Special trees that grow faster, fight pollution, produce better wood, and even sense chemical attacks are being planted by scientists in the US.

    When 40 per cent of Hawaii's US$14 million-a-year papaya (木瓜)industry was destroyed by a virus five years ago, work began on creating genetically engineered(转基因的) trees.

    Researchers successfully introduced seeds that were designed to resist the virus. Since then, more and more people have been testing genetically engineered trees.

    Some researchers put special bacteria into trees to help them grow faster and produce better wood. Others are trying to create trees that can clean polluted soil.

    Meanwhile fruit farmers are looking for trees that are strong enough to resist worms, and paper companies want trees that produce more wood and therefore more paper.

    The Pentagon (五角大楼) even gave the researchers US$500,000 this year after they developed a pine tree that changes its colours if it senses a chemical attack..

    So far, the poplar, eucalyptus (杨树与桉树), apple and coffee trees are among those being engineered. All this can be done today because we have a better understanding of tree genomes(基因组).

    However, some people fear that the genetically engineered trees will cause dangerous results. They are worried that the new trees will breed with natural species and change the balance of the forest environment.

"It could be destructive," said Jim Diamond, an environmentalist. "Trees are what is left of our natural environment and home to many endangered species."

    But researchers insist that science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers.

    They hope to answer the critics by stopping the new trees from breeding, so their effect on the environment can be controlled.

What trees are NOT the ones that scientists are planting in the US?

A. Trees that worms can't hurt.   

B. Trees that can protect themselves at a chemical attack.

C. Trees that can resist wind better.    

D. Trees that can improve soil conditions.

What caused the American scientists to work on special trees?

A. They think science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers.

B. Great numbers of trees have been lost due to attacks by viruses.

C. Researchers successfully introduced seeds designed to resist the virus.

D. Tree genomes are mapped out so scientists know how to improve trees.

Which of the following was probably the first kind of trees being engineered?

A. Papaya.                    B. Pine.                 C. Apple.               D. Poplar.

The best title of the passage is         .

A. The improvement of environment

B. The side-effects of special trees

C. The development of special trees

D. the program of genetically engineered trees


原创(八)
How to Release Anger the Right Way
Anger is a feeling that many of us know all too well. Some of us experience it daily,   1  others hold on to it for years at a time. As you likely know, angry is not a healthy   2   . Over time it can become self-destructive,   3  relationships and even your health.
This is not to say that anger is always a   4   thing—anger is a natural part of living;it is a   5    that something is wrong. If anger is not a   6   normal and natural human emotion, it is   7  important to learn and understand how to   8   anger the right way.
You can release anger the right or the wrong way.    9    whether you have an anger problem yourself or not, it is   10    for everyone to understand what the right   11   of releasing anger are. Transforming anger is a powerful   12 to take that will create positive changes in our relationships. One of the best ways to   13  anger is to give yourself the   14  to express anger. In fact, it is quite   15   to express your anger as long as you do it   16   .
Remember that anger management   17  both on mental and physical effort. Although mental therapy alone will help you   18    for releasing your anger, it can only take you so far. The same   19  for exercise too. However, if you   20  both mental therapy and exercising, you will then have   21   to an unbelievable positive solution. Do a particular physical activity   22   the mental intention of releasing your anger.
It might be   23  but the most important things of all to   24   is to never hurt others when you release your anger. Make sure you give yourself the   25  to express safely your anger, without hurting anyone else .
1.A.when                      B.while                     C.but                 D.However
2.A.life                        B.feeling            C.happiness        D.emotion
3.A.reflecting                B.ruining           C.limiting           D.satisfying
4.A.bad                         B.good               C.ordinary         D.especial
5.A.appearance           B.mark              C.signal              D.gesture
6.A.unbelievable           B.completely      C.incompletely   D.carefully
7.A.whatever                 B.how                C.much              D.however
8.A.release                    B.relax               C.obsorb            D.influence
9.A.Instead of                B.Except for       C.Regardless of D.As a consequence of
10.A.important              B.common          C.hard               D.easy
11.A.answers                 B.messages         C.ways              D.actions
12.A.step                   B.right               C.attitude          D.chance
13.A.shift                         B.change            C.transfer          D.transform
14.A.permission            B.application     C.affection         D.admission
15.A.painful                  B.happy             C.healthy          D.succeeful
16.A.confidently            B.correctly          C.gradually        D.separately
17.A.requires                 B.relies              C.lacks               D.decline
18.A.attentively                 B.specially          C.absolutely       D.tremendously
19.A.arranges                B.reaches           C.prepares         D.applies
20.A.control                  B.join                C.separate          D.combine
21.A.access                   B.approach        C.admission    D.contact 
22.A.in conflict with      B.rather than     C.along with      D.in place of
23.A.simple                    B.obvious          C.unrealistic       D.appropriate
24.A.answer                  B.remember       C.repeat             D.listen
25.A.opportunity           B.necessity         C.probability     D.reality

Jeanne Calment, a French woman, become a record breaker on 17 October 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France, her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes here as being “more like a 90-year-old in good health” than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on the 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied, “A very short one.” She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a say, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying: “Sorry, I’m still alive!”
【小题1】 How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?

A.She feels upset and unhappy.
B.She is cheerful and humorous.
C.She likes to live much longer.
D.She feels she is going to die very soon.
【小题2】 The text seems to suggest that Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to______.
A.smoking only little every day
B.neither smoking nor drinking
C.always drinking two glasses of strong red wine a day and never smoking
D.the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercises
【小题3】 Which of the following could best explain the underlined word “genes” in the third paragraph?
A.good habits of body-building.
B.Some materials that control the development of a living thing.
C.Comfortable living conditions.
D.Something necessary for a person to keep his life.
【小题4】Why did Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive!” to the local lawyer?
A.She had an agreement with the lawyer when she was 80.
B.The lawyer has not paid her enough rent yet.
C.The lawyer has paid her more money than the value of the house.
D.The house she sold to the lawyer was worth the money already paid.

.

The journey to the moon had been the first step toward future exploration(探险) in space. The distance between the Moon and Earth is very short indeed when compared with the distances between Earth and the other planets. Mars, the nearest planet to Earth is millions of miles away. Traveling to the planets will be man’s next aim. Such travels will be more challenging than the trip to the moon and certainly more adventurous.

Recently, two American spaceships, Vikings 1 and 2, landed on Mars trying to discover whether that planet has any life on it. So far the signs of life on Mars has neither confirmed(确认) nor ruled out. Russians have discovered that the surface of Venus(金星) is so hot that it is almost certain that there is no life there. Also the atmosphere of Venus is extremely dense(稠) and the pressure is nearly a hundred times greater than that of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Scientists believe man may find planets which have the same conditions as those we have on Earth , but man should realize Earth will be his only home for a long time and begin to love and care for it.

63. According to the passage, traveling to the planets will be ________.

A.  much easier and even more interesting  B.  far more exciting and dangerous

C.  man’s final aim                    D.  man’s first step

64. Which of the following is Not true?

A.  Mars is nearer to the earth than the moon.

B.  The moon is much nearer to the earth than Mars.

C.  Of all the planets, Mars is the nearest to the earth.

D.  All the planets are much farther to the earth.

65. From the passage, we can guess_____.

A.  there is life on Mars       

B.  there is no life on Mars

C.  the atmosphere of Mars is not so dense as that of Venus

D.  scientists will have little hope to find the answers

66. Man can live on under the conditions of _______.

A.  much too hot surface                   B.  the same pressure as we get on earth

C.  normal atmosphere as we have on earth     D.  both B and C

 

 

第二部分  阅读理解(共两节,满分40分)

(共15小题,每小题2分,满分30分)

阅读下列四篇短文,从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。

  Ask Dr ? Jeffers

This month Dr. Jeffers is answering questions about the human brain and how it works.

Dear Dr. Jeffers,

One of my colleagues, Felix Moeller, told me that scientists are learning to use computer to ‘read minds’. Is there any truth to this story/

—Jane Leon, New York, USA

Dear Ms. Leon,

Well, a lot of research is being conducted in this area, but so far, the brain scanning equipment and corresponding computer programs haven’t been able to actually read thoughts. In one experiment, test subjects(受试者)were connected to scanning equipment and shown two numbers on a screen. They were then asked to choose between adding or subtracting(减)the two numbers. Using this method, researchers were able to follow brain processes and make the correct assumptions(假设)70 percent of the time. It’s not quite mind reading, but it’s certainly a first step.

—Dr. J.

Dear Dr. Jeffers,

My three-year-old son loves it when I dig my fingers into his sides and tickle (胳肢)him until he laughs uncontrollably. The other day I noticed him trying to tickle himself but he couldn’t do it. Why not?

—Glenn Lewis, Vancouver, Canada

Dear Mr. Lewis,

It’s because of how the brain works. The brain is trained to know what to pay attention to and what to ignore. It causes us to ignore physical feelings we expect to happen, but it causes a mild panic reaction when there is an unexpected feeling. For example, you don’t notice how your shoulder feels while you’re walking down the street. But if someone comes up behind you and touches you lightly on the shoulder, you may jump in fear. It’s that unexpected part that causes the tickle reaction.

—Dr. J.

1.What can we learn from the answer to the first question?                          

A. Some equipment is able to read human minds.

B. Some progress has been made in mind reading.

C. Test subjects have been used tomake decisions.

D. Computer programs can copy brain processes.

2.People laugh when tickled by others bedause the feeling is _______.                 

A. unexpected        B.expected        C. comfortable        D. uncomfortable

3.Who has got a little child according to the text?                                  

A. Ms. Leon          B. Mr. Lewis        C. Mr. Moeller        D. Dr. Jeffers

4.According to the text, Jeffers is probably _______.                                

A. a computer programmer                B. a test subject

C. a human brain expert                   D. a medical doctor

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网