题型:阅读选择 题类:真题 难易度:普通
江苏省无锡市2019年中考英语试卷
In 1845, a deadly disease struck the farms of Ireland, killing all the Lumper potato plants. In another place or time, the death of single crop species (物种) might not have been so important. But in Ireland, in 1845, people depended almost solely on the potato for food. The death of one species caused a terrible famine(饥荒). Now, some scientists are worried that such a famine could happen again, but on a much wider scale.
Over the centuries, farmers have discovered thousands of different species of food crops. Each species has special qualities. Some can be grown in very hot or cold climates. Others are not affected by certain diseases. However, you won't find many of these species in your local supermarket. To feed the seven billion people on Earth, most farmers today are growing only species of plants and farming only species of animals that are easy to produce in large numbers.
For example, in the Philippines, there were once thousands of varieties of rice: now fewer than 100 are grown there. In China, 90 percent of the wheat varieties grown just a century ago have disappeared. Scientists believe that over the past century, we have allowed more than half of the world's food varieties to disappear.
One solution to this problem is to collect and store the seeds (种子) as many different plant varieties as we can before they disappear. The idea was first suggested by Russian scientist Nikolay Vavilov. In the 1920s and 1930s, he collected around 400,000 seeds from five contients. More recently, others are continuing the work he began.
In the U.S. state of Iowa, Diane Ott Whealy wanted to protect historic plant varieties, like the seeds her great –grandfather brought to the U.S. from Germany more than a hundred years ago. She and her husband started a place called Heritage Farm, where people can store and trade seeds.
More importantly, the people at Heritage Farm don't just store the seeds; they plant them. By doing this, they are reintroducing foods into the marketplace that haven't been grown for years. These food species are not just special in terms of appearance or taste. They also offer farmers food solutions for the future, from the past.
Meanwhile, thousands of other species are dying out.
We all know that many inventions have changed our life a lot. They play important roles in our daily life. Here are some interesting inventions.
Morpher People refuse to wear helmets because they're thick and heavy. Morpher is a bike helmet made of plastic. It is just as strong as traditional helmets, but it can be folded almost completely flat, making it easier to carry. Morpher may be available for sale in stores in the near future. |
HyperAdapt Have you ever seen the movie Back to the Future? Maybe everyone wants the pair of shoes in the movie that can tighten or loosen by themselves. Now, thanks to the shoe factory, the dream is realized. When you push a button on the shoe, HyperAdapt can tighten or loosen around the feet. |
Flyte Flyte is a light bulb that can float and turn. Flyte has been popular with most people since it came out in January, The company also introduced a lot of similar products, including a planter, Lyfe, which came out in June. |
Little Printer It looks lovely and is called Little Printer, This machine can print news headlines(摘要), riddles and other things on a roll(卷) of paper, If you want to make your own little newspaper, don't forget to use it. |
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