1、 2017 2016 Expensive perfumes( ) come in tiny bottles, but many hide a whale-sized secret. To perfect a particular smell, perfume-makers often use an ingredient that comes from sperm whales, called ambergris. But using ambergris, which helps a perfume last longer, is strongly opposed by many people
2、who think it is wrong to kill whales just so we can sweet, Joerg Bohlmann is neither a perfumer nor a whale expert, Hes a plant biologist at the University of British Columbia in Canada. But his discovery of a new plant gene( ) might push whales out of the perfume business. The gene comes from fir t
3、rees, found throughout North America and commonly used as Christmas trees. The trees produce a chemical that can be used in perfume in place of ambergris but with a catch. lem that many people wouldnt consider. In the tree, the chemical is mixed with many others. That This is where science becomes u
4、seful. When Bohlmann learned that fir trees produce the ambergris-like chemical, he decided to use his gene know-how to find the instructions for how to make the ambergris-substitute. Bohlmann found that gene and took it out of the tree cells. Then he did something that might sound strange to someon
5、e who doesnt work in genetics: Bohlmann put the gene from the tree into yeast( ) cells. Yeast may sound familiar because its used to make things like bread, wine and beer. Biologists like to work tith yeast because it easily adopts new genes and changes its features and behavior. When Bohlmann put t
6、he fir tree into the yeast, the yeast started making the same chemical that had seen produced by the tree. Perfumers pay big money for ambergris because it is a fixative, which means it holds a smell in place on a persons body. s smel perfumes are much more stable. Their smell The new chemical, made
7、 from the tree genes, can be used as a fixative, too. And using yeast to make it is far cheaper than acquiring ambergris. Bohlmann admits he never thought hed get into the perfume business. But now, he says, producers have been calling to find out how to use his technology in mew perfumes. 1. It can
8、 be inferred from the passage that if a perfume contains ambergris, . A. Its user probably supports whale hunting B. Its smell will last for about an hour C. There will be a whale symbol on hour D. It is probably very expensive 2. . A. Being difficult to hold B. having a hidden problem C. needing fu
9、rther testing D. being too similar 3. According to the passage, why are yeast cells often used in genetic research? A. They can take on the characteristics of other genes B. They can reproduce much faster than other cells. C. They share some of the qualities of plant genes. D. Theyre much cheaper to
10、 use than ambergris. 4. What can we learn about Joerg Bohlmann from the passage? A. He is opposed to whale hunting. B. He made his discovery during Christmas. C. He has worked in the perfume industry for many years. D. He has previously done genetic esearch. 1. D D 2. B B 3. A A 4. D Joerg Bohlmann
11、Joerg Bohlmann D 2014 (A B C D) Italy is one country where beauty is prized more than any other virtue. That is, except in the small town of Piobbico, the self-declared World Capital of Ugly People. The road sign at the edge of the town even warns visitors that they are entering the ugly zone. Peopl
12、e who consider themselves Lacobelli established a dating agency for women who believed they were too ugly to attract husbands. Lacobelli believes that he is ugly himself because he has a short nose in a country where long or large noses have always been considered beautiful. People from around the w
13、orld travel to Piobbico to tell their sad stories of ugliness. During the annual Festival of the Ugly, which occurs on the first Sunday of every September, hundreds of election every year. The Ugly Club has over 20, 000 members. They carry ID cards that grade their ugliness from bearable to extreme.
14、 A prize is awarded to Ugly Club members who qualify as extremely ugly. The Ugly Club president insists that ugliness is a virtue. Since beautiful people get a lot of attention for their beauty alone, they have to work hard to prove their other virtues. Ugly people, on the other hand, are genuine an
15、d do not have to prove anything to anybody, according to Lacobelli. Lacobelli is a spokesperson for ugly people everywhere. He believes that the uglier one is, the better life can be. Though the club enjoys making fun of beauty, especially beauty contests, Lacobelli has a serious side as well. He be
16、lieves that too many people suffer from financial and emotional pressures because th people are more successful in the workforce is a problem that Lacobelli has attempted to bring forward to the Italian public and government. 51. Piobbico is rather special in that . A. it is a very small town B. it
17、is home to ugly people C. it receives no visitors D. it is the capital of Italy 52. Telesforo Lacobelli started his dating agency about years ago. A. 20 B. 30 C. 40 D. 60 53. Why is Lacobelli elected the president of the Ugly Club every year? A. Because he is the ugliest person in the whole world. B
18、. Because his ugliness is always graded as bearable. C. Because he is a spokesperson for ugly people everywhere. D. Because he has won th 54. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. Ugly people are most respected in Italy. B. The Festival of the Ugly is held every two years. C. U
19、gly people are unfairly treated in society. D. The uglier one is, the better life he or she lives. 55. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A. The Ugly Capital of the World B. The Ugliest Person of the World C. Festival of the Ugly D. Beauty Contests Should be Banned 51-55
20、BCDCA It is reported that conservation groups in North America have been arguing about the benefits and dangers of wolves. Some groups believe wolves should be killed. Other people believe wolves must be protected so that they will not disappear from the wilderness ( ) For Killing Wolves In Alaska t
21、he wolf almost disappeared a few years ago because hunters were killing hundreds of them for sport. However 1aws were established to protect the wolves from sportsmen and people who catch the animals for their fur So the wolf population has greatly increased. Now there are so many wolves that they a
22、re destroying their own food supply A wolf naturally eats animals in the deer family. People in the wilderness also hunt deer for food Many of the animals have been destroyed by the very cold winters recently and by changes in the wilderness plant life When they die If the wolves continue to kill la
23、rge numbers of deer their prey( )will disappear some day And the wolves will too So we must change the cycle of life in the wilderness to balance the ecology If we killed more wolves we would save them and their prey from dying out In another northern state wolves attack cows and chickens for food F
24、armers want the government to send biologists to study the problem They believe it necessary to kill wolves in some areas and to protect them in places where there is a small wolf population Against Killing Wolves If you had lived long ago you would have heard many different stories about the danger
25、ous wolf According to most stories hungry wolves often kill people for food Even today will not disappear But the fact is wolves are afraid of people and they seldom travel in areas where there is a human smell When wolves eat other animals they usually kill the very young or the sick and injured .T
26、he strongest survive .No kind of animal would have survived through the centuries if the weak members had lived And has always been a law of nature. Although some people say it is good sense to kill wolves we say it is nonsense! Researchers have found wolves and their prey living in balance The wolv
27、es keep the deer population from becoming too large, and that keeps a balance in the wilderness plant life The real problem is that the areas where wolves can live are being used by people Even if wilderness land is not used directly for human needs the wol which is often a farm Then there is danger
28、 next ( ) 1. According to the passage some people in North America favor killing wolves for all the following reasons EXCET that A. there are too many wolves B. they kill large numbers deer C. they attack cows and chickens for food D. they destroy the wilderness plant life D For killing wolves D ( )
29、 2. Some people are against killing wolves because A. wolves help to keep the ecological balance in the wideness B. there is too small a wolf population in the wilderness C. there are too many deer in the wilderness D. wolves are afraid of people and never attack people A Against killing wolves ( )
30、3. According to those against killing wolves when wolves eat other animals A. they never eat strong and healthy ones B. they always go against the law of nature C. they might help this kind of animals survive in nature D. they disturb the ecological balance in the wilderness C Against killing wolves
31、 ( ) 4. The last sen . A. farm animals will be in danger and have to be shipped away B. wolves will kill people and people will in turn kill them C. wolves will find enough food sources on farms D. people will leave the areas where wolves can live B 2014 (A B C D) In Los Angeles, drivers spend sixty
32、-one hours every year stuck in traffic. These drivers know all too well how bad the traffic can be. “Therere too many cars, and you cant move around a lot. “ Professor Cyrus Shahabi also knows about traffic jams. He lives more than 65 kilometers from his office at the University of Southern Califomi
33、a,in Los Angeles. He is always late even with the help of a navigation( ) system. He decided to develop a programme called ClearPath for that. He says his program uses historical data to predict traffic conditions even before the driver leaves the house. “ Whats unique is that we use a lot of data t
34、hats currently become available including traffic data,weather data,and we analyze that so that we can predict whats going to happen in front of you when you leave home. “ Professor Shahabi says his system does more than just respond to current traffic conditions. With ClearPath,he says,a driver can
35、 decide what time he wants to leave, and ClearPath will give the fastest route. It looks at the entire road network, including surface streets as well as highways,before the driver hits the road. Professor Shahabi hopes to have ClearPath available nationwide and overseas once they can collect traffi
36、c data from other cities. “I always thought that Los Angeles had the worst traffic, but now I know that Shanghai,Beijing,Seoul,Tokyo, believe it or not, Singapore, Hong Kong certainly are examples that can immediately use this. “ Professor Shahabi hopes to share this new technology with companies that already have navigation systems, such as Google and Apple. 56. Drivers in Los Angeles were mentioned in order to_. A. show care for them
