Most of us probably live without vegetables, but a world without chocolate? Now that would be hard! According to chocolate makers it could happen if we don’t act soon. 

There are two main causes of the chocolate shortage—chocolate’s growing popularity and less production of cocoa, the plant from which chocolate is made. With more and more people in India and China loving chocolate, not much can be done about the first cause. 

Therefore, the only thing we can do is to increase cocoa production. However, new plant diseases and little rain in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world’s largest producers, have reduced cocoa production by 40 percent in the past 10 years. What’s worse, many cocoa farmers in Africa and other cocoa-producing countries like Indonesia and Venezuela are changing to easier-to-grow crops such as corn or rubber. This way, the farmers can make more money. 

To prevent more farmers from changing, researchers at the newly opened International Cocoa Control Centre, in the UK, are trying to create new cocoa plants that are stronger and faster growing. But first they must make sure the new plants are safe to grow. This takes a long time. 

First, each new plant is stored at the Control Centre for six months to make sure it is healthy. It is then planted in the Centre’s fields, studied and tested for another two years. Only after scientists are certain that they’re disease-free, will the plants be sent to farmers in West Africa or wherever else they are needed. 

To create new stronger types of cocoa, scientists at the Centre are combining the best parts from different cocoa plants. Though the world is facing a serious chocolate shortage, there is now hope!

1.The first paragraph tells us that______.

A chocolate is healthier than vegetables

B the world could soon be without chocolate

C people love vegetables more than chocolate

D it’s not necessary to eat so much chocolate

解析：选B。B 【推理判断题】第一段中心句为“According to chocolate makers it could happen if we don’t act soon. 这里it指的是a world without chocolate.”故选B。

2.In which countries has chocolate become more popular in recent years?

A Venezuela and Indonesia.

B Ivory Coast and Ghana.

C Indonesia and China.

D China and India.

解析：选D。D 【细节理解题】第二段最后一句话：“With more and more people in India and China loving chocolate, not much can be done about the first cause.”可知答案。

3.Cocoa farmers are choosing to grow rubber and corn because these crops______.

A can make them more money

B need less rain to grow

C can be planted more times each year

D are not damaged by plant diseases

解析：选A。A 【细节理解题】第三段最后两句话，可知种植玉米和橡胶比较容易，农民们也跟容易挣钱。

4.How long does it take scientists at the Centre to make sure a cocoa plant is safe to grow?

A 6 months.

B 12 months.

C 24 months.

D 30 months.

解析：选D。D 【数字计算题】根据第五段，each new plant is stored …for six months 和studied and tested for another two years可知，先储存6个月然后测试两年，相加得出30个月，故选D。

5.What is one of the purposes of the Cocoa Control Centre?

A To introduce cocoa production to more countries.

B To provide more chocolate for British people.

C To produce stronger types of cocoa plants.

D To make sure that cocoa is healthy to eat.

解析：选C。C 【推理判断题】根据最后一段“To create new stronger types of cocoa,...”可知，研究中心的目的在于培育新的强大的品种。这里create被题干中的produce所代替，他们是近义词。