GMAT考试阅读资料(二)f
文章来源: 文章作者: 发布时间:2008-10-25 05:45 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

Passage 14
  Nearly a century ago, biologists found that if theyseparated an invertebrate1 animal embryo2 into two partsat an early stage of its life, it would survive and developas two normal embryos3. This led them to believe that the(5) cells in the early embryo are undetermined in the sensethat each cell has the potential to develop in a variety ofdifferent ways. Later biologists found that the situationwas not so simple. It matters in which plane the embryois cut. If it is cut in a plane different from the one used(10) by the early investigators5, it will not form two wholeembryos.
  A debate arose over what exactly was happening.Which embryo cells are determined4, just when do they-become irreversibly committed to their fates, and what(15) are the “morphogenetic determinants” that tell a cellwhat to become? But the debate could not be resolvedbecause no one was able to ask the crucial questionsin a form in which they could be pursued productively.Recent discoveries in molecular7 biology, however, have(20) opened up prospects8 for a resolution of the debate.Now investigators think they know at least some of themolecules that act as morphogenetic determinants inearly development. They have been able o show that,  in a sense, cell determination begins even before an egg(25) is fertilized9. 
  Studying sea urchins10, biologist Paul Gross foundthat an unfertilized egg contains substances that func-tion as morphogenetic determinants. They are locatedin the cytoplasm of the egg cell; i.e., in that part of the(30) cell‘s protoplasm that lies outside of the nucleus11. In theunfertilized egg, the substances are inactive and are notdistributed homogeneously. When the egg is fertilized,the substances become active and, presumably, governthe behavior of the genes12 they interact with. Since the(35) substances are unevenly13 distributed in the egg, when thefertilized egg divides, the resulting cells are differentfrom the start and so can be qualitatively14 different intheir own gene6 activity.
  The substances that Gross studied are maternal15(40) messenger RNA‘s ——products of certain of the maternalgenes. He and other biologists studying a wide varietyof organisms have found that these particular RNA’sdirect, in large part, the synthesis of histones, a classof proteins that bind16 to DNA17. Once synthesized, the(45) histones move into the cell nucleus, where section ofDNA wrap around them to form a structure that resem-bles beads18, or knots, on a string. The beads are DNAsegments wrapped around the histones; the string is theintervening DNA. And it is the structure of these beaded(50) DNA strings19 that guides the fate of the cells in which  they are located.

  1. The passage is most probably directed at which kind of audience?
   (A) State legislators deciding about funding levels for a  state-funded biological laboratory
   (B) Scientists specializing in molecular genetics
   (C) Readers of an alumni newsletter published by the college that Paul Gross attended
   (D) Marine20 biologists studying the processes that give rise to new species
   (E) Undergraduate biology majors in a molecular biology course

  2. It can be inferred from the passage that the  morphogenetic determinants present in the early embryo are
   (A) located in the nucleus of the embryo cells
   (B) evenly distributed unless the embryo is not developing normally
   (C) inactive until the embryo cells become irreversibly committed to their final function
   (D) identical to those that were already present in the unfertilized egg
   (E) present in larger quantities than is necessary for the development of a single individual

  3. The main topic of the passage is
   (A) the early development of embryos of lower marine organisms
   (B) the main contribution of modern embryology to molecular biology
   (C) the role of molecular biology in disproving older  theories of embryonic21 development
   (D) cell determination as an issue in the study of embryonic development
   (E) scientific dogma as a factor in the recent debate over the value of molecular biology

  4. According to the passage, when biologists believed that the cells in the early embryo were undetermined, they made which of the following mistakes?
   (A) They did not attempt to replicate22 the original experiment of separating an embryo into two parts.
   (B) They did not realize that there was a connection between the issue of cell determination and the outcome of the separation experiment.
   (C) They assumed that the results of experiments on embryos did not depend on the particular animal species used for such experiments.
   (D) They assumed that it was crucial to perform the separation experiment at an early stage in the embryo‘s life.
   (E) They assumed that different ways of separating an embryo into two parts would be equivalent as far as the fate of the two parts was concerned.e fate of the two parts was concerned.

  5. It can be inferred from the passage that the initial production of histones after an egg is fertilized takes place
   (A) in the cytoplasm
   (B) in the maternal genes
   (C) throughout the protoplasm
   (D) in the beaded portions of the DNA strings
   (E) in certain sections of the cell nucleus

  6. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is dependent on the fertilization of an egg?
   (A) Copying of maternal genes to produce maternal messenger RNA‘s
   (B) Sythesis of proteins called histones
   (C) Division of a cell into its nucleus and the cytoplasm
   (D) Determination of the egg cell‘s potential for division
   (E) Generation of all of a cell‘s morphogenetic determinants

  7. According to the passage, the morphogenetic determinants present in the unfertilized egg cell are which of the following?
   (A) Proteins bound to the nucleus
   (B) Histones
   (C) Maternal messenger RNA‘s
   (D) Cytoplasm
   (E) Nonbeaded intervening DNA

  8. The passage suggests that which of the following plays a role in determining whether an embryo separated into two parts will two parts will develop as two normal embryos?
  Ⅰ.The stage in the embryo‘s life at which the separation occurs
  Ⅱ. The instrument with which the separations is accomplished23
  Ⅲ. The plane in which the cut is made that separates the embryo
   (A) Ⅰonly
   (B) Ⅱ only
   (C) Ⅰ and Ⅱ。only
   (D) Ⅰ and Ⅲ。only
   (E) Ⅰ,Ⅱ, and Ⅲ

  9. Which of the following circumstances is most comparable to the impasse24 biologists encountered in trying to resolve the debate about cell determination (lines 12-18)?
   (A) The problems faced by a literary scholar who wishes to use original source materials that are written in an unfamiliar foreign language
   (B) The situation of a mathematician who in preparing a proof of a theorem for publication detects a reasoning error in the proof
   (C) The difficulties of a space engineer who has to design equipment to function in an environment in which it cannot first be tested
   (D) The predicament of a linguist trying to develop a theory of language acquisition when knowledge of the structure of language itself is rudimentary at best
   (E) The dilemma confronting a foundation when the funds available to it are sufficient to support one of two equally deserving scientific projects but not both



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 invertebrate 9a8zt     
n.无脊椎动物
参考例句:
  • Half of all invertebrate species live in tropical rain forests.一半的无脊椎动物物种生活在热带雨林中。
  • Worms are an example of invertebrate animals.蠕虫是无脊椎动物的一个例子。
2 embryo upAxt     
n.胚胎,萌芽的事物
参考例句:
  • They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
  • The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。
3 embryos 0e62a67414ef42288b74539e591aa30a     
n.晶胚;胚,胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段,而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
  • Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句
4 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
5 investigators e970f9140785518a87fc81641b7c89f7     
n.调查者,审查者( investigator的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
  • The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 gene WgKxx     
n.遗传因子,基因
参考例句:
  • A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
  • The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。
7 molecular mE9xh     
adj.分子的;克分子的
参考例句:
  • The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
  • For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时,分子的碰撞就停止了。
8 prospects fkVzpY     
n.希望,前途(恒为复数)
参考例句:
  • There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
  • They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
9 Fertilized 0f66e269f3e72fa001554304e59712da     
v.施肥( fertilize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The study of psychology has recently been widely cross-fertilized by new discoveries in genetics. 心理学研究最近从遗传学的新发现中受益匪浅。
  • Flowers are often fertilized by bees as they gather nectar. 花常在蜜蜂采蜜时受粉。
10 urchins d5a7ff1b13569cf85a979bfc58c50045     
n.顽童( urchin的名词复数 );淘气鬼;猬;海胆
参考例句:
  • Some dozen barefooted urchins ganged in from the riverside. 几十个赤足的顽童从河边成群结队而来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • People said that he had jaundice and urchins nicknamed him "Yellow Fellow." 别人说他是黄胆病,孩子们也就叫他“黄胖”了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
11 nucleus avSyg     
n.核,核心,原子核
参考例句:
  • These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
  • These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。
12 genes 01914f8eac35d7e14afa065217edd8c0     
n.基因( gene的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因,所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪
13 unevenly 9fZz51     
adv.不均匀的
参考例句:
  • Fuel resources are very unevenly distributed. 燃料资源分布很不均匀。
  • The cloth is dyed unevenly. 布染花了。
14 qualitatively 5ca9292f7a0c1ddbef340e3c76a7c17b     
质量上
参考例句:
  • In other words, you are to analyze them quantitatively and qualitatively. 换句话说,你们要对它们进行量和质的分析。
  • Electric charge may be detected qualitatively by sprinkling or blowing indicating powders. 静电荷可以用撒布指示粉剂的方法,予以探测。
15 maternal 57Azi     
adj.母亲的,母亲般的,母系的,母方的
参考例句:
  • He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
  • The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。
16 bind Vt8zi     
vt.捆,包扎;装订;约束;使凝固;vi.变硬
参考例句:
  • I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
  • He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。
17 DNA 4u3z1l     
(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸
参考例句:
  • DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
  • Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。
18 beads 894701f6859a9d5c3c045fd6f355dbf5     
n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链
参考例句:
  • a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
  • Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。
19 strings nh0zBe     
n.弦
参考例句:
  • He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上,随意地拨着吉他的弦。
  • She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
20 marine 77Izo     
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵
参考例句:
  • Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
21 embryonic 58EyK     
adj.胚胎的
参考例句:
  • It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
  • The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。
22 replicate PVAxN     
v.折叠,复制,模写;n.同样的样品;adj.转折的
参考例句:
  • The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
  • It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样,它还可以被轻易的复制。
23 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
参考例句:
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
24 impasse xcJz1     
n.僵局;死路
参考例句:
  • The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
  • Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。
TAG标签:
发表评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:点击我更换图片