As if there weren't enough of them in the world already, scientists have succeeded in cloning flies. The alike fruit flies are the first insects ever cloned, says the Canadian team that created them. The question everyone asks is why anyone would want to clone flies in the first place. She hopes that the insects , which are very easy to experiment with , will help to adjust the cloning process in other animals and even in humans, where the technique is being researched to aid production of therapeutic stem cells. In cloning, the DNA-containing nucleus of an adult cell is injected into an egg whose own nucleus has been removed. At the moment, the majority of cloned mice, sheep and other animals die before birth. It is thought this is because the adult DNA is not properly 'reprogrammed'. Using flies, researchers might discover genes that are important for this reprogramming, and that have matches in other animals. That is because it is relatively easy in flies to knock out the function of a single gene and then attempt cloning with these cells, which will test whether that gene is important. If such genes are confirmed, then in theory cloned mammalian embryos might be grown in selected solutions that change the activity of those genes to improve the technique's success rate. Although some groups have attempted to clone insects before, Lloyd says this is the first time it has been successful. The team used a slight difference on the standard cloning process: they transferred nuclei taken from embryos rather than fully-grown adult cells. They sucked several nuclei (pl)out of developing fly embryos, and injected them into a fertilized fly egg. From over 800 early attempts, they cloned five adult insects, the group reports in the journal Genetics. The failure of most cloned animals is due to _ . A) the difference of other animals' genes B) the improper technique of clone C) the complex of other animals D) the improper rearrange of the adult gene
D
Without Doubt,Miley Cyrus reigns as Hollywood's "tween" queen.Her show,Hannah Montana,debuted in 2006 as the number one cable show look kids aged 6--14.Add to that success two chart-topping CDs,a sold-out concert tour and a number one movie.And she's not even 16 years old yet! Born in 1992 in Tennessee,Miley is the daughter of country singer-turned-actor,Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife,Tish,Miley got an early start in acting,beginning with a small role on her father's TV show in 2003.Then at age 12,Miley's cool confidence helped her beat out 1,000 other girls to win the role of Hannah Montana. On the Disney Channel show,Miley plays Miley Stewart,a sometimes-awkward ninth grade girl who moonlights as pop sensation Hannah Montana.Stewart keeps her rock star identity a secret from all but her family and her closest friends.The show emphasizes family,friendship and respect,making it a hit not only with kids but also with adults.Miley's real father plays her dad on the show. In June 2007,Miley released the two-disc album Hannah Montana 3/Meet Miley Cyrus.One disc contains songs from the show.And the other serves as the star's Debut album-with songs about love,teenager life and growing up.In October,Miley set out on a 54-date North American concert tour.The tour were wildly popular-tickets for some venues sold out within minutes and 14 extra performances were added. The tour's success spurred Disney to create a 3-d movie version of the concert.The film hit number one at the box office and earned over $ 31 million in just three days. Though Miley is a huge star,she sees herself as a regular girl.She attends church with her family every week and does homework and household chores. With a big-screen version of Hannah Montana coming out next year,this young star is sure to keep rising-but with her feet on the ground. Which of the following is NOT true except the fact that A) Miley began to act at the age of 12. B) Miley's 54-date North American concert tour was very successful. C) Miley's show,Hannah Montana was popular with not kids but adults. D) Miley is a regular and grounded girl.
B
Q: AAAGH! The Generation 90s is coming! Wearing earphones, using complex Net language and constantly text messaging friends, the Gen-90s following the Gen-80s begin to make their world debut . Each generation or age group has its own symbols and lifestyle. Read on and judge for yourselves if you fit the Gen-90s group. Earphones These little devices seem to grow on the heads of the Gen-90s. They might lead to MP3, MP4 or MP101 players, giving these young people a plugged-in, cool and perhaps self-addicted look, of course, life is not always music to the ears. Martian language They have created their own code-like online language. It's a mixture of English, Japanese and Chinese that perhaps only Martians can understand. This is an imaginative generation, though they need to be careful to keep it out of their term papers. Self-Portrait Saying "cheese" to their own digital cameras is usual for this generation. A little bit of narcissism never hurts anyone. It helps them reflect a little on their own lives. But be aware of the risks of posting private photos online. Text-messaging They can type their mobile phones as fast as they can speak. This is a generation that respects efficiency . However, oral communication is important and will never go out of style. According to the passage, if you belong to the Gen-90s , you will _ . A) just appreciate yourself and ignore others' strengths. B) have your own symbols and lifestyle. C) have the same symbols and lifestyle of the Gen-80s. D) like music and dance very much.
A: B
Q: There can be no doubt about the positive changes that have taken place in the last hundred yeas. In Western countries we eat more nutritiously, we are wealthier, we are healthier and there are more opportunities. But then, why, in the midst of so much excitement and opportunity, has life satisfaction declined so much? Why is depression the most common illness in the Western world? And why, when most infectious diseases have been conquered and rates of heart attacks and stokes have been reduced, do so many people report that they are feeling ill? It is argued that "functional illnesses" such as constant tiredness, the inability to sleep and anxiety that makes you ill, are caused by the body's failure to adapt to social change. Modern life is exhausting because we are often compelled to live by its standards, even though technically we have a choice to live otherwise. Everybody thought we would benefit from the invention of machines to carry out the more dull tasks in our life, leaving us many more opportunities for leisure and relaxation. And yet the opposite has happened. Only recently a lifestyle survey found that for 42% of its 5,000 interviewees, lack of sleep was their principal health concern, followed by 34% worrying about general exhaustion. A quarter acknowledged experiencing stress and depression. Working long hours in companies with a restricted social life is threatening our health and people feel unable to cope. The new technological age that claims freedom by allowing us greater flexibility is, in fact, slowly working to destroy us. Jobs for the whole life are an old story. If people take time out to recover, somebody else will come along to fill their position. Who, in this current every-man-for-himself climate, wants their employer to think they cannot cope, especially when there are mortgages and families at stake? The passages states that these days _ . A) employers' loyalty to employees is strong B) employers don't care about a turnover of staff C) people are less selfish D) people have fewer responsibilities
A: B