Question

【題目】In a study published in the U. S. journal Science, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS) and the University of Florida identified the chemical combinations and genetic recipe for better tomato flavor(味道).

“In recent years, consumers often complain that the modern tomato is less flavorful than it once was” said co-principal researcher Sanwen Huang. “Our results provide a practical road map for breeding tomato varieties with better flavor.”

For the study, a 170-person consumer group was created to evaluate 160 tomatoes representing 101 varieties, based on qualities such as “overall liking” and “flavor degree”. The results pointed to dozens of chemical compounds of interest, and further research using a statistical model discovered 33 flavor compounds connected with consumer liking, such as glucose(葡萄糖). The reason why modern tomatoes don’t taste good anymore is that a total of 13 of these flavor-associated compounds “were significantly reduced in modern varieties,” their paper wrote. Moreover, the researchers found that smaller fruit tended to have greater sugar content, suggesting that “selection for more sizable tomatoes has cost sweetness and flavor”.

Based on this knowledge, Huang and Professor Harry Klee of the University of Florida studied the whole genomes of 398 varieties of tomato, identifying about 250 positions of genes on a chromosome(染色體), which controlled tomato flavor.

“We’re just fixing what has been damaged over the last half century to push them back to where they were a century ago,” said Klee in a statement. “We can make the supermarket tomato taste noticeably better.” Klee said new tomato varieties with better flavor could be ready in three to four years. In addition, “the genes and pathways identified here in the tomato almost certainly point to pathways worth researching for improvement of flavor quality in other fruit crops,” they wrote.

【1】According to the text, the study ________.

A. was carried out just through a survey

B. was conducted by Chinese researchers themselves

C. was completely focused on the genes of different tomatoes

D. was done with the background of declining flavor of tomatoes

【2】The researchers have found that ________ in the study.

A. bigger tomatoes are much sweeter

B. some genetic positions affect the taste of tomatoes

C. some chemical compounds make tomatoes less tasty

D. a total of 13 flavor-associated compounds make tomatoes appealing in taste

【3】What is the influence of the study according to the text?

A. The study lays the foundation for further researches to improve other fruit crops’ flavor.

B. The study makes it possible for us to have noticeably more tasty tomatoes next year.

C. The study provides a road for where to plant tomatoes with better flavor.

D. The study has fixed all the genes of existing tomatoes.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】B

【3】A

【解析】文章介紹了美國《科學(xué)》雜志發(fā)表的關(guān)于西紅柿味道的研究，這項研究是由中國農(nóng)業(yè)科學(xué)院和美國佛羅里達大學(xué)完成的。

【1】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第二段內(nèi)容“In recent years, consumers often complain that the modern tomato is less flavorful than it once was” said co-principal researcher Sanwen Huang. “Our results provide a practical road map for breeding tomato varieties with better flavor.”（“近年來，消費者經(jīng)常抱怨現(xiàn)代的西紅柿味道遠不如以前”“我們的研究為能吃到各種美味的西紅柿提供可實現(xiàn)的藍圖�！保┛芍�，此研究背景是現(xiàn)代西紅柿味道下降，故選D。

【2】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段identifying about 250 positions of genes on a chromosome(染色體), which controlled tomato flavor.可知，一些染色體上基因的位置控制西紅柿的味道，故B正確。

【3】推理判斷題。根據(jù)最后一段內(nèi)容“the genes and pathways identified here in the tomato almost certainly point to pathways worth researching for improvement of flavor quality in other fruit crops,”可知，此研究為進一步研究改進其他水果作物口味奠定基礎(chǔ)，故選A。