Question

With only about 1 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone the animal and save the endangered species . That’s a move similar to what a Texas A&M University researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called “Noah’s Ark”.

Noah’s Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos , semen and DNA of endangered animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen. If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A &M’s College of Vetreinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future.

It is estimated that as many as 2 000 species of mammals, birds and reptiles will be come extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years.

This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal.

The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete.

“The nuclear transfer of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available (capable of being used) panda eggs could be a major problem,” Kraemer believes. “They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it’s difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort,” adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A&M, the first ever attempt at cloning a dog.

“They are trying to do something that’s never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah’s Ark. We’re both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there’s a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It’s a research that is very much needed.”

1.The aim of “Noah’s Ark” project is to _____.

A. make efforts to clone the endangered pandas

B. save endangered animals from dying out

C. collect DNA of endangered animals to study

D. transfer the nuclear of one animal to another

2.According to Professor Kraemer, the major problem in cloning pandas would be the lack of _____.

A. available panda eggs B. host animals

C. qualified researchers D. enough money

3.The best title for the passage may be _____.

A. China’s Success in Pandas Cloning

B. The First Cloned Panda in the World

C. Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas

D. China—the Native Place of Pandas Forever

4.From the passage we know that _____.

A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog

B. scientists try to implant a panda’s egg into a rabbit

C. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches

D. about two thousand species will probably die out in a century

Answer 1

1.B

2.A

3.C

4.D

【解析】

試題分析：本文講述了中國(guó)正在竭力克隆瀕臨滅絕的熊貓，而這和Texas A&M University的諾亞方舟工程極為相似，都是想拯救瀕臨滅絕的動(dòng)物。

1.細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第二段的內(nèi)容可知，“諾亞方舟”工程的目標(biāo)是把瀕臨滅絕的動(dòng)物的卵、胚胎、精液和DNA存儲(chǔ)在液體氮中，這樣，當(dāng)某種動(dòng)物瀕臨滅絕時(shí)，可以重現(xiàn)這一動(dòng)物。故選擇B，意為這一項(xiàng)目的目的時(shí)防止瀕危滅絕的動(dòng)物滅絕。

2.細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段的The nuclear transfer of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available (capable of being used) panda eggs could be a major problem,可知，選擇A，缺少熊貓卵是最大的問(wèn)題。故選擇A。

3.主旨大意題。根據(jù)文章的內(nèi)容可知，中國(guó)和世界克隆熊貓還沒(méi)有成功，所以選項(xiàng)A、B是錯(cuò)誤的。而選項(xiàng)D與文章內(nèi)容不符。而根據(jù)內(nèi)容可知，中國(guó)正在做該方面的努力，所以選擇C，意為探索克隆熊貓的可能性。

4.細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第三段第一句話(huà)It is estimated that as many as 2 000 species of mammals, birds and reptiles will be come extinct in over 100 years.可知選項(xiàng)D是正確的。根據(jù)This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit.可知選項(xiàng)B錯(cuò)誤。選項(xiàng)C未提及，而根據(jù)原文的Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A&M, the first ever attempt at cloning a dog.可知選項(xiàng)A錯(cuò)誤。故選擇D。

考點(diǎn)：考查科普說(shuō)明文閱讀