Question

【題目】Most of us probably live without vegetables, but a world without chocolate? Now that would be hard! According to chocolate makers it could happen if we don’t act soon.

There are two main causes of the chocolate shortage --- chocolate’s growing popularity and less production of cocoa, the plant from which chocolate is made. With more and more people in India and China loving chocolate, not much can be done about the first cause.

Therefore, the only thing we can do is to increase cocoa production. However, new plant diseases and little rain in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world’s largest producers, have reduced cocoa production by 40 percent in the past 10 years. What’s worse, many cocoa farmers in Africa and other cocoa-producing countries like Indonesia and Venezuela are changing to easier-to-grow crops such as corn or rubber. This way, the farmers can make more money.

To prevent more farmers from changing, researchers at the newly opened International Cocoa Control Centre, in the UK, are trying to create new cocoa plants that are stronger and faster growing. But first they must make sure the new plants are safe to grow. This takes a long time.

First, each new plant is stored at the Control Centre for six months to make sure it is healthy. It is then planted in the Centre’s fields, studied and tested for another two years. Only after scientists are certain that they’re disease-free, will the plants be sent to farmers in West Africa or wherever else they are needed.

To create new stronger types of cocoa, scientists at the Centre are combining the best parts from different cocoa plants. Though the world is facing a serious chocolate shortage, there is now hope!

【1】The first paragraph tells us that______.

A. chocolate is healthier than vegetables

B. the world could soon be without chocolate

C. people love vegetables more than chocolate

D. it’s not necessary to eat so much chocolate

【2】In which countries has chocolate become more popular in recent years?

A. Venezuela and Indonesia.??? B. Ivory Coast and Ghana.

C. Indonesia and China.??? D. China and India.

【3】Cocoa farmers are choosing to grow rubber and corn because these crops______.

A. can make them more money

B. need less rain to grow

C. can be planted more times each year

D. are not damaged by plant diseases

【4】How long does it take scientists at the Centre to make sure a cocoa plant is safe to grow?

A. 6 months.??? B. 12 months.??? C. 24 months.??? D. 30 months.

【5】What is one of the purposes of the Cocoa Control Centre?

A. To introduce cocoa production to more countries.

B. To provide more chocolate for British people.

C. To produce stronger types of cocoa plants.

D. To make sure that cocoa is healthy to eat.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】D

【3】A

【4】D

【5】C

【解析】試題分析：這篇短文講述的是因為巧克力更受歡迎但是可可的產量下降，因此巧克力變得越來越短缺，很多種植可可樹的農民都轉向種植其他更賺錢的植物。因此現在英國的研究人員正在努力創(chuàng)造新的可可樹。

【1】B推理判斷題。第一段中心句為“According to chocolate makers it could happen if we don’t act soon. 這里it指的是a world without chocolate.”故選B。

【2】D細節(jié)理解題。根據短文第二段最后一句話：“With more and more people in India and China loving chocolate. ”可知，印度和中國對巧克力變得越來越受歡迎，故選D。

【3】A細節(jié)理解題。根據短文第三段最后一句話：“This way, the farmers can make more money. ”This指的即是“cocoa farmers are changing to easier-to-grow crops such as corn or rubber.”故選A。

【4】D推理判斷題。根據短文第五段中“First, each new plant is stored at the Control Centre for six months”、“It is then planted in the Centre’s fields, studied and tested for another two years.”，可知，需要2年6個月即30個月。故選D。

【5】C細節(jié)理解題。根據短文第四段中“To prevent more farmers from changing, researchers at the newly opened International Cocoa Control Centre, in the UK, are trying to create new cocoa plants that are stronger and faster growing.”可知，這個中心是為了創(chuàng)造出更新的可可樹，讓它們更強壯、生長更快。故應選C。