单选题 Diseases of Agricultural Plants Plants, like animals, are subject to diseases of various kinds. It has been estimated that some 30,000 different diseases attack our economic plants; forty are known to attack com, and about as many attack wheat. The results of unchecked plant disease are all too obvious in countries which have marginal food supplies. The problem will soon be more widespread as the population of the world increases at its frightening rate. Even in countries which are now amply fed by their agricultural products there could soon be critical food shortages. It is easy to imagine the consequences of some disastrous attack on one of the major crops; the resulting famines could kill millions of people, and the resulting hardship on other millions could cause political upheavals disastrous to the order of the world. Some plants have relative immunity to a great many diseases, while others have a susceptibility to them. The tolerance of a particular plant changes as the growing conditions change. A blight may be but a local infection easily controlled; on the other hand it can attack particular plants in a whole region or nation. An example is the blight which killed virtually every chestnut tree in North America. Another is the famous potato blight in Ireland in the last century. As a result of that, it was estimated that one million people died of starvation and related ailments. Plant pathologists have made remarkable strides in identifying the pathogens of the various diseases. Bacteria may invade a plant through an infestation of insect parasites carrying the pathogen. A plant can also be inoculated by man. Other diseases might be caused by fungus which attacks the plant in the form of a mold or smut or rust. Frequently such a primary infection8 will weaken the plant so that a secondary infection may result from9 its lack of tolerance. The symptoms shown may cause an error in diagnosis, so that treatment may be directed toward bacteria which could be the result of a susceptibility caused by a primary virus infection.
单选题
How many diseases are known to attack wheat? A. Around 30,000. B. Around 140. C. Around 29,960. D. Around 40.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】3万种是总的数字，40种是针对玉米，但剩下的29，960种并不都是针对小麦的，所以A、 B、C三项都不对；about as many的意思是“大约和……的数目一样”，是指大约与玉米疾病的数目相同，所以应选D。
单选题
According to this passage, which of the following would a plant disease result in if left unchecked? A. A world war. B. Border conflicts. C. Rations of grain and meat. D. Social upheavals.
单选题
What is the main idea of the second paragraph? A. Some plants have relative immunity to a great many diseases, while others have a susceptibility to them. B. The tolerance of a particular plant changes as the growing conditions change. C. A blight killed virtually every chestnut tree in North America. D. A blight may be a national infection.
单选题
According to the passage, some plant diseases can be prevented by A. killing parasites. B. inoculation. C. killing insects. D. improving growing conditions.
单选题
Which of the following statements is not true? A. Some plant diseases may be caused by bacteria. B. Some plant diseases may be caused by pathogens. C. Some plant diseases may be caused by fungus. D. Symptoms are always helpful in identifying diseases.