Jacob’sPillowDanceFestivalWher-优题课

【原创】The first theories and experiments with cloning began in the late 1880s as scientist sought to prove their theories about how the genetic material inside cells worked. Discoveries about the nature of DNA in the 1940s made it possible for cloning experiments to progress. In 1944 it was discovered that genetic information for each cell was kept in the cell’s DNA. When Oswald Avery found this genetic information, it gave scientists new ways to try to clone animals by using that genetic blueprint（生物细胞的模型）.
The first cloned animals were northern leopard frogs that were cloned by Thomas J. King and Robert Briggs in 1952. King and Briggs believed, based on their clones, that young cells were more practical for the cloning process. Cells that were taken from adults resulted in abnormally developed tadpoles(蝌蚪). The next successful cloning experiments also resulted in cloned frogs. John Gurdon cloned South African frogs in 1962. His use of adult cells disproved the previous theory that only young cells could be used in the cloning process with success.
While animal cloning had been the focus of cloning experiments, the 1960s also saw other types of cloning. In 1964, F. C. Steward took an adult root cell from a carrot plant and successfully cloned the plant. Throughout the rest of the 1960s, scientists continued to clone frogs and to discover more about DNA. The first gene was discovered in 1969.
In 1977, the first cloned mice embryos were created. The first mammal was cloned in 1984. The cloned sheep was quickly followed in 1985 with cloned cattle embryos. A cow clone was created in 1986 and several calves in 1993. That same year, human embryos were cloned for the first time. In 1995 and 1996, sheep were cloned, including the famous Dolly.
The first paragraph serves as a(n) __________________________.

A．explanation	B．conclusion
C．comment	D．background

When as the first plant successfully cloned?

A．In 1952	B．In 1960
C．In 1964	D．In1969

How is the passage organized?

A．In order of frequency

B．In order of time

C．In order of importance

D．In order of preference

【原创】“Will I be able to work until I’m 70?” Those were my first words when I learned in 2014, at the age of 50, that I had Parkinson’s disease. I had not planned for that question to pop out of my mouth, but it did. Perhaps I was worried about my money. The size of my retirement account makes early retirement seem impossible. But mainly I think I asked that question because work, for better or worse, has become central to my identity. The idea that my career as a historian would end soon felt truly disturbing.
As professors, we often complain about our jobs: we teach too much, we are paid too little, and the library needs more books. But I can’t imagine a better career. We teach young people, and we find the time to read and write about topics we love. We receive a degree of respect. Even my doctor calls me “Professor”.
And, most importantly, we have relative job security. When I received my diagnosis, my question about keeping my job was not ridiculous. In a market-based social system, the threat of job loss is terrifying. Imagine the pressure faced by a Parkinson’s sufferer with no job security. It could be disastrous for someone who needs manual dexterity at work, such as a construction worker.
In contrast, I am lucky: I have tenure(终身职位), which gives me a feeling of security that even popular entertainers may lack. Tenure does not guarantee me a job as long as I can perform y duties.
Will I be able to work until I’m 70? I think so. I know that my family and I will face new challenges, but I don’t expect a decline in my job performance. My students may find my appearance a bit odd, but if they do, then that will be a “teachable moment”.
What did the author worry about first when he learned he was ill?

A．He didn’t have enough money for an operation.

B．The disease would ruin his career.

C．He wouldn’t live until the age of 70.

D．He would be forced to retire early.

According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Professors always complain about their jobs.

B．Professors have no time to do anything else but teach.

C．The author doesn’t know what he would do if he were not a professor.

D．The author thinks he is respected by others because of his work.

The underlined phrase in the third paragraph, “manual dexterity” probably means _____________.

A．the ability to use one’s hands

B．the ability to see clearly

C．the ability to use one’s mind

D．the ability to solve problems

The best title for this passage is _________________________.

A．Losing My Career to Illness

B．The Threat of Job Loss

C．Keep Away from Disease

D．The Pressure of Parkinson’s

【原创】Children whose mothers were exposed to higher levels of phthalates(酞酸盐), common chemicals in consumer products, in late pregnancy tend to score lower than other kids on intelligence tests at age seven, according to a new study.
Some soaps, nail polish, hairspray, shower curtains, raincoats, car interiors and dryer sheets contain phthalates, which are used as so-called plasticizers, or softening agents.
At present, the Food and Drug Administration does not have evidence that phthalates as used in cosmetics pose a safety risk, but six types of phthalates are currently banned from children’s toys.
Researchers followed 328 New York women in low-income communities from pregnancy until the child was seven years old. When the children were seven, they completed an intelligence test measuring four areas of mental functioning. The mothers’ levels of two of the phthalates - DnBP and DiBP - during pregnancy were associated with childhood intelligence: As phthalate levels went up, child IQ tended to go down.
“With observational studies, there is always the chance that the results may be in part explained by an unmeasured factor that we haven’t yet considered,” said Stephanie Engel, associate professor of epidemiology（流行病）from the University of North Carolina.
“I would characterize this study as thorough and high quality, and the results concerning,” said Engel, who was not involved in the work. “But there needs to be more research in this area before firm conclusions can be drawn.”
“Nevertheless, It is clear that there needs to be a serious discussion in the scientific and policy communities about whether the evidence is strong enough yet to warrant widespread policy changes, not just on the basis of this study, but also including a range of childhood health outcomes that have already been reported in the literature,” Engel said.
“Although there are no regulations on phthalate exposure during pregnancy, it would be wise for expectant mothers to avoid microwaving food in plastic, avoid scented products, and as much as possible store foods in glass instead of plastic,” she said.
According to the passage, the new study is about ___________________________.

A．the interaction between a pregnant woman and her unborn baby

B．how phthalates taken in by a pregnant woman affect her baby

C．why children’s IQ is different at the age of seven

D．the usage of common chemical in consumer products

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Researchers chose 328 pregnant women at random to do the research

B．The FDA doesn’t think phthalates have any risks

C．There are two types of phthalates that may affect childhood intelligence

D．The researchers are very confident about their conclusions

What can you learn from the last but one paragraph?

A．The evidence is not strong enough to change the policy

B．The policy should be stricter

C．A serious discussion is needed based on this study

D．All studies about childhood health should be involved

This passage has probably been taken from _________.

A．a children’s book

B．a science report

C．a nutrition guidebook

D．a health notice board

【原创】Today, the bicycle is the primary method of transportation for the human race. About 1.6 billion bicycles are in use around the world --- in big cities, along remote country lanes, and in the smallest villages ---and hundreds of millions of bikes are produced every year to meet the continuing demand for cheap wheeled transport.
Yet the bicycle is hardly a new vision of how humans move around. Historians speculate(猜测) about Leonardo da Vinci’s 1940s drawings and a 1580s stained glass window in England that appear to describe a two-wheeler. The first widely recognized two-wheeler in actual use, however, was the pedal-less Celerifere, a toy of the French upper class in the 1970s. The more famous Draisienne followed that toy in 1816, still without pedals. The front wheel could be steered, and this two-wheeler was eventually mass-produced in Europe, particularly in England. Ernest Michaux added cranks(曲轴) to the two-wheeler in 1855, which started a revolution in human transportation --- the Velocipede.
By 1870, complicated metal Velocipede were in production in Europe and the United States. Over time, they gave way to the “Ordinary” or high-wheeler. The Ordinary was the beginning of the heyday(全盛期) of bicycling. It was speedy and capable of long trips on poor roads, so it was soon in widespread use. At that time a skilled person might earn 25 cents an hour in wages, but a good Ordinary sold for $75 to $125, making it more expensive than building a house. Nevertheless, they sold at a furious pace.
Ordinaries had a big problem, however. When the front wheel came up against any obstacle that it could not roll over, the bike simply threw the rider headfirst onto the ground. Called a “header”, this characteristic problem inspired the “safety bicycle” in the 1980s. With two wheels of equal size, plus a roller chain(齿轮) transmission, the safety bicycle was with a slight adaptation, they attracted thousands of women to cycling. Many historians point to the safety bicycle as the beginning of women’s rights.
In England, in 1909, the Raleigh bicycle, equipped with a 3-speed hub, started to be produced. In the 1930s, British-built “lightweight” bicycles, suitable for the packed earth of country roads, were being imported into the United States. The early 1980s saw the creation of the “Freestyle” or trick bicycle. And in the late 1990s, the road bike and the mountain bike proved to be the dominant machines of the decade.
Today, the bicycle continues to be the most energy and cost-efficient transportation device in the world.
What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

A．The places suited to the use of bicycles.

B．The way bicycles are used in the world.

C．The importance and popularity of bicycles.

D．The number of bikes produced every year.

We can learn from the second paragraph that____________.

A．the Celerifere was actually the first bicycle in history.

B．the Draisienne had two pedals and its wheels could be steered.

C．Ernest Michaux created the Velocipede in 1885.

D．the bicycle idea might have come from one of da Vinci’s drawings.

What does the underlined word “furious” in the third paragraph mean?

A．Rapid

B．Gentle

C．Steady

D．Smooth

How has the author developed the text?

A．In order of space	B．In order of time
C．In order of importance	D．In order of frequency

【原创】There are no signs of little green men on Mars. But new discoveries offer a bit more hope that some form of life existed there in the past --- and perhaps is still there in the present. Methane gas(甲烷) and water have been found on the Red Plane. The presence of both suggests at least the possibility of life.
According to a new report in the journal, Science, the Mars rover, Curiosity, has detected spikes of methane in the Martian atmosphere. This gas is also found in the Earth’s atmosphere, and comes from animal and plant life, as well as from the environment itself. If there’s methane in Mar’s atmosphere, where is it coming from? Scientists aren’t sure. But it marks a big change. In September 2013, Curiosity found almost no traces of methane in the Martian air. Just weeks later, however, the rover picked up a whiff of(一点点) the gas.
The scientists don’t know whether the methane spikes are caused by some form of biological matter or by the geology of the planet. Christopher Chyba, a professor of astrophysics and international affairs at Princeton, says it’s best not to be too hopeful about biology on the Red Planet. “Hopes for biology on Mars have had a way of disappearing once Martian chemistry has been better understood,” he says. “But figuring out what’s responsible for the methane is clearly a key astrobiological objective --- whatever the answer turns out to be.”
The discovery of water on Mars is nothing new. For decades, scientists have had evidence that it flowed across the surface of the planet billions of years ago. But according to another new report in Science, while the surface water on Mars seems to be long gone, there’s a lot more of it left than most of people realize.
This report is also based on findings from Curiosity. Paul Mahaffy, of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, led the study. He says there is enough water on Mars “to cover the surface to a depth of about 165 feet.”
It is not easy to reach this water. Most of it is locked up in ice at the planet’s poles.
Why do scientists think there might be life on Mars?

A．Because the Mars rover has detected water on the planet.

B．Because there is evidence that little green men exist on the planet.

C．Because the Mars rover has found some plants on the planet.

D．Because both methane and water have been found on the planet.

What is the attitude of professor Christopher Chyba towards life on Mars?

A．Optimistic	B．Negative
C．Neutral	D．Indifferent

The water on Mars _______________.

A．still flows on its surface

B．covers the whole planet

C．is locked up in ice at the planet’s poles

D．only existed on it billions of years ago

In which column of a website can we read this text?

A．Culture	B．Entertainment
C．Science	D．Education

A．June 15.	B．July 19.
C．August 24.	D．September 4.

A．$18.	B．$22.
C．$36.	D．$41.

A．Education.	B．Art.
C．Business.	D．Literature.