Much of Canada’s forestry production goes towards making pulp and paper.According to C
Hemp has been cultivated by many cultures for thousands of years.It produces fibre which can be made into paper, fuel, oils, textiles, food, and rope.For centuries, it was essential to the economies of many countries because it was used to make the ropes and cables used on sailing ships; colonial expansion and the establishment of a world – wide trading network would not have been feasible without hemp.Nowadays, ships’ cables are usually made from wire or synthetic fibers, but scientists are now suggesting that the cultivation of hemp hold be revived for the production of paper and pulp.According to its proponents, four times as much paper can be produced from land using hemp rather than trees, and many environmentalists believe that the large – scale cultivation of hemp could reduce the pressure on Canada’s forests.
However, there is a problem: hemp is illegal in many countries of the world.This plant, so useful for fibre, rope, oil, fuel and textiles, is a species of cannabis, related to the plant from which marijuana is produced.In the late 1930s, a movement to ban the drug marijuana began to gather force, resulting in the eventual banning of the cultivation not only of the plant used to produce the drug, but also of the commercial fibre – producing hemp plant.In fact, marijuana cannot be produced from the hemp plant, since it contains almost no THC (the active ingredient in the drug).
In recent years, a movement for legalization have been gathering strength.It is concerned only with the hemp plant used to produce fibre; this group wants to make it legal to cultivate the plant and sell the fibre foe paper and pulp production.
21.Why is pulp and paper production important to Canada?
A.Canada needs to find a way to use all its spare wood.
B.Canada publishes a lot of newspapers and books.
C.Pulp and paper export is a major source of income for Canada.
D.Hemp is a traditional plant of Canada.
22.Why was the plant hemp essential to world – wide trade in the past?
A.Ship’s ropes were made from it.
B.Hemp was a very profitable export.
C.Hemp was used as fuel for ships.
D.Hemp was used as food for sailors.
23.Why do agriculturalists think that hemp would be better for paper production than trees?
A.It is cheaper to grow hemp than to cut down trees.
B.More paper can be produced from the same area of land.
C.Hemp produces higher quality paper.
D.It causes less pollution of the environment.
24.Why was hemp banned?
A.It is related to the marijuana plant.
B.It can be used to produce marijuana.
C.It was no longer a useful crop.
D.It was destructive to the land.
25.“According to its proponents, four times as much paper can be produced from land using hemp rather than trees.” – What does “proponents” mean?
A.People who are against something.
B.People who support something.
C.People in charge of something.
D.People who do research on something.