George Washington Carver showed that plant life was more than just food for animals and humans. Carver’s first step was to analyze plant parts to find out what they were made of. He then combined these simpler isolated substances with other substances to create new products.
The branch of chemistry that studies and finds ways to use raw materials from farm products to make industrial products is called chemurgy. Carver was one of the first and greatest chemurgists of all time. Today the science of chemurgy is better known as the science of synthetics(合成纤维织物). Each day people depend on and use synthetics made from raw materials. All his life Carver battled against the disposal of waste materials, and warned of the growing need to develop substitutes(代用品) for the natural substances being used up by humans.
Carver never cared about getting credit for the new products he created. He never tried to patent(申请专利) his discoveries or get wealthy from them. He turned down many offers to leave Tuskegee Institute to become a scientist in private industry. Thomas Edison, inventor of the electric light, offered him a laboratory in Detroit to carry out food research. When the United States government made him a collaborator in the Mycology and Plant Disease Survey of the Department of Agriculture, he accepted the position with the understanding that he wouldn’t leave Tuskegee. An authority on plant disease—especially of the fungus(真菌) variety—Carver sent hundreds of specimens(标本) to the United States Department of Agriculture. At the peak of his career, Carver’s fame and influence were known on every continent.
小题1:What does the passage mainly tell us?
A．It mainly tells us about Gorge Washington Carver, a great chemurgist.
B．It mainly tells us about chemurgy.
C．It mainly tells us about the research made in Tuskegee.
D．It mainly tells us about the development of making synthetics.小题2:The underlined word “disposal” in the second paragraph mean “________”.
A．control
B．throwing away
C．management
D．keeping小题3:Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A．Make a study of plant parts.
B．Make new products out of farm products.
C．Carver helped the United States Department of Agriculture.
D．Make a study on animal disease.小题4:Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Carver never patented what he discovered.
B．Carver refused many offers to work in private companies.
C．Carver made little money out of his discoveries.
D．Carver helped Edison invent electric light.
