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Today’s Brussels sprouts（抱子甘蓝）taste better than you might remember from childhood, and that is because a new variety has replaced the original vegetable. You can thank plant breeders（植物育种家）for the change. Modern breeders, armed with new gene-editing technology, are looking to reproduce Brussels sprouts’ reinvention.
In the late 1990s, scientists discovered specific chemicals which made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously abandoned due to poor yields（产量）, to look for tastier versions with lower levels of these specific chemicals. Then they crossed these delicious but low-yield plants with high-yield individuals until they found a version that made plenty of tasty sprouts, transforming the vegetable from a bitter pill into a popular dish.
But other vegetables haven’t fared as well. That’s because most breeding decisions favor plant traits that matter to vegetable growers, not vegetable eaters. For instance, disease resistance is probably the major focus these days of most breeding programs because that prevents the farmer from growing the crop. The taste of vegetables is ignored.
People, however, are now becoming interested in prioritizing the taste of vegetables thanks in part to new genetic technology such as the gene-snipping technique CRISPR and DNA sequencing which is cheap enough to use widely. “There’s never been a better time to be a fruit breeder or a vegetable breeder because we have more tools and techniques,” says Susan Brown, an apple breeder at Cornell University.
Some companies are beginning to use those tools to deal with the challenge of developing tastier vegetables. One company, Pairwise, is fighting the same compounds that troubled Brussels sprouts: glucosinolates. But this time researchers are improving the flavor of salad greens.
All vegetable growers hope that more flavorful products on store shelves will convince people to consume the recommended allowances（推荐量）of fruits and vegetables—and do so better than decades of nutritional guidance have. “Don’t waste your time talking about trying to educate people to eat better,” said Harry Klee, a professor who specializes in tomato breeding. “Just give them products that taste better and that they want to eat.”
12. Why did plant breeders grow old Brussels sprout seeds? （
A. To find out why Brussels sprouts are bitter.
B. To find the less bitter versions of Brussels sprouts.
C. To study the specific chemicals of Brussels sprouts.
D. To select high-yielding versions of Brussels sprouts.
13. What does the underlined word “fared” in Paragraph 3 mean? （
A. Profited.
B. Emerged.
C. Survived.
D. Succeeded.
14. What can we learn from Susan Brown’s words in Paragraph 4? （
A. Fruit and vegetable breeding techniques are booming.
B. Fruit and vegetable breeding techniques need no further improvement.
C. Fruit and vegetable breeders are struggling to develop new species.
D. Fruit and vegetable breeders should develop new genetic technology.
15. Which is the best way to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables according to Harry Klee? （
A. Enhancing the taste of vegetables and fruits.
B. Making vegetables and fruits more affordable for people.
C. Improving the nutritional content of vegetables and fruits.
D. Educating people about the benefits of vegetables and fruits.
In the late 1990s, scientists discovered specific chemicals which made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously abandoned due to poor yields（产量）, to look for tastier versions with lower levels of these specific chemicals. Then they crossed these delicious but low-yield plants with high-yield individuals until they found a version that made plenty of tasty sprouts, transforming the vegetable from a bitter pill into a popular dish.
But other vegetables haven’t fared as well. That’s because most breeding decisions favor plant traits that matter to vegetable growers, not vegetable eaters. For instance, disease resistance is probably the major focus these days of most breeding programs because that prevents the farmer from growing the crop. The taste of vegetables is ignored.
People, however, are now becoming interested in prioritizing the taste of vegetables thanks in part to new genetic technology such as the gene-snipping technique CRISPR and DNA sequencing which is cheap enough to use widely. “There’s never been a better time to be a fruit breeder or a vegetable breeder because we have more tools and techniques,” says Susan Brown, an apple breeder at Cornell University.
Some companies are beginning to use those tools to deal with the challenge of developing tastier vegetables. One company, Pairwise, is fighting the same compounds that troubled Brussels sprouts: glucosinolates. But this time researchers are improving the flavor of salad greens.
All vegetable growers hope that more flavorful products on store shelves will convince people to consume the recommended allowances（推荐量）of fruits and vegetables—and do so better than decades of nutritional guidance have. “Don’t waste your time talking about trying to educate people to eat better,” said Harry Klee, a professor who specializes in tomato breeding. “Just give them products that taste better and that they want to eat.”
12. Why did plant breeders grow old Brussels sprout seeds? （
B
）A. To find out why Brussels sprouts are bitter.
B. To find the less bitter versions of Brussels sprouts.
C. To study the specific chemicals of Brussels sprouts.
D. To select high-yielding versions of Brussels sprouts.
13. What does the underlined word “fared” in Paragraph 3 mean? （
D
）A. Profited.
B. Emerged.
C. Survived.
D. Succeeded.
14. What can we learn from Susan Brown’s words in Paragraph 4? （
A
）A. Fruit and vegetable breeding techniques are booming.
B. Fruit and vegetable breeding techniques need no further improvement.
C. Fruit and vegetable breeders are struggling to develop new species.
D. Fruit and vegetable breeders should develop new genetic technology.
15. Which is the best way to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables according to Harry Klee? （
A
）A. Enhancing the taste of vegetables and fruits.
B. Making vegetables and fruits more affordable for people.
C. Improving the nutritional content of vegetables and fruits.
D. Educating people about the benefits of vegetables and fruits.
答案
12. B 推理判断题。根据第二段“Then they crossed these delicious but low-yield plants... transforming the vegetable from a bitter pill into a popular dish.”可推知，植物育种家种植老抱子甘蓝种子是为了寻找不那么苦的抱子甘蓝。故选B。
13. D 词义猜测题。根据第二段以及画线词下文“That's because most breeding decisions favor plant traits... that prevents the farmer from growing the crop. The taste of vegetables is ignored.”并结合But可推知，上文提到成功培育出美味的抱子甘蓝，下文则说蔬菜的味道被忽略了，由此可知，其他的蔬菜没有成功。故画线词的意思是“成功”，与D项意思一致。故选D。
14. A 推理判断题。根据第四段“People, however, are now becoming interested in prioritizing the taste of vegetables thanks in part to new genetic technology... says Susan Brown,an apple breeder at Cornell University.”可推知，苏珊·布朗的话表明水果和蔬菜育种技术正在蓬勃发展。故选A。
15. A 细节理解题。根据最后一段“'Don't waste your time talking about trying to educate people to eat better,' said Harry Klee, a professor who specializes in tomato breeding. 'Just give them products that taste better and that they want to eat.'”可知，Harry Klee认为让人们多吃水果和蔬菜的最好方法是改善蔬菜和水果的味道。故选A。
13. D 词义猜测题。根据第二段以及画线词下文“That's because most breeding decisions favor plant traits... that prevents the farmer from growing the crop. The taste of vegetables is ignored.”并结合But可推知，上文提到成功培育出美味的抱子甘蓝，下文则说蔬菜的味道被忽略了，由此可知，其他的蔬菜没有成功。故画线词的意思是“成功”，与D项意思一致。故选D。
14. A 推理判断题。根据第四段“People, however, are now becoming interested in prioritizing the taste of vegetables thanks in part to new genetic technology... says Susan Brown,an apple breeder at Cornell University.”可推知，苏珊·布朗的话表明水果和蔬菜育种技术正在蓬勃发展。故选A。
15. A 细节理解题。根据最后一段“'Don't waste your time talking about trying to educate people to eat better,' said Harry Klee, a professor who specializes in tomato breeding. 'Just give them products that taste better and that they want to eat.'”可知，Harry Klee认为让人们多吃水果和蔬菜的最好方法是改善蔬菜和水果的味道。故选A。
