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Experts predict the world could run out of chocolate within 40 years because cocoa plants are struggling to live in warmer climates.

The trees can only grow within about 20 degrees north and south of the equator, and they grow under specific conditions such as wet environment and plenty of rain. But a temperature rise of just 2.1°C over the next 30 years caused by global warming is set to ruin the plants and in turn the worldwide chocolate industry. As more water went out of soil and plants, it is unlikely that rainfall will increase enough to offset the loss. That means cocoa production areas are set to be pushed thousands of feet higher into mountainous places which are carefully preserved for wildlife by 2050.

Officials in countries such as Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, which produce more than half of the world’s chocolate, will face a hard choice of whether to keep the world’s supply of chocolate or to save their dying environment.

Last year experts predicted that as chocolate is becoming more and more popular among people from developing countries, the whole world will face a shortage of it. Since the 1990s, more than a billion people from China, Indonesia, India and Brazil have entered the market for cocoa. Despite the increased demand, supply has not kept up and storage of cocoa are said to be falling. Production of cocoa is under strain as farming methods have not changed for hundreds of years. We could be looking at a chocolate shortage of 100,000 tonnes a year in the next few years.

1.Why will the world run out of chocolate?

A Because the rainfall is decreasing.

B Because the demand is increasing.

C Because the climate is becoming warmer.

D Because people are eating it up.

解析：选C。推理判断题。根据第一段Experts predict the world could run out of chocolate within 40 years because cocoa plants are struggling to live in warmer climates.和第二段第二句But a temperature rise of just 2.1°C over the next 30 years caused by global warming is set to ruin the plants and in turn the worldwide chocolate industry.可知是因为全球温度升高导致的可可产量降低，因此造成巧克力产业的毁灭和灭绝，故选C。

2.What kind of environment do cocoa plants need?

A Wet and rainy.

B Dry and hot.

C Wet and hot.

D Dry and cold.

解析：选A。细节理解题。根据第二段第一句The trees can only grow within about 20 degrees north and south of the equator, and they grow under specific conditions such as wet environment and plenty of rain.可知可可需要潮湿多雨水的环境，故选A。

3.What does the underlined word “offset” mean in Chinese?

A 加大.

B 减少.

C 剥夺.

D 补偿.

解析：选D。词义猜测题。根据前面的more water went out of soil and plants, rainfall will increase enough和后面的loss可知可可树流失了很多水分，雨水增加了，但是不够______损失，因此是弥补、补偿的意思，故选D。

4.What is the hard choice for the Ghana’s officials?

A To keep the supply or preserve the wildlife.

B To keep the supply or save their environment.

C To rise the price or cut down the supply.

D To plant more cocoa trees or more rice.

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第三段...will face an hard choice of whether to keep the world’s supply of chocolate or to save their dying environment.可知加纳政府官员面临的两难抉择是保持世界可可需求供应量还是保护面临困境的环境，故选B。

5.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A People in developing countries couldn’t afford chocolate before.

B Higher demand and falling storage made chocolate face a shortage.

C The total population of China, Indonesia, India and Brazil is a billion.

D Production of cocoa rose greatly in the past few centuries.

解析：选B。推理判断题。根据最后一段chocolate is becoming more and more popular, entered the market for cocoa, storage of cocoa are said to be falling和could be looking at a chocolate shortage可知可可需求量增加了，但是存量在降低，将会面临短缺，故选B。