题目内容

For some years the big drugmakers have been worrying about an approaching "patent cliff"—a fall in sales as the patents on their most popular pills expire or are struck down by legal challenges, with few new potential blockbusters to take their place. This week the patent on the best-selling drug in history expired—Lipitor, an anti-cholesterol pill which earned Pfizer nearly $11 billion in revenues last year.In all, pill like Lipitor with a combined $170 billion in annual sales will go off-patent by the end of 2015.

What is supposed to happen now is that lots of copycat firms rush in with "generic" (ie, chemically identical) versions of Lipitor at perhaps one-fifth of its price.Patients and health-care payers should reap the benefit.Pfizer's revenues should suffer. The same story will be repeated many times, as other best-selling drugs march over the patent cliff

But generics makers may face delays getting their cheaper versions to market.Ranbaxy, a Japanese-owned drugmaker, struggled to get regulators' approval for its generic version of Lipitor, and only won it on the day the patent expired.More importantly, research-based drug firms are using a variety of tactics to make the patent cliff slope more gently. Jon Leibowitz, chairman of America's Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is concerned by drugmakers filing additional patents on their products to put off the day when their protection expires.

Another tactic(策略) is "pay-for-delay", in which a drugmaker facing a legal challenge to its patent pays its would-be competitor to put off introducing its cheaper copy. In the year to October the FTC identified what it believes to be 28 such settlements. American and European regulators are looking into these deals. However, legal challenges against them have been delayed, and a bill to ban them is stuck in Congress.

To encourage generics makers to challenge patents on drugs, and introduce cheaper copies,

an American law passed in 1984 says that the first one to do so will get a 180-day exclusivity period,in which no other generics maker can sell versions of the drug in question, as Ranbaxy supposedly won with Lipitor.

However, Pfizer is exploiting a loophole(空子) in the 1984 law, which lets it appoint a second, authorised copycat—in this case, Watson, another American firm.According to BernsteinResearch, under the deal between the two drugmakers Pfizer will receive about 70% of Watson's revenues from its approved copy of Lipitor.More unusual, Pfizer has cut the price of its original version, and will keep marketing it vigorously. So Ranbaxy faces not one, but two competitors.

All this may raise Pfizer's sales by nearly $500m in the last half of 2015 compared with what they would otherwise have been, says Tim Anderson of BernsteinResearch, with revenues then falling after the 180 days are over. Others fear that Pfizer's tactics , if copied, will make the 180-day exclusivity period worth far less, and thus discourage generic firms from challenging patents in the first place.

1.The underlined word “blockbusters” in Paragraph 1 refers to “_______’

A. pills that sell very well

B. new patents to appear

C. drugmakers to compete with Pfizer

D. challenges which Pfizer has to face

2.What is the tactic mentioned in Paragraph 4?

A. Legal challenges against expired patents have been paid for putting off the cheaper copy.

B. Bills to prohibit generic makers have been stuck in Congress.

C. Drugmakers try to spend money delaying filing additional patents on popular pills

D. Patent-holders give possible competitors money to prevent more losses.

3.Pfizer exploit a loophole in the 1984 law mainly by ________.

A.marketing Lipitor more actively

B. making the price of Lipitor go up

C. cooperating with Watson to beat Ranbaxy

D. encouraging Watson to produce cheaper copies

4. How many tactics are adopted by patent-holders in the passage?

A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five

5.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. Drugmakers’ struggle

B. Generic makers’ dilemma

C. Laws concerning patent protection

D. Popular pills of Pfizer

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Could your cellphone give you cancer? Whether it could or not,some people are worrying about the possibility that phones,powerlines and wi-fi could be responsible for a range of illnesses,from rashes to brain tumors.

For example,Camilla Rees,48,a former investment banker in the US,moved out of her apartment in San Francisco because of the radiation coming from next door.Rees told the Los Angeles Times that when her neighbors moved in and installed a wi-fi router she lost her ability to think clearly.“I would wake up dizzy in the morning.I’d fall to the floor.I had to leave to escape that nightmare,” she saiD. Since then,she’s been on a campaign against low-level electromagnetic fields,or EMFs(低频电磁场).

And she’s not alone.Millions of people say they suffer from headaches,depression,nausea and rashes when they’re too close to cellphones or other sources of EMFs.

Although the World Health Organization has officially declared that EMFs seem to pose little threat,governments are still concerneD. In fact,last April,the European Parliament called for countries to take steps to reduce exposure to EMFs.The city of San Francisco and the state of Maine are currently considering requiring cancer-warning labels on cellphones.

If these fears are reasonable,then perhaps we should all be worried about the amount of time we spend talking on our phones or plugging into wi-fi hotpots.

Some say there is evidence to support the growing anxieties.David Carpenter,a professor of environmental health sciences at the University at Albany,in New York,thinks there’s a greater than 95% chance that power lines can cause childhood leukemiA. Also there’s a greater than 90% chance that cellphones can cause brain tumors.

But others believe these concerns are unreasonable paranoia (猜疑).Dr.Martha Linet,the head of radiation epidemiology at the US National Cancer Institute,has looked at the same research as Carpenter but has reached a different conclusion.“I don’t support warning labels for cellphones,” said Linet.“We don’t have the evidence that there’s much danger.”

Studies so far suggest a weak connection between EMFs and illness — so weak that it might not exist at all.A multinational investigation of cellphones and brain cancer,in 13 countries outside the US,has been underway for several years.It’s funded in part by the European Union,in part by a cellphone industry group.

According to Robert Park,a professor of physics at the University of Maryland in the US,the magnetic waves aren’t nearly powerful enough to break apart DNA,which is now known threats,such as UV rays and X-rays,cause cancer.

Perhaps it’s just psychological.Some experts find that the electro-sensitivity syndrome seems to be similar to chemical sensitivity syndrome,which is a condition that’s considered to be psychological.

Whether EMFs are harmful or not,a break in the countryside,without the cellphone,would probably be good for all of us.

完形填空,阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A, B, C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

The family had just moved. The young woman was feeling a little ________ .It was Mother's Day—and 800 miles separated her from her parents.

She had called them that morning, and her mother had ________ how colorful their backyard was ________ spring had arrived. Later, she told her husband how she________ those lilacs (丁香) in her parents' yard. “I know where we can find some,” he said. “Get the ________ and come on.” So off they went.

Some time later, they stopped at a hill and there were lilacs all round. The young woman rushed up to the nearest ________and buried her face in the flowers. Carefully, she________ some. Finally, they returned to their car for the________ home. The woman sat smiling, surrounded by her ________ .

When they were near home, she shouted “stop,” got off quickly and ________ to a nearby nursing home. She went to the end of the porch (门廊), where a(n) ________patient was sitting in her wheelchair, and put the flowers into her lap. The two ________ ,bursting into laughter now and then. Later the young woman turned and ran back to her ________ . As the car pulled away, the woman in the wheelchair ________ with a smile, and held the lilacs________ .

“Mom,”the kids asked, “________did you give her our flowers?” “It is Mother's Day, and she seems so________ while I have all of you. And anyone would be ________by flowers.”

This satisfied the kids, but not the husband. The next day he ________some young lilacs around their yard.

I was the husband. Now, every May, our yard is full of lilacs. Every Mother's Day our kids ________purple lilacs. And every year I remember that smile of the lonely old woman.

1.A. moved B. worried C. angry D. depressed

2.A. learned B. imagined C. mentioned D. realized

3.A. now that B. so that C. as if D. even if

4.A. missed B. grew C. watered D. showed

5.A. cars B. kids C. clothes D. lilacs

6.A. bush B. hill C. yard D. door

7.A. bought B. picked C. set D. raised

8.A. break B. holiday C. trip D. dinner

9.A. friends B. memory C. flowers D. honor

10.A. responded B. pointed C. drove D. hurried

11.A. loving B. elderly C. serious D. sensitive

12.A. hesitated B. waited C. sat D. chatted

13.A. family B. mother C. path D. home

14.A. nodded B. waved C. left D. continued

15.A. sadly B. politely C. quickly D. tightly

16.A. why B. when C. how D. where

17.A. quiet B. confused C. alone D. patient

18.A. calmed B. persuaded C. disappointed D. cheered

19.A. arranged B. dried C. planted D. hid

20.A. find B. gather C. receive D. buy

根据短文内容,从短文后的七个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Of the many unpleasant emotions we can experience, fear may top the list. 1. . Fear can also keep us from pursuing the things in life that really matter -- like following our dreams, and developing important relationships. I have some ideas, though, of how to be free from fear.

Experience fear.

I used to be very afraid of speaking in front of people. I would get sweaty palms and my stomach would be so tied up that I wouldn't be able to eat. However, each time I spoke, I noticed afterwards that it wasn't that bad. Things I fear are never as bad in reality as I make them out in my mind. 2. .

Create space.

The first and most important step to being fearless is to create some space between ourselves and the emotion of fear. This isn't accomplished by ignoring the fear, or trying to talk ourselves out of it. 3. . In fact, a recent research shows that by simply admitting the emotion we actually begin to reverse the "fight or flight(逃避)" response in the body.

Control the breath and feel the fear.

Once we acknowledge the presence of fear, the second step is to control the breathing so that it becomes slower and gentler. We try to make the breath just a little bit longer, and feel how fear manifests(展现) in the body. 4. .

With practice, we can create enough space between us and the emotion of fear so that we're able to replace a fearful thought with a positive one. 5. . For instance, before I get up to speak in front of a group of people, I imagine that the audience is positively impressed by what I say and that I manage to complete the speech successfully.

A. Space is created only when we can honestly acknowledge that fear exists.

B. We can imagine a positive outcome for whatever we're about to do.

C. Fear, if left uncontrolled, can even destroy our life.

D. So one way to get rid of fear is to simply push ourselves to do things that we fear.

E. When we can see a positive outcome in our mind, fear no longer holds us back.

F. But fear is more than just physically unpleasant.

G. As we pay attention to the physical symptoms of fear, we can see fear objectively.

阅读下面短文,从短文后所给的四个选项(A,B,C 和D中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Still in shock I wandered about the house trying to decide what to put into the suitcases._____ that evening I had received a call from my hometown in Missouri telling me that my brother and his wife had been killed in a car _____. “ Come as soon as you can,” ______ my mother.

While Larry, my husband, made plane ______ for the following morning, I aimlessly____ things and put them down. I couldn’t focus. Occasionally, someone phoned and said, “ _____ there’s anything I can do, let me know.” “Thank you very much, ” I’d_____. But I didn’t know what to ask for.

When the _____ rang, I _____ slowly and opened the door, seeing Emerson, our neighbor, standing on the porch(门廊). “ I’ve come to ______ your shoes,” he said. Confused, I asked him to repeat. “I just want to _____you. I remember when my father died, it _____me hours to get the children’s shoes cleaned and shined for the funeral. So that’s what I’ve come to do for you. Give me all your shoes-not just your good shoes ,but all your shoes.”

While Emerson_____ newspaper on the kitchen floor, I gathered Larry’s shoes, my heels and the children’s ______ shoes. While we cleared the supper dishes, he continued to work, saying nothing.

One by one , the jobs fell into ____. I went into the laundry room to put a load of wash into the dryer, returning to the kitchen to find that Emerson had left. In a line against one wall stood all our shoes, spotless. I could put the shoes _____ into the suitcase.

Now, whenever I _____an acquaintance who has lost a loved one, I no longer call with the vague(含糊的) offer, “ If there’s anything I can do…” Now I try to think of one_____ task that suits that person’s need –such washing the family car, house-sitting _____the funeral…And if the person says to me, “ How did you know I needed that done?” I reply, “It’s because a man ____cleaned my shoes. ”

1.A. LateB. LaterC. EarlierD. Former

2.A. accidentB. chanceC. showD. holiday

3.A. bentB. beggedC. beganD. bargained

4.A. observationB. reservationsC. preparationsD. services

5.A. picked upB. picked atC. picked outD. picked off

6.A. SinceB. IfC. UnlessD. Until

7.A. askB. tellC. replyD. talk

8.A. doorB. doorbellC. radioD. telephone

9.A. raisedB. roseC. jumpedD. ran

10.A. throwB. collectC. cleanD. polish

11.A. helpB. leaveC. saveD. call

12.A. spentB. leaveC. costD. took

13.A. spreadB. tookC. splitD. spit

14.A. freshB. dirtyC. newD. big

15.A. siteB. locationC. spotD. place

16.A. fortunatelyB. sadlyC. shortlyD. directly

17.A. rely onB. dream ofC. hear ofD. think back

18.A. specialB. toughC. sparklingD. specific

19.A. afterB. duringC. beforeD. through

20.A. onceB. agoC. alwaysD. often

Winner of the Noble Prize for Literature and one of the America’s leading novelists, Sinclair Lewis was born in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, in 1885. The author graduated from Yale University, and worked as reporter, editor, and free-lane writer before devoting his full time to writing. His literary reputation was made with the publication of Main Street in 1920. Later successes include Babbitt (1922), Arrow smith (1924), Elmer Gantry (1927) and Dog worth (1929). Both Babbitt and Arrow smith are available in Signet edition. Mr. Lewis died in Rome, Italy in 1951.

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To our readers: We welcome your request for our free catalog of Signet and Mentor books. If you dealer does not have the books you want, you may order them by mail, enclosing the list price plus 50 cent a copy to cover mailing in North America while in other districts $1.5 a copy. The New American Library of World Literature, Inc, P.O. Box 2310, Grand Central Station, New York 17, New York. You can check more information on our website here http//www.loa.org.

1.Which of the following statements is true about the author of Main Street?

A. He was awarded the Nobel Prize when he was 35.

B. He did several different jobs before becoming a full time writer.

C. His later works were more successful than his early ones.

D. He wrote a novel every other year in his literary life.

2.What can we know about the novel Main Street from the above passage?

A. It has been one of the most widely accepted historical novels.

B. It is somewhat the real life presentation of its author Sinclair Lewis.

C. It presents a realistic look of the life scene of America at that time.

D. It has a great impact in the process of the twenty-first century literature.

3. How much more should a Chinese reader pay if he orders five copies of the same Signet books than a Canadian reader?

A. $7.5. B. $5. C. $2.5. D. $10.

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