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Cambridge 17 Academic Reading Test Two Passage Two
A Second Attempt at Domesticating Tomato
Which section contains the following information?
14. a reference to type of tomato that resists a dangerous infection
The answer is C.
In paragraph twelve, in this way, they managed to create a strain resistant to a common disease called bacterial spot race, which can devastate yields.
15. an explanation of how problems can arise from focusing only on a certain type of tomato plant
The answer is B.
In paragraph seven, but every time a single mutation is taken from a larger population breeding, much genetic diversity is lost. And, sometimes the desirable mutations come with less desirable traits.
16. a number of examples of plants that are not cultivated at present but could be useful as food sources
The answer is E.
In paragraph sixteen, the three teams already have their eyes on other plants that could be ‘catapulted into the mainstream’, including foxtail, oat-grass, and cowpea. By choosing wild plants that are drought or heat-tolerant, says Gas, we could create crops that will thrive even as the planet warms.
17. a comparison between the early domestication of the tomato and more recent research
The answer is A.
In paragraph one, and they have done it better in some ways, as the re-domesticated tomatoes are more nutritious than the ones we eat at present.
18. a personal reaction to the flavor of a tomato that has been genetically edited
The answer is C.
In paragraph eleven, ‘They are quite tasty,’ says Kudla. ‘A little bit strong. And very aromatic.’
Look at the following statements and the list of researchers.
Write the correct letter, A–D.
19. Domestication of certain plants could allow them to adapt to future environmental challenges.
The answer is B. > Caixia Gao
In paragraph sixteen, the three teams already have their eye on other plants that could be ‘catapulted into the mainstream’, including foxtail, oat-grass, and cowpea. By choosing wild plants that are drought or heat-tolerant, says Gas, we could create crops that will thrive even as the planet warms.
20. The idea of growing and eating unusual plants may be accepted on a large scale.
The answer is D. > Jonathan Jones
In paragraph fifteen, this approach could boost the use of many obscure plants, says Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Lab in the UK.
21. It is not advisable for the future direction of certain research to be made public.
The answer is A. > Jorg Kudla
In paragraph seventeen, but Kudla didn’t want to reveal which species were in his team’s sights, because CRISPR has made the process easy. ‘Anyone with the right skills could go to their lab and do this.’
22. Present efforts to domesticate one wild fruit are limited by the costs involved.
The answer is C. > Joyce Van Eck
In paragraph fourteen, but she adds that taking the work further would be expensive because of the need to pay for a license for the CRISPR technology and get regulatory approval.
23. Humans only make use of a small proportion of the plant food available on Earth.
The answer is A. > Jorg Kudla
In paragraph four, ‘there are 50,000 edible plants in the world, but 90% of our energy comes from just 15 props.’
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
24. An undeniable trait such as loss of ……. may be caused by a mutation in a tomato gene.
The answer is FLAVOR/FLAVOUR.
In paragraph seven, but every time a single plant with a mutation is taken from a larger population for breeding, much genetic diversity is lost. And, sometimes the desirable mutations come with less desirable traits. For instance, the tomato strains grown for supermarkets have lost much of their flavor.
25. By modifying one gene in a tomato plant, researchers made the tomato three times its original ….
The answer is SIZE.
In paragraph nine, Kudla’s team made six changes altogether. For instance, they tripled the size of fruit by editing a gene called fruit weight, and increased the number of tomatoes per truss by editing another called multiflora.
26. A type of tomato which was not badly affected by ……, and was rich in vitamin C, was produced by a team of researchers in China.
The answer is SALT.
In paragraph eleven, the team in China re-domesticated several strains of wild tomatoes with desirable traits lost in domesticated tomatoes. In this way, they managed to create a strain resistant to a common disease called bacterial spot race, which can devastate yields. They also created another strain that is more salt tolerant – and has higher levels of vitamin C.