Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
I’ll admit I’ve never quite understood the obsession(难以破除的成见)surrounding genetically modified (GM) crops. To environmentalist opponents, GM foods are simply evil, an understudied, possibly harmful tool used by big agricultural businesses to control global seed markets and crush local farmers. They argue that GM foods have never delivered on their supposed promise, that money spent on GM crops would be better channeled to organic farming and that consumers should be protected with warning labels on any products that contain genetically modified ingredients. To supporters, GM crops are a key part of the effort to sustainably provide food to meet a growing global population. But more than that, supporters see the GM opposition of many environmentalists as fundamentally anti-science, no different than those who question the basics of man-made climate change.
For both sides, GM foods seem to act as a symbol: you’re pro-agricultural business or anti-science. But science is exactly what we need more of when it comes to GM foods, which is why I was happy to see Nature devote a special series of articles to the GM food controversy. The conclusion: while GM crops haven’t yet realized their initial promise and have been dominated by agricultural businesses, there is reason to continue to use and develop them to help meet the enormous challenge of sustainably feeding a growing planet.
That doesn’t mean GM crops are perfect, or a one-size-fits-all solution to global agriculture problems. But anything that can increase farming efficiency—the amount of crops we can produce per acre of land—will be extremely useful. GM crops can and almost certainly will be part of that suite of tools, but so will traditional plant breeding, improved soil and crop management—and perhaps most important of all, better storage and transport infrastructure(基础设施), especially in the developing world. (It doesn’t do much good for farmers in places like sub-Saharan Africa to produce more food if they can’t get it to hungry consumers.) I’d like to see more non-industry research done on GM crops—not just because we’d worry less about bias, but also because seed companies like Monsanto and Pioneer shouldn’t be the only entities working to harness genetic modification. I’d like to see GM research on less commercial crops, like corn. I don’t think it’s vital to label GM ingredients in food, but I also wouldn’t be against it—and industry would be smart to go along with labeling, just as a way of removing fears about the technology.
Most of all, though, I wish a tenth of the energy that’s spent endlessly debating GM crops was focused on those more pressing challenges for global agriculture. There are much bigger battles to fight.
46.How do environmentalist opponents view GM foods according to the passage?
A) They will eventually ruin agriculture and the environment.
B) They are used by big businesses to monopolize agriculture.
C) They have proved potentially harmful to consumers’ health.
D) They pose a tremendous threat to current farming practice.
47.What does the author say is vital to solving the controversy between the two sides of the debate?
A) Breaking the GM food monopoly.
B) More friendly exchange of ideas.
C) Regulating GM food production.
D) More scientific research on GM crops.
48.What is the main point of the Nature articles?
A) Feeding the growing population makes it imperative to develop GM crops.
B) Popularizing GM technology will help it to live up to its initial promises.
C) Measures should be taken to ensure the safety of GM foods.
D) Both supporters and opponents should make compromises.
49.What is the author’s view on the solution to agricultural problems?
A) It has to depend more and more on GM technology.
B) It is vital to the sustainable development of human society.
C) GM crops should be allowed until better alternatives are found.
D) Whatever is useful to boost farming efficiency should be encouraged.
50.What does the author think of the ongoing debate around GM crops?
A) It arises out of ignorance of and prejudice against new science.
B) It distracts the public attention from other key issues of the world.
C) Efforts spent on it should be turned to more urgent issues of agriculture.
D) Neither side is likely to give in until more convincing evidence is found.
答案解析：
46. 由题干中的关键词“environmentalist opponents view GM foods”定位到第一段“To environmentalist opponents, GM foods are simply evil, an understudied, possibly harmful tool used by big agricultural businesses to control global seed markets and crush local farmers.” 以及“that money spent on GM crops would be better channeled to organic farming and that consumers should be protected with warning labels on any products that contain genetically modified ingredients.” 文中提到环保反对者认为转基因食品是大农业企业用来控制全球种子市场、压制当地农民的工具，也就是大企业用来垄断农业的，所以选B。
47. 由题干中的关键词“vital to solving the controversy”定位到第二段“But science is exactly what we need more of when it comes to GM foods, which is why I was happy to see Nature devote a special series of articles to the GM food controversy.” 作者认为在转基因食品方面需要更多科学，也就是更多对转基因作物的科学研究对解决争议至关重要，所以选D。
48. 由题干中的关键词“main point of the Nature articles”定位到第二段“The conclusion: while GM crops haven’t yet realized their initial promise and have been dominated by agricultural businesses, there is reason to continue to use and develop them to help meet the enormous challenge of sustainably feeding a growing planet.” 《自然》文章的结论是虽然转基因作物尚未实现最初的承诺且被农业企业主导，但有理由继续使用和发展它们以应对养活不断增长人口的巨大挑战，也就是养活不断增长的人口使得开发转基因作物势在必行，所以选A。
49. 由题干中的关键词“author’s view on the solution to agricultural problems”定位到第三段“But anything that can increase farming efficiency—the amount of crops we can produce per acre of land—will be extremely useful.” 作者认为任何能提高农业效率的都有用，也就是任何有助于提高农业效率的都应该被鼓励，所以选D。
50. 由题干中的关键词“author think of the ongoing debate around GM crops”定位到最后一段“Most of all, though, I wish a tenth of the energy that’s spent endlessly debating GM crops was focused on those more pressing challenges for global agriculture. There are much bigger battles to fight.” 作者希望把花在无尽争论转基因作物上的精力转移到全球农业更紧迫的挑战上，所以选C。
