2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（59）
发布时间：2012/10/31 13:35:00 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
This one is dedicated to everyone who thinks Im a right-winger With all the absolutely legitimate causes for concern in the world today, it~s a great relief to tl humorists out there that people can still get all worked up about something as ludicrous as themonstrosity of human cloning. $ Just this week, a Massachusetts #pany called Advanced Cell Technology went public with news that it has succeeded in cloning a few human embryos, and were witnessing the biggest public morality hysteria since Dolly the Sheep.
The voluminous critics are taking to the streets with pulpit-thumping warnings of reproductive cloning and human farms, while biologists defend themselves with promises of medical breakthroughs and reminders that the embryos being created are smaller than the head of a pin.
Id like to go on the record with a third stance, which is So what?
In due time, human cloning will be#e a reality, regardless of the current fuss. The church couldn't keep Galileo quiet about the rotation of the planets 500 years ago. Critics couldn't stop test-tube babies 20 years ago. And in neither case did these new ideas destroy societys morality the way nay- sayers feared. And ,clones won't either-But for those of you with Invasion of the Body-Snatchers flashbacks running through your heads, a few clone facts
A human clone is （or would be, since anything more than an embryo is still hypothetical） a person made from the same DNA-blueprint as someone else. Identical twins--which, to most people, aren't that scary--fall into this category. They are naturally-occurring clones.
Now, contrary to what youve learned through years of bad sci-fi movies, a clone does not know what the cloned person knows--because that information is nowhere in our DNA. （Sorry guys, a puddle of your sperm has no greater I. Q. than any other puddle. ） Furthermore, even with the same DNA, a clone won't be a perfect copy of its genetic parent because so much development happens post- conception, based on the hormone-mix in the mother's womb and the conditions the child is raised in in the odtside world.
Think back to the DNA-as-blueprint analogy, and let's talk cars instead of kids. Two ears buill from the same blueprint--but manufactured in different factories with different customizations and paint jobs, then owned for their first several years by different drivers--are going to have distinct differences when they hit the used car auction block. This, among other things, explains why you can't just walk to your nearest used car lot, slap down exact change for a Blue Book value, and expect to have a deal. [440 words]
1. The author intends to tell us in the second paragraph that______
A. there is no need to be#e so excited about the news of human cloning
B. he is usually thought of as a right-winger
C. human cloning is something ridiculous
D. cloning human embryos is a tremendous achievement in science
2. According to this passage, the author is______
A. reluctant to reveal his own point of view
B. willing to make his idea known in public
C. also taking to the streets with warnings of human cloning
D. on the side of those biologists who defend themselves
3. The example of Galileo is used to illustrate that______
A. it was Galileo who discovered the rotation of planets
B. human cloning will be realized sooner or later
C. nothing can destroy society's morality
D. societys morality should be challenged by new ideas
4. According to this passage, ______
A. human cloning has be#e a reality
B. human sperm carries no greater I. Q. than DNA
C. the hormone-mix in the mother's womb has more influence on a clone than DNA
D. a few cloned human embryos are nothing to worry about
5. The example of two cars in the last paragraph is used to show that______
A. the information given by sci-fi movies is usually incredible
B. a clone isn't so scary as someone might have imagined
C. a clone won't be a perfect copy of its genetic parent
D. even identical twins have more difference than similarity [NextPage] 难句透析
①with all the absolutely legitimate causes for concern in the world today，it'S a great relief tO the humorists out there[-that people can still get all worked up about something as ludicrous as the“monstrosity”of human cloning].
【结构】“it”是形式主语，代替方括号所标示的主语从句。
【释义】关注当今世界的事物有那么多绝对合情合理的原因，有人却依然能令大家对“怪异”的人类克隆那么滑稽可笑的东西感到群情激奋，这让那些滑稽演员感到无比轻松。
②“The voluminous critics are taking to the streets with pulpit—thumping warnings of reproductive cloning and human farms，while biologists defend themselves with promises of medical breakthroughs and reminders[that the embryos（being created）are smaller than the head of a pin].
【结构】本句是由”while“连接的两个分句组成的并列句。方括号所标示的部分是”reminders“的同位语从句。圆括号所标示的现在分词短语是”the embryos“的定语。”take to the streets“：走上街头。
【释义】众多的批评者对生殖克隆和人类繁殖基地公开提出严厉警告。而生物学家却在为自己辩护，他们承诺在医学上要有所突破，他们提醒公众。克隆出的胚胎比针尖还小。
③Now，contrary tO Ewhat you've learned through years of bad sci-fi movies]，a clone does not know[what the cloned person knows]--because that information is nowhere in our DNA.
【结构】第一个方括号所标示的”what“从句是介词”to“的宾语从句。第二个方括号所标示的”what“从句是”know“的宾语从句。
【释义】请注意，与你们多年从质量低劣的科幻片所了解的完全相反，克隆人并不知道被克隆的人所知道的事。这是因为DNA根本不携带那些信息。
④Furthermore，even with the same DNA，a clone wOn't be a perfect copy of its genetic”parent“because SO much development happens post conception，based on the hormone-mix in the mother'
S womb and the conditions（the child is raised in）in the outside world].
【结构】方括号所标示的部分是”because“引导的原因状语从句。圆括号所标示的部分是”the conditions“的定语从句。
【释义】而且，即便有相同的DNA，克隆人也不可能是和被克隆人完全一样的复制品。这是因为受孕后发生了太多的变化，这些变化取决于母亲子宫内激素的状况，还取决于养育孩子的外部世界的状况。
⑤Two cars[”‘built from the same blueprint—butmanu厂nctured in different factories with different customiza— tions and paint jobs，then 0wned for their first several years by different drivers]--are going tO have distinct differences when they hit the used car auction block].
【结构】第一个方括号所标示的部分是三个并列的过去分词短语，用做后置定语，修饰“two cars”。第二个方括号所标示的部分是“when”引导的时间状语从句。
【释义】两辆汽车，依据同一套设计图生产，但是产于不同工厂，工厂结构不同，喷漆过程不同，生产出来以后先由不同驾驶员开上几年。当把这两辆车送上二手车拍卖台时，二者则会截然不同。 [NextPage] 全文翻译
这篇是专门写给那些以为我是右翼分子的人的……
关注当今世界的事物有那么多绝对合情合理的原因，有人却依然能令大家对“怪异”的人类克隆那么滑稽可笑的东西感到群情激奋，这让那些滑稽演员感到无比轻松。就在本周，一家马萨诸塞州的名为高级细胞科技的公司向公众发布消息，宣称他们已经成功克降一些人类胚胎，随后我们就看到r克隆羊多莉诞生之后的又一次歇斯底里的道德批判。
众多的批评者对生殖克隆和人类繁殖基地公开提H{严厉警告。而生物学家却在为自己辩护，他们承诺在医学上要有所突破，他们提醒公众，克隆出的胚胎比针尖还小……
我愿意公开表明我属于第三种姿态：“那么，又如何呢？”
到了适当的时候，人类克隆迟早会成为现实，根本不用理会现有的争吵。教会500年前没能堵住伽利略的嘴，让人们知道了行星的运转。20年前批评家们也没能阻止试管婴儿的诞生。这些例子中没有一个像那些常说不的人所担心的那样破坏r社会道德。而克隆技术也不会对你们那些还对侵占者的进攻耿耿于怀的人，我给你们列一些关于克隆技术的事实：
一个克隆人实际上是（或者说可能是，因为目前除了胚胎形态外什么都还是假设）一一个由他人的DNA蓝图复制而来的人。同卵双生的双胞胎或许埘某些人来说这很令人惊讶一 也应被列入这个类别。他们就是自然产生的克隆人。
请注意，与你们多年从质量低劣的科幻片中所了解的完全相反，克隆人并不知道被克隆的人所知道的事。这是因为DNA根本不携带那些信息。（伙计们，不好意思地告诉你们，你们的一滩精液并不比一滩泥更聪明。）而且，即便有相同的DNA，克隆人也不可能是和被克隆人完全一样的复制品。这是因为受孕后发生了太多的变化，这些变化取决于母亲子宫内激素的状况，还取决于养育孩子的外部世界的状况。
想想那种DNA就是蓝图的比喻，让我们以汽车代替孩子来作为我们讨论的对象。两辆汽车，依据同一套设计图生产，但是产于不同工厂，工厂结构不同。喷漆过程不同，牛产出来以后先由不同驾驶员开上几年。当把这两辆车送上二手车拍卖台时，二者则会截然不同。这一点，与其他因素一起，就能向你解释清楚为什么你不可能轻松地从离你最近的二手车停车场，指望着按照蓝皮书上的价钱付款就能买到便宜。
超纲词汇
auction block n.拍卖台
ludicrous adj.滑稽的
monstrosity n.畸形
nay n.拒绝，投反对票
puddle n.泥浆
pulpit n.讲坛，布道坛
snatcher n绑架者，抢夺者
stance n.姿态
thump v.重击
voluminous adj.庞大的
参考答案：1.A 2.B 3.B 4.D 5.C
