In 1845, a deadly disease struck the farms of Ireland, killing all the Lumper potato plants. In another place or time, the death of a single crop species might not have been so important. But in Ireland, in 1845, people depended almost on the potato for food. The death of one species caused a terrible famine. Now, some scientists are worried that such a famine could happen again.
Over the centuries, farmers have discovered thousands of different species of food crops. Some can be grown in very hot or cold climates. Others are not affected by certain diseases. However, you won’t find many of these species in your local supermarket. To feed the seven billion people on Earth, most farmers today are growing only species of plants that are easy to produce in large numbers. Meanwhile, thousands of other species are becoming extinct.
For example, in the Philippines, there were once thousands of varieties of rice; now fewer than 100 are grown there. Experts believe that over the past century, we have allowed more than half of the world’s food varieties to disappear.
One solution to this problem is to collect and store the seeds (种子) of as many different plant varieties as we can before they disappear. The idea was first suggested by Russian scientist Nikolay Vavilov. In the 1920s and 30s, he collected around 400,000 seeds. More recently, others are continuing the work he began.
In the U.S. state of Iowa, Diane Ott Whealy wanted to protect historic plant varieties. She started a place called Heritage Farm, where people can store and trade seeds.
More importantly, the people at Heritage Farm don’t just store the seeds; they plant them. By doing this, they are reintroducing foods into the marketplace that haven’t been grown for years. These food species are not just special in flavor. They also offer farmers food solutions for the future, from the past.
4. What caused many people to die in Ireland in 1845?
A.Food pollution. |
B.Poisonous potatoes. |
C.An incurable disease. |
D.Lack of enough food. |
5. What does the underlined word “Others” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Species of food crops. | B.Potato plants. | C.Farmers. | D.Seeds. |
6. Why does the author mention the Philippines?
A.To show many food species have disappeared. |
B.To explain how to increase food production. |
C.To stress the importance of food diversity. |
D.To prove the necessity of growing rice. |
7. Which statement would Diane Ott Whealy probably agree with?
A.It’s dangerous to grow new food species. |
B.The work started by Nikolay Vavilov was useless. |
C.Storing seeds and planting them are both important. |
D.Foods grown from older seeds are cheaper but taste bad. |