Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
Vegetarians would prefer not to be compelled to eat meat. Yet the reverse compulsion (强迫)is hidden in the proposals for a new plant-based “planetary diet.” Nowhere is this more visible than in India.
Earlier this year, the EAT-Lancet Commission released its global report on nutrition and called for a global shift to a more plant-based diet and for “substantially reducing consumption of animal source foods.” In countries like India, that call could become a tool to aggravate an already tense political situation and stress already undernourished populations.
The EAT report presumes that “traditional diets” in countries like India include little red meat, which might be consumed only on special occasions or as minor ingredients in mixed dishes.
In India, however, there is a vast difference between what people would wish to consume and what they have to consume because of innumerable barriers around class, religion, culture, cost, geography, etc. Policymakers in India have traditionally pushed for a cereal-heavy “vegetarian diet” on a meat-eating population as a way of providing the cheapest sources of food.
Currently, under an aggressive Hindu nationalist government, Muslims, Christians, disadvantaged classes and indigenous communities are being compelled to give up their traditional foods.
None of these concerns seem to have been appreciated by the EAT-Lancet Commission’s representative, Brent Loken, who said “India has got such a great example” in sourcing protein from plants.
But how much of a model for the world is India’s vegetarianism? In the Global Hunger Index 2019, the country ranks 102nd out of 117. Data from the National Family Health survey indicate that only 10 percent of infants of 6 to 23 months are adequately fed.
Which is why calls for a plant-based diet modeled on India risk offering another whip with which to beat already vulnerable communities in developing countries.
A diet directed at the affluent West fails to recognize that in low-income countries undernourished children are known to benefit from the consumption of milk and other animal source foods, improving cognitive functions, while reducing the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies as well as mortality.
EAT-Lancet claimed its intention was to “spark conversations” among all Indian stakeholders. Yet vocal critics of the food processing industry and food fortification strategies have been left out of the debate. But the most conspicuous omission may well be the absence of India’s farmers.
The government, however, seems to have given the report a thumbs-up. Rather than addressing chronic hunger and malnutrition through an improved access to wholesome and nutrient-dense foods, the government is opening the door for company-dependent solutions, ignoring the environmental and economic cost, which will destroy local food systems. It’s a model full of danger for future generations.
46. What is more visible in India than anywhere else according to the passage?
A) People’s positive views on the proposals for a “planetary diet”.
B) People’s reluctance to be compelled to eat plant-based food.
C) People’s preferences for the kind of food they consume.
D) People’s unwillingness to give up their eating habits.
47. What would the EAT-Lancet Commission’s report do to many people in countries like India?
A) Radically change their dietary habits.
B) Keep them further away from politics.
C) Make them even more undernourished.
D) Substantially reduce their food choices.
48. What do we learn from the passage about food consumption in India?
A) People’s diet will not change due to the EAT-Lancet report.
B) Many people simply do not have access to foods they prefer.
C) There is a growing popularity of a cereal-heavy vegetarian diet.
D) Policymakers help remove the barriers to people’s choice of food.
49. What does the passage say about a plant-based diet modeled on India?
A) It may benefit populations whose traditional diet is meat-based.
B) It may be another blow to the economy in developing countries.
C) It may help narrow the gap between the rich and poor countries.
D) It may worsen the nourishment problem in low-income countries.
50. How does the Indian government respond to the EAT-Lancet Commission’s proposals?
A) It accepts them at the expense of the long-term interests of its people.
B) It intends them to spark conversations among all Indian stakeholders.
C) It gives them approval regardless of opposition from nutrition experts.
D) It welcomes them as a tool to address chronic hunger and malnutrition.
答案解析：
46. 由题干中的关键词“more visible in India than anywhere else”定位到第一段最后一句。这里指出，“素食主义者更希望不被迫食用肉类。然而，在有关新型植物性“全球膳食”(又称“行星健康饮食”)的提议中，却暗含着与之相反的强迫意味。这种情况在印度体现得最为明显。”这里与“强迫素食者吃肉”相反的，就是“强迫肉食者吃素”，可见，印度的突出之处在于，人们(指食肉的人)不愿被迫吃素，所以选B。
47. 由题干中的关键词“EAT - Lancet Commission’s report”和“many people in countries like India”定位到第二段。第二段提到“In countries like India, that call could become a tool to aggravate an already tense political situation and stress already undernourished populations.”，说明该报告会使印度等国家本就营养不良的人群情况更糟，C选项“Make them even more undernourished.”正确，所以选C。
48. 由题干中的关键词“food consumption in India”定位到第四段。第四段提到“In India, however, there is a vast difference between what people would wish to consume and what they have to consume because of innumerable barriers around class, religion, culture, cost, geography, etc.”，说明在印度很多人无法获得他们喜欢的食物，B选项“Many people simply do not have access to foods they prefer.”符合，所以选B。
49. 由题干中的关键词“a plant - based diet modeled on India”定位到第九段。第九段提到“A diet directed at the affluent West fails to recognize that in low - income countries undernourished children are known to benefit from the consumption of milk and other animal source foods...Which is why calls for a plant - based diet modeled on India risk offering another whip with which to beat already vulnerable communities in developing countries.”，说明以印度为模式的植物性饮食可能会使低收入国家的营养不良问题恶化，D选项“It may worsen the nourishment problem in low - income countries.”正确，所以选D。
50. 由题干中的关键词“Indian government respond”定位到最后一段。最后一段提到“Rather than addressing chronic hunger and malnutrition through an improved access to wholesome and nutrient - dense foods, the government is opening the door for company - dependent solutions, ignoring the environmental and economic cost, which will destroy local food systems. It’s a model full of danger for future generations.”，说明印度政府接受了这些提议，但这是以牺牲人民的长期利益为代价的，A选项“It accepts them at the expense of the long - term interests of its people.”正确，所以选A。
