Cyclist Alain Such has been dropped from the Ingotel cycling team for two years after a positive drug test at the Institute of drug Free Sport. “ I was flabbergasted.” Said Didier Garcia, from Team Ingotel. “Alain joined our team last month and we had no idea that he was being examined.”
It’s a story that has become more and more familiar in recent years. Dr. Mohammad Farnood, a leading sports scientist from Cairo, Egypt, said, “ It is thought that some athletes will look for other ways to improve performance in addition to using drugs.”
However, it has not always been against the law. In the Olympics in 1904, Thomas Hicks won the marathon after using drugs in the middle of the race. In fact, the first one didn’t make him feel better for long, so he was given another and, as a result, he fell down soon after finishing and knew nothing. Another one may well have killed him.
Things are very different today. Some scientists are considering the possibilities of using genetic engineering to further develop athletes’ abilities. “If it works with no risk of discovering,” said Dr Farnood, “ then it’s likely to become common practice for athletes.”
Researchers are looking at the possibility of identifying “athletic” genes and correcting weak ones. Put into practice, this would make a person healthier and stronger. Once scientists understand what genes of top athletes look like , it might even become possible to identify “athletic” genes in young people, and then money could be spent on children who have the most promising genes.
“People are beginning to recognize that genetics can in many ways do good to our society, for example in saving lives and in creating better quality food for people.” Dr Farnood says. “ So, is it fair to use genetic engineering in sport? You could ask if it’s fair for some runners to use the latest scientifically developed footwear. The key question is whether it’s available to everyone.”
1. What does the underlined word “ flabbergasted” in Paragraph 1 mean ?| A．Shy . | B．Proud. |
| C．Excited. | D．Surprised. |
| A．He was badly hurt in training. |
| B．He broke the law when running in a race. |
| C．He took drugs and almost got killed. |
| D．He lost the match in the Olympic Games. |
| A．Didier Garcia . |
| B．Thomas Hicks. |
| C．Cyclist Alain Such . |
| D．Dr Mohammad Farnood. |
| A．The possibility of identifying “athletic” genes has become available . |
| B．It’s not clear whether it is fair to use genetic engineering in sport. |
| C．The practice of using drugs in sport has a long history. |
| D．It’s dangerous to use drugs in sport. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Everywhere I look outside my home I see people busy on their high-tech devices, while driving, walking, shopping, even sitting in toilets. When connected electronically, they are away from physical reality.
People have been influenced to become technology addicted. One survey reported that "addicted" was the word most commonly used by people to describe their relationship to iPad and similar devices. One study found that people had a harder time resisting the allure of social media than they did for sleep, cigarettes and alcohol.
The main goal of technology companies is to get people to spend more money and time on their products, not to actually improve our quality of life. They have successfully created a cultural disease. Consumers willingly give up their freedom, money and time to catch up on the latest information, to keep pace with their peers or to appear modern.
I see people trapped in a pathological relationship with time-sucking technology, where they serve technology more than technology serves them. I call this technology servitude. I am referring to a loss of personal freedom and independence because of uncontrolled consumption of many kinds of devices that eat up time and money.
What is a healthy use of technology devices? That is the vital question. Who is really in charge of my life? That is what people need to ask themselves if we are to have any chance of breaking up false beliefs about their use of technology. When we can live happily without using so much technology for a day or a week, then we can regain control and personal freedom, become the master of technology and discover what there is to enjoy in life free of technology. Mae West is famous for the wisdom that "too much of a good thing is wonderful." But it's time to discover that it does not work for technology.
Richard Fernandez, an executive coach at Google acknowledged that "we can be swept away by our technologies." To break the grand digital connection people must consider how life long ago could be fantastic without today's overused technology.
1. The underlined word "allure" in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.| A．advantage | B．attraction | C．adaption | D．attempt |
| A．attract people to buy their products | B．provide the latest information |
| C．improve people's quality of life | D．deal with cultural diseases |
| A．consider too much technology wonderful | B．have realized the harm of high-tech devices |
| C．can regain freedom without high-tech devices | D．may enjoy life better without overused technology |
| A．Neutral. | B．Doubtful. | C．Disapproving. | D．Supportive. |
【推荐2】Art & Technology
Think “art”. What comes to your mind? Is it Greek or Roman sculptures in the Louvre, or Chinese paintings in the Palace Museum? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s a dancing pattern of lights?
The artworks by American artist Janet Echelman look like colorful floating clouds when they are lit up at night. Visitors to one of her artworks in Vancouver could not only enjoy looking at it, they could also interact with it- literally. They did this by using their phones to change its colors and patterns. Exhibits such as these are certainly new and exciting, but are they really art?
Whatever your opinion, people have been expressing their thoughts and ideas through art for thousands of years. To do this, they have used a variety of tools and technologies. Yet Michelangelo and others have been labelled as “artists” rather than “technicians”. This means that art and technology have always been seen as two very separate things.
Today, however, technological advances have led to a combination of art and technology. As a result, the art world is changing greatly. Now art is more accessible to us than ever before. Take for example one of China’s most famous paintings from the Song Dynasty, Along the River During the Qingning Festival. As this artwork is rarely on display, people have sometimes queued up to six hours for a chance to see it. Once in front of the painting, they only have limited time to spend taking in its five meters of scenes along the Bian River in Bianjing. Thanks to technology however, millions more people have been able to experience a digital version of this painting. Three-dimensional (3D) animation means that viewers can see the characters move around. They can also watch as the different scenes change from daylight into nighttime.
The art-tech combination is also changing our concepts (概念) of “art” and the “artist”. Not only can we interact with art, but also take part in its creation. With new technological tools at our fingertips, more and more people are exploring their creative sides. The result has been exciting new art forms, such as digital paintings and videos.
However, the increase in the amount and variety of art produced has also raised questions over its overall quality, Can a video of someone slicing a tomato played in slow motion really be called “art”?
Similarly, such developments are making the line between art and technology less distinct. Can someone unfamiliar with traditional artists’ tools really call themselves an “artist”? And is the artist the creator of the art itself. Or the maker of the technology behind it? A recent project used technology and data in the same way that Rembrandt used his paints and brushes. The end result printed in 3D, was a new “Rembrandt painting” created 347 years after the artist’s death. These advances are perhaps bringing us closer to a time when computers rather than humans create art.
Where technology will take art next is anyone’s guess. But one thing is for sure—with so many artists exploring new possibilities, we can definitely expect the unexpected.
1. What is the main purpose of the first two paragraphs?| A．To criticize the new forms of art exhibits. |
| B．To lead readers to review how art develops. |
| C．To draw readers’ attention to what can be called “art”. |
| D．To compare the differences between eastern and western art. |
| A．the old way of displaying artworks is out of date |
| B．artworks can be recreated with the help of technology |
| C．art-tech combination changes the viewers into creators |
| D．technology makes viewers appreciate classics more easily |
| A．it is hard to recognize the difference between art and technology |
| B．technology has improved the quantity and quality of artworks |
| C．art and technology have been seen as a whole for a long time |
| D．artworks have lost their value with the help of technology |
【推荐3】As prices drop and their functionality expands, you can expect to see humanoid(类人的)robots in more places, including schools, airports, and hospitals. Will they influence human behavior?
In a study published recently, scientists found that mean robots can help people concentrate. The experiment, published in Science Robotics, was based on something called the Stroop Task, which is widely used in psychology and described as the "gold standard" of attentional tests. It challenges participants to name the colors of words and ignore their meanings while calculating reaction time.
The researchers put a modern twist on the task, though-this time, there was a robot in the room. The goal was to see if the presence of a robot would affect cognition, and the researchers found it did, but only when the robot was mean.
How do you make a robot mean? In this case, a meter-tall toy robot called a Meccanoid G15KS was made to respond to seven questions. The good robots told jokes, spoke about friendship, and described test subjects as nice. The bad robots replied to questions with passive aggressive comebacks, such as "I enjoy doing analysis programs but you would not understand" and statements like "I do not value friendship."Then the participants rated the robots."The more participants thought the robot made them uncomfortable, the greater the improvement of their Stroop performance was," the researchers wrote."Not surprisingly, the bad robot was rated as less warm, friendly and pleasant than the good robot."
The study authors argue that robots are crossing the line in some situations from machines to social agents. That will change how humans interact with and behave around them.
“Similar to a human's presence, the presence of a robot might not be neutral(无倾向性的) in situations like school or in the office when you are working." Nicolas Spatola, one of the study authors said in an email, "So before your boss decides to introduce a robot in your office, it could be a good idea to evaluate how you feel about it and how it can positively or negatively impact your work, how comfortable you may feel with it or if you feel it to be a threat."
Just 58 students from University Clermont Auvergne in France participated in the experiment but the researchers found an increase in the speed of correct answers among those in the presence of a mean robot when compared to those who were with a nice robot or alone.
In the future, robots will almost certainly become more and more common in nursing homes, hotel check-in desks, behind the wheel, and elsewhere. “If we want to improve the use of robots in our daily life, there seems to be a need to first understand how Human Robot Interaction can impact human psychology,” Spatola said.
1. What was the finding of the new study?| A．The use of robots is rising. | B．Humanoid robots can be mean. |
| C．Unkind robots can sharpen our focus. | D．Robots are becoming more functional.,. |
| A．By their words. | B．By their actions. |
| C．By their appearance. | D．By the Stroop Task. |
| A．Be careful about using robots. | B．Leave the robot if it presents a threat. |
| C．Robots will have a good impact on offices. | D．Robots may replace humans in the workplace. |
| A．The participants were too young. | B．The study method wasn't scientific. |
| C．There was a slight difference in speed. | D．The number of the participants was too small. |
| A．Scientists have already developed humanoid robots. |
| B．Humanoid robots have already found its way into our daily life. |
| C．Humanoid robots will certainly come into our daily life sooner or later. |
| D．There is no difficulty we'll meet with before humanoid robots are widely used. |
【推荐1】Since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973, it has helped hundreds of species avoid extinction in the United States. The strong conservation policy has been used as a model in other countries. But it’s not as successful as it could be, a new study finds.
Researchers have discovered that most species are not being protected until their numbers became so small that their chance of recovery is slim.
In 1993, a study found that few species received protection under the ESA until their populations dwindled to very tiny numbers: on average, just 1,075 individuals for vertebrates (脊椎动物), 999 for invertebrates, and 120 for individuals for plant species.
For the new study, researchers repeated the methods in the earlier research to see if protections have become better since the problem was first noted. They also looked at trends in “wait times” — the amount of time between when a species is identified as potentially needing protection and when it actually receives protection under the ESA.
The researchers found that the population sizes of species when they first became protected under the ESA are not statistically different from those in the 1993 study. The findings showed that the population of vertebrates when listed is 999 individuals, invertebrates is 536, and plants is 192.
They also discovered that there are long wait times between when a species is identified as likely needing protection and when they actually receive them.
There have been several thousand species listed on the ESA over the past nearly five decades, and 99% of the listed species have avoided going extinct. But researchers point out that only 54 species — like the bald eagle and American alligator — have recovered so well that they no longer need protection.
Researchers say that the findings are timely due to the upcoming December meeting of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The members will finalize a plan for conservation efforts globally through 2030.
Polls (民意调查) over the years have demonstrated that most Americans support a strong ESA to protect endangered (濒危的) wildlife. And the ESA has the strong policy, if used correctly, to do that.
1. What does the underlined word “dwindled” in paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Adapted. | B．Reduced. | C．Limited. | D．Returned. |
| A．The problems that were noticed recently. |
| B．The method used in the earlier research. |
| C．The improvement of protective measures. |
| D．The duration animals that were under protection. |
| A．The population of protected species grows larger. |
| B．Many more species are listed as endangered animals. |
| C．The number of vertebrates grows faster than invertebrates. |
| D．Endangered species tend to wait long before getting protected. |
| A．It contributes to a plan. |
| B．It put forward more effective measures. |
| C．It discovered more endangered species. |
| D．It reflected the public’s wishes and dreams. |
【推荐2】Dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas of restaurants in New York, US. In the past, health and safety laws made it illegal (违法的) to bring dogs to any restaurant in New York. But last May state lawmakers voted (表决) to let people bring dogs to restaurants that have tables outdoors: Not one lawmaker voted no. The law was soon passed. Several special rules are included in this law. The dogs must be kept on a leash (皮带). Dogs must not share water bowls. Also, restaurants can choose to let people bring dogs or not.
New York joins California, Florida and Maryland in the list of states with similar laws. In many European countries, bringing dogs to restaurants is common. Paris in France has allowed dogs to go with their owners in restaurants for a long time.
Governor Andrew Cuomo believes that this new law will help businesses grow. But not all New Yorkers are happy about this new law. Christopher Miller is the spokesman for the New York City Department of Health. He told the New York Daily News that letting dogs in restaurants could cause problems. “The Health Department loves all dogs, but just not at restaurants where they can create a risk to the health and safety of diners, restaurant workers and other dogs,” Miller said.
New York City is often the center of the new ideas in the US. A law asking some restaurants in the city to show the amount of calories (卡路里数量) in the food they served was passed in 2009. The city leader tried unsuccessfully to stop the sale of large amounts of soft drinks in 2012. Smoking was made illegal in restaurants in 1993.
1. What can we know about the new law from Paragraph 1?| A．Who made it. | B．Why it was made. |
| C．Why there are special rules. | D．What the special rules are. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．It could help businesses grow. | B．It could be bad for the environment. |
| C．It could bring health and safety problems. | D．It could make people pay more attention to dogs. |
| A．Smoking. | B．Bringing dogs. |
| C．Supplying high-calorie food. | D．Selling soft drinks in big cups. |
【推荐3】In Mexico, first Oaxaca's state legislature (立法机关) passed a ban on selling or giving out high-calorie packaged foods and sugar-sweetened drinks to minors (未成年人) recently. Less than two weeks later, Tabasco state approved a prohibition too. Now at least a dozen other states in Mexico are considering similar legislation.
Two-thirds of those who died from COVID-19 in Mexico had health problems such as obesity and diabetes, according to Health Department officials. That has led to a new urgency to change diets so that the younger generation doesn't suffer those diseases. The country consumes large amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed snacks. One-third of Mexicans aged 6 to 19 are overweight, according to UNICEF. They can suffer many health issues, especially in adulthood.
Assistant Health Secretary Hugo, who has called soda "bottled poison", has been calling on citizens to cut back on junk food. He said the country's overweight health issue is the fault of a nutritional environment that has been developed to favor those junk food products instead of health.
In addition to Tabasco, Chihuahua state is debating a junk food ban. A federal senator from Oaxaca says he wants to make it a national law. A nationwide law would not be easy. There are powerful commercial interests that don't want it to happen. The business owners' association COPARMEX said the lawmaking “will be a barrier to commercial freedom”.
Public health groups applauded the junk food ban for minors as it is another encouraging step toward nutrition. With their effort, in the rural Oaxacan town, citizens have physically blocked chips and soda delivery trucks from entering, saying they don't want outsiders to bring in junk food. Almost all teenagers there know about health problems related to junk food thanks to the non-profit workshops from the health group. “I'd be annoyed at first,” said 16-year-old Wendy, “but I'd adapt. And maybe I'd think twice and buy fruit or something healthy instead.”
1. What is behind the new urgency to change diets?| A．COVID-19 death cases. | B．Pressure from the public. |
| C．The nutritional environment. | D．Wide consumption of packaged foods. |
| A．advocate a healthier lifestyle | B．met healthier food demand |
| C．cut junk food production | D．win support from young people |
| A．They tried to win grocers' support. | B．They funded the research on diseases. |
| C．They stopped the delivery of junk food. | D．They raised citizens' awareness of health issues. |
| A．Action to Fight Against Global Health Problem | B．Ways of Losing Weight by Eating Smart |
| C．Move to Ban Junk Food Sales to Minors | D．Advice on How to Have a Balanced Diet |
