Genetically modified (GM) foodstuffs are here to stay. That’s 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 may 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
　　 2. A. and B. or C. but D. rather than
　　 3. A. dislike B. preference C. favorable D. disposal
　　 4. A. genetic B. technology C. scientific D. pesticide
　　 5. A. development B. time C. pace D. on
　　 6. A. coming B. expected C. predicted D. thought-provoking
　　 7. A. because of B. for C. from D. just
　　 8. A. That B. Which C. It D. What
　　 9. A. available B. portable C. affordable D. ready
　　 10. A. that B. what C. which D. where
　　 11. A. not B. too C. almost D. nearly
　　 12. A. from B. like C. to D. excluding
　　 13. A. affordable B. expensive C. countable D. exciting
　　 14. A. appear B. disappear C. disclose D. expose
　　 15. A. disapproved B. disagreed C. inclined D. improved
　　 16. A. When B. While C. As D. Because
　　 17. A. refined B. developed C. developing D. refining
　　 18. A. good B. realistic C. dramatic D. developed
　　 19. A. that B. it C. as D. all
　　 20. A. for B. rather than C. while D. and
　　 Key
　　 1. A 2. C 3. B 4. D 5. C 6. C 7. D 8. D9. A 10. A 11. B. 12 B 13. A 14. B 15. D 16. C 17. D 18. C 19. C 20. B