Your cell phone holds secrets about you. Besides the names and numbers that you’ve programmed into it, traces of your DNA remain on it, according to a new study.
DNA is genetic material that appears in every cell. Like your fingerprint, your DNA is unique to you --- unless you have an identical twin. Scientists today usually analyze DNA in blood, saliva(唾液), or hair left behind at the scene of a crime. The results often help detectives identify criminals and their victims.
Meghan J. McFadden, a biologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, heard about a crime in which the suspect bled onto a cell phone and later dropped the device. This made her wonder whether traces of DNA remained on cell phones --- even when no blood was involved. To find out, she and a colleague collected flip-style(翻盖式) phones from 10 volunteers. They collected invisible traces of the users from two parts of the phone: the outside, where the user holds it, and the speaker, which is placed at the user’s ear.
The scientists scrubbed(meaning “cleaned”) the phones using a liquid mixture made mostly of alcohol. The aim of washing was to remove all detectable traces of DNA. The owners got their phones back for another week. Then the researchers collected the phones and repeated collecting traces on each phone once more. They discovered DNA that belonged to the phone’s owner on each of the phones.
Surprisingly, DNA showed up even in swabs that were taken immediately after the phones were cleaned. That suggests that washing won’t remove all traces of evidence from a criminal’s cell phone. So cell phones can now be added to the list of clues that can help a crime-scene investigation. McFadden decided to find out whether people leave their DNA on their cell phones when she ____ .
| A．got her cell phone lost by chance |
| B．found a cell phone with blood on it |
| C．heard about a crime involving a cell phone |
| D．did research on cell phones |
The scientists allowed the volunteers to keep their cell phones for a week in order to____.
| A．let them leave their traces on their phones |
| B．avoid keeping their cell phones too long |
| C．give them a chance to get rid of their secrets |
| D．find out who is responsible for the crime |
The last paragraph mainly tells us that cell phones ____ .
| A．do harm to people | B．should be often cleaned |
| C．disclose people’s secrets | D．help deal with crimes |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．The reason for collecting the phones from volunteers. |
| B．The technique of collecting DNA on the phones. |
| C．The method of removing traces of DNA on the phones. |
| D．The purpose of washing the cell phones. |
Does Fame Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today's star, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine. They are at the center of much of the world's attention. Paparazzi (狗仔队) camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids (小报) publish thrilling stories about their personal lives. Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature.
According to psychologist Christina Villareal, celebrities - famous people - worry constantly about their public appearance. Eventually, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names. "Over time," Villareal says, "they feel separated and alone."
The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages. In the 4th century B.C., painters followed
Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers. When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold-out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain (抱怨) about his lack of privacy. Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film-stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their "story" alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome, why aren't all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it. Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities. They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice. Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are. They are tired of being famous already.
| 1． |
It can be learned from the passage that stars today.
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| 2． |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?
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| 3． |
What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?
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| 4． |
What is the author's attitude toward modern celebrity?
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TaIL Spin
Two dolphins race around in a big pool in the Ocean Park. The smaller dolphin Grace, shown off a few of her tricks, turning around and waving hello to the crowd. The most amazing thing about her, however, is that she’s even swimming at all. She doesn’t have a tail.
Grace lost her tail as a baby when she got caught up in a fish trap. When the dolphin arrived at the Ocean Park in December 2005, she was fighting for her life. “Is she going to make it?” Her trainer, Abbey Stone, feared the worst. Grace did make it --- but her tail didn’t. She ended up losing her flukes and the lower part of her peduncle.
Over the past six years, she has learned to swim without her tail. Dolphins swim by moving their flukes and peduncle up and down. Grace taught herself to move another way---like a fish! She pushed herself forward through the water by moving her peduncles from side to side.
The movement put harmful pressure on Grace’s backbone. So a company offered to create a man-made tail for her. The tail had to be strong enough to stay on Grace as she swam but soft enough that it wouldn’t hurt her.
The first time Grace wore the artificial tail. She soon shook it off and let it sink in the bottom of the pool. Now, she is still learning to use the tail. Some days she wears it for an hour at a time, others not at all. “The tail isn’t
necessary for her to feel comfortable,” says Stone, “but it helps to keep that range of motion(动作) and build muscles(肌肉).”
Now, the dolphin is about to get an even happier ending. This month, Grace will star in Dolphin Tale, a film that focus on her rescue and recovery. Her progress has inspired more than just a new movie. Many people travel from near and far to meet her. Seeing Grace swim with her man-made tail gives people so much courage. When Grace first arrived at the Ocean Park, her trainer worried about her .
| A．physical build | B．potential ability |
| C．chance of survival | D．adaptation to the surroundings. |
A man-made tail is created for Grace to _.
| A．let her recover faster | B．make her comfortable |
| C．adjust her way of swimming | D．help her perform better tricks |
The story of Grace inspires people to_ .
| A．stick to their dreams | B．treat animals friendly |
| C．treasure what they have | D．face difficulties bravely |
EP Portable Heater
We all know that the cost of heating our homes will continue to be a significant burden on the family budget. Now millions of people are saving on their heating bills with the EP Portable Heater. With over one million satisfied customers around the world, the new EP heats better and faster, saves more on heating bills, and runs almost silent.
The EP has no exposed heating parts that can cause a fire. The outside of EP only gets warm to the touch so that it will not burn children or pets.
The EP will not reduce oxygen in the room. With other heaters, you’ll notice that you get sleepy when the heat comes on because they are burning up oxygen.
The advanced EP also heats the room evenly, wall to wall and floor to ceiling. it comfortably covers an area up to 350 square feet. Other heaters heat rooms unevenly with most of the heat concentrated to the center of the room. And they only heat an area a few feet around the heater. With the EP, the temperature will not vary in any part of the room.
The EP comes with a 3-year warranty(保修) and a 60-day. no questions asked. Satisfaction guarantee. If you are not totally satisfied, return it to our expertise and your money will be given back to you.
Now, we have a special offer for 10 days, during which you can enjoy a half price discount and a free delivery. if you order that, we reserve the right to either accept or reject order requests at the discounted price.
Take action right now!What is mainly discussed in paragraph 2?
| A．the heat of the EP | B．the safety of the EP |
| C．the appearance of the EP | D．the material of the EP |
From the passage, we can learn that the EP.
| A．doesn’t burn up oxygen | B．runs without any noise |
| C．makes people get sleepy | D．is unsuitable for children and pets |
The underlined word “evenly” in paragraph 4 probably means.
| A．continuously | B．separately |
| C．quickly | D．equally |
The main purpose of the passage is to.
| A．persuade people to buy the product |
| B．advise people to save on heating bills |
| C．report the new development of portable heaters |
| D．compare the difference of different heart brands |
The oldest and most common source(来源) of renewaBle energy known to man, Biomass is one of the most important forms energy production in the United States and elsewhere. Since such a wide variety of Biomass materials is everywhere ---- from trees and grasses to agricultural and city ---- life wastes ----Biomass promises to play a continuing role in providing power and heat for millions of people around the world.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists(UCS), Biomass is a kind of renewaBle energy source that produces no carBon dioxide(二氧化碳), Because the energy it contains comes from the sun. When plant matter is Burned, it gives off the sun's energy. In this way, Biomass serves as a sort of natural Battery(电池) for storing the sun's energy. As long as Biomass is produced continuously ----with only as much grown as is used--- the "Battery" lasts forever.
According to the Energy Information Administration, Biomass has Been one of the leading renewaBle energy sources in the United States for several years running through 2007, making up Between 0.5 and 0.9 percent of the nation's total electricity supply. In 2008----although the numBers aren't all in yet----wind power proBaBly took over first place Because of the rapid development of wind farms across the country.
Producing power from Biomass helps reduce some 11 million tons of carBon dioxide each year. Some homeowners also try to make their own heat By using Biomass materials. Such practice may save homeowner's money, But it also produces a lot of pollution. So, the Best way is to encourage power plants to use it.
| 1． |
Why is Biomass considered as " a sort of natural Battery"?
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| 2． |
We learn from the text that in 2008.
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| 3． |
Why does the author encourage power plants to use Biomass?
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| 4． |
Where does the text proBaBly come from?
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Low-Cost Gifts for Mother's Day
Gift No. I
Offer to Be your mother's health friend. Promise to Be there for any and all doctor's visits
whether a disease or a regular medical check-up. Most mothers always say "no need," another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor's visit. The Best part ? This one is free.
Gift No. 2
Help your mother organize all of her medical records, which include the test results and medical information. Put them all in one place. Be sure to make a list of all of her medicines and what times she takes them. "Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mother's life," Dr. Marie Savard said.
Gift No. 3
Enough sleep is connected to general health conditions. "Buy your mother cotton sheets and comfortaBle pillows to encourage Better sleep," Savard said. "We know that good sleep is very important to our health."
Gift No. 4
Some gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother's Day By picking gifts in which 10 percent of the price you pay goes to a charity (慈善机构) Gift givers can choose from a wide variety of useful But inexpensive things -many of which are "green" - and then choose a meaningful charity from a list. When your mother gets the gift, she will Be told that she has helped the chosen charity.What are you advised to do for your mother at doctor's visits?
| A．Take notes. |
| B．Be with her. |
| C．Buy medicine. |
| D．Give her gifts. |
What can be a gift of organization for your mother?
| A．Keeping her medical information together. |
| B．Buying all gifts for her from one company. |
| C．Making a list of her medical check－ups. |
| D．Storing her medicines in a safe place. |
Where can you find a gift idea to improve your mother's sleep?
| A．In Gift No. 1. | B．In Gift No. 2. |
| C．In Gift No. 3. | D．In Gift No. 4. |
Buying gifts from Presents for Purpose allows mothers to________．
| A．enjoy good sleep | B．be well－organized |
| C．get extra support | D．give others help |