Read this article in 4 levels: Basic A1 (英検3級), Intermediate B1(英検2級), Advanced C1(英検1級), original version. Multiple choice content questions for each level. Free English reading practice. The more you read in English, the more your English will improve. Today, let’s read about Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution.
A1 Beginner 英検3級
B1 Intermediate 英検2級
C1 Advanced 英検1級
Original article
A1 Level Beginner 英検3級
Who was Norman Borglaug
A long time ago, there was a man named Norman Borlaug. People call him the father of the Green Revolution. He made a special kind of wheat that helped a lot of people have enough food to eat. Some people say he helped more people than anyone else in the world.
A long, long time ago, people started farming for the first time. This was the start of big changes in how we get our food. Then, many years later, people found new ways to farm better, like using big plows and choosing the best crops to grow. These changes helped people make more food. Another big change came when Norman Borlaug was around. This was called the Green Revolution, and it helped farmers grow even more food.
Norman was born on a farm in a place called Cresco, Iowa, in the USA. He liked studying plants and how to keep them healthy. When he was older, he started working on making better kinds of wheat in Mexico. This work was very important because there were more and more people in the world, and everyone needed enough food to eat.
Norman saw some big problems. There were so many people, but not enough land to grow food for everyone. He thought about how we could make more food without needing more land. This idea was very important because using too much land for farming can hurt the environment.
He worked hard on making a new kind of wheat. The old kind of wheat wasn’t strong enough and got sick easily. Norman mixed different kinds of wheat until he found a special mix. This new wheat could grow lots of food, was strong, and didn’t get sick easily. It took him many years to do this.
Thanks to Norman’s hard work, the new wheat helped a lot of people. In Mexico, where he worked, they grew a lot more food. Then, in places like Asia and India, where many people were very hungry, his wheat helped them have enough to eat. Later, even in Africa, his wheat was grown, and it helped people there too.
Some people didn’t like the idea of changing plants to make them better. They worried about the effects. But Norman always said it was important to find ways to make more food on the land we have. He wanted to make sure everyone had enough to eat without hurting the planet.
Norman Borlaug’s work was very important. He showed us how smart ideas in farming can help feed the world. He helped save many lives by making sure people had enough food. This is why he is remembered as a hero in farming.
Questions
1. What is Norman Borlaug famous for?
A. Making the first farm
B. Starting the Green Revolution
C. Inventing farming machines
D. Growing the biggest plant
2. Why was the Green Revolution important?
A. It made plants prettier
B. It used less water
C. It helped birds
D. It helped farmers grow more food
3. Where was Norman born?
A. In a big city
B. In another country
C. In Cresco, Iowa
D. On a mountain
4. What big problem did Norman try to solve?
A. Not enough music in the world
B. Not enough land to grow food for everyone
C. Too many animals on farms
D. Too much rain
5. Where did Norman make a special wheat?
A. In a lab
B. In Mexico
C. On the moon
D. In a garden
6. What was wrong with the old wheat?
A. It was too colorful
B. It cost too much money
C. It got sick a lot
D. It was too small
7. How did Norman’s new wheat help?
A. Made farming fun
B. Made farms bigger
C. Made toys for kids
D. Gave more food to people
8. Why did some people not like Norman’s new plants?
A. They used too much electricity
B. They changed the plants
C. They were too tall
D. They scared the animals
answers 1B 2D 3C 4D 5B 6A 7D 8B
B1 Level Intermediate 英検2級
Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution
Norman Ernest Borlaug is often called the father of the Green Revolution because he developed a new type of wheat that helped feed millions, maybe even billions, of people around the world. His work is said to have saved more lives than anyone else in history.
Throughout history, there have been several key changes in agriculture. The first big change was about 12,000 years ago when humans began farming instead of hunting and gathering. This led to living in larger groups and the start of animal domestication. Another major shift happened between the 10th century and 1850, with innovations like the horse collar and heavy plow. These tools allowed farmers to produce more food, leading to the replacement of low-yield crops with ones that produced more, such as wheat and barley. The Industrial Revolution might not have been possible without these advancements. The Green Revolution, which occurred between 1950 and the late 1960s, brought another significant increase in crop yields.
Norman Borlaug, born on a farm in Cresco, Iowa, was a key figure in this third agricultural revolution. After studying forestry and then plant pathology, he worked on developing agricultural products during World War II. In 1944, he began working in Mexico with a group supported by the Mexican Government and the Rockefeller Foundation. Here, he directed a program that significantly increased wheat production.
Borlaug focused on several issues. One was the rapid growth of the world population, which had increased from 1.8 billion when he was born in 1914 to 2.5 billion when he started his research. He realized the challenge of feeding an ever-growing population with limited agricultural land, nearly half of which was already being farmed. He believed the solution was to produce more food on the existing land, a concept now known as the Borlaug hypothesis.
He aimed to create a type of wheat that could yield more per plant. This was challenging because traditional wheat could not support the weight of more kernels without breaking. Diseases like stem rust also threatened crops. Borlaug’s solution was to crossbreed different types of wheat to create a variety that was disease-resistant, could produce more kernels, and had shorter, stronger stems. This new wheat, which included varieties like Pitic 62 and Penjamo 62, dramatically increased wheat production in Mexico and later in Asia and Africa, despite initial resistance to genetically modified foods and fertilizers.
Borlaug’s wheat significantly alleviated hunger and famine in many parts of the world. While there were criticisms of his methods, particularly regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Borlaug argued that increasing food production was necessary to prevent starvation and environmental destruction. His contributions to agriculture have made him a celebrated figure in the effort to feed the world’s growing population.
Questions
1. Why is Norman Borlaug often called the father of the Green Revolution?
A. He invented new farming machines.
B. He developed a new type of wheat that fed millions.
C. He wrote a book on farming.
D. He led a movement to plant more trees.
2. What was the first big change in agriculture?
A. The start of farming instead of hunting and gathering.
B. The invention of the tractor.
C. The discovery of corn.
D. The use of solar panels on farms.
3. Where was Norman Borlaug born?
A. In a city.
B. In Mexico.
C. In Cresco, Iowa.
D. On a boat.
4. What problem was Norman focused on solving?
A. How to feed a growing world population with limited land.
B. How to make plants grow without water.
C. How to farm on Mars.
D. How to stop people from eating meat.
5. What was a major achievement of Borlaug’s work?
A. Creating a new farming holiday.
B. Winning a race.
C. Designing a garden.
D. Increasing wheat production significantly.
6. Why was the new type of wheat important?
A. It was prettier than other types.
B. It tasted better.
C. It could produce more food and was disease-resistant.
D. It could talk to farmers.
7. What was one challenge Borlaug faced?
A. Resistance to genetically modified foods and fertilizers.
B. Finding enough water for his plants.
C. Teaching wheat to grow legs.
D. Making his farm animals happy.
8. What did Borlaug argue was necessary to prevent starvation and environmental destruction?
A. Planting more flowers.
B. Building taller buildings.
C. Taking more holidays.
D. Increasing food production on existing land.
answers 1B 2A 3C 4A 5D 6C 7A 8D
C1 Level Advanced 英検1級
Norman Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution
Norman Ernest Borlaug, heralded as the progenitor of the Green Revolution, revolutionized agriculture with the development of a novel wheat strain, thereby averting starvation for countless millions, potentially billions, of individuals. His contributions are unparalleled, with assertions that he has saved more lives than any other individual in history.
Humanity has witnessed several pivotal agricultural transformations. The inaugural revolution marked the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agriculturalists approximately 12,000 years ago, catalyzing the establishment of larger, sedentary communities and the domestication of animals. The subsequent revolution spanned from the 10th century AD to 1850, characterized by significant advancements such as the introduction of the horse collar and the heavy plow, which fundamentally altered agricultural productivity. This era witnessed the substitution of low-yield crops like rye with more bountiful alternatives such as wheat and barley, alongside the evolution of farming techniques, the utilization of fertilizers, and the expansion of trade routes. This agricultural renaissance laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution. The Green Revolution, unfolding between 1950 and the late 1960s, marked another quantum leap in agricultural productivity, starkly increasing crop yields.
Born in Cresco, Iowa, USA, Borlaug’s foray into this transformative work began with his academic pursuits in forestry and later, plant pathology. His career trajectory took a pivotal turn during World War II when his expertise was harnessed for the war effort, leading to his involvement with a collaborative initiative between the Mexican Government and the Rockefeller Foundation in 1944. As director of the International Wheat Research and Production Program in Mexico, Borlaug embarked on his life-saving mission.
Confronted with the exponential growth of the global population and the finite availability of arable land, Borlaug recognized the imperative to enhance agricultural yield without expanding farmland, thereby mitigating environmental degradation. This insight, known as the Borlaug hypothesis, underscored the necessity of intensifying food production on existing agricultural lands.
Focusing his research on wheat, Borlaug encountered several challenges, including the limited kernel production per plant, the vulnerability of lengthy stalks to breakage under the weight of increased yield, and susceptibility to diseases like stem rust. His response was an ambitious program of crossbreeding various wheat strains to cultivate a variety that was both high-yielding and resilient. This endeavor, spanning nearly two decades, culminated in the creation of a wheat variant that significantly outperformed traditional strains in terms of yield, disease resistance, and adaptability to different climates, known as Pitic 62 and Penjamo 62.
The deployment of Borlaug’s wheat varieties in the 1960s proved instrumental in combating famine in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent, marking a monumental increase in agricultural productivity. Despite initial resistance in Africa over concerns related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and fertilizers, Borlaug’s interventions, facilitated by collaboration with a Japanese firm, ultimately succeeded in enhancing yields.
Borlaug’s seminal work in developing wheat strains capable of sustaining the burgeoning global population has been critical in averting widespread famine. While debates over GMOs persist, Borlaug’s stance underscored a pragmatic approach to food security: increasing the efficiency of existing agricultural land to feed the world. His legacy as a luminary in agriculture is a testament to the transformative power of scientific innovation in addressing some of humanity’s most pressing challenges.
Questions
1. What distinguishes Norman Ernest Borlaug in the annals of agricultural development?
A. Inventing the first plow
B. Founding the concept of organic farming
C. Initiating the Green Revolution with a new wheat strain
D. Discovering the principle of crop rotation
2. The transition from hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural communities approximately 12,000 years ago is considered what?
A. The first agricultural revolution
B. The dawn of the Bronze Age
C. The inception of urbanization
D. The beginning of the Industrial Revolution
3. Which of the following best describes the impact of the horse collar and heavy plow?
A. They decreased the need for human labor
B. They limited agricultural productivity
C. They introduced the concept of monoculture
D. They significantly enhanced agricultural output
4. Borlaug’s academic and professional journey took a critical turn during which event?
A. World War II
B. The invention of synthetic fertilizers
C. The publication of his research on plant diseases
D. His election to the National Academy of Sciences
5. What is the Borlaug hypothesis centered on?
A. Reducing the global population to ensure food security
B. Converting more forests into agricultural land
C. Intensifying food production on existing agricultural lands
D. Promoting the consumption of genetically modified foods
6. What was a significant challenge Borlaug faced in enhancing wheat yield?
A. The aesthetic quality of wheat grains
B. The plant’s susceptibility to diseases like stem rust
C. The inefficiency of traditional farming methods
D. The resistance to adopting new agricultural technologies
7. The resistance encountered in Africa regarding Borlaug’s wheat strains primarily concerned what?
A. The taste and texture of the new wheat varieties
B. The use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and fertilizers
C. The cultural implications of adopting foreign agricultural practices
D. The cost associated with transitioning to modern farming techniques
8. Borlaug’s contributions to agriculture are considered crucial for what overarching reason?
A. They demonstrated the viability of sustainable farming practices
B. They provided a blueprint for urban agricultural development
C. They offered a novel approach to combat climate change
D. They played a pivotal role in averting global famine and enhancing food security
answers 1C 2A 3D 4A 5C 6B 7B 8D
Original Article
Norman Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution
Norman Ernest Borlaug was known as the father of the Green Revolution because of the new strain of wheat he developed and the millions, possibly billions, of people he saved from starvation. He is said to have saved more lives than any person who has ever lived.
There have been numerous agricultural revolutions over human history. The first was when we turned from hunter-gathering to farming, about 12,000 years ago. We settled down and started to live in larger groups, growing crops. We started to domesticate animals at the same time. The second agricultural revolution was between the 10th century AD and 1850. The horse collar and the heavy plow were introduced, changing the way farmers lived and the amount they could produce. Farmers replaced the low-yield crops they had been using, such as rye, with high-yield crops, such as wheat and barley. The use of fertilizers, tools, and farming methods evolved, along with trade routes. It is said that the Industrial Revolution might not have happened without this agricultural revolution. The third agricultural revolution was between 1950 and the late 1960s. It is also called the Green Revolution, in a reference to crops, but also as an opposite to the communist Red Revolution, and the Islamic White Revolution. During this agricultural revolution, crop yields increased dramatically.
So, who was Norman Borlaug? He was born on a farm in Cresco, Iowa, USA. He studied forestry at university, then returned to university to study plant pathology. He spent two years working as a microbiologist, but his career was impacted by World War 2. His lab was commissioned by the US armed forces to develop products for the war effort. In 1944, he started working for an organization that was run by the Mexican Government and the Rockefeller Foundation. He became the director of the International Wheat Research and Production Program in Mexico and this is where he started to do the work that saved so many lives.
Borlaug had several problems that he was concerned with. Firstly, the world population was increasing rapidly. When he was born in 1914, the world population was roughly 1.8 billion. When he started his research, it was 2.5 billion. He could see that it would keep increasing and he knew that humankind would have to find food for these people. The second problem was that the available agriculture space was limited. Almost half of all the habitable land on Earth is given over to agriculture. The only way to feed an increasing population with the currently available crops was to make more land available for agriculture. That would mean cutting down forests, which is a bad idea, and using the land this increasing population would need to live on. He surmised that the only way to solve this problem was to be able to grow more food on the land we used. This has become known as the Borlaug hypothesis.
He was researching wheat at the time, so he turned his energy to trying to work out how to make wheat yield more. There were several problems here as well. The first was that each wheat plant only produced a certain number of kernels. The second problem was that the wheat stalks were long to get as close to the sunlight as possible. If they produced more kernels, the head of the wheat would be too heavy and would break, leaving the kernels on the ground to rot. The third problem was disease. There was a fungus called stem rust that could decimate a whole field of wheat. Borlaug began to crossbreed multiple types of wheat together to find a strain that would produce lots of kernels, be short and strong, and be resistant to disease. It took him almost twenty years.
Borlaug crossbred wheat that had resistance to the fungus. He used many different kinds because one type of wheat could be immune to one type of fungus, but funguses are very good at adapting. He needed resistance to a lot of different fungus. He crossbred different types of wheat that produced more kernels. He managed to create a wheat that produced three times more grain than regular wheat. He crossbred it with a wheat called Norin 10, which was a Japanese semi-dwarf plant. This gave his wheat short and sturdy stems, able to support the extra weight of more grain. He also managed to make wheat that was faster grown, so there could be more harvests. He bred in the ability to react well to fertilizers and he made varieties that could grow in different climates. His wheat was called Pitic 62 and Penjamo 62. In 1962, they were rolled out in Mexico. The harvest of 1963 was six times larger than a usual harvest.
In the 1960s, there was famine and hunger across large parts of Asian and the Indian Subcontinent. There were many hurdles to overcome, but by the end of the 1960s, Borlaug’s wheat, or varieties of it, were being grown across Asia. Yields increased by over 50% and many people could eat. It took a lot longer to get permission to grow the wheat in Africa because a lot of people were against the idea of Genetically modified food and fertilizers, but Borlaug was able to implement it with the help of a Japanese company. Yields increased there as well.
Borlaug created wheat that gave food to millions, possibly even billions of people. The complaints against his genetically modified food are possibly valid, but he always said that unless we reduce the population, or agree to let people starve, or cut down all of our forests, the only solution is to produce more food on the land we have. And this is what he has done.
Questions
1. Norman Ernest Borlaug is renowned as the father of the Green Revolution due to his development of:
A. A new farming technique
B. An innovative irrigation system
C. A new strain of wheat
D. A method for organic farming
2. The agricultural revolution that significantly increased crop yields between 1950 and the late 1960s is known as:
A. The Bronze Revolution
B. The Agricultural Enlightenment
C. The Seed Revolution
D. The Green Revolution
3. Borlaug’s primary concern, leading to his revolutionary work, was:
A. The decline in rural populations
B. The increase in global temperatures
C. The rapidly growing world population
D. The decreasing varieties of crops
4. The Borlaug hypothesis suggests solving food scarcity by:
A. Increasing the number of farms
B. Introducing genetically modified animals
C. Growing more food on the land already used for agriculture
D. Expanding urban farming initiatives
5. Borlaug’s strategy to increase wheat yield included addressing the issue of:
A. Wheat plants producing a limited number of kernels
B. Soil degradation
C. Irrigation inefficiencies
D. Labor shortages in agriculture
6. One of the major challenges in developing the new wheat strain was making it:
A. Taste better
B. Resistant to various diseases
C. Easier to harvest by machines
D. Less water-dependent
7. The introduction of Borlaug’s wheat in Africa faced resistance primarily due to concerns over:
A. The color and shape of the wheat grains
B. The cost of wheat production
C. Traditional farming practices
D. Genetically modified food and fertilizers
8. Borlaug’s work with wheat varieties aimed at ensuring food security is crucial because it:
A. Demonstrated the potential of vertical farming
B. Offered a pragmatic solution to prevent global famine
C. Encouraged the adoption of hydroponic systems
D. Led to the widespread use of organic fertilizers
answers 1C 2D 3C 4C 5A 6B 7D 8B
Image By Ben Zinner, USAID – http://www.usaid.gov/; source; exact image URL, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75331192
