Question

Europe’s deadly outbreak of a rare form of E. coli bacteria (大肠杆菌) has brought new attention to food safety issues. One of the problems when people get sick from food is that the simplest question is often difficult or even impossible to answer. Just what did the people eat that made them sick?

Of course, one way to avoid these medical mysteries is to keep dangerous organisms out of the food supply. This is easier said than done, but scientists keep looking for new ways.

Scientists in the United States have developed an experimental system that uses a high-tech optical scanner. The system is designed to identify the presence of contaminants(致污物) like soil or animal waste on fresh produce. These can be sources of E. coli. E. coli bacteria naturally live in the intestines(肠) of humans and many animals. Most kinds of E. coli are harmless but some can make people sick.

The new scanner can also show damage and imperfections that might make the produce unappealing to shoppers.

Scientists designed the system at a Department of Agriculture research center in Beltsville, Maryland. Moon Kim of the Agricultural Research Service led the team.

MOON KIM: “We were requested, we were asked, to develop a method to detect contamination in produce. So we started with the apple as the model sample.”

The scanner uses a high-speed camera placed over the conveyer belt that moves the produce along. As the apples move along the belt, the scanner captures images of each piece of fruit.

Moon Kim says the team hopes the system will be available before long.

MOON KIM: “We are targeting for development in commercial plants for the next several years.”

The scanner can direct a sorting machine to separate the bad apples from the good ones. The system is currently able to show the surface of only half the apple as it speeds by. The inventers hope to improve the process so it can show the whole surface.

1.What is the main topic of the text?

A. Bacteria.????????????? B. A high-tech scanner.????????????? ? C. A camera????????????? D. Food safety.

2.E. coli bacteria ______.

A. broke out all over the world????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ? B. comes from soil or animal waste

C. is extremely harmful to health????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ? D. does not cause illness

3.The high-tech scanner ______.

A. can help to sort out different fruits

B. make the produce appeal to shoppers

C. can only capture images of the whole apple

D. can identify the presence of contaminants

4.What can be inferred from the text?

A. The scanner needs to be improved.

B. The scanner will be available in the next several years.

C. Moon Kim is unwilling to develop the scanner.

D. The scanner is connected to a sorting machine.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.B

2.B

3.D

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要叙述了在欧洲爆发大肠杆菌的感染给人们的健康带来了很大的危害。科学家发明出一种扫描仪来识别致污物的存在，详细描述了这样仪器的特点和需要改进的地方。

1.B 主旨大意题。文章中主要提及了在欧洲爆发的E. coli bacteria (大肠杆菌)的感染给人们的健康带来了很大的危害。科学家发明出一种扫描仪来识别致污物 的存在，接下来就分析了这一扫描仪的具体情况。故B正确。

2.B 细节题。根据文章第3段第2行The system is designed to identify the presence of contaminants(致污物) like soil or animal waste on fresh produce.可知大肠杆菌主要来自土壤和动物粪便。故B正确。

3.D 细节题。根据文章第3段1,2行Scientists in the United States have developed an experimental system that uses a high-tech optical scanner. The system is designed to identify the presence of contaminants(致污物) like soil or animal waste on fresh produce可知这一扫描仪可以识别出大肠杆菌)的存在。故D正确。

4.A 推理题。根据文章最后3行The system is currently able to show the surface of only half the apple as it speeds by. The inventers hope to improve the process so it can show the whole surface.可知这个扫描仪还有一些需要改进的地方。故A正确。

考点：考察科普类短文阅读