As if there weren’t enough of them in the world already, scientists have succeeded in cloning flies. The alike fruit flies are the first insects ever cloned, says the Canadian team that created them. The question everyone asks is why anyone would want to clone flies in the first place. She hopes that the insects , which are very easy to experiment with , will help to adjust the cloning process in other animals and even in humans, where the technique is being researched to aid production of therapeutic (治疗的) stem cells.

In cloning, the DNA-containing nucleus of an adult cell is injected into an egg whose own nucleus(细胞核) has been removed. At the moment, the majority of cloned mice, sheep and other animals die before birth. It is thought this is because the adult DNA is not properly ‘reprogrammed’.

Using flies, researchers might discover genes that are important for this reprogramming, and that have matches in other animals. That is because it is relatively easy in flies to knock out the function of a single gene and then attempt cloning with these cells, which will test whether that gene is important. If such genes are confirmed, then in theory cloned mammalian embryos(晶胚) might be grown in selected solutions that change the activity of those genes to improve the technique’s success rate. Although some groups have attempted to clone insects before, Lloyd says this is the first time it has been successful. The team used a slight difference on the standard cloning process: they transferred nuclei taken from embryos rather than fully-grown adult cells. They sucked several nuclei (pl)out of developing fly embryos, and injected them into a fertilized(已受精的) fly egg. From over 800 early attempts, they cloned five adult insects, the group reports in the journal Genetics.

1.The best title of this passage probably is _______.

A．The importance of clone

B．First insects are cloned

C．The disagreement in clone

D．The advantages of clone

2.The scientists cloned flies because________.

   A．there are fewer and fewer flies in the world 

B．flies are easy to find and cheap to use

   C．they can gain some experience before cloning other animals

   D．it is safe to clone flies

3.The failure of most cloned animals is due to _______.

   A．the difference of other animals’ genes

   B．the improper technique of clone

   C．the complex of other animals

   D．the improper rearrange of the adult gene

4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.

   A．the clone of insects before used grown-up cells

  B．the clone of insects were never experimented before  

C．this time scientists cloned flies successfully and easily

   D．based on this success, other animals will be cloned in large quantities. 

 

Below is adapted from an English dictionary. Use the dictionary to answer the following questions.

figure / fīg? / noun, verb                            ●noun 1 [C, often pl.] a number representing a particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade /sales figures 2 [C] a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary 3 [pl.] (informal)the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc. numbers  4 [C] a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history. 5 [C] the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly  6 [C] a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it  7 [C] the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one’s figure  8 [C] a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating [IDM] be/become a figure of fun: be/become sb. that others laugh at  cut a…figure: (of a person) to have a particular appearance He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket.  put a figure on sth.: to say the exact price or number of sth.

a fine figure of man / woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person  figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect  figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority) ●verb  1 to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning.  2 to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn’t seem to figure at all. 3 to calculate an amount or the cost of sth.: We figured that attendance at 150,000.  [PHRV] 1 figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel?  2 figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven’t figured on his getting home too late.  3 figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the trip will cost?   [IDM] It/That figures! (informal): That seems reasonable, logical and what I expect.

【小题1】— She was coming late again for the work.
— ________! It is just like her to be late. You just can’t do anything to stop her doing that.

A．It figures her out	B．It figures
C．It cuts a poor figure	D．She is a figure of fun

【小题2】The phrase “watch my figure” in the sentence “Don’t tempt(引诱) me with chocolate; I am watching my figure.” means “________”.

A．add the numbers	B．have sports
C．try not to get fat	D．watch games

【小题3】Which underlined word in the following sentences is used as figure of speech(修辞格)?

A．John is fond of animals and raises a rabbit as a pet.

B．In some countries, bamboo can be used to build houses.

C．We all regard Mr. Smith as an important figure in our company.

D．I didn’t really mean my partner was a snake.

Below is adapted from an English dictionary

figure/fīg ?? / noun, verb                             ●noun 1. [C, often pl.] a number representing particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade /sales figures 2. [C] a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary 3. [pl] (informal) the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc 4. a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history. 5. the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly 6. a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it 7. [C] the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one’s figure 8. [C] a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating [IDM] be/become a figure of fun: be/become sb. that others laugh at cut a…figure: (of a person) to have a particular appearance He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket. put a figure on sth.: to say the exact price or number of sth.

a fine figure of man/woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect  figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority) ●verb 1. to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning. 2. to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn’t seem to figure at all. 3. to calculate an amount or the cost of sth.: We figured that attendance at 150,000. [PHRV] 1. figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel? 2. figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven’t figured on his getting home too late. 3. figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the trip will cost? [IDM] It/That figures! (informal): That seems reasonable, logical and what I expect.

I didn’t really mean my partner is a snake; it was just a ______.

A. figure of eight     B. figure head     C. figure of speech     D. a fine figure     

—She was coming late again.

—______! That’s typical of her.

A. It figures her out   B. It figures    C. It cuts a poor figure  D. She is a figure of fun

What does “watch my figure” in the sentence “Don’t tempt me with chocolate; I am watching my figure.” mean?

A. add the numbers   B. have sports      C. try not to get fat    D. watch games

No one can figure out the reasons for the Poland president plane crash in 2010. Here figure out means:_________

A. watch out     B. work out     C. understand well    D. break out

—Promise you don’t wear this kind of clothes? People will play a joke on you.

—I don’t care whether I am________. I just want to keep warm.

A. a figure of fun    B. a healthy figure    C. a figure head      D. a bad figure

As if there weren’t enough of them in the world already, scientists have succeeded in cloning flies. The alike fruit flies are the first insects ever cloned, says the Canadian team that created them. The question everyone asks is why anyone would want to clone flies in the first place. She hopes that the insects , which are very easy to experiment with , will help to adjust the cloning process in other animals and even in humans, where the technique is being researched to aid production of therapeutic (治疗的) stem cells.

In cloning, the DNA-containing nucleus of an adult cell is injected into an egg whose own nucleus(细胞核) has been removed. At the moment, the majority of cloned mice, sheep and other animals die before birth. It is thought this is because the adult DNA is not properly ‘reprogrammed’.

Using flies, researchers might discover genes that are important for this reprogramming, and that have matches in other animals. That is because it is relatively easy in flies to knock out the function of a single gene and then attempt cloning with these cells, which will test whether that gene is important. If such genes are confirmed, then in theory cloned mammalian embryos(晶胚) might be grown in selected solutions that change the activity of those genes to improve the technique’s success rate. Although some groups have attempted to clone insects before, Lloyd says this is the first time it has been successful. The team used a slight difference on the standard cloning process: they transferred nuclei taken from embryos rather than fully-grown adult cells. They sucked several nuclei (pl)out of developing fly embryos, and injected them into a fertilized(已受精的) fly egg. From over 800 early attempts, they cloned five adult insects, the group reports in the journal Genetics.

1.The best title of this passage probably is _______.

    A．The importance of clone

    B．First insects are cloned

    C．The disagreement in clone

    D．The advantages of clone

2.The scientists cloned flies because________.

   A．there are fewer and fewer flies in the world 

    B．flies are easy to find and cheap to use

   C．they can gain some experience before cloning other animals

    D．it is safe to clone flies

3.The failure of most cloned animals is due to _______.

   A．the difference of other animals’ genes

   B．the improper technique of clone

   C．the complex of other animals

   D．the improper rearrange of the adult gene

4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.

   A．the clone of insects before used grown-up cells

    B．the clone of insects were never experimented before  

    C．this time scientists cloned flies successfully and easily

   D．based on this success, other animals will be cloned in large quantities.

 

On April 20,2013, a big and powerful earthquake attacked Ya’an, Sichuan Province. A great many buildings and houses collapsed, a lot of people were killed and even more people lost their homes in the earthquake .

Death toll from the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Ya’an in southwestern China's Sichuan Province has risen to 188 (as of 18:00 pm, April 22, ), according to latest calculations by local Civil Affairs Bureau. At least 11,826 were reportedly injured in the quake while 25 are still missing, the bureau said.

Experts are anticipating much less casualties in the quake than that from the 8.0 magnitude quake hit Wenchuan on May 12, 2008, also in Sichuan Province, which killed more than 80,000 and injured over 300,000.

Energy released from Wenchuan earthquake would be 30 times of that from Ya’an quake, according to Zhang Xiaonan, an expert with China's Geophysical Union. Dai Junwu with Harbin-based seismological bureau expects the death toll at less than 1,000, and economic losses from the quake could reach up to 100 billion yuan.

Police and expert teams have already rushed for rescue in the quick stricken areas, and the State Council has banned unauthorized rescue efforts and individual vehicles from going to the quake zone to avoid congestion(交通阻塞).

Rescue efforts were carried “timely and orderly”, said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang who flew to the quicken-stricken area on Sunday, the second day of the quake. He was quoted as saying that “the current priority is to save lives”.

1.When did Ya’an earthquake occur?

A．April 22,2008      B．April 20,2013      C．May 12,2008       D．May.22 2013

2.How many people injured in the earth(as of 18:00 pm, April 22 ) according to the passage?

A．About188                             B．At least 11,826

C．More than 80,000                       D．Over 300,000.

3.What does the underlined word “ collapsed”( in para.1) mean?

A．fell down suddenly                      B．broke up

C．burnt to the ground                     D．turned into pieces

4.Why did the State Council has banned unauthorized rescue efforts and individual vehicles from going to the quake zone?

A．Because Ya’an earthquake was not as disastrous as Wenchuan earthquake.

B．Because the people of Ya’an could save themselves.

C．Because the State Council wanted to avoid being overcrowded.

D．Because the State Council wanted to protected the rescuing people

5.Which one is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Wenchuan earthquake released 30 times energy of Ya’an earthquake.

B．Premier Li Keqiang who flew to the quicken-stricken area on April,21,2013.

C．Wenchuan earthquake killed around 80000 people.

D．Zhang Xiaonan expected the economic losses from the quake could reach up to 100 billion yuan.