阅读理解

Directions: In this section, there are 3 passages followed by multiple-choice questions. Read the passages and then write ONE best answer for each question on your ANSWER SHEET.


Passage 1 

Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food. Fergus Clydesdale, head of the 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 standards that apply to food additives. Declares Christina Stark, a nutritionist at Cornell University: “We’ve got fat 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 make much sense 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 practices or 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. 

单选题 What does the author think of the Americans’ view of their food?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】根据文章首段第一句提到的“Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food.”可知许多美国人对食品的风险都怀有一种极度扭曲和夸张的看法，由此可知作者是认为美国人夸大了食品的风险。
单选题 The author considers it impossible to obtain no-risk food because _____.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】文章第二段第一句指出： 世界上不存在零风险的食物。下文指出具体原因是农药、 化学物质以及一些自然物质都会对食物产生污染，因此A“没有食物是不受环境污染的”最能概括出原因。
单选题 By saying “they employ chemical warfare” (Line 4, Para. 2), Bruce Ames means “_____”.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】文章第二段第三句话提到“Since plants do not have jaws or teeth to protect themselves, they employ chemical warfare”，因为植物没有颌或牙齿来保护自己，所以它们采用化学战，意思是“植物自身会产生一些化学物质来对抗害虫”。
单选题 The reduction of the possible hazards in food ultimately depends mainly on _____
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】文章最后一段倒数第二句指出： Perhaps most important, consumers will have to do a better job of learning how to handle and cook food properly，由此可知最重要的是，消费者需要更好地学习如何正确处理和烹饪食物。因此在应对食物带来的风险时，消费者的应对措施是最重要的。
单选题 What is the message the author wants to convey in the passage?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】文章第三段第二句话提到“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.”，美国人没有理由害怕吃饭，但他们有充分的理由要求在食品和水安全方面有显著的改善。由此可知消费者有理由保持谨慎，但没有理由对食品消费感到恐慌。
单选题 The word “harbor” in “Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view …” is closest inmeaning to _____.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】harbor意为“庇护；怀有”。句子意思为许多美国人对食品的风险都怀有一种极度扭曲和夸张的看法。因此与harbor意思最为接近的是hold，表示“持某种看法”。