The development of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals had led to a huge global controversy. Opponents say that GM “Franken foods” are a threat to our well-being, and proponents say that the risks are minimal. There is one aspect of the war over GM that is often overlooked. Anyone who wears a cotton shirt these days is using a GM crop. Cotton is the only major non-food GM crop at present, but others are coming.

GM cotton plants that is not food has not stopped the most passionate GM opponents from objecting. If GM cotton is grown in a field next to fields of non-GM cotton, they argue, then how to keep genes from being transferred from field to field. This danger, however, is not as compelling to the public as possible health hazards in food, so there is no great fury over GM cotton.
GM cotton seeds produce higher yields, and they do without the need for pesticides. Planting of GM cotton has increased five fold since 1997; three-quarter of cotton in America, and over half in China, is now GM. Farmers like it because it increases their profits.

Other options for non-food GM include new variety of flowers with different colors or scents, tougher grasses for lawns, and plants designed to soak up pollutants from the soil. The paper industry provides another example of potential for GM to help produce better and cheaper products. Paper is made from pulp, and pulp is generally made from trees. Researchers in New Zealand and Chile have been working on insect-resistant pines, and a Japanese firm has combined carrot genes with tree genes to make them grow better in poor soil.
Another interesting case is that of tobacco. It is not food crop, but it is consumed, and GM tobacco plants with both more and less nicotine have been created. The tobacco plant, however, is an ideal target for GM, since its genetics are very well understood and it produces a lot of leaves. The value of the drugs that could be produced by GM tobacco is so high, many farmers could switch from growing tobacco for cigarettes to growing it for medicine. Since medical cost is rising, consumers would also be happy to use drugs produced in bulk by GM
tobacco.
Question 1. Why does the author mention a cotton shirt in paragraph 1?
A. To show that cotton is one of the most popular materials for clothing.
B. To give an example of a common GM product that is not a food.
C. To give an example of a controversy surrounding GM products.
D. To show that the risk of GM products are minimal.
Question 2. The word “that” refers to
A. war B. aspect C. GM D. risk
Question 3. The word “compelling” is closest in meaning to
A. interesting B. annoying C. dangerous D. obvious
Question 4. Which country plants the most GM cotton mentioned in the passage?
A. America B. Japan C. Chile D. China
Question 5. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage?
A. GM cotton is less controversial than other GM products.
B. There are several major non-food GM products at present.
C. There have been no objection to GM cotton.
D. GM cotton has no significant advantage over controversial cotton.
Question 6. Which options for non-food GM is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. flowers B. grass C. tobacco D. rubber
Question 7. According to the passage, why are researchers developing GM trees?
A. To improve or make paper less expensive.

B. To produce more fruit.
C. To find a way to make paper without pulp.
D. To replace trees cut down for paper.
Question 8. It can be inferred from the passage that GM tobacco
A. is already in the market.
B. produces drugs that are very expensive.
C. makes cigarettes harmless to smokers.
D. can have lower or higher levels of nicotine.
Question 9. What is the topic of the paragraph?
A. Controversial GM products. B. The hazards of GM products.
C. Non-food GM products. D. GM cotton and tobacco.
Question 10. The word ”switch” in the last paragraph can best be replaced by
A. select B. plant C. change D. replace