Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food. Fergus Clydesdale, department of food science and nutrition at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, says bluntly that if the dangers from bacterially contaminated chicken were as great as some people believe, "The streets would be littered with people lying here and there.

　　"Though the public increasingly demands no-risk food, there is no such thing. Bruce Ames, chairman of the biochemistry department at the University of California, Berkeley, points out that up to 10% of a plant's weight is made up of natural pesticides, says he: "Since plants do not have jaws or teeth to protect themselves, they employ chemical warfare. " And many naturally produced chemicals, though occurring in tiny amounts, prove in laboratory tests to be strong carcinogens-a substance which can cause cancer. Mushrooms might be banned if they were judged by the same standard that apply to food additives. Declares Christina Stark, a nutritionist at Cornell University: "We've got far worse natural chemicals in the food supply than anything man-made. "

　　Yet the issues are not that simple. While Americans have no reason to be terrified to sit down at the dinner table, they have every reason to demand significant improvements in food and water safety. They unconsciously and unwillingly take in too much of too many dangerous chemicals. If food already contains natural carcinogens, it does not to add dozens of new man-made ones. Though most people will withstand the small amounts of contaminants generally found in food and water, at least a few individuals will probably get cancer one day because of what they eat and drink.

　　To make good food and water supplies even better, the Government needs to tighten its regulatory standards, stiffen its inspection program and strengthen its enforcement policies. The food industry should modify some long-accepted practicesor turn to less hazardous alternatives. Perhaps most important, consumers will have to do a better job of learning how to handle and cook food properly. The problems that need to be tackled exist all along the food-supply chain, from fields to processing plants to kitchens.

　　1. What does the author think of the Americans' view of their food?

　　A) They overstate the government's interference with the food industry.

　　B) They are overoptimistic about the safety of their food.

　　C) They overestimate the hazards of their food.

　　D) They overlook the risks of the food they eat.

　　2. The author considers it impossible to obtain no-risk food because ____.

　　A) no food is free from pollution in the environment

　　B) pesticides are widely used in agriculture

　　C) many vegetables contain dangerous natural chemicals

　　D) almost all foods have additives

　　3. By saying "they employ chemical warfare"(Para. 2), Bruce Ames means ____.

　　A) plants produce certain chemicals to combat pests and diseases

　　B) plants absorb useful chemicals to promote their growth

　　C) farmers use man-made chemicals to dissolve the natural chemicals in plants

　　D) farmers use chemicals to protect plants against pests and diseases

　　4. The reduction of the possible hazards in food ultimately depends on ____.

　　A) the government B) the consumer

　　C) the processor D) the grower

　　5. What is the message the author wants to convey in the passage?

　　A) Eating and drinking have become more hazardous than before.

　　B) Immediate measures must be taken to improve food production and processing.

　　C) Health food is not a dream in modern society.

　　D) There is reason for caution but no cause for alarm with regard to food consumption.

　　——————————————————————————————————————————————

　　答案及解析

　　1.C 細節(jié)題。通過題干回到文章里找相對應的句子可以得知答案。根據短文得知，作者認為，美國人對食物的看法是過高地估價了食物的危害。見文章的第一句 Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food.可以看出，美國人對有關food和risk的看法是歪曲和夸張distorted and exaggerated，所以答案為C。

　　2. C 因果關系題。通過題干中的結果，回到文章中找相對應的原因，便可以得知答案。根據短文得知，作者認為不可能得到無害食物，因為很多蔬菜本身含有化學物質。見文章第二段第1-2句：Though the public increasingly demands no-risk food, there is no such thing. Bruce Ames ,chairman of the biochemistry department at the University of California, Berkeley, points out that up to 10% of a plant's weight is made up of natural pesticides可以看出，第二句是解釋第一句中的結果，既然up to 10% of a plant's weight is made up of natural pesticides(植物組成的1/10是天然剎蟲劑)，所以答案為C。

　　3. A 詞義題。通過上下文可以得知答案。根據短文得知，Bruce Ames所說的they employ chemical warfare，指的是蔬菜產生某種化學物質來與病蟲害做斗爭。見文章第二段里的句子Bruce Ames, chairman of the biochemistry department at the University of California, Berkeley, points out that up to 10% of a plant's weight is made up of natural pesticides, says he: "Since plants do not have jaws or teeth to protect themselves, they employ chemical warfare"，植物本身產生natural pesticides來對付病蟲害，從而保護自己，所以答案為A。

　　4. B 細節(jié)題。通過題干回到文章里找相對應的句子可以得知答案。根據短文得知，減少食物中潛在的危害最終在于消費者。見文章最后一段里的句子Perhaps most important, consumers will have to do a better job of learning how to handle and cook food properly, consumers才是最關鍵的，所以答案為B。

　　5. D 主旨大意題。通過各段落的主題句可以得知答案。根據短文得知，在這篇文章里作者想說明對食物消費有必要引起注意，但無須緊張。見文章各段的主題句:(Para.1)Many Americans harbor a grossly dis torted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food(美國人過高地估價了食物的危害)。 (Para.2) Though the public increasingly demands no-risk food, there is no such thing(雖然美國人對無害食物的需求越來越大，但根本就不存在無害食物)。 (Para. 3) Yet the issues are not that simple(問題并沒有那么簡單)。 (Para.4) To make good food and water supplies even better, the Government needs to tighten its regulatory standards, stiffen its inspection program and strengthen itsenforcement policies. Perhaps most important, consumers will have to do a better job of learning how to handle and cook food properly. (政府雖然可以采取措施，但關鍵在于消費者)。所以答案D。

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