To save endangered arctic wolves, the Beijing-based Sinogene Biotechnology Company cooperated with Harbin Polarland on cloning the arctic wolf. As a result, after two years of thorough efforts, the arctic wolf was cloned successfully. It is the first case of its kind in the world.
Born on June 10, 2022, the wolf, named Maya, is energetic and in very good health. Her donor cell came from the skin sample of a wild female arctic wolf, who had been introduced from Canada. However, her oocyte (卵母细胞) was from a female dog, and her surrogate mother (代孕母体) was a beagle. The selection of a dog as Maya’s surrogate was made because dogs share a genetic ancestor with ancient wolves, and it’s more likely to succeed through cloning technology.
“This is our new attempt and breakthrough in protecting and breeding (繁育) wild and endangered animals. The birth of the world’s first cloned arctic wolf is a milestone for the application of cloning technology and is of great significance to biodiversity, the protection of wildlife, and the restoration of endangered species in the world,” Mi Jidong, the company’s general manager, said.
Cloning technology is a breeding method different from natural reproduction. Some raised controversy relating to the cloned arctic wolf. Sun Quanhui, a scientist from the World Animal Protection organization, said that cloning technology is still in the exploratory stage of research, and there are many technical and ethical issues that need to be addressed and treated with caution. Sun believed cloning should be considered only for endangered wild animals whose species are extinct, or whose captive populations are very limited.
The cloned wolf now lives with her surrogate beagle in a lab, and later she will be delivered to the Harbin Polarland and displayed to the public. The cloned wolf would live by herself in the park in the initial stage because she may not be able to adapt to original arctic wolf groups. However, it is reported that the technology of cloning arctic wolves has gained strong value in its application, and another male cloned arctic wolf will come into this world in the near future.
1. What do we know about Maya?| A．She is in good condition. |
| B．She was born in Canada. |
| C．She is the first cloned animal in China. |
| D．She shares similar living habits with dogs. |
| A．The development of cloning technology. |
| B．The difficulties of maintaining biodiversity. |
| C．Scientists’ efforts to protect endangered animals. |
| D．The importance of the birth of the cloned arctic wolf. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Confident. |
| C．Unclear. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Maya was trained to live with wolf groups in the lab. |
| B．Another male arctic wolf is expected to be born soon. |
| C．Maya is favored by many visitors to the Harbin Polarland. |
| D．Cloning technology will be applied to more endangered species. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The climate crisis may lead the human race to decrease in size, as mammals (哺乳动物) with smaller bodies appear better able to deal with rising global temperatures, a leading fossil expert said.
Prof Steve Brusatte, a palaeontologist (古生物学家) at the University of Edinburgh, suggested that the way in which other mammals have previously responded to periods of climate change could offer an insight into humans’ future.
He compared the potential situation of people as similar to that of early horses, which became smaller in body size as temperatures rose around 55m years ago, a period called the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum.
Writing in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, Brusatte notes that animals in warmer parts of the world today are often smaller than those in colder areas, an ecological principle known as Bergmann’s rule. “The reasons are not entirely understood, but it is probably, in part, because smaller animals have a higher surface area compared to their size than bigger animals and can thus better get rid of extra heat” he writes.
Brusatte said that becoming smaller was “a common way that mammals deal with climate change”. He added, “That’s not to say every species of mammal would get smaller, but it seems to be a common survival trick of mammals when temperatures spike pretty quickly, which does raise the question: if temperatures do spike really quickly, might humans dwarf, might humans get smaller? And I think that’s certainly convincing.”
In a recent study, researchers studying human remains over the past million years have also suggested that temperature is a major predictor of body size variation, while scientists studying red deer have said that warmer winters in northern Europe and Scandinavia may lead to the body size of these animals becoming smaller.
However, not all experts agree that rising temperature causes mammals to decease. Prof Adrian Lister, of the Natural History Museum in London, said the relationship shown by the recent human remains study is weak, while the strong relationship between temperature and mammal body size may often result from the availability of food and resources.
Lister doubts whether humans will shrink as the climate heats. “We are not really controlled by natural selection,” he said. “If that was going to happen, you’d need to find large people dying before they could reproduce because of climate warming. That is not happening in today’s world. We wear clothes, we have got heating, we have got air conditioning if it is too hot.”
1. According to the passage, the early horses got smaller in body size .| A．to keep cool | B．to save food |
| C．to keep warm | D．to avoid being killed |
| A．Rise | B．Drop | C．Balance | D．Change |
| A．Every species of mammal would get smaller as the temperature goes up. |
| B．Animals in warmer areas are definitely smaller than those in colder areas. |
| C．Smaller animals have a higher surface area and so they can cool down quickly. |
| D．The change of Mammals’ body size is closely related to their food and other resources. |
| A．Climate Change Causes Natural Disasters. | B．Climate Change Leads to Heated Discussions. |
| C．Climate Change Causes Changes in Body Size. | D．Climate Change Leads to Changed Lifestyle. |
【推荐2】A group of scientists trained dogs to detect(发现)a crop disease called citrus greening. The disease has affected orange, lemon and grapefruit trees in the American states of Florida, California and Texas. The dogs can detect the disease weeks to years before it appears on tree leaves and roots, the researchers report. Using dogs is also faster, less costly and more exact than having people collect hundreds of leaves for lab analysis.
Timothy Gottwald is a researcher in the study. He said, “This technology is thousands of years old — the dog's nose. We’ve just trained dogs to hunt new prey：the bacteria that cause a very damaging crop disease.”
Citrus greening is caused by a kind of bacteria that are spread by a tiny insect that feeds on the leaves and stems of citrus trees. Once a tree is infected(感染)，there is' no cure. The disease has also hurt citrus crops in Central and South America and Asia. In one experiment involving grapefruit trees in Texas, trained dogs were correct 95 percent of the time in telling the difference between newly infected trees and healthy ones. “The earlier you detect the disease, the better chance you have at stopping healthy trees being infected by removing infected ones,” Gottwald said.
Professor Matteo Garbelotto says the new research shows that dogs can detect an infection well before present methods. He has been involved in similar research but had no part in the new study.
Laura Sims is a plant scientist. She praised the steps taken to find out if the dogs were detecting the bacteria itself or a plant's reaction to an infection. To do that, the researchers infected different kinds of unrelated plants with the bacteria in a laboratory. The dogs were still able to pick out the infected plants.
Gottwald said, "You've seen dogs working in airports, detecting drugs and explosives. Maybe soon you will see them working on more farms."
1. What does the text say about citrus greening?| A．It mainly damages tree branches. |
| B．It' s impossible to detect at an early stage. |
| C．Dogs can better detect it than humans. |
| D．Humans have to analyze tree roots to detect it. |
| A．By tasting. | B．By touching. |
| C．By observing. | D．By Sniffing. |
| A．help infected trees to recover | B．keep it from spreading further |
| C．improve the quality of fruit. | D．better protect infected trees |
| A．Dogs will take the place of humans to conduct risky jobs. |
| B．Trained dogs make no mistakes in citrus greening detection. |
| C．Dogs use plants' reaction to an infection to help with their detection. |
| D．Using dogs for citrus greening detection will be more widespread. |
【推荐3】You can count on the fact that cocoa bean planting is bad for the environment—especially for the rainforests of West Africa. That’s enough to make some consumers think about giving up chocolate. But what if we could enjoy chocolate without climate guilt? In fact, we can, because when cocoa is grown sustainably, it can actually help save the world.
Cocoa beans grow on shrubs that are often planted in the open but can also grow better under large rainforest trees. Well-managed shade-grown cacao trees can store a significantly higher amount of carbon than annual crops—up to three times the amount stored by cacao trees grown in full sun. Shade-grown cacao trees are also more drought-tolerant and weed-resistant than those grown in the open. They are friendlier to wildlife, improving biodiversity.
The problem is not that cacao trees can’t help the environment. The problem is that too few of them do. The reasons for this are complex, but mainly boil down to lack of resources, lack of information and insecure land tenure( 保 有 期 ). Many West African cacao farmers are sharecroppers. They can’t remove old, diseased trees because this would risk losing the land. They can’t afford to plant new trees, either. As a result, new cacao farms are usually created by businessmen who cut down trees and create chemical-intensive( 大 量 使 用 化 学 物 品 的 ) plantations, which both pollute and reduce biodiversity.
As the planet grows warmer and drier, though, these high-productive, full-sun cacao varieties are becoming weaker in the heat. Many small cacao farms in West Africa’s cocoa belt, which supplies up to 70 percent of the world’s cocoa, now suffer from low productivity. But there is hope. When cost and land tenure issues are solved, farmers are more than willing to grow cacao trees in the shade.
Trees are the most important weapons in the fight against climate change. So enjoy your chocolate—provided that it’s a sustainable, shade-grown brand. In fact, buy, eat and give as much of it as you like. The world will thank you.
1. Which of the following can store the largest amount of carbon?| A．Local annual crops that grow near the water. |
| B．Cacao trees that grow in full sun. |
| C．Cacao trees that grow under the shade. |
| D．Newly planted cacao trees that have most leaves. |
| A．There are not enough cacao trees to take effect. |
| B．Pollution from chemical plants poisons cacao trees. |
| C．Only a part of the cacao trees can help the environment. |
| D．Local cacao farmers run chemical-intensive plantations. |
| A．Making improvement to cacao varieties by means of chemicals. |
| B．Encouraging farmers to grow cacao trees under rainforest trees through some supporting measures. |
| C．Providing shade for originally full-sun cacao trees in the warmer and drier region. |
| D．Inviting successful businessmen to manage cacao farms in West Africa’s cocoa belt. |
| A．West Africa’s Cocoa Belt Is in Danger |
| B．Sustainable Brands Help Save the World |
| C．How Chocolate Can Help Save the Planet |
| D．How We Can Enjoy Food Without Climate Guilt |
【推荐1】Fish and dairy products are the best sources of Vitamin D, which can make it a struggle for those on a plant-based diet to get enough of it. Vitamin D helps protect our bones and keep muscles and teeth healthy.
Now, a team of researchers have come up with a probable new source of Vitamin D: tomatoes gene-edited using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. If farmers and producers start to use the process, these tomatoes could help mend the matter of lacking Vitamin D, which the study said would affect I billion people in the world.
“This exciting discovery not only improves human health but contributes to the environmental benefits connected with more plant-based diets-often linked with a challenge in getting some key vitamins and minerals widely found in animal products,” Guy Poppy, a professor of ecology at the University of Southampton, told the Science Media Centre in London. He didn’t take part in the research.
Vitamin D pills are widely available in many countries, but Cathie Martin, a professor at the John Innes Centre in Norwich. England, said that eating a tomato was “so much better than taking a pill.”
“I think that having a dietary source of Vitamin D in the form of a plant also means that you can get added benefits from eating tomatoes. We don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables anyway. A tomato is a good source of Vitamin C as well.” she said at a news meeting.
“The gene-edited tomatoes look and taste the same as ordinary tomatoes, and gene editing won’t affect the plant’s growth, development or harvest.” said Jie Li, a researcher at the John Innes Centre.
1. What problem could the gene-edited tomatoes solve?| A．Need for healthy diets. | B．No enough Vitamin D. |
| C．High prices for food. | D．Lack of new sources. |
| A．The discovery improves animal products. | B．The discovery causes new challenges. |
| C．The discovery affects tomato production. | D．The discovery is environment-friendly. |
| A．People can save lots of money. | B．People can get more Vitamin D. |
| C．People can receive extra benefits. | D．People can protect their muscles. |
| A．To introduce a new discovery. | B．To encourage a plant-based diet. |
| C．To promote gene-edited tomatoes. | D．To show benefits of Vitamin D. |
【推荐2】Some people worry that there’s too much technology in our lives. And they may have a point, given how countless people now carry the internet around in their pocket and use it as a primary form of communication. It’s practically difficult to shun technology in our world. There are computer microchips (微芯片) in our watches, our cars, light switches, even our pets! Where will it end?
Well, if certain people have their way, it’ll go even further. We’ll have microchips implanted (植入) into our brains that can interact with the computers by thought alone. It may sound like something from the science fiction, but in many ways, things look quite promising. Thanks to the ability to send and receive information remotely via computers, microchips and other related devices have long been put into brains.
For example, electrodes have been implanted in the brains of epilepsy patients to better record and even predict the abnormal neurological activity. Similarly, deep-brain stimulation, through implanted devices that cause activity in key brain regions, is an established treatment for things like Parkinson’s disease, and is even being looked into for illnesses like depression.
However, it’s another thing to place such devices in healthy individuals. There are the practical concerns, not least of which is what these chips will be made of. The inside of the brain is a mass of highly reactive chemicals and electrical activity. Implants would need to be inert (静止的) enough to not upset the delicate processes by their presence, but also sensitive enough to read and process the activity around them. Current technology has made impressive progress with this, but if it were to be rolled out to millions of people, we’d need to be 100 per cent certain that it’s safe.
How many people will actually want to have technology literally put into their brain? A surprising 60 per cent of Americans say they’d be okay with it, but that’s when it’s purely theoretical. In reality, the possibility of having strangers stick chips in your brain is likely to prove unattractive, especially for a population where millions get mad at fictional microchips in vaccines (疫苗), and even more are frightened of dentists.
Ultimately, the technology of computer-brain interface (接口) implants is still far away from us.
1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?| A．A summary of the article. | B．An introduction to the main topic. |
| C．An overview of the whole article. | D．An argument over the main topic. |
| A．The process of human-computer interaction. |
| B．The possible treatment for particular diseases. |
| C．The future of microchips and devices alike. |
| D．The existing application of microchip implants. |
| A．They may reject it. | B．They may expect it. |
| C．They may adjust to it. | D．They may feel curious about it. |
| A．Imaginary. | B．Practical. | C．Unfulfilled. | D．Impossible. |
【推荐3】Is Society Too Dependent On Technology?
Just think, what would happen if your computer, iPad or laptop crashed today? What if someone took away your phone for some days or perhaps you lost it?
Most of us cannot go for a minute without looking at our phones and the fear of the battery dying is immense. If you happen to work in offices you may be familiar with this trend.
Kids used to spend a lot of time with each other or parents playing or just sharing stories. Those evening games after school are over; watching cartoons on a Sunday or playing with friends are no longer there.
Society may have gone too far in technology dependence. It has become so immense that doctors have recommended for “technology detox”.
Well, the choice remains in our hands. We must agree that society is being carried away by the increased inventions being introduced in our lives today.
| A．Perhaps you may have heard of it. |
| B．We appreciate technology since it has its benefits. |
| C．If the Internet is down, all the tasks are over for the day. |
| D．Technology addiction has become a major problem among teenagers. |
| E．If thinking about these incidences makes you stressed, you are not alone. |
| F．Here are some signs that our generation depends too much on technology. |
| G．Today, most kids remain indoors playing computer games or with a smart phone. |
【推荐1】Of the many safety measures that Disney Parks had to set up to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring guests to keep a six-foot distance from the costumed characters must have been one of the hardest.
For kids or kids at heart, running into the waiting arms of Mickey Mouse and other beloved characters had been such a fascinating and essential part of the experience, which makes hanging back terribly tough.
But finally, hugs are back on the horizon at US Disney sites.
As early as April 18, “Disney will start reintroducing traditional character greetings at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as aboard Disney Cruise Line and at Aulani Resort in Hawaii,” according to a new post on the official Disney Parks blog. Getting autographs, shooting photos close up and sharing a laugh face-to-face with characters such as Mulan, Goofy, and Donald Duck will all be back on the table.
“During the past two years, we’ve taken a very gradual, intentional approach to health and safety protocols,” wrote Shawn Slater, senior communications manager for Disney Live Entertainment, in the blog. “Recent trends and guidance have provided opportunities for us to bring back some of our most beloved magic, like character greetings and dining experiences. While not all locations will be available immediately, we anticipate reopening in stages throughout the spring and early summer.”
It’s not just character interactions that will be returning later this spring. At Disneyland in California, guests can look forward to the return of several nighttime spectaculars, including fireworks and Main Street Parade.
However, Disney still isn’t 100% back in some ways. Take face masks, for instance. Disney asks that visitors who are not fully vaccinated (接种疫苗) continue wearing face masks in all indoor locations. You can click here for their latest safety updates.
1. What makes it hard for Disney Parks to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic?| A．They have to require their fascinating characters to be costumed. |
| B．They have to ban visitors from getting close to beloved characters. |
| C．They have to ask guests to keep a six-foot distance from each other. |
| D．They have to make kids or kids at heart wait to meet Micky Mouse. |
| A．Taking pictures next to Donald Duck. |
| B．Having face-to-face conversations with Mulan. |
| C．Dining on the table with Goofy. |
| D．Watching performances given by characters. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A website. |
| C．A textbook. | D．A novel. |
| A．Disney takes safety measures for guests to keep a distance from characters. |
| B．Traditional character greetings will be back at all Disney Parks worldwide. |
| C．Disney asks visitors who are not fully vaccinated to wear face masks. |
| D．Character hugs and other interactions will return soon at US Disney sites. |
【推荐2】Ninety-five per cent of Lottie Allen’s clothes in her wardrobe are proved. “It’s like a dressing-up box,” says the 19-year-old student. One of her favorites is an Alice-in-Wonderland-style dress which cost &5. From Brighton’s kilo markets to charity shops, Allen loves hunting for timeless bargains. “Often people don’t consider the environmental impact of how clothes have been made or where they’ll end up once they’ve been worn, but wearing proved clothes is exciting,” she says.
Consumers are fast waking up to the environmental damage of the fashion industry, and finding ways to stay stylish that are kinder to the planet. Passing on unwanted clothes for someone else to use is something everyone can do to make a difference.
An estimated &30 bn worth of unworn clothes sits in UK wardrobes, according to the waste watchdog WRAP, while 300,000 tonnes of unwanted garments go into landfill every year. On the other hand, WRAP’s 2017 Valuing Your Clothes report estimated that a 10 per cent increase in second-hand sales could save 3 per cent carbon, 4 per cent water and 1 per cent waste per tonne of clothing.
“Sustainable ways of purchasing clothes are becoming more common in the UK,” explains Andrea Speranza, head of campaigns for fashion charity TR. AID. The organization launched its 23% Campaign last year, so named because 23 per cent of clothes in London go unworn; the aim is to put 123 million items of garments back into use through TRAID’ s collection projects, charity shops and eBay store.
According to Speranza, TRAID has collected and redistributed more than 1 million items of clothing, which has saved an estimated 412 million liters of water, and 2, 451 tonnes of carbon, and has proved that shopping needn’t cost the earth.
Globally, fashion re-trade is on the rise, and it’s young, Eco-conscious shoppers who are leading this resale revolution. In a report published earlier this year, US-based ThredUP, the world’s largest online charity shop, revealed that 18-to 37-year-olds are adopting second hand clothing 2.5 times faster than other age groups. It also predicted that one in three young consumers would buy second-hand next year.
1. What is special about Allen’s wardrobe?| A．It is an absolute bargain. |
| B．It is made of recycled materials. |
| C．It is full of second-hand clothes. |
| D．It is lightweight and easy to take apart. |
| A．It’s a trend to wear old garments in the UK. |
| B．Consumers prefer to buy eco-friendly clothes. |
| C．Clothing businesses have been failing in the UK. |
| D．It’ll make a difference to reuse unwanted clothes. |
| A．It has made Speranza disappointed. |
| B．It is producing a significant effect. |
| C．It is a campaign for fashion design. |
| D．It has been inspiring Europeans for years. |
| A．The golden age of second-hand clothing comes along. |
| B．Fashion revolutions around Europe have changed. |
| C．People want to keep away from unworn clothes. |
| D．People make a donation to TRAID. |
【推荐3】43-year-old John Chadwick started live-streaming (直播) life of the birds with their chicks.But just weeks after uploading the videos to YouTube, he gained millions of views from around the world.
John said, “To think that tens of millions of people have been watching the birds from around the world is just incredible and quite overwhelming.”
The sound engineer bought the bird box by accident. He placed it on a willow tree in his back garden in March, and within hours two blue tits (蓝冠山雀) moved in and they had five chicks. At first, he only wanted to show his family what the birds were up to.
John said, “Within a day the birds moved in, and I wanted to know what was going on inside. I started to livestream and do video highlights every day-on the first day 100 people watched it. It showed things like the chicks being fed in the nests as the parents carried in caterpillars (毛毛虫). After three months, I had 2, 000 subscribers.”
John decided to put a final video together and keep it as short as possible-showing the birds going into the nests, the eggs hatching, and the chicks fledging(长羽毛).
Now despite the huge global success of the videos, John is unlikely to make enough for a nest egg of his own. He still needs to struggle for his family. But some people say they find it quite relaxing and genuinely fascinated by John’s videos.
He said, “My personal challenge to myself was to get out of my comfortable zone. And I enjoy exploring new areas. But I keep in mind that I need to care for my family.”
1. Why did John livestream birds’ life at first?| A．To kill time at home. |
| B．To know more about the birds. |
| C．To get him closer to his family. |
| D．To call on people to shelter blue tits. |
| A．His financial problem. |
| B．Little blue tits’ settlements. |
| C．Improvement of his final video. |
| D．Challenges from online viewers. |
| A．Intelligent and hardworking. |
| B．Helpful and wise. |
| C．Knowledgeable and generous. |
| D．Adventurous and responsible. |
| A．A Bird Lover’s Video of Blue Tits Attracts Millions of Fans |
| B．A Video Raises People’s Awareness of Protecting Birds |
| C．Technology Can Greatly Affect the Survival of Wildlife |
| D．A Bird Lover Makes Efforts to Protect Rare Blue Tits |
