Can people change their skin colour without suffering like pop king Michael Jackson? Perhaps yes. Scientists have found the gene that determines skin colour.

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 colour of a dark-striped zebrafish to uniform gold by inserting a version of  the pigment(色素) gene into a young fish. As with humans, zebrafish skin colour is determined by pigment cells, which contain melanosomes(黑色素). The number, size and darkness of melanosomes per pigment cell determines skin colour.

It appears that, like the golden zebrafish, light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation(变异) in the gene for melanosome production. This results in less pigmented skin.

However, Keith Cheng, leader of the research team, points out that the mutation is dif ferent 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 vit amin D. So the related gene changes, according to Cheng.

Asians have the same version of the gene as Africans, so they pr obably acquired their light skin through the action of some other gene that affects skin colour, said Cheng.

The new discovery could lead to medical treatments for skin cancer. It also could lead to research into ways to change skin colour without damaging it like chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson.

1.. The passage mainly tells us that ________.

  A. people can not change their skin colour without any pain

  B. the new discovery could lead to search into ways to change skin colour safely

  C. pop king Michael Jackson often changed his skin colour as he liked

  D. scientists have found out that people’s skin colour is determined by the gene

2.. Scientists have done an experiment on  a dark-striped zebra fish in order to ________.

  A. find the  different genes of humans’

  B. prove the humans’ skin colour is determined by the pigment gene

  C. find out the reason why the Africans’ skin colour is dark

  D. find out the ways of changing peopl’s skin colour

3.. 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 melanosome production

  C. they have fewer activities outside

  D. they pay much attention to protecting their skin

The snow has paralysed(使瘫痪) transport in China during the country’s most important vacation period, the celebration of the Chinese New Year. Not only have transport delays hindered personal trips, but they have also slowed the delivery of fresh produce to markets. Consequently, in Zhengzhou, the capital city of the Henan province, tomato prices have doubled, and the cost of 47 other vegetables has increased by 36%, as reported by local media at the end of January.

     According to an inside PR source, “wholesalers in Beijing were quoted as saying that only about 20% of the usual fresh vegetable supplies were reaching the city.” As an Asian country with a diet based on fresh produce, the shortage of vegetables and the rise in prices is not only affecting fresh food producers, but also the final consumers.

     In terms of production, this is the worst snow disaster to hit China in the last 50 years, affecting a total of 9.4 million hectares of farmland in the country, according to a report published on 4 February 2008 by Feng Tao of Xinhua News, at the Chinese government website. Most of the crops devastated（毁坏）by the frost are located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the traditional natural border between North and South China.

Chen Xiwen, Director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Rural Work, pointed out at the end of last week that “the blizzard disaster in the south has had a severe impact on winter crops, and the impact on fresh vegetables could be catastrophic in certain areas”, as stated in the Xinhua News report.

     The Chinese government has been quick to take extreme measures. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has sent 13 teams of experts to 8 of the areas most seriously affected by the harsh weather. The aim of this initiative is to provide farmers with technical assistance to minimize their losses.

From this passage, we can know that the snow happened _____.

   A. During the Spring Festival

   B. In the coldest days of the winter

   C. In the North of China.

   D. It’s not mentioned here.

What’s the meaning of the underlined word in paragraph four?

   A. worst  B. snowstorm  C. cold weather  D. biggest

This passage mainly tells us _____ .

   A. The snow in the south of China caused many problems.

   B. The effect of the snow in the south of China on the fresh food

   C. The snow in the south of China slowed the delivery of fresh produce to markets.

   D. The Chinese government has taken extreme measures to help the suffered farmers.

The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has sent 13 teams of experts to 8 of the areas to _____ .

   A. help the farmers plant crops          B. give money to the farmers

   C. give directions to the farmers with their technic（技术；技巧）.

   D. deliver crops for the farmers.

The snow has paralysed(使瘫痪) transport in China during the country’s most important vacation period, the celebration of the Chinese New Year. Not only have transport delays hindered personal trips, but they have also slowed the delivery of fresh produce to markets. Consequently, in Zhengzhou, the capital city of the Henan province, tomato prices have doubled, and the cost of 47 other vegetables has increased by 36%, as reported by local media at the end of January.
According to an inside PR source, “wholesalers in Beijing were quoted as saying that only about 20% of the usual fresh vegetable supplies were reaching the city.” As an Asian country with a diet based on fresh produce, the shortage of vegetables and the rise in prices is not only affecting fresh food producers, but also the final consumers.
In terms of production, this is the worst snow disaster to hit China in the last 50 years, affecting a total of 9.4 million hectares of farmland in the country, according to a report published on 4 February 2008 by Feng Tao of Xinhua News, at the Chinese government website. Most of the crops devastated（毁坏）by the frost are located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the traditional natural border between North and South China.
Chen Xiwen, Director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Rural Work, pointed out at the end of last week that “the blizzard disaster in the south has had a severe impact on winter crops, and the impact on fresh vegetables could be catastrophic in certain areas”, as stated in the Xinhua News report.
The Chinese government has been quick to take extreme measures. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has sent 13 teams of experts to 8 of the areas most seriously affected by the harsh weather. The aim of this initiative is to provide farmers with technical assistance to minimize their losses.

1. 1.

   From this passage, we can know that the snow happened _____.

   1. A.
      During the Spring Festival
   2. B.
      In the coldest days of the winter
   3. C.
      In the North of China.
   4. D.
      It’s not mentioned here.
2. 2.

   What’s the meaning of the underlined word in paragraph four?

   1. A.
      worst
   2. B.
      snowstorm
   3. C.
      cold weather
   4. D.
      biggest
3. 3.

   This passage mainly tells us _____ .

   1. A.
      The snow in the south of China caused many problems.
   2. B.
      The effect of the snow in the south of China on the fresh food
   3. C.
      The snow in the south of China slowed the delivery of fresh produce to markets.
   4. D.
      The Chinese government has taken extreme measures to help the suffered farmers.
4. 4.

   The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has sent 13 teams of experts to 8 of the areas to _____ .
   

   1. A.
      help the farmers plant crops         
   2. B.
      give money to the farmers
   3. C.
      give directions to the farmers with their technic（技术；技巧）.
   4. D.
      deliver crops for the farmers.

Spacecraft “Discovery” has failed in the course of launch.

  ----_______? They have been preparing for the test.

  A. How come  B. When  C. How  D. Why not

They are_________ to eat Chinese food though they have been in America for years.

A.content                                  B.please?

C.interested                                D.fond