1、专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 15及答案与解析 0 The never-ceasing pace of scientific accomplishment often surpasses the progress of moral thought, leaving people struggling to make sense, initially at least, of whether heart transplants are ethical or test-tube babies desirable. Over the past three decades scientists hav
2、e begun to investigate a branch of medicine that offers astonishing promise the ability to repair the human body and even grow new organs but which destroys early-stage embryos to do so. In “The Stem Cell Hope“ Alice Park, a science writer at Time magazine, chronicles the scientific;, political, eth
3、ical and personal struggles of those involved in the work. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent(多功能性的 ): they have the ability to change into any one of the 200-odd types of cell that compose the human body; but they can do so only at a very early stage. Once the bundle has reached more than about 1
4、50 cells, they start to specialize. Research into repairing severed spinal cords or growing new hearts has thus needed a supply of stem cells that come from entities that, given a more favorable environment, could instead grow into a baby. Immediately after the announcement of the birth of Dolly the
5、 sheep the clone of an adult ewe whose mammary(乳腺的 )cells Ian Wilmut had tricked into behaving like a developing embryo American scientists were hauled before the nations politicians who were uneasy at the implication that people might also be cloned. Concern at the speed of scientific progress had
6、previously stalled publicly funded research into controversial topics, for example, into in vitro fertilization. But it did not stop the work from taking place; instead the IVF industry blossomed in the private sector, funded by couples desperate for a baby and investors who had spotted a profitable
7、 new market. That is also what happened with human stem cells. After a prolonged struggle over whether to ban research outright which pitted Nancy Reagan, whose husband suffered from Alzheimers disease, against a father who asked George Bushs advisers, “ Which one of my children would you kill?“ Mr.
8、 Bush blocked the use of government money to fund research on any new human embryonic stem-cell cultures. But research did not halt completely; Geron, a biopharmaceutical(生物制药的 )company based in Menlo Park, California, had started “to mop up this orphaned innovation“ , as Ms Park puts it, by recruit
9、ing researchers whose work brought them into conflict with the funding restrictions. Meanwhile, in South Korea a scientist claimed not only to have cloned human embryos but also to have created patient-specific cultures that could, in theory, be used to patch up brain damage or grow a kidney. Alas,
10、he was wrong. But a Japanese scientist did manage to persuade adult skin cells to act like stem cells. If it proves possible to scale up his techniques , that would remove the source of the controversy over stem-cell research. Three months after he took office, Barack Obama lifted restrictions on fe
11、deral funding for research on new stem-cell cultures, saying that he thought sound science and moral values were consistent with one another. But progress has been slow; the first human trials in America, involving two people with spinal-cord injuries who have been injected with stem cells developed
12、 by Geron, are only just under way. The sick children who first inspired scientists to conduct research into stem cells in order to develop treatments that might help them are now young adults. As Ms Park notes, the fight over stem-cell research is not over, and those who might benefit from stem-cel
13、l medicine remain in need. 1 We can infer from Paragraph 1 that_. （ A） scientific achievements occur at a slower rate than peoples expectation （ B） repairing human bodies and growing new organs have already been realized （ C） Alice Park has proved the meaning of stem cells in “The Stem Cell Hope“ （
14、D） people are concerned about moral and ethical implications of scientific research 2 As a result of the birth of Dolly and an adult ewe, _. （ A） American scientists were strongly criticized for human cloning （ B） government-funded researches were banned from controversial topics （ C） American unive
15、rsities started to conduct similar research overseas （ D） the IVF industry is starting to disappear in the US 3 What does the author mean by saying Geron “had started to mop up this orphaned innovation “(Paragraph 4)? （ A） Geron ends government interference in this area. （ B） Geron settles the dispu
16、tes over stem cell research. （ C） Geron follows up the research on their own. （ D） Geron rallies for the research. 4 Which of the following statements is CORRECT about the stem cell research? （ A） Embryonic stem cells are changeable even in the late stage. （ B） Growing new hearts in a patient needs
17、stem cells from an adult donator. （ C） Research findings by a Japanese scientist might end the controversy. （ D） President Obama agrees with George Bush concerning the issue. 5 What is the authors tone in writing the passage? （ A） Enthusiastic. （ B） Objective. （ C） Satirical. （ D） Doubtful. 5 Despit
18、e what you might think from its name, the Museum of Afghan Civilization will be the very model of a modern major museum when it opens in January. It will be housed in an angular, postmodern building, designed by Frances Yona Friedman. It will display the art of Afghanistan from prehistory to today,
19、with works collected from all over the world. And it will have a nifty website, complete with high-definition reproductions and interactive information guides. What the museum wont have is a front door, a parking lot, or a cafeteria. Thats because the museum is the first designed as a virtual buildi
20、ng only. Why put the objects in an imaginary building, instead of just creating a website full of pictures? Pascale Bastide, President of the Paris-based association Afghanculture, says she hopes that hiring an architect will imbue her project(afghanculturemuseum. org)with the gravitas of a traditio
21、nal museum, as well as make viewers feel as though they are actively traveling to a museum rather than passively seeing reproductions of its artwork. J Bastide is quick to admit that “nothing replaces real contact with an objet dart(小艺术品，古玩 ), “ but the sites interactive approach comes close. Visito
22、rs will encounter a digital image of Friedmans design, set against its imagined location: the Bamiyan caves, where two monumental Buddha statues had stood since the fourth century A. D. before being destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Viewers can spin the building to view it from all sides, then click
23、 to enter multimedia “ pavilions, “ which can be organized chronologically, geographically, or thematically. Friedmans design will serve as the shell. The interior will change just like in a real-world museum, where curators(馆长 )erect temporary walls according to an exhibitions needs. Bricks and mor
24、tar(传统实体企业 )aside, the Museum of Afghan Civilization will operate like a typical art institution. The website will have a director(Bastide)and a team of curators(a Princeton professor, a French museum conservator, an Afghan archeologist, and an Afghan linguist). Oh, and theres also a designer with a
25、 background in videogames. Afghanculturemuseum. org obviously isnt the only museum with a website, but its purely virtual form could affect the traditional museum world. For one thing, it all but eliminates the debate over whether a museums priority should be to display artworks or preserve them. To
26、days digital reproduction technologies are generally harmless to the art(unlike the light and air in a museum), so they allow the public to see works otherwise accessible only to those with white gloves and doctorates. Virtual museums still take money to launch; Bastide is looking for $10 million in
27、 private and government funding. They wont make the traditional museums obsolete, either. But their lower maintenance costs and sustainable approach to exhibitions might mean fewer traditional museums created in the future. That said, Bastide hopes that one day, in a stable , democratic Afghanistan,
28、 a physical Museum of Afghan Civilization might be built. But for now, the virtual approach will allow the museum to live without having to exist. 6 According to the first paragraph, the Museum of Afghan Civilization wont_. （ A） display the artworks of Afghanistan from all over the world （ B） have a
29、 website with reproductions and information guides （ C） have a front door, a parking lot or a cafeteria （ D） open in January as the first virtual museum 7 The second paragraph doesnt claim that the Museum of Afghan Civilization_. （ A） can show the gravitas of Afghan civilization better （ B） can make
30、 viewers feel they are actively traveling to a museum （ C） can be organized flexibly according to viewers needs （ D） will have a designer with a background in videogames 8 Why does Afghanculturemuseum. org eliminate the debate on whether a museums priority should be to display artworks or to preserv
31、e them? （ A） Because it can replace the traditional museum in the near future. （ B） Because it only allows the doctorates to see works that need particular protection. （ C） Because when displaying the artworks, it also prevents others from stealing them. （ D） Because it almost eliminates the contrad
32、iction between displaying and preserving artworks. 9 Pascale Bastide expects that_. （ A） viewers can see and touch the real artworks in a museum （ B） the Museum of Afghan Civilization will operate like an enterprise （ C） fewer and fewer traditional museums will be built in the future （ D） a physical
33、 Museum of Afghan Civilization might be built in Afghanistan 10 It can be inferred from the passage that_. （ A） it is Pascale Bastide who designed the Museum of Afghan Civilization （ B） the Museum of Afghan Civilization is not just a website full of pictures （ C） traditional museums should display a
34、rtworks rather than display them （ D） virtual museums will completely replace the traditional ones in the future 10 Bonfires can cause localized air pollution and annoy neighbours. Follow the bonfire guidelines to reduce nuisance to others. There are no specific laws governing the use of bonfires al
35、though under the Environmental Protection Act(EPA)1990, a statutory nuisance includes “smoke, fumes or gases emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance“. If bothered by smoke, approach your neighbour and explain the problem. You might feel awkward, but they may not be awar
36、e of the distress they are causing and it will hopefully make them more considerate in the future. If this fails, contact your local councils environmental health department. The National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection(NSCA)factsheet “Pollution, Nuisance and the Law“ explains the
37、 situation in more detail. If the fire is only occasional it is unlikely to be considered a nuisance in law. Under the Highways Act 1980, anyone lighting a fire and allowing smoke to drift across a road faces a fine if it endangers traffic. Contact the police in this case. Whats wrong with bonfires?
38、 Burning garden waste produces smoke, especially if it is damp and smouldering. Burning plastic, rubber or painted materials not only creates an unpleasant smell but also produces a range of poisonous compounds. Your bonfire will also add to the general background level of air pollution. Bonfire smo
39、ke may cause problems for asthmatics, bronchitis sufferers, people with heart conditions and children. The smoke, smuts, and smell from bonfires are the subject of many complaints to local councils. Smoke prevents your neighbours from enjoying their gardens, opening windows or hanging washing out, a
40、nd reduces visibility in the neighbourhood and on roads. Allotments near homes can cause particular problems if plot holders persistently burn waste. Fire can spread to fences or buildings and cans are a hazard when rubbish is burned. Piles of garden waste are often used as a refuge by animals, so l
41、ook out for hibernating wildlife and sleeping pets. If a bonfire is the best practicable option for disposing of garden waste, follow these guidelines from the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection(NCSA)to avoid serious nuisance; 1)only burn dry material; 2)never burn household
42、 rubbish, rubber tyres, or anything containing plastic, foam or paint; 3)never use old engine oil, meths or petrol to light the fire or encourage it; 4)avoid lighting a fire in unsuitable weather conditions smoke hangs in the air on damp, still days and in the evening; 5)if it is windy, smoke may be
43、 blown into neighbours, gardens and across roads; 6)avoid burning when air pollution in your area is high or very high check the weather forecast, or the air quality website. 11 Whats the central topic of the passage? （ A） Air pollution. （ B） Bonfires. （ C） Solid waste. （ D） Bonfires and the law. 12
44、 Which of the following topics is NOT discussed in the passage? （ A） Bonfires and the law. （ B） Health effect. （ C） Other ways to dispose of garden waste other than burning them. （ D） Bonfire guidelines. 13 Which of the following statements is INCORRECT according to the passage? （ A） The law may not
45、 help reduce nuisance. （ B） Bonfire smoke may cause problems for people with heart problems. （ C） Garden waste may be used as a refuge by animals. （ D） Anyone lighting a fire and allowing smoke to drift across a road may be fined if it endangers traffic. 14 All of the following are included in the b
46、onfire guidelines offered in the passage EXCEPT_. （ A） avoiding burning when air pollution in your area is very high （ B） only burning dry material （ C） never using old engine oil, meths or petrol to light the fire （ D） only burning in a place which is far away from the neighbourhood 15 Which of the
47、 following materials can be burned? （ A） Painted materials. （ B） Plastic. （ C） Dry material. （ D） Foam. 15 The word “open“ is really used a lot. Youve probably heard “open up“ in many ways over the years. Probably most people would like to be more open than they are right now. We know it feels good
48、to share with others. If feels good to talk to somebody about things were concerned about. Its good to be able to trust somebody. What do we really mean by becoming open? Well, trying to talk about yourself in such a way that something of the inner person, that is you, is communicated to others migh
49、t be one way of being open or at least thinking about being open. That inner person is a complex person who has a variety of thoughts and also feelings. So, wanting to share with other people these inner feelings and these inner thoughts is one way of becoming open. Being open is a kind of invitation to others. What you share about yourself should encourage others to come in, so to speak and make contact with you. To involve themselves with you. Being open is difficult. It makes us feel vulnerable, psychologicall
