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.

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

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

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

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

5.The writer’s attitude towards the discovery is ________.

A. neutral B. negative        C. positive       D. unconcerned

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

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 ________.

The Body Temperature

The temperature of your body should be always just the same, no matter whether the weather is hot or cold. That is why the doctor uses his thermometer （温度计）when your are sick.

The body keeps the same temperature all the time ,because it balances the heat it produces and it gives off. It is always burning up food and , producing heat. It can produce heat faster when it needs to give off heat than when it becomes too warm. Let’s see how this happen.

The heat of your body is given off mainly through the skin. When you are cold, your skin is tight and shows “good flesh”. When you get chilly, you must dance around to keep warm or else you will shiver. Then your muscles begin to work, burn up fuel, and produce more heat. It is not pleasant to shiver, so you usually prefer to warm up by exercise, or put on more clothes to keep heat in.

When you are warm, the skin is loose and soft. It is so supplied with blood that heat is given off rapidly. If you get too warm, you begin to sweat ,and more body heat is used in evaporating the moisture（水蒸气） from your skin. You wear less clothing, too, in warm weather or warm room, so that warm can be given off freely. You feel less like exercising because your body is warm already, and the extra heat produced by exercise makes you uncomfortable.

You can see from the way you feel differently in different kinds of weather. In summer, when it is warm, you feel tired and lazy. You do not care to work or play, but enjoy lying and doing nothing. When you get out of doors in winter, the cold air makes you feel lively. You want to play.

1.Which is another title suitable of the passage?

A．The Patients’ Temperature

B．The Body Temperature Should Always Be the Same

C．The Body Temperature

D．The Temperature and Your Skin

2.How does the body keep the same temperature all the time?

A．It is always producing heat from food.

B．It gives off the heat produced in it.

C．It balances the heat it gets and loses.

D．It stops producing heat when necessary.

3.When one feels chilly, which of the following will he do?

A．His skin becomes tight in order to keep warm.

B．He does exercises to make his muscle produce more heat.

C．He puts on more clothes to keep heat in.

D．He keeps shivering to produce more heat.

4.When in summer, people prefer to_____.

A．work             B．play              C．do exercise        D．relax and do nothing

●The first double hand transplant patient in the US has left a hospital after medicine cleared up

small red spots on his skin that signaled he might be rejecting his new hands. Jeff Kepner, a 58-year-old former chief cook in a restaurant, lost his hands and feet a decade ago to a bacteria infection. The donor was a 23-year-old man.

●A second major storm in less than a week was blowing yesterday toward the Washington area, where federal government offices were closed for a second day and workers struggled to restore power knocked out by a weekend heavy snowstorm. The storm could leave as much as 20 inches (50 centimeters) of new snow in Washington and nearly as much near Philadelphia –a Northeast travel-hub by tonight.

●British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will give evidence to a public inquiry into the Iraq War in early March, officials for the inquiry said yesterday. Brown’s appearance, just weeks before an election expected in May, could hit the ruling Labour Patry’s attempts to catch up in the polls （民意调查）behind the opposition party Conservatives. Brown, who will be questioned about his time as prime minister, will be a witness in the highest position at the inquiry since former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s appearance last month.

●The head of the UN agency aiding Palestine refugees （难民）is warning a funding shortfall and appealing for another $100 million. Filippo Grandi says the money is necessary for education, health and social services for 4.7 million Palestinian refugees scattered across Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The agency’s 2010 budget is $620 million, and it expects a shortfall of $140 million. The agency says $100 million is necessary for basic services.

64．The passage is most probably adapted from        .

A．new items in a newspaper       B．descriptions of the world situation

C．discussions on foreign affairs  D．statements of a government report

65．It can be inferred from the passage that        .

A．the man lost his hands for an unknown reason

B．the result of the transplant operation seems satisfying

C．another storm will hit Washington area in less than a week

D．the electricity supply was cut off in Philadelphia a week ago

66．According to the passage, Gordon Brown          .

A．is the leader of the ruling Labour Party in Britain

B．will send army to the Iraq War in March this year

C．will compete with former Prime Minister Tony Blair

D．is now gaining more support from voters than others

67．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the fourth news?

A．$100 million should be needed for the survival of the refugees.

B．At least $100 million is to be raised for Palestinian refugees.

C．The refugees mentioned in the passage are in the Middle Africa.

D．It is a tough job for the UN agency to get money for the refugees.