Research suggests that a newly-identified gene known as insomniacs(失眠症患者) may play a role in keeping us asleep. By cloning and testing this gene in about 21,000 fruit flies, Rockefeller University researchers say they have discovered an entirely new mechanism (机制) by which sleep is controlled.
By studying these flies, the researchers discovered that mutations(变异) in the insomniac gene were associated with a great reduction in sleep. While a typical fruit fly slept for an average of 927 minutes a day, the mutant flies slept for just 317. They also slept for shorter periods of time, and slept and woke more frequently.
“The results showed a great loss of both the time that the flies’ sleep lasted and their ability to remain asleep after they slept,” says researcher Nicholas Stavropoulos.
The researchers also examined the link between sleep and lifespan, finding that flies with mutations to the insomniac gene lived only about two-thirds as long as unchanged flies. But when the scientists removed insomniac only in neurons（神经细胞）---allowing it to remain in the rest of the flies’ bodies---this difference disappeared; the resulting animals slept poorly but lived just as long.
“This suggests that reduced sleep can be ‘uncoupled’(分开) from reduced lifespan, supporting the idea that some interruptions of sleep do not affect overall health, at least as far as lifespan is concerned,” Stavropoulos says.
Although flies and humans would appear to have little in common when it comes to lifestyle, scientists say that the mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness are likely to be quite similar.
“Sleep is a fundamental behavior in all animals, and it is poorly understood from a scientific standpoint, says Stavropoulos. This work could prove useful in understanding and treating sleep disorders”The text is mainly about____.
| A．the progress in cloning fruit flies |
| B．the methods of cloning fruit flies |
| C．the link between gene and lifespan |
| D．the influence of a gene on the ability to sleep |
According to paragraph2, the mutant flies________.
| A．slept about 5 hours a day |
| B．had problems waking up |
| C．didn’t seem sleepy at all |
| D．could not fall asleep |
We can conclude from the text that________.
| A．sleep and health go hand in hand |
| B．sleep can be controlled by humans |
| C．research into sleep is very fruitful |
| D．the findings are useful in medical treatment |
Parents whose children show a special interest in a particular sport feel it very difficult to make a decision about their children’s careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sports men and women? For many children it means starting school work very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place. It’s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing.
Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and women. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child’s development—and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. can all be very expensive.
Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training. The underlined phrase“to take a second place”(para1 line4) means_________.
| A．to repeat the activities at some other place | B．to become less important |
| C．all things considered, they are of poor quality | D．to happen again |
According to the passage, parents whose children show a special interest in a sport_______.
| A．feel uncertain if they should let their children train to be sports men or women |
| B．try to get financial（财务的）support from the government for their children’s training |
| C．have to get medical advice from doctors about training methods |
| D．prefer their children to be trained as young as possible |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．By starting young, you won't have much time for your school work. |
| B．Early training may damage your muscles. |
| C．Most children may become professional sports men after a long period of training. |
| D．It's very expensive for parents to support their child's development in sports |
Sharks are among the oldest animals on Earth. There are hundreds of kinds of sharks. Most are about two meters long. The dogfish shark, however, is less than twenty centimeters in length. A shark has an extremely good sense of smell. It can find small amounts of matters in water, such as blood, body liquids and chemicals produced by animals. These powerful senses help sharks find their food. Sharks eat fish, other sharks, and plants that live in the ocean.
Sharks grow slowly. About forty percent of all sharks lay eggs. The others give birth to live young. Some sharks carry their young inside their bodies as humans do. Some sharks are not able to reproduce until they are twenty years old. Most reproduce only every two years. And they give birth to fewer than ten young sharks. For this reason, over-fishing of sharks is of special danger to the future of the animal.
Sharks are important for the world’s oceans. They eat injured and diseased fish. Their hunting activities mean that the numbers of other fish in ocean waters do not become too large. This protects the plants and other forms of life that exist in the oceans.
People hunt sharks for sport, food, medicine and their skin. Experts say the international market for some kinds of sharks has increased because many parts of a shark are valuable.Collectors pay thousands of dollars for the jaws of a shark. Shark liver oil is a popular source of Vitamin A. The skin of a shark can be used like leather.
In Asia, people enjoy a kind of soup made from shark fins. Experts say a fisherman can earn a lot of money for even one kilogram of shark fins. Sharks are among the oldest animals on Earth, but some sharks are in danger of disappearing from Earth. If too many sharks in one area are killed, that group of sharks may never return to normal population levels.. Which of the following words best describes the situation sharks are in?
| A．Good. | B．Endangered. | C．Powerful. | D．Expensive. |
Sharks eat other fish, __________.
| A．which is a threat to all other forms of life in the oceans |
| B．which is a protection for plants and other forms of life in the oceans |
| C．which helps prevent diseases from spreading |
| D．which helps the number of other fish to grow |
According to the passage, many parts of a shark are valuable EXCEPT ________.
| A．its jaws | B．its liver | C．shark fins | D．shark teeth |
The author thinks that______.
| A．sharks are valuable to us and we can make full use of them |
| B．oceans will become safer with fewer sharks swimming around |
| C．measures should be taken to protect sharks |
| D．the shark population is increasing slowly |
| Have fun with Stamp collecting..．Join the Collectors Club today! If you enjoy learning all about stamps, then the Royal Mail’s Collectors Club is for you．Join the club and discover the fascinating world of stamps．There are over 70,000 members and it is one of the biggest clubs of its kind in the country. Become a member today and you will receive lots of wonderful stamp collecting goodies... ● A Starter pack... And every two months... ● Collectors Club magazine ●Collectors Corner supplement And every year... ●A new Stamp Calendar ●A set of Album Pages Join today! It won’t cost you much to experience the fun of stamp collecting. |
Collectors Club Starter Pack 1.100 used stamps and hinges. 2. The Collectors Club Guide to Collecting. 3.The latest Collectors Club magazine (packed with news and views about stamps, quizzes and competitions, all in color) 4.Album pages 5.Badge and stickers 6.Membership card 7. Royal Mail Stamp Calendar. ********** Already Registered? Sign In Here! Learn More View a Flash presentation about our club (3.51MB) |
．Which of the following is NOT included in a starter pack?
| A．One hundred used stamps and hinges and album pages. |
| B．The Collectors Club Guide to Collecting and badge and stickers. |
| C．The latest Collectors Club magazine and membership card. |
| D．Royal Mail Stamp Calendar and Collectors Corner supplement. |
．This advertisement is written for people who want to_______.
| A．make money through collecting stamps |
| B．develop stamp collection as a hobby |
| C．get something free from the club |
| D．find out where the club is located |
．From the advertisement we can learn_____.
| A．Collectors Club is among the biggest clubs in this country |
| B．how much you must pay to become a member of the club |
| C．today is the last day for stamp collectors to join the club |
| D．members may receive a set of album pages every month |
．Where is this advertisement most probably found?
| A．In a newspaper. | B．On a web page. |
| C．In a magazine. | D．On a TV program. |
A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it “was too crowded.” “I can’t go to Sunday School,” she sobbed to the pastor (牧师) as he walked by. Seeing her shabby appearance, the pastor guessed the reason, and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.
Some years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor buildings and the parents called for the kindhearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn purse was found which seemed to have been picked up from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, “This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.”
For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note, he told people the story of her unselfish love and devotion.
A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents.
Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl’s gift had increased to $250,000, a huge sum for that time.
When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. Why did the girl have a purse with 57 cents?
| A．To save money for her future career. |
| B．To build a large building for more children to live in. |
| C．To help build a church big enough for every child to go to. |
| D．To remind people to make remarkable history. |
How did a Realtor help the church?
| A．He made the story known to the public by publishing it. |
| B．He sold a land to the church for free. |
| C．He offered the church a piece of land for 57 cents. |
| D．He raised money for the church. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Church members donated because of their desire for a big church. |
| B．The girl’s unselfish love was rewarded at last. |
| C．The pastor found 57 cents saved by the little girl. |
| D．Temple Baptist Church, Temple University, Good Samaritan Hospital and a Sunday School building all belong to the small church the little girl went to. |
. What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．57 Cents | B．A little girl’s wish |
| C．Pastor and Girl | D．A bigger Church |
If practicing an attitude of gratitude(感激） during the storms of life is too much for you right now, that’s OK. When things are tough, most people have a hard time being thankful. They're so caught up in what's wrong in the present moment that they simply can't see some things are still right.
If that's true for you, then accept it. You're going through a particularly difficult or unhappy period of time, and don't like it one bit. Very normal, very human. But remember this: there is always something to be grateful for. It may be only a small comfort right no, but it is a start. Make a list of some of the terrible things that didn't happen. For example:
You're in debt... but you're not homeless.
You lost your job... but you didn't lose your health. You broke your leg... but you didn't break your neck.
Your mother has Alzheimers disease... but your father doesn't.
No matter how bad things are, they could always be worse. Start finding gratitude for what might have happened, but didn't. It does help a lot. Of course, you may not be thankful for everything- but you can always be thankful for something.How many "terrible things that didn't happen" are listed in this passage?
| A．Two | B．Three | C．Four | D．Five |
The writer thinks it ____ for people to feel unhappy in time of difficulty.
| A．necessary | B．normal | C．great | D．helpful |
.What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To discuss ways to make a list of terrible things |
| B．To explain what is gratitude towards the storms of life. |
| C．To persuade people to be thankful for what didn't happen. |
| D．To show people different ways to consider their tough situations. |
. How is the passage organized?
| A．Explanation―Comparison―Topic |
| B．Argument―Opinion―Discussion |
| C．Comparison―Argument―Explanation |
| D．Introduction―Discussion―Conclusion |