Israeli scientists find the specific gene to block the aging process in bananas, allowing them to stay fresh for longer.Bananas never last very long—within a few days of buying them, the rot sets in.But now Israeli scientists have found a way to significantly slow down the decomposition by altering their genetic make-up.In fact, researchers say their GM fruit can stay fresh for at least double the time of regular bananas.Dr. Haya Friendman, a researcher at Volcani Institute—Agricultural Research Organization, said, “You can see here that these are bananas that we changed the expression of the gene and the ripening is delayed. In control fruits the ripening is still developing fast and normally. You have to understand that these fruits were picked more than a month ago.”The research was initially based on previously-known findings in tomatoes. But it took these findings a step further to isolate the specific gene that drives the aging process in bananas and interrupt its normal function.Lab tests show that the genetic intervention does not harm the bananas’ quality or taste.The team now hopes to find ways to commercialize the findings to benefit farmers and wholesalers.1.What is the passage mainly about?A) Taste of GM bananas.B) Quality of GM bananas.C) Aging process of bananas.D) Freshness duration of GM bananas.2.What do we learn about the research from the passage?A) The research is done by Israeli scientists.B) Customers benefit from the GM fruit.C) The GM bananas’ taste is better than regular ones.D) The scientists repair the specific gene of bananas.3.How long can GM bananas stay fresh?A) More than a few days.B) More than a few weeks.C) At least double the time of regular bananas.D) At least a month longer than regular bananas.