According to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global demand for meat has increased over 500 percent in the past...

        According to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global demand for meat has increased over 500 percent in the past 50 years. Two things explain this: the Earth's population is rising rapidly, and people with higher incomes tend to consume more meat.

        If meat production rises to match demand, the consequences could be catastrophic for the planet. Thirty percent of Earth's entire land surface – a massive 70 percent of all land available for agricultural use – is used for raising livestock.

        Fortunately, food scientists have been anticipating this need for change. They are working on some interesting alternatives to current methods of meat production. A group of Dutch scientists are engineering meats that can be grown in laboratories. This involves using cells taken from cows to grow "muscle" that can be mixed with other things to make beef. They say that this process could reduce the amount of energy and land needed to raise cattle by about 40 percent. Twenty other scientists from the United States and China are working to create "meaty" flavors from mushrooms, which could be used to flavor foods. They feel people can detect chemical flavors, and that natural flavors are better for the body.

        For now, lab-grown meat is not a threat to traditional farming. Although scientists say that their beef could be ready for testing (and eating) soon, large-scale manufacturing won't be possible for another ten years. It's far too exorbitant to develop in large quantities – the Dutch team will spend over $200,000 making enough meat for one burger – and not everyone will be keen on the idea of eating lab-grown meat. While the general public isn't quite ready to accept "fake" meat, the day will come when we may not have a choice.

Question 1. In paragraph 2, the word "catastrophic" is closest in meaning to:

        A. beneficial                B. unnecessary                C. unattractive                        D. disastrous

Question 2. In paragraph 4, the word "exorbitant" is opposite in meaning to:

        A. extortionate                B. affordable                        C. prohibitive                        D. efficient

Question 3. In the first line of paragraph 3, the word "they" refers to:

        A. scientists                B. methods                        C. consequences                D. incomes

Question 4. Which of the following best paraphrases the final sentence of the text?

A. The general public may currently accept "fake" meat; however, a time could arrive when no alternative remains.

B. "Fake" meat is widely accepted by the public, so the future may force us to adopt it whether we like it or not.

C. Because people are not yet fully prepared to embrace so-called "fake" meat, there is less likelihood that it becomes unavoidable.

D. Even if consumers are hesitant about "fake" meat now, they might one day find themselves with no other option.

Question 5. Based on the text, which of the following statements can be inferred?

A. Global meat demand is driven primarily by cultural shifts in Western nations.

B. Natural mushroom flavorings are considered safer than laboratory-grown cells.

C. Environmental stability is incompatible with current meat production trends.

D. Technological advancements have already made factory farming obsolete today.

Question 6. Which paragraph discusses the specific percentage of land used for animal agriculture?

        A. Paragraph 4        B. Paragraph 2                        C. Paragraph 1                        D. Paragraph 3

Question 7. Which paragraph mentions the specific financial cost of producing a single lab-grown burger?

        A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 4                        C. Paragraph 3                        D. Paragraph 2

Question 8. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a focus of scientific research?

A. Developing new plant-based feed to make traditional cows grow faster.

B. Creating natural flavorings from mushrooms to mimic the savour of meat.

C. Using bovine cells to grow muscle tissue in a controlled lab environment.

D. Reducing the energy requirements for cattle raising by almost a half.