Scientists are working to develop crop plants that can reduce the amount of water used for agriculture．Almost sixty percent of the world’s freshwater withdrawals from rivers, lakes and other water resources go toward irrigating fields.

Scientists are using biotechnology as well as traditional breeding methods to develop water-saving crops to feed a growing world.

Thomas “Tommy” Carter is a plant scientist in North Carolina．He works for the Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture．He leads Team Drought, a group of researchers at five universities．They have been using conventional breeding methods to develop and test soybeans that can grow well under dry conditions.

Tommy Carter started working on drought-resistant soybeans in 1981．His research has taken him as far as China, where soybeans have been grown for thousands of years．

Farmers in the United States, however, have grown soybeans for only about a century．Tommy Carter says the soybeans they grow are for the most part genetically similar．More differences could better protect crops against climate changes that can reduce production．Those changes include water shortages which could increase from global warming.

The Agriculture Department has a soybean germplasm（胚质） collection, a collection of genetic material passed from one generation to the next．Members of Team Drought studied more than 2,500 examples from the collection.

They looked at ones from the home of soybeans, Asia．They searched for germplasms that could keep plants from weakening and wilting （凋谢）during hot, dry summers in the United States.

Tommy Carter says they found only five．But these slow-wilting lines, he says, produce four to eight bushels（英斗）more than normal soybeans under drought conditions．The yield depends on location and environment.

Scientists are also working on other plants that either use less water or use it better, or both．For example, companies like Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta have been developing corn with reduced water needs．Monsanto expects to be ready in a few years to market its first corn seeds genetically engineered to resist drought．

1．According to the passage, scientists try to find out how to _______.

  A．grow crops with less water                  B．increase crop production

  C．feed a growing world                           D．save the world’s water resource

2．Why did Tommy Carter come to China?

     A．He likes traveling.

     B．China has a long history.

     C．He’s doing research into soybeans.

     D．He works for the Agricultural Research Service.

3．What’s inferred from the passage?

     A．Climate changes lead to global warming.

     B．Water shortages contribute to global warming.

     C．Genetically different soybeans need much water to grow.

     D．Genetically different soybeans help to fight against damaging climate changes.

4．What do we know about slow-wilting plants talked about in the passage?

     A．They yield big profits.

     B．They can grow in almost any climate.

     C．They seem to be drought-resistant.

     D．They need much water for their growth.

It's time to be water efficient!
As populations increase across Australia and the rest of the world, demand for water will also increase. If we don’t reduce each individual’s demand for water (both directly and through embodied water) the water situation will become dire.
It is obvious that we cannot increase demands for water much more without detrimental(有害的) effects to the environment, society and the economy.
It’s all too easy to blame someone else for the water situation –“if 70% of water is used for agriculture then that’s what we should target” – but it’s not that easy. We all depend on the food and resources that agriculture provides, and while there are definitely opportunities to increase water efficiency on the farm, the solution will take more than that.
We each share responsibility for the sustainable management of our water resources, which means using less water at home, in the workplace, at school, on holidays, on the farm, … everyone, everywhere, every time.
It's time to become water efficient! This involves reassessing our relationship with water, and learning to use it more sparingly. On the most basic level, it requires a behavioural（行动的） change, and assigning a value to water that truly reflects its worth.
We can also unlock economic benefits of being water efficient. There are many real world examples given in the case studies on this site.
Everybody has a responsibility to save water, if future generations are to enjoy a similar standard of living to the one we enjoy now. In fact, many of the impacts associated with water use are likely to have an effect on our own lives!
www.savewater.com.au has been designed to help you respond to the challenge to become water efficient. It acts as a central repository for relevant information and further advice, so that you can actually achieve significant savings. It also showcases those companies with products that will assist you in your goal.

1. 1.

   Can you infer where this passage is from?

   1. A.
      newspaper
   2. B.
      TV programme
   3. C.
      Radio broadcast
   4. D.
      Internet
2. 2.

   What can we do to save water?

   1. A.
      find more water resources
   2. B.
      use less water everywhere, every time
   3. C.
      realize the importance of saving water
   4. D.
      unlock economic benefits of being water efficient
3. 3.

   What is not the reason to save water?

   1. A.
      There are more and more people in the world.
   2. B.
      The water resources are limited.
   3. C.
      Agriculture needs more water.
   4. D.
      The water is very important for us.
4. 4.

   What is the main idea of this passage?

   1. A.
      Water is very important for the human.
   2. B.
      Everybody has a responsibility to save water.
   3. C.
      It's time to be water efficient.
   4. D.
      Let’s save water for our future generations.

Scientists are working to develop crop plants that can reduce the amount of water used for agriculture. Almost sixty percent of the world’s freshwater withdrawals from rivers, lakes and other water resources go toward irrigating fields.

Scientists are using biotechnology as well as traditional breeding methods to develop water-saving crops to feed a growing world.

Thomas “Tommy” Carter is a plant scientist in North Carolina. He works for the Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture. He leads Team Drought, a group of researchers at five universities. They have been using conventional breeding methods to develop and test soybeans that can grow well under dry conditions.

Tommy Carter started working on drought-resistant soybeans in 1981. His research has taken him as far as China, where soybeans have been grown for thousands of years.

Farmers in the United States, however, have grown soybeans for only about a century. Tommy Carter says the soybeans they grow are for the most part genetically similar. More differences could better protect crops against climate changes that can reduce production. Those changes include water shortages which could increase from global warming.

The Agriculture Department has a soybean germplasm(胚质) collection, a collection of genetic material passed from one generation to the next. Members of Team Drought studied more than 2,500 examples from the collection.

They looked at ones from the home of soybeans, Asia. They searched for germplasms that could keep plants from weakening and wilting (凋谢)during hot, dry summers in the United States.

Tommy Carter says they found only five. But these slow-wilting lines, he says, produce four to eight bushels（英斗）more than normal soybeans under drought conditions. The yield depends on location and environment.

Scientists are also working on other plants that either use less water or use it better, or both. For example, companies like Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta have been developing corn with reduced water needs. Monsanto expects to be ready in a few years to market its first corn seeds genetically engineered to resist drought.

1. According to the passage, scientists try to find out how to _______.

A. grow crops with less water

B. increase crop production

C. feed a growing world

D. save the world’s water resource

2. Why did Tommy Carter come to China?

   A. He likes traveling.

   B. China has a long history.

   C. He’s doing research into soybeans.

   D. He works for the Agricultural Research Service.

3. What’s inferred from the passage?

   A. Climate changes lead to global warming.

   B. Water shortages contribute to global warming.

   C. Genetically different soybeans need much water to grow.

   D. Genetically different soybeans help to fight against damaging climate changes.

4. What do we know about slow-wilting plants talked about in the passage?

   A. They yield big profits.

   B. They can grow in almost any climate.

   C. They seem to be drought-resistant.

   D. They need much water for their growth.

Scientists are working to develop crop plants that can reduce the amount of water used for agriculture. Almost sixty percent of the world’s freshwater withdrawals from rivers, lakes and other water resources go toward irrigating fields.

Scientists are using biotechnology as well as traditional breeding methods to develop water-saving crops to feed a growing world.

Thomas “Tommy” Carter is a plant scientist in North Carolina. He works for the Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture. He leads Team Drought, a group of researchers at five universities. They have been using conventional breeding methods to develop and test soybeans that can grow well under dry conditions.

Tommy Carter started working on drought-resistant soybeans in 1981. His research has taken him as far as China, where soybeans have been grown for thousands of years. 

Farmers in the United States, however, have grown soybeans for only about a century. Tommy Carter says the soybeans they grow are for the most part genetically similar. More differences could better protect crops against climate changes that can reduce production. Those changes include water shortages which could increase from global warming.

The Agriculture Department has a soybean germplasm(胚质) collection, a collection of genetic material passed from one generation to the next. Members of Team Drought studied more than 2,500 examples from the collection.

They looked at ones from the home of soybeans, Asia. They searched for germplasms that could keep plants from weakening and wilting (凋谢)during hot, dry summers in the United States.

Tommy Carter says they found only five. But these slow-wilting lines, he says, produce four to eight bushels（英斗）more than normal soybeans under drought conditions. The yield depends on location and environment.

Scientists are also working on other plants that either use less water or use it better, or both. For example, companies like Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta have been developing corn with reduced water needs. Monsanto expects to be ready in a few years to market its first corn seeds genetically engineered to resist drought. 

1.According to the passage, scientists try to find out how to _______.

A. grow crops with less water

B. increase crop production

C. feed a growing world

D. save the world’s water resource

2.Why did Tommy Carter come to China?

   A. He likes traveling.

   B. China has a long history.

   C. He’s doing research into soybeans.

   D. He works for the Agricultural Research Service.

3.What’s inferred from the passage?

   A. Climate changes lead to global warming.

   B. Water shortages contribute to global warming.

   C. Genetically different soybeans need much water to grow.

   D. Genetically different soybeans help to fight against damaging climate changes.

4.What do we know about slow-wilting plants talked about in the passage?

   A. They yield big profits.

   B. They can grow in almost any climate.

   C. They seem to be drought-resistant.

   D. They need much water for their growth.

Scientists are working to develop crop plants that can reduce the amount of water used for agriculture. Almost sixty percent of the world’s freshwater withdrawals from rivers, lakes and other water resources go toward irrigating fields.

Scientists are using biotechnology as well as traditional breeding methods to develop water-saving crops to feed a growing world.

Thomas “Tommy” Carter is a plant scientist in North Carolina. He works for the Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture. He leads Team Drought, a group of researchers at five universities. They have been using conventional breeding methods to develop and test soybeans that can grow well under dry conditions.

Tommy Carter started working on drought-resistant soybeans in 1981. His research has taken him as far as China, where soybeans have been grown for thousands of years.

Farmers in the United States, however, have grown soybeans for only about a century. Tommy Carter says the soybeans they grow are for the most part genetically similar. More differences could better protect crops against climate changes that can reduce production. Those changes include water shortages which could increase from global warming.

The Agriculture Department has a soybean germplasm(胚质) collection, a collection of genetic material passed from one generation to the next. Members of Team Drought studied more than 2,500 examples from the collection.

They looked at ones from the home of soybeans, Asia. They searched for germplasms that could keep plants from weakening and wilting (凋谢)during hot, dry summers in the United States.

Tommy Carter says they found only five. But these slow-wilting lines, he says, produce four to eight bushels（英斗）more than normal soybeans under drought conditions. The yield depends on location and environment.

Scientists are also working on other plants that either use less water or use it better, or both. For example, companies like Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta have been developing corn with reduced water needs. Monsanto expects to be ready in a few years to market its first corn seeds genetically engineered to resist drought.

68. According to the passage, scientists try to find out how to _______.

A. grow crops with less water

B. increase crop production

C. feed a growing world

D. save the world’s water resource

69. Why did Tommy Carter come to China?

   A. He likes traveling.

   B. China has a long history.

   C. He’s doing research into soybeans.

   D. He works for the Agricultural Research Service.

70. What’s inferred from the passage?

   A. Climate changes lead to global warming.

   B. Water shortages contribute to global warming.

   C. Genetically different soybeans need much water to grow.

   D. Genetically different soybeans help to fight against damaging climate changes.

71. What do we know about slow-wilting plants talked about in the passage?

   A. They yield big profits.

   B. They can grow in almost any climate.

   C. They seem to be drought-resistant.

   D. They need much water for their growth.