists who were looking for creative ways to reduce rates of Vitamin A deficiency(维生素A缺乏症) in human body, which continues to be a major concern throughout the developing world. Beta-carotene(胡萝卜素), which exists in some plants, can change into vitamin A in our body.
In view of beta-carotene’s characteristics, German scientists tried and managed to make rice filled with additional beta-carotene, which has a strong red orange color. The beta-carotene that is added to this rice is actually what conduces to its special golden color.
To German scientists, developing this rice was meaningful. But as with all GM(转基因的) crops, some people warn that the golden rice may be unnecessary and even harmful, possibly having some environment consequences. Until now, those voices have prevented golden rice from being planted anywhere.
However, that’s about to change. Bangladesh now plans to become the first country to approve golden rice for planting. Recently, golden rice is receiving a series of tests before the final approval of Bangladesh. Tests conducted by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) found no new farming challenges with golden rice and no big differences in quality between the crop and the traditional varieties, with the exception that golden rice is more nutritious. Some other organizations are still doing tests about the environmental influences of the crop. If those results are also good, then golden rice will have received all the approval it needs to move forward with planting.
As for the future market for the golden rice, the crop will need to gain the public’s trust. And it remains to be seen whether golden rice will offer a better nutritional and economical choice compared to other sources of vitamin A, such as other vegetables where it occurs naturally.
8. What was German scientists’ main purpose of working on rice?
A. To raise its output. B. To make it look prettier.
C. To collect its beta-carotene. D. To improve its vitamin A content in our body.
9. What does the underlined part “conduces to” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Causes. B. Changes. C. Removes. D. Lightens.
10. What do BRRI’s tests show about golden rice?
A. It can hardly grow on the farmland of Bangladesh. B. It is nutritionally better than traditional rice.
C. It may do serious harm to the environment. D. It is no different from other rice in taste.
11. How is golden rice’s future market in the author’s opinion?
A. Promising. B. Worrying. C. Uncertain. D. Hopeless.
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