MANCHESTER, England — Here’s some good news that vegetarians (素食者) can really sink their teeth into: Researchers in UMA Group have developed genetically engineered fruit trees that produce real meat!
Fruit from the new Meat Trees, developed by British scientists using the gene technology, is closely like ordinary grape-fruit. But when you cut the fruit open, inside is fresh beef!
“Our trees may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but it’s really true,” declares Dr. Vincent, director of the UMA Group, which created the amazing trees. “Vegetarians have been complaining for years that in spite of their firm belief against eating meat, they still desire the taste of meat once in a while. Now they can have their cake and eat it too.”
Although it’s taken 12 years to develop the trees, the idea is simple. “We take the genes from cattle and put them into the cells of grape-fruit trees,” Dr. Vincent says. “When the seeds grow into trees, they produce meat instead of ordinary fruit. You get the taste — even the smell.”
Those who’ve tried the meat agree it tastes like the real thing. “I was a bit unwilling to believe at first when I sank my teeth into a hamburger after they told me it grew on a tree,” says Londoner Mark, who took part in a taste-test. “But it was juicy and delicious ─ nothing leafy about it at all.”
Meat Tree products could be on the market in Great Britain by the end of next year. Some vegetarians insist they should never eat meat — even if it grew on a tree. Others love the idea. “My mouth is watering already,” says a devoted vegetarian of 20 years.
64. According to what Dr. Vincent said, we know that ______.
A. vegetarians like to make a cake and enjoy it later
B. the idea of Meat Trees came from a science fiction movie
C. vegetarians can eat meat from the new trees
D. vegetarians can taste and even smell fruit from Meat Trees
65. The passage tells us that ______.
A. Meat Tree products are sure to be popular with vegetarians
B. most vegetarians like the taste of fruit from Meat Trees
C. you can buy fruit from Meat Trees in the supermarket in Great Britain now
D. it's hard to tell fruit on Meat Trees from ordinary fruit without cutting in
66. In paragraph 5, the author took Mark for example to ______.
A. show he is one of the devoted vegetarians
B. prove the real taste of fruit from Meat Trees
C. tell how a vegetarian eats the new fruit
D. to explain how the taste-test is given
67. By writing this passage, the author wants to ______.
A. show readers a new achievement in gene technology
B. encourage people to eat fruit from Meat Trees
C. explain how meat is produced on trees
D. tell vegetarians good news about Meat Trees