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It is often said, “You can’t live only on air.” But now the Chinese scientists can tell you: Maybe you can.

Recently, some Chinese scientists have developed a new technique（技术）. They turned CO₂, one of the main greenhouse gases, into starch（淀粉）.

Starch is the main part of flour（面粉）, rice and corn that we eat every day. Usually, it’s created by plants with CO₂, water and sunlight.According to the team’s director Ma Yanhe, it takes the plants nearly 60 steps to produce starch. But now, the team, after six years of hard work, has found a simpler way to do this, with only 11 steps.

“Our study shows that creating something like starch is possible in a lab, and this technology may be helpful in many areas.” said Ma.

The scientists first turned CO₂ and hydrogen（氢气）into methanol（甲醇）. Then they pieced（分解）these methanol molecules（分子）into bigger and more complex（复杂的）molecules. Finally the starch was produced.

This method makes it possible to produce food in factories, replacing traditional farming. This will not only help make plenty of food, but also save water and land. It may also help recycle CO₂ to deal with climate（气候）change, according to China Daily.

The study can be helpful in space, too. Astronauts may no longer need to worry about their food as they travel in space. They may simply turn the CO₂ they breathe out into the food they eat!

1．With a new technique, the Chinese scientists could turn ________ into starch.

A．CO2

B．air

C．water

D．sunlight

2．Plants can create ________ with CO₂, water and sunlight.

A．methanol

B．hydrogen

C．starch

D．greenhouse gas

3．According to the last two paragraphs, the new method may not help ________.

A．produce food in factories	B．recycle CO2 to deal with climate change
C．save water and land	D．send astronauts into space

4．According to the passage, which of the following is wrong?

A．Producing starch in the lab needs fewer steps now.

B．The new technology may be helpful in many areas.

C．The method will help make plenty of food.

D．The study will be of no help to astronauts.

5．The passage may be from a ________.

A．guidebook

B．magazine

C．poem

D．novel