China is boosting potato growing to turn the crop into the country's fourth staple food after rice, wheat and corn, Yu Xinrong, vice-minister of agriculture, said at a meeting on Tuesday.

It is time for potatoes to become a staple food, given China's rapid urbanization, as they can make the dinner table rich, said WanBaorui, director of China's State Food and Nutrition Consultant Committee.

Potatoes have been grown in China for about 400 years and now cover 5 million hectares, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. The area potatoes will expand to 10 million hectares to better protect the country's grain supply, according to the ministry.

The country will see 50 billion kilograms of new food demand by 2020. China has a shortage of farmland and while it is hard to improve the yield of wheat and rice, it is easier to improve the yield of potatoes, according to the ministry.

The country has set a "red line" minimum of 120 million hectares of cultivated land, but pressure on arable land is still great, largely due to rapid urbanization.

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1.What is the first staple food in China?

A Potatoes.

B Wheat.

C Corn.

D Rice.

解析：选D。D 判断推理题。根据第一段China is boosting potato growing to turn the crop into the country's fourth staple food after rice, wheat and corn,…可知大米是我国第一主食，故选D。

2.How long have potatoes been grown in China?

A More than 400 years.

B About 400 years.

C Less than 400 years.

D About 4000 years.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第三段第一句Potatoes have been grown in China for about 400 years and now cover 5 million hectares,…可知，故选B。

3.One possible reason for potatoes to become the fourth staple food is .

A There are not enough people to grow wheat and rice.

B Most of the lands have to be used to grow potatoes.

C The yield of potatoes is easier to improve.

D Wheat and rice are polluted in China.

解析：选C。C 内容理解题。中国种植大米与小麦人手不足，明显错误，A选项错；没提到大多数土地必须用来种植土豆，B选项错；没提到大米与小麦被污染，D选项错，故选C。

4.We can infer that potatoes are______than rice and wheat.

A easier to grow.

B harder to grow.

C more delicious.

D cheaper.

解析：选A。A 判断推理题。根据第四段…it is easier to improve the yield of potatoes, according to the ministry.可知，故选A。

5.The phrase "red line" in the last paragraph means in Chinese.

A 林地红线.

B 耕地红线.

C 养殖红线.

D 稀土红线.

解析：选B。B 语义理解题。文中所提为农作物种植，故选B。