In the past 12 months,Nigeria has suffered from a shrinking economy, a sliding currency, and a prolonged fuel shortage. Now, Africa’s largest in facing a food crisis as major tomato fields have been destroyed by an insect,leading to a nationwide shortage and escalating prices.
The insect, Tutaabsoluta, has destroyed 80% of farms in Kaduna, Nigeria's largest tomato producing state, leading the government there to declare a state of 26 .The insect, also known as the tomato leaf miner, devastates crops by 27 on fruits and digging into and moving through stalks.It 28 incredibly quickly, breeding up to 12 generations per year if conditions are favorable. it is believed to have 29 in South America in the early 1900s, and later spread to Europe before crossing over to sub-Saharan Africa.
In Nigeria, where tomatoes are a staple of local diets,the insect's effects are devastating. Retail prices for a 30 of tomatoes at local markets have risen from $0. 50 to $2.50. Farmers are reporting steep losses and a new $20 million tomato-paste factory has 31 production due to the shortages.
Given the moth's ability also to attack crops like pepper and potatoes, Audu Ogbeh, Nigeria's minister of agriculture, has warned that the pest may"create serious problems for food 32 "in the country. Ogbeh says experts are investigating how to control the pest’s damage and prevent its spread, which has gone largely 33 until now.
Despite being the continent's second-largest producer of tomatoes, Nigeria is 34 on $1 billion worth of tomato-paste imports every year.as around 75% of the local harvest goes to waste thanks to a lack of proper storage facilities. A further 35 in local supplies is yet another unwelcome setback to the industry.
A) dependent I)originated
B) Embarking J) reduction
C) emergency K) reproduces
D) feeding L)security
E) grazes M)terror
F) halted N) unchecked
G) handful O)untouched
H) multitude
答案解析：
26. 根据“The insect, Tutaabsoluta, has destroyed 80% of farms in Kaduna, Nigeria's largest tomato producing state”(这种名为Tutaabsoluta的昆虫已经摧毁了尼日利亚最大番茄生产州卡杜纳80%的农场)，可知情况紧急，政府宣布进入紧急状态。“declare a state of emergency”是固定表达，意为“宣布进入紧急状态”，所以选C。
27. 根据“devastates crops by...on fruits and digging into and moving through stalks”(通过……水果、钻入并穿过茎干来摧毁庄稼)，可知这里说的是昆虫以水果为食，“feed on”表示“以……为食”，所以选D。
28. 根据“breeding up to 12 generations per year if conditions are favorable”(如果条件有利，每年繁殖多达12代)，可知这种昆虫繁殖速度极快，“reproduce”表示“繁殖”，所以选K。
29. 根据“it is believed to have...in South America in the early 1900s”(人们认为它在20世纪初……于南美洲)，可知这里说的是这种昆虫起源于南美洲，“originate”表示“起源”，所以选I。
30. 根据“Retail prices for a...of tomatoes at local markets have risen from $0. 50 to $2.50”(当地市场上……番茄的零售价格从0.5美元涨到了2.5美元)，“a handful of”是固定短语，表示“一把;少量”，这里用“a handful”来描述一定数量的番茄，所以选G。
31. 根据“Farmers are reporting steep losses and a new $20 million tomato - paste factory has...production due to the shortages”(农民们报告说损失惨重，一家耗资2000万美元的新番茄酱工厂由于短缺已经……生产)，可知工厂因为短缺停止了生产，“halt”表示“停止”，所以选F。
32. 根据“Given the moth's ability also to attack crops like pepper and potatoes”(考虑到这种飞蛾还能攻击像辣椒和土豆这样的作物)，可知这种害虫可能会给国家的粮食安全带来严重问题，“food security”表示“粮食安全”，所以选L。
33. 根据“Ogbeh says experts are investigating how to control the pest’s damage and prevent its spread”(奥格贝说专家们正在调查如何控制这种害虫的破坏并防止其传播)，以及“which has gone largely...until now”(到目前为止，这种情况基本上……)，可知这种害虫的传播在很大程度上没有得到控制，“unchecked”表示“未受检查的;未受控制的”，所以选N。
34. 根据“as around 75% of the local harvest goes to waste thanks to a lack of proper storage facilities”(由于缺乏适当的储存设施，当地约75%的收成被浪费了)，可知尼日利亚依赖价值10亿美元的番茄酱进口，“be dependent on”表示“依赖”，所以选A。
35. 根据“A further...in local supplies is yet another unwelcome setback to the industry”(当地供应的进一步……对这个行业来说是又一个不受欢迎的挫折)，结合前文提到番茄短缺，可知这里说的是当地供应的进一步减少，“reduction”表示“减少”，所以选J。
