第八讲：阅读理解练习

第三篇　The Gene¹ Industry

　　Major companies are already in pursuit of commercial applications of the new biology .They dream of placing nxymse（酶）in the automobile² to monitor exhaust nad send data om pollution to a microprocessor³ that will then adjust the engine .they speak of what the New York Time calls"metal-hungry microbse（微生物）that might be used to mine valuable trace metals from ocean water".They have already demanded and won the right to patent new liteforms .

　　Nervous critics,including many scientists,worry that there if corporate,national,
international,and inter-scientific rivalry⁴ in the entire biotechnological field.They create images not of oil spills(溢出）,but of "microbe spills" that could spread disease and destroy entire populations,The creation and accidental release of extremely poisonous microbes,however,if only one cause for alarm.Completely rational and respectable scientists are talking about possibilities that stagger the imagination.　　

　　Should we breed people with cow-like stomachs so they can digest grass and hay ,thereby⁵ relieving the food problem by modifying us to eat lower down on the fod chain? should we biologically alter workers to fit the job requierement,for example,creating pilots with faster reaction times or assemblyline workers designed to do our monotonous⁶ work for us ?Should we attempt to eliminate"inferior"people and breed a "super-race"?(Hitler tried this ,but without the genetic⁷ weaponry that may soom issue form our fighiting?Should we use genetic forecasting to preeliminate "unfit" babies?Should we grow reserve organs for ourselves ,each of us having,as it were ,a "savings⁸ bank " full of spare kidney ,livers ,or hands?

　　Wild as thses notions may sound,every one has itd advocates (and opposers) in the scientific community as well as its striking commercial application.As two critics of genetic engineering, Jeremy Rifkin and Ted⁹ Howard,state in their book Who Should Play God ? "Broad scale genetic engineering will probably be introduced to America much the same way sa assembly lines ,automobiles¹⁰,vaccines, computers and all the other technologies. As each new genetic advance bmes commercially practical, a new consumer need will be exploitde and a market for the new technology will be created."

11. According to the passage, the new biology could potentially solve the pollution problem of automobiles by
A using metal-bungry microbes.
B making se of enzymes¹¹.
C adjusting the engines.
D patenting new lifeforms .

12. According to the passage, which of the following would most probably worry the critics of the following would most probably worry the critics of the new biology?
A The microbes in the ocean warter.
B The creation and application of biological solar cells
C The accidental oil spills.
D The unexpected release of destructive micrbes.

13. Which of the following possibilities of the biotechnological applications is NOT mentioned in the third paragraph?
A Developing a savings bank of one"s orangs.
B Breeding soldiers for a war .
C Producing people with cow-like stomachs.
D Using genetic forecasting to curt¹² diseases.

14. According to the passage,Hitler had attempted to
A biologically change the pilots to win the war .
B develop genetic farming for increasing the food supply .
C kill the people he thought of as being inferior.
D encourage the development of genetic weapons for the war.

15. What is the implication of the sratement of Jeremy Rifkin and Ted Howard?
A The commercial applications of genetic engineering are inevitable¹³.
B Large-scale genetic engineering has occurred in the Untied¹⁴ States.
C Americans are proud of their computers,automobiles and genetic technologies.
D The potential application of each new genetic advance should be controlled.