时文拓展阅读---世界粮食奖：民以食为天，他撑起了人类的半边天

           建安区三高 张志鹤                                   

      如今，“食不果腹，衣不蔽体”的窘迫在我们看来也许都成了特殊时期的往事，因为遥远，所以无法想象，更无从感同身受。尤其在我们多数人都享受着充裕物质生活的今天，贫至无以充饥的苦难，听起来似乎很不真实。然而，联合国发布的《2019年全球粮食危机报告》显示，2018年，全球仍有53个国家的大约1.13亿人遭遇重度饥饿，过去三年来，全球面临粮食危机的总人数始终维持在1亿以上，且波及的国家范围还在扩大。“一粥一饭，当思来之不易；半丝半缕，恒念物力维艰”，这句古训在新时代不该被遗忘。

阅读短文并回答问题

     A seed expert who brought high-quality vegetable seeds to many countries, was awarded the 2019 World Food Prize. Simon Groot of the Netherlands is credited with introducing high-quality, disease-resistant vegetable seeds to more than 60 countries including the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

     Developing seeds has been the Groot family business for a long time. He is the sixth generation of, what is called, a seedsman. He began his search to create better vegetable seeds to help farmers in Southeast Asia in 1981. He was 47 then and his family’s company had just been taken over by a larger corporation.

    Sixteen years earlier, he had made his first trip to Indonesia. There, Groot learned that vegetable seeds which were developed for the moderate climate of Europe, did poorly when planted in the hot tropics. He thought there was a great possibility to introduce hybrid（杂交植物的） vegetables to the area. The area lacked vegetable seed developers who were trying to create hybrids for the local climate.

  “It was neither charity nor business. It was a passion for good seeds,” said Groot. Now 85, he said developing seeds has always concerned him, “I noticed the seed quality in that part of world was so much below our standards and below achievable standards.” He added that he “could not stand” that the farmers there did not have better seeds.

   At the time, farmers in Southeast Asia usually saved seeds from season to season. That was because the seeds available for sale were often old. Those seeds were usually from Europe or North America and did not grow well in their tropical climate. This meant that the farmers ended up with smaller crops, and lower quality that changed greatly from season to season. The plants also could easily become infected with diseases.

    Groot partnered with seed trader Benito Domingo of the Philippines. They put together a team of seed researchers and growers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and the University of the Philippines. Within a few years, they developed a hybrid bitter gourd that sold successfully. Then they adapted a tomato plant, followed by eggplants, pumpkins and leafy vegetables.

    The early successes led to the start of the East-West Seed Company, which now has more than 970 improved seeds of 60 vegetable crops. Over the past 40 years, the discoveries have led to the creation of a tropical vegetable seed industry aimed at small farmers. The tropical seeds are now spreading into Asia, Africa and Latin America.

    It is estimated that the company’s seeds are used by 20 million farmers each year in more than 60 countries, said Kenneth Quinn, the former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam. He has been the president of the Des Moines, Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation since 2000.

  Of Groot, Quinn said, “he’s a truly remarkable individual with worthy accomplishments that should be recognized.”

   The award was announced during a ceremony at the U.S. Department of State hosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. “The remarkable improvements made in these tropical vegetable seeds helped small farmers in developing nations produce more food and importantly get more income for themselves and their families,” Pompeo said. He added that the seeds fight hunger and help increase economic growth.

1. What can we know about Groot from the text?

A. He got the World Food Prize for improving vegetable seeds.

B. He began his research on vegetable seeds at a young age.

C. He brought better vegetable seeds to Southeast Asia in 1981.

D. He wanted to be the first vegetable seed developer in Europe.  

2. What caused lower incomes from crops in Southeast Asia in the past?

A. The poor soil.        

B. The long season.

C. Diseases infected by insects.   

D. Seeds growing bad.

3. What can we learn about the East-West Seed Company?

A. It was established in 2000.

B. The successful development of hydrid vegetables promoted its foundation.

C. Its tropical seeds are now spreading into Asia, Africa and America.

D. Millions of farmers have used its seeds around the world.

4. Why does the author mention the Pompeo’s statement at last?

 A. To add some background information.

 B. To show Groot’s outstanding contribution.

 C. To present Groot’s special place.

 D. To summarize the previous paragraphs.

5. Where is this text most likely from?

A. A geography book.           

B. A farmer’s biography.        

C. A science magazine.          

D. A travel brochure.

参考答案

1~5 ADBBC

生词及长难句

1. credit  v. 归功于

The company is credited with inventing the industrial robot. 发明工业机器人是那家公司的功劳。

2. disease-resistant  抗病的

3. moderate  adj. 温和的；适度的

4. tropics  n. 热带，热带地区

5. hybrid  adj. 杂交植物的；杂交动物的

6. tropical climate  热带气候

7. bitter gourd  苦瓜

8. ambassador n. 大使；使节

9. remarkable  adj. 非凡的；显著的

10. “The remarkable improvements made in these tropical vegetable seeds helped small farmers in developing nations produce more food and importantly get more income for themselves and their families,” Pompeo said.

句子主干：“The improvements helped farmers produce food and get income,” Pompeo said.

参考译文：蓬佩奥说：“这些热带蔬菜种子的显著改良帮助了发展中国家的小农生产出更多的粮食，更重要的是为他们自己及其家庭获得了更多的收入”。

知识拓展

World Food Prize

世界粮食奖，旨在对改进全球粮食质量、数量和供应，从而推动人类发展的个人突破性成就进行表彰，是该领域最具声望的国际大奖，曾被多位国家元首誉为“粮食与农业领域的诺贝尔奖”。该奖项由诺贝尔和平奖获得者美国人诺曼·博洛格博士于1986年设立，每年十月在美国艾奥瓦州得梅因市颁发，奖金为 250000 美元，以表彰在为人类提供充足粮食和营养的任何相关领域做出贡献的人。