DNA is one of the most important discoveries in science. DNA is the plan for the human being, as a blueprint is the plan for a building. DNA makes a person look the way he does. A person’s DNA comes from a mixing of his parents’ DNA. That’s why a child looks like his parents. But, besides controlling things such as height and hair color, DNA can also give people diseases. Scientists are now studying DNA to cure diseases.
In the seventies, scientists developed a process called recombinant or RDNA. Although it sounds difficult to understand, RDNA simply means taking DNA from one animal or plant and putting it into another. By doing so, scientists can create new beings. In doing so, scientists can better understand DNA, especially what parts of DNA do what. After they understand DNA, scientists can begin to cure diseases. Often, the new being created will itself be the cure. Besides curing diseases, RDNA research can also do other things. For example, scientists in Japan have already created “super-trees”. Trees help humans, because they take CO2, which poisons humans, from the air and turns it into oxygen, which lets humans breathe. “Super-trees” do this too, but do it much faster. As things such as cars and factories have already put much CO2 in the area, “super-trees” are badly needed.
Unfortunately, there is a serious danger in RDNA research. Scientists want to create animals to cure old diseases, but these new animals may also create new diseases. It will be a serious problem if the animals escape from the science laboratory and into nature. As these animals are not natural, they may let loose many new powerful diseases.
As a result, RDNA research will create many solutions, but it will also create many problems.
小题1: From the passage, we can know that a boy looks like his parents because______.| A．he is son of his parents. | | B．his parents’ DNA decides his appearance. | | C．he has received DNA from his father or his mother. | | D．scientists have put some of his parents’ DNA into him. |
小题2:What does the underlined expression “let loose” probably mean?| A．let … go free | B．get rid of | | C．absorb | D．survive |
小题3: What is the best title for the passage?| A．The DNA Research in Japan | | B．A New Way of DNA Research in Japan. | | C．The Causes and Effects of DNA Research | | D．The Advantages And Disadvantages of RDNA |
小题4: The following statements are true about RDNA research EXCEPT ______. | A．the research has been stopped because the created animals carry viruses | | B．“super-trees” might be widely planted around the world | | C．scientists have not completely understood DNA | | D．RDNA research will benefit human beings a lot |
小题5:You might find this passage in / on a ________.
| A．fashion magazine | B．novel | C．scientific newspaper | D．sports newspaper |
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小题1:B
小题1:A
小题1:D
小题1:A
小题1:C |
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核心考点
试题【DNA is one of the most important discoveries in science. DNA is the plan for the】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
Can people change their skin color without suffering like pop king Michael Jackson? Perhaps yes. Scientists have found the gene that determines skin color.
The gene comes in two versions, one of which is found in 99 per cent of Europeans. The other is found in 93 to 100 per cent of Africans, researchers at Pennsylvania State University report in the latest issue of Science.
Scientists have changed the color of a dark-striped zebrafish（斑马鱼） to uniform gold by inserting a version of the pigment (色素) gene into a young fish. As with humans, zebrafish skin color is determined by pigment cells, which contain melanin (黑色素). The number, size and darkness of melanin per pigment cell determine skin color.
It appears that, like the golden zebrafish, light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation (变异) in the gene for melanin production. This results in less pigmented skin.
However, Keith Cheng, leader of the research team, points out that the mutation is different in human and zebrafish genes.
Humans acquired dark skin in Africa about 1.5 million years ago to protect bodies from ultra-violet rays of the sun (太阳光紫外线), which can cause skin cancer.
But when modern humans leave Africa to live in northern latitudes, they need more sunlight on their skin to produce vitamin D. So the related gene changes, according to Cheng.
Asians have the same version of the gene as Africans, so they probably acquired their light skin through the action of some other gene that affects skin color, said Cheng.
The new discovery could lead to medical treatments for skin cancer. It also could lead to research into ways to change skin color without damaging it like chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson.
小题1: The passage mainly tells us that ________.| A．people can not change their skin color without any pain | | B．the new discovery could lead to research into ways to change skin color safely | | C．pop king Michael Jackson often changed his skin color as he liked | | D．scientists have found out that people’s skin color is determined by the gene |
小题2: It can be inferred from the passage that ________.| A．nowadays people who want to change their skin color have to suffer a lot from the damage caused by the chemical treatment | | B．Europeans and Africans have the same gene | | C．the new discovery could help to find medical treatments for skin cancer | | D．there are two kinds of genes |
小题3:Scientists have done an experiment on a dark-striped zebrafish in order to ________.| A．find the different genes of humans’ | | B．prove the humans’ skin color is determined by the pigment gene | | C．find out the reason why the Africans’ skin color is dark | | D．find out the ways of changing people’s skin color |
小题4:The reason why Europeans are light-skinned is probably that _____| A．they are born light-skinned people | | B．light-skinned Europeans have mutation in the gene for melanin production | | C．they have fewer activities outside | | D．they pay much attention to protecting their skin |
小题5:The writer’s attitude towards the discovery is ________.| A．neutral（中立的） | B．negative | C．positive | D．indifferent（冷漠） |
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Why does a large education nation like China have so few world renowned scientists as the US? Educationists from China and the US try to find out the answer to questions like this at a forum on the basic education strategy.
The forum, held recently, was jointly organized by the Education Development Research Center of the Ministry of Education in China and the Postgraduate School of the University of Pennsylvania in the US. It aims to find out similarities and differences that exist between two countries in their educational system.
While some educationists in China keep a doubtful eye to the country’s educational system in recent years. Their American counterparts give a positive answer to the basic education in China, saying that it is still one of the best in the world.
An American educationist told reporters that the basic education in the US was criticized in recent years due to its political tendency. On the contrary, Chinese government’s stress on basic education and qualified teachers has set a good example.
At primary and middle school, pupils in China did better in math and science lessons than the US pupils. However, few grow to be world “masters”. Why? Educationists attributed this to China’s stress on examination rather than students’ interest.
Deputy Director of the postgraduate school of Pennsylvania University said American teachers encouraged students to focus on their strong points. In China, students are driven to study to pass the entrance examination test and they do not pay much attention to their own interest.
At the forum, director of the Education Development Research Center Mr. Zhang said in the future, the research center would make its middle and long-term basic education strategy by taking some references from other countries including the US.
He also revealed that for a long time in the future, China would make a breakthrough in setting the policy for quality education.
小题1:This passage is mainly about _________.| A．quality education development in the future | | B．why China’s education cultivates few world masters | | C．China’s good basic education | | D．genius education at the primary stage |
小题2: The underlined word “renowned” in the first paragraph probably means ________| A．famous | B．active | C．qualified | D．experienced |
小题3:The following statements are true EXCEPT that _________| A．basic education in the US is associated with the government’s political interest. | | B．the forum aims to find out the reason why there few world masters in China. | | C．all the educationists in China cast doubts in the country’s educational system. | | D．Chinese government’s stress on basic education is spoken highly of. |
小题4: Few pupils in China who did better in math and science lessons than the US pupils grow to be world “masters”, because _________| A．The US government spends more money on basic education | | B．American pupils are cleverer than Chinese pupils | | C．basic education in China is not as successful as that of the US | | D．Chinese people pay less attention to students’ interest |
小题5:China’s educational system will _______ in the future.| A．help students to study even harder to pass the examination | | B．apply more attention to quality education referring to systems of other countries | | C．allow students to pay more attention to their own interest without their test results | | D．copy the educational system in the US |
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Get Yourself Lost
Travelers to new cities are often told to start their trip with a bus tour. The thinking is that they can then ____1____ to the places that interested them. Nonsense! What you see from the____2____ of a moving bus is unreal and completely removed from the authentic sights, sounds and ____3____ outside.
Be adventurous! The best way to experience any place is ____4____ and with absolutely no travel ____5____. Simply go wherever your feet and your ____6____ lead you. You eventually will get to the same sites that are on the bus tour - the museums, the monuments city hall- but will have ____7____ much more. You will have felt the contemporary life of the city.
“But what if I get lost?” People might ask. No one gets ____8____ lost in a major city. Eventually, you can find your way back to a well-known location. If it frightens you to be “lost”, just find a taxi and go back to where you____9____. However, the nicest things can happen if you get lost. You stop at a sidewalk café to ____10____ and relax. You ask instructions of the local people at the ____11____ table. And even if they don’t speak your language, your trip becomes more ____12____ because of the experience.
So next time you see a poster advertising an introductory bus tour, ____13____ your money. Instead, wander on your own. I ____15____ you a time you’ll remember with great pleasure.
| 小题1: | | A．return | B．come | C．walk | D．drive |
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| 小题2: | | A．backside | B．inside | C．outlook | D．outlet |
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| 小题3: | | A．grasses | B．flowers | C．smells | D．feelings |
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| 小题4: | | A．by car | B．on foot | C．by bike | D．by plane |
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| 小题5: | | A．plan | B．map | C．money | D．ticket |
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| 小题6: | | A．nose | B．mouth | C．habits | D．interests |
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| 小题7: | | A．observed | B．touched | C．seen | D．watched |
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| 小题8: | | A．uncertainly | B．unluckily | C．carelessly | D．hopelessly |
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| 小题9: | | A．started | B．went | C．enjoyed | D．left |
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| 小题11: | | A．next | B．window | C．front | D．back |
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| 小题12: | | A．forgettable | B．memorable | C．reasonable | D．acceptable |
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| 小题13: | | A．get | B．spend | C．save | D．Waste |
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| 小题14: | | A．However | B．So | C．Instead | D．Take it easy |
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| 小题15: | | A．wish | B．give | C．hope | D．promise |
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Intellectual property (IP) is a product of the mind that has commercial value. The concept dates back to 1623, when the first patent law to protect IP rights was passed. IP rights protect an artist from having his/her creative ideas copied by another. For example, if somebody generated an idea for a novel, that idea is protected by IP rights. If someone else wishes to represent the idea or develop it further, he/she must consult the original artists, who will normally be rewarded financially for its use. Back in the 17th century, IP rights were primarily carried out to protect newly developed manufacturing processes against stealing, but today intellectual property rights are also enjoyed by those who create music, art and literature.
In recent years, IP rights have been the focus of a great deal of discussion because of a technology which looks set to weaken them altogether: the Internet. Many years ago, if you wanted a recoding of a song, you would have to purchase it from a music store; if a novel, from a book store. In those days, IP rights were easily protected since it was very difficult to obtain intellectual property without paying for it. However, a lot of IP, including songs, films, books and artwork, can be downloaded today free of charge using the internet. This practice has now taken the world by storm, dramatically affecting the way in which we view IP rights.
小题1:According to the writer, in the beginning, IP rights were mainly of use to _______.| A．those creating music, art and literature | | B．novelists | | C．those not receiving financial reward for their work | | D．engineers and inventors |
小题2:What do we know about the Internet according to the passage?| A．It does not affect the way we understand IP rights. | | B．It sells songs and films. | | C．It makes IP rights harder to protect. | | D．It prevents the production of artwork. |
小题3:According to paragraph 2, what has “taken the world by storm”?| A．Intellectual property rights. | B．Free downloading. | | C．The Internet. | D．The large number of songs, films and books. |
小题4:A possible title for this passage could be _______.| A．IP Rights and Our Attitudes | B．Ways to Protect Your IP Rights | | C．The Present and the Future of IP rights | D．A History of IP Rights |
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BEUING (Associated Press 美联社) —China has a growing middle class, a tradition of expecting education and 21 million new babies every year. Selling educational toys should be easy.
While China may be the world’s biggest toymaker, many of the best are exported . Department stores here do not have enough high quality toys. It is said that the demand for educational toys is low.
A US company, BabyCare, is trying to change that with a new way to sell toys in China.
BabyCare works basically together with doctors in Beijing hospitals. People who join the company’s "mother club"can get lectures and newsletters on baby and child development at no extra cost, if they agree to spend 18 dollars a month on the company’s educational toys and childcare books.
"We want to build a sevenyear relationship with those people," said Matthew J. Estes, BabyCare’s president. "It starts during pregnancy , when the anxiety and needs are highest." BabyCare works on a onetoone basis. Doctors, nurses, and teachers paid by BabyCare advise parents, explain toys that are designed for children at each stage of development to age six.
BabyCare opened its first store in China last June in a shopping center in central Beijing and another near Beijing Zoo. It plans to have 80 stores in China within six years.
It is a new model for China and develops a market in young children’s education and health that no other companies are in.
小题1:What do the first two paragraphs mainly tell us?| A．Educational toys and foreign toy markets. | | B．Problems with China’s toy market and education. | | C．Reasons for pushing sales of educational toys in China. | | D．Baby population and various kinds of toys made in China. |
小题2: Which of the following is a fact according to the passage?| A．Club members buy BabyCare products for free childcare advice. | | B．Doctors in Beijing help in making BabyCare products. | | C．Parents are encouraged to pay $ 18 for club activities. | | D．BabyCare trains Chinese doctors at no extra cost. |
小题3:BabyCare is developing its business in China by.| A．opening stores in Beijing hospitals | | B．offering 18month courses on childcare | | C．setting up children’s education centers | | D．forming close relationships with parents |
小题4:Which of the following would be the most suitable title for the passage?| A．Mother’s Club in China. | B．BabyCare and Doctors. | | C．American Company Model. | D．Educational Toys in China |
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