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 percent of Europeans. The other is found in 93 to 100 percent of Africans, researchers at Pennsylvania State University report in the latest issue of Science.
Scientists have changed the color of a dark-striped zebra-fish(斑馬魚(yú)) to uniform gold by inserting a version of the pigment (色素) gene into a young fish. As with humans, zebra-fish 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 zebra-fish, light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation (變異) 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 zebra-fish genes.
Humans acquired dark skin in Africa about 1.5 million years ago to protect bodies from ultra-violet rays of the sun (太陽(yáng)光紫外線(xiàn)), 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.
【小題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
【小題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
【小題3】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 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
【小題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
【小題5】The writer’s attitude towards the discovery is ______________.
A.neutral B.negative C.positive D.unconcerned


【小題1】D
【小題2】A
【小題3】B
【小題4】B
【小題5】C

解析試題分析:本文主要講述基因決定人的膚色。將來(lái)人們想換膚色可能不需要象邁克杰克遜那樣受罪了。
【小題1】主旨大意題 根據(jù)全文講述的主要內(nèi)容得知:科學(xué)家們發(fā)現(xiàn)人的膚色是由基因決定的。選D。
【小題2】A 推理判斷題 從文章最后一句話(huà)It also could lead to research into ways to change skin color without damaging it like chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson.得知,人們改變膚色會(huì)象邁克爾·杰克遜那樣受到化學(xué)藥品對(duì)皮膚的傷害。選A。
【小題3】細(xì)節(jié)理解題 根據(jù)第三段的句子:As with humans, zebrafish skin color is determined by pigment cells, which contain melanin (黑色素).得知,因?yàn)榘唏R魚(yú)和人類(lèi)一樣膚色中含有黑色素,所以科學(xué)家們以此來(lái)證明之。選B。
【小題4】推理判斷題 根據(jù)第四段的句子:light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation (變異) in the gene for melanin production. This results in less pigmented skin.得知,因?yàn)闅W洲人體內(nèi)黑色素的基因發(fā)生了變異,所以他們的皮膚為淺膚色。選B。
【小題5】推理判斷題 根據(jù)作者對(duì)基因決定人的膚色的論述以及文章首尾段可知,作者對(duì)此的態(tài)度是肯定的。選C。
考點(diǎn):考查科普類(lèi)短文

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A.It was designed in a smaller size.
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【小題2】What does “it” refer to in Paragraph 3?
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【小題4】The data in the last paragraph suggests Eastgate’s temperature control system_____.
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源: 題型:閱讀理解

Scientists who discovered a new way of generating electricity from water say they may have come across an alternative source of clean energy to rival wind and solar power.
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More likely would be to install the electricity-generating devices where water is already being pumped, such as at city water filtration sites, he said. “It could compete with wind and solar power,” he added.
【小題1】What does the passage mainly want to tell us about?

A.A kind of solar power discovered by scientists.
B.A kind of new energy source found in tap water.
C.The breakthrough to generate electricity 160 yeas ago.
D.A kind of new battery invented without poisonous substances.
【小題2】The underlined word “repels” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _________.
A.rejectsB.identifiesC.a(chǎn)ttractsD.rebels
【小題3】Why were the scientists extremely happy about their new discovery?
A.They were the first to find a new way to produce electricity.
B.They could make an electric current to light a light bulb.
C.Their discovery could be used to invent water batteries.
D.Their discovery was made 160 years earlier than Faraday’s.
【小題4】What can we infer about potential water batteries?
A.They must be used to power mobile phones and calculators.
B.They have some possible disadvantages like water leaking.
C.They would be needed greatly at city water filtration sites.
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源: 題型:閱讀理解

You don't need to get in a time-traveling machine to see how technology will reshape our lives, such as the way we shop.Several new technologies that are to change your buying habits already exist.Let's see what's in store for your future shopping.
Try it on, virtually (虛擬的).Want to shop online for a new pair of eyeglasses? You don't need to guess which pair looks best on you. Go and see the eBay Fashion iPhone app to try a pair of eyewear you're checking out on a picture of your face.But what if you want to buy something bigger? Thanks to Microsoft Kinect's motion tracking camera, you can cover clothes on your screen body.You can even choose the background of your virtual fitting room to enrich your shopping experience.
Get a perfect, custom fit.Everyone's body is shaped differently.To get a perfect fit, you sometimes have to get your clothes changed.But by using 3D scanning technology, all the clothes you buy will fit your body perfectly.Some companies scan your body using High-tech to get the most accurate measurements, so they can make special clothes just for you.
High-tech shopping carts and checkout counters.High-tech shopping carts could, in time, be a common sight in malls and supermarkets.Microsoft Kinect-enabled carts are currently under test.The cart can follow you along the aisles (通道), controlled merely by your movement and your voice.In China, a supermarket chain introduced tablet-equipped carts that guide shoppers around the stores' aisles.
In the United States, several supermarkets use a device called Scan It that gives buyers the freedom to scan purchases on their own while they shop.While it's great not having to line up at a checkout counter, we wouldn't mind it if the store used Toshiba's new Object Recognition Scanner.The machine identifies a product as soon as it's placed in front of a camera just by its shape and color, even if it has no bar code.
【小題1】What's the best title for this text?

A.Ways for future shopping
B.Influence of new technology
C.Inventions to change habits
D.A new time-traveling machine
【小題2】According to Paragraph 2, The eBay Fashion iPhone app can _____.
A.make vivid pictures of our face
B.help us sell more clothes online
C.create us a virtual dressing room
D.choose suitable eyeglasses for us
【小題3】Which of the following can get the most accurate shape of our body?
A.Object Recognition Scanner.
B.The eBay Fashion iPhone app.
C.3D scanning technology.
D.Microsoft Kinect-enabled carts.
【小題4】The Object Recognition Scanner can identify a product more quickly by____.
A.the customer's voice
B.its shape and color
C.the customer's movement
D.the bar code on it
【小題5】What can we infer from this text?
A.Checkout counters will disappear from supermarkets in future.
B.Buyers can use Scan It to go around the supermarket by themselves.
C.High-tech shopping carts will be widely used in malls and supermarkets.
D.The new technologies are only dreams that are impossible to come true.

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