（23）
Geckos (壁虎) and some other animals can grow back lost body parts or damaged organs (器官). For years, scientists have been trying to figure out how this ―magic‖ works and understand why certain animals can do it but humans cannot.
Now a team of researchers from the University of Konstanz, Germany, claims to have solved the riddle by studying an ―expert‖ in the art of limb (肢体) regrowth – the zebrafish (斑马鱼). If you cut off the tail of the zebrafish, it grows back in about a week with seemingly no effort and leaving no scar (疤痕). What‘s more, it can do it over and over again, like growing grass.
Scientists were already aware of a material called retinoic acid (维生素A酸), which helps some tropical freshwater fish regrow their body parts and even heart muscles, although they did not know exactly how it worked. Now the German team has found out exactly how the retinoic acid functions and that it is the most important thing in limb regrowth.
Before the zebrafish‘s fins （鳍） grow back, many layers of tissue (身体组织) close up over the wound. The cells under the wound then start to form what is called blastema (芽基). Blastema is the basic material from which more cells are formed and organs or body parts start to develop. Researchers found that the fish uses a special genetic trick that allows the retinoic acid to control blastema as it forms. The animal can produce a great number of cells to rebuild the fin. In fact, humans can also produce retinoic acid. It is made from vitamin A and can activate (激活) the necessary genes for regrowth. This is why some pregnant (怀孕的) women who do not have enough vitamin A in their diets can give birth to underdeveloped babies.
However, we cannot grow back lost body parts because ―humans can‘t regrow tissue,‖ said Gerrit Begemann, lead researcher at the University of Konstanz. ―And at the moment we don‘t understand enough about why not. Ultimately (最终) we want to know why,‖ he said. (351) 1. According to the article, the research team in Germany _______. A. has worked out why humans can‘t regrow lost limb B. found that zebrafish could regrow their body parts C. found that retinoic acid helps the regrowth of fins D. found out how certain animals regenerated organs
2. Which of the following correctly describes the process of a zebrafish growing back a lost fin? a. blastema starts forming under the control of retinoic acid b. tissue over the wound starts growing back c. more cells develop
A. abc B. bac C. cab D. bca
3. What does the underlined ―it‖ in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A. retinoic acid B. a genetic trick C. blastema D. fish
4. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article? A. Retinoic acid is only found in lizards.
B. Blastema are the most important cells in the human body. C. Humans can regrow organs or body parts.
D. Vitamin A is necessary for the development of babies.
完形每日一练 24
An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no __1__ left. When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, ―Only a miracle（奇迹）can save him now‖, the little girl went to her bedroom and took out her piggy bank. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Then she __2__ her way six blocks to the local drugstore.
―And what do you want?‖ asked the chemist.
―It‘s for my little brother,‖ the girl answered back. ―He‘s really, really sick and I want to get a __3__. His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him.‖
―We don‘t sell miracles here, child. I‘m sorry,‖ the chemist said, smiling __4__ at the little girl. In the shop was a __5__ customer. He bent down and asked the little girl, ―What kind of miracle does your brother __6__?‖
―I don‘t know,‖ she replied. ―He‘s really sick and mommy says he needs a(n) __7__. But my daddy can‘t pay for it, so I have brought my savings.‖
―How much do you have?‖ asked the man.
―One dollar and eleven cents, __8__ I can try and get some more,‖ she answered quietly.
―Well, what a coincidence（巧合）,‖ smiled the man. ―A dollar and eleven cents－the exact price of a miracle for your little brother. __9__ me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents.‖
That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon（外科医生）. The operation was completed __10__ and before long Andrew was __11__ again.
The little girl was happy. She knew exactly how much the miracle __12__ ... one dollar and eleven cents ... plus the faith of a little child.
1. A. time 2. A. followed 3. A. drink 4. A. calmly 5. A. well-dressed 6. A. have 7. A. companion 8. A. because 9. A. Bring 10. A. surprisingly 11. A. well 12. A. meant
B. medicine B. made B. doctor B. sadly B. kind-hearted B. need B. surgeon B. so B. Send B. secretly B. happy B. covered
C. money C. felt C. tablet C. strangely C. well-behaved C. make C. protection C. though C. Take C. successfully C. strong C. measured
D. food D. found D. miracle D. coldly
D. good-looking D. like
D. operation D. but D. Drive D. separately D. fat D. cost
（24）
When you look at a computer from 15 years ago compared with the Apple Macs, laptops (笔记本电脑) and PCs of today, it‘s amazing to think how much technology has Forget the huge machines that once filled whole rooms. Computers of?developed. the future are putting nearly everything you could ever need or want right into the palm of your hand.
The PCs of the future won‘t look like today‘s laptops. ―It would be like a phone or a ring or a watch,‖ says Dan Siewiorek, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the US, according to an article of Computerworld.com.
There will be many different styles of computers to fit different users, said Siewiorek. For example, a technical worker might have his PC in his eyeglasses. He would be able to see his
programs in the glasses and share what he saw with his colleagues through a camera in the glasses.
Siewiorek also says that future PCs will be smarter and able to For example, if you were looking at?change what is displayed on screen. confidential information when someone walked into your office, your PC would sense that person‘s presence and blank out the information.
In the future, you won‘t need to use a keyboard, mouse, or touch screen any more. You‘ll simply need to wave your head or even just use your brain waves to move files. You will no longer need to store everything on a hard drive or transfer (转移) data to a USB stick, says Randy Adams, founder and CEO of Searchme Incorporation, a search engine company in California, US.
―Mobile devices (装置) will be almost disposable (可淘汰的), because information will be up in the ?cloud‘,‖ he said.
Everything will become wireless (无线的). Future PCs will be able to get power in new ways. Power could, for example, be transferred wirelessly from a building‘s power supply or drawn from light, heat or movement in the surrounding environment.
Computers in the future will be a lot more advanced and many of the developments have already begun. ―Anything you would see in 10 years is available (可获得的) now,‖ said Fred Killeen, chief technology officer at General Motors Corporation.
He explained that most technological developments exist somewhere in some form years before they become ?mainstream (主流). (383) 1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?
A. Computers used to look really silly 15 years ago. B. Computers were once as large as rooms.
C. Computers which are the size of your palm can provide everything you need nowadays. D. As new technology gets better, we forget about old technology. 2. What will future computers be like?
a. They will come in different shapes and sizes. b. They will have different functions. c. They will power themselves. d. They will make it much easier to move data around. e. They can be easily charged. f. They can change their forms easily. A. abde B. acde C. bcdf D. bdef
3. What does the underlined word ―confidential‖ probably mean?
A. secret B. related (相关的) C. tragic (悲剧性的) D. public 4. What is the article mainly about?
A. How to develop advanced computers.
B. The comparison between today‘s computers and future ones. C. The characteristics (特点) of future computers. D. The difficulties that future computers may face.
完形每日一练 25
One Saturday afternoon, Kate went to buy something for her sister and herself.
As Kate was coming out of a 36 , a young lady walked towards her. She said she was Miss Green—a good friend of Kate‘s sister‘s. Kate 37 her. Then she called a taxi to send Kate home. She told the driver where he should go. Kate was 39 that it was not in the direction of her home.
― 40 ?‖ Kate asked. The lady smiled.
When they came to a quiet road, a big rough man 41 on the road. He stopped the taxi driver, knocked him down, tied him, and threw him out of the taxi. At the same time, Miss Green took out a knife and 43 it at Kate. She asked Kate to keep 44 . The man then started the taxi.
―Oh, God! I‘m being kidnapped（绑架），‖ Kate said to herself.
She tried to escape, but not 45 . Suddenly an 46 came to her. He took out a lipstick（口红）from her pocket, wrote ?SOS ‘on the window, and covered the word with her 47 .
A few minutes later, a police car 48 and the policemen saw the sign. When the kidnappers saw the policemen, they stopped the taxi, jumped into the grass, and ran away.
The policemen then 49 Kate up and sent her home. When her parents knew what had happened, they were greatly surprised. But they were also 50 because their daughter had finally come back safely.
36. A. school B. taxi C. shop D. friend‘s 37. A. told B. believed C. thanked D. remembered 39. A. sure B. excited C. surprised D. pleased 40. A. What B. Where C. When D. Why 41. A. drove B. climbed C. fell D. appeared 42. A. road B. sight C. taxi D. home 43. A. shouted B. played C. hurt D. pointed 44. A. healthy B. alive C. relaxed D. quiet 45. A. happened B. failed C. succeeded D. hurried 46. A. idea B. answer C. interest D. order 47. A. hands B. back C. dress D. lipstick 48. A. stopped B. left C. passed D. turned 49. A. lifted B. held C. put D. picked 50. A. worried B. happy C. proud D. successful
（25）
Two deer jumped out in front of 16-year-old Amanda Floyd‘s car. She stepped on the brakes (刹车). Phew. Stopped just in time.
But then she started texting. Distracted (分神的), Amanda turned left and right, then crashed (碰撞) into another car.
Luckily she wasn‘t in a real car. She was in a driving simulator (模拟器) at Roosevelt High School, Ohio, US.
―I never really realized you swerve (突然转向) that much,‖ Amanda, a junior, said. She added that she doesn‘t text while driving any more.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and State Highway Patrol brought the simulator to the school. They said they wanted to help students learn about the dangers of driving drunk, while texting, or while talking on the phone.
Last year, state authorities reported 39 fatalities (死亡案例), 454 serious injuries and 12,410 crashes caused by distracted driving. Experts said that real numbers are probably higher.
The simulator is basically a computer game. Like many computer games, it was a hit with the students. They lined up and crowded around to watch each other take turns. The simulator has a steering wheel (方向盘), brake and gas pedals (踏板). It is made up of three large computer screens on a table.
Students choose a distraction, for example driving drunk or driving while texting. They always crash, of course. Then they are pulled over by police, and learn the bad results of their driving: how much damage they‘ve caused, what their fine is, if anyone died in the accident, and if they‘re going to go to prison.
―It teaches how to drive without being on the road,‖ said Shante Thompson, 16. She had just crashed into a deer.
ODOT spokesman Justin Chesnic said hundreds of kids have gone behind the wheel so far. He said even more have benefited from watching their classmates.
―Driving is such a major responsibility, so take it seriously,‖ he said. ―Put away your cell phone. Don‘t put your makeup (化妆) on. Don‘t be eating or playing with the radio.
―A lot of the accidents out there are because of distracted driving. It cannot only change your life, but it can change someone else‘s life forever. The results are serious.‖ (372) 1. The purpose of the first three paragraphs is to ______.
A. show the damage Amanda Floyd caused by texting while driving B. warn drivers to watch out for deer on the road
C. introduce the driving simulator at Roosevelt High School D. teach people not to swerve too much while driving
2. The driving simulator project at Roosevelt High School is meant to ______. A. teach students how to drive
B. help students understand the dangers of distracted driving
C. let students have fun between classes D. test the students‘ ability to stay focused
3. Which of the following statements about the driving simulator is TRUE according to the article? A. It is connected to the local police station.
B. It looks like a real car but has large computer screens.
C. Students who use it benefit more than those who only watch.
D. It lets students find out in detail the consequences of their ―accidents‖. 4. We can conclude from the article that ______.
A. students at some schools performed better with the simulator than kids at other schools B. the simulator has served its purpose well
C. driving with the radio on proved to be quite safe
D. more courses should take the form of computer games