考研英语报刊阅读1.docx
《考研英语报刊阅读1.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《考研英语报刊阅读1.docx(28页珍藏版)》请在冰点文库上搜索。
考研英语报刊阅读1
Andman-madelife
TOCREATElifeistheprerogativeofgods.Deepinthehumanpsyche,whatevertherationalpleadingsofphysicsandchemistry,thereexistsasensethatbiologyisdifferent,ismorethanjustthesumofatomsmovingaboutandreactingwithoneanother,issomehowinfusedwithadivinespark,avitalessence.Itmaycomeasashock,then,thatmeremortalshavenowmadeartificiallife.
CraigVenterandHamiltonSmith,thetwoAmericanbiologistswhounravelledthefirstDNAsequenceofalivingorganism(abacterium)in1995,havemadeabacteriumthathasanartificialgenome—creatingalivingcreaturewithnoancestor.PedantsmayquibblethatonlytheDNAofthenewbeastwasactuallymanufacturedinalaboratory;theresearchershadtousetheshellofanexistingbugtogetthatDNAtodoitsstuff.Nevertheless,aRubiconhasbeencrossed.Itisnowpossibletoconceiveofaworldinwhichnewbacteria(andeventually,newanimalsandplants)aredesignedonacomputerandthengrowntoorder.
Thatabilitywouldprovemankind’smasteryovernatureinawaymoreprofoundthaneventhedetonationofthefirstatomicbomb.Thebomb,howeverjustifiedinthecontextoftheSecondWorldWar,waspurelydestructive.Biologyisaboutnurturingandgrowth.Syntheticbiology,asthetechnologythatthisandmyriadlesseyecatchingadvancesareusheringinhasbeendubbed,promisesmuch.Intheshorttermitpromisesbetterdrugs,lessthirstycrops,greenerfuelsandevenarejuvenatedchemicalindustry.Inthelongertermwhoknowswhatmarvelscouldbedesignedandgrown?
Onthefaceofit,then,artificiallifelookslikeawonderfulthing.Yetthatisnothowmanywillviewtheannouncement.Forthem,abetterwordthan“creation”is“tampering”.Havescientistsgottoobigfortheirboots?
WilltheirhubrisbringNemesisinduecourse?
Whathorrorswillcomecreepingoutoftheflaskonthelaboratorybench?
Suchquestionsarenotmisplaced—andshouldgivepauseeventothose,includingthisnewspaper,whonormallyembraceadvancesinsciencewithenthusiasm.Thenewbiologicalsciencedoeshavethepotentialtodogreatharm,aswellasgood.“Predator”and“disease”arejustasmuchpartofthebiologicalvocabularyas“nurturing”and“growth”.Butforgoodorillitishere.Creatinglifeisnolongertheprerogativeofgods.
1.Inparagraphone,theauthorimpliesthattocreatelifeis____________.
A.againstGod’swill
B.againstpeople’sreligiousright
C.gods’privilege
D.aproofofmen’spower
2.Thestatement“aRubiconhasbeencrossed”inparagraphtwomeansthat__________.
A.theresearchershaveviolatedthelawofthenature
B.theresearchershavesolvedtheproblemcausedbyRubicon
C.theresearchershaveovercometheprotestfromreligiouspeople
D.theresearchershavetakentheirdecisionandwillneverchange
3.Theauthorcitestheexampleofthefirstatomicbombtoimply____________.
A.mankind’smasteryoverthenature
B.thepotentialdangerofcreatinglife
C.theharmbroughtaboutbyscientificdevelopment
D.thedifferencesbetweenphysicsandbiology
4.Inthelastparagraph,theauthorurgespeopleto____________.
A.applaudwarmlyforscientificdevelopment
B.giveduesupporttoadvancesincreatinglife
C.thinktwiceabouttheinfluenceofcreatinglife
D.acceptwhateverisgoodorillinexistence
5.Accordingtothepassage,theauthorholdsa_____attitudetowardscreatinglife.
A.supportiveB.detachedC.biasedD.suspicious
考研词汇
divine
a.神的,神圣的,非凡的,超人的,非常可爱的;n.牧师
conceive
v.①(of)设想,构思,想象;②以为;③怀胎,怀有
profound
a.①深刻的,意义深远的;②渊博的,造诣深的
[真题例句]Buttheenvironmentmustalsohaveaprofound(①)effect,sinceifcompetitionisimportanttotheparents,itislikelytobecomeamajorfactorinthelivesoftheirchildren.[1995年阅读4]
[例句精译]但环境也一定对性格有深刻的影响,因为如果竞争对父母来说很重要的话,那它也可能成为孩子生活中的一个重要因素。
artificial
a.①人工的,人造的;②人为的,娇揉造作的
[真题例句]Indeedthequestfortrueartificial(①)intelligencehasproducedverymixedresults.[2002年阅读2]
[例句精译]实际上对真正的人工智能的追求已经产生了各种各样的效果。
[真题例句]ThecasualfriendlinessofmanyAmericansshouldbeinterpretedneitherassuperficialnorasartificial(②),butastheresultofahistoricallydevelopedculturaltradition.[1997年阅读2]
[例句精译]很多美国人不经意表现的友好不应被看做是表面或虚假的应酬,而应该看成是文化传统历史发展的结果
embrace
v.①拥抱;②包含
[真题例句]IntheAmericaneconomy,theconceptofprivatepropertyembraces(②)notonlytheownershipofproductiveresourcesbutalsocertainrights,includingtherighttodeterminethepriceofaproductortomakeafreecontractwithanotherprivateindividual.[1994年阅读1]
[例句精译]在美国经济中,私有财产的概念不仅包括生产资料的所有权,也包括一定的权利,比如,产品价格的决定权或与其他私有个体的自由签约权。
背景常识介绍
人造生命是指从其它生命体中提取基因,建立新染色体。
随后将其嵌入已经被剔除了遗传密码的细胞之中,最终由这些人工染色体控制这个细胞,发育变成新的生命体。
2007年10月8日,美国科学家克雷格·文特尔表示,他目前已经在实验室成功地制造出一个合成的人造染色体。
2010年5月20日,美国私立科研机构克雷格·文特尔研究所宣布世界首例人造生命——完全由人造基因控制的单细胞细菌诞生,并将“人造生命”起名为“辛西娅”。
这项具有里程碑意义的实验表明,新的生命体可以在实验室里“被创造”,而不是一定要通过“进化”来完成。
参考译文
人造生命
造物是上帝的特权。
无论从物理还是化学的角度来说,人造生命有多么合情合理,人类内心一直有这样一种观念——生物是特殊的,它不仅仅是一定数量的原子晃来晃去相互反应的结果,而是,神之光芒,天地之精华的融合。
现如今,卑微的人类也造物了,想必令人震惊。
1995年,美国的两位生物学家——克瑞格·温特和汉密尔顿·史密斯,第一次解开了一个活的有机体(一个细菌)的DNA序列。
最近,他们制造出了一个有人造基因的细菌——也就是说,他们创造了一个没有祖先的生命。
较真的学究们可能会争辩只有新生物的DNA是实验室制造的,科学家们不得不从现已存在的昆虫的躯体中取得DNA,然后才开始造物。
然而,难题已被拿下。
现在,我们可以想象有一天,科学家们在电脑上设计新的细菌(最终可能是新的动植物),并让它们按照程序设计的那样生长。
从某种程度上而言,这一成果比第一颗原子弹的爆炸更能证明人类对自然的掌控。
然而,原子弹虽然有二战的庇护,其性质实则是不折不扣的破坏;生物是一门关于培育和生长的学科;合成生物学前景广阔,作为一门科学技术现已运用于人造生命以及无数的和人造生命相比不是那么引人注目的科学发展中。
从短期来看,合成生物学有助于研发更好的药品、耐旱作物、清洁能源,甚至是用于振兴化工业。
从长期来看,谁知道会有什么奇迹诞生并发展呢?
乍看起来,人造生命是个好东西。
然而,这并不是多数人的看法,他们认为,比起“创造”,“干涉”这个词更好。
科学家们是不是太自负了呢?
他们的自负会不会招致惩罚呢?
实验台上的烧瓶里会产生什么样的噩梦呢?
这些问题不是杞人忧天——对于那些像本刊这样,一直满怀热情支持科技进步的人们来说,也应该停下来好好想想。
生物学的新进展确实可能在带来进步的同时,带来巨大的伤害。
是“捕食”,“疾病”还是“养育”,“生长”在生物学上都是均等的。
但是,好也罢,坏也罢,人造生命已是既成事实。
创造生命不再是上帝的特权。
Aspenny-pinchershover,Businesstripsrebound
Someairlines,afteralongperiodofcuttingcapacity,arenowcautiouslyaddingseatstoaccommodatethegrowthindemand.Delta,forexample,saidinOctoberthatitsfourthquartercapacitywouldbeup3to5percentdomesticallyand10to12percentinternationally.
WallStreetloveshearingthatairlinesareholdingthelineoncapacitybecauseitmeansthatsupplyanddemandarebalancedinfavorofthesupplier.ButsinceJanuary,accordingtoarecentreportbytheInternationalAirTransportAssociation,worldwideairlinecapacity“hasenteredthemarketatafasterratethandemand.”Airlineshavebeenrushingtoassurestockmarketanalyststhattheystillhavethedemandsupplyequationundercontrol.
Meanwhile,companiesarealarmedbyindicationsthattravelcostsarerising,evenasimprovedeconomicconditionsargueforsendingmoreemployeesoutontheroad.Nextyear,accordingtotheAmericanExpressGlobalBusinessTravelForecastreleasedlastmonth,“pricingpowerwillswingbacktoairandhotelsuppliersforthefirsttimeintwoyears.”
Forbusinesstravelers,ofcourse,thisallmeansmorelecturesfromcorporatetravelmanagersaboutsavingmoney.AstheAmericanExpressreportputit,companiesneedtoreexaminecostcontroltacticstoguardagainsttheexpected“significantrateincreases”nextyear.
AccordingtotheannualBusinessTravelerSurveyjustreleasedbytheconsultingcompanyDeloitte,24percentofrespondentsplantotakemorebusinesstripsnextyearandanadditional56percentexpecttotakeatleastasmanyasin2010.They’reonatighterrein,too.Halfsaidtheywerenowrequiredtoobtainpreapprovalforbusinesstrips.Nearlyaquartersaidtheywerenowstayingatcheaperhotels.
Now,thoseofuswhohavebeenaroundthisrodeoforawhilehaveseenthisparticulareventmanytimes.Corporatetravelmanagerswailthatcostsaresoaring,andtheydemandcompliancewithneworold,butalwaysstrict,travelpolicies—orelse.
Butasbusinessconditionsimproveandtheneedtotravelbecomescompelling,manybusinesstravelerspushbackandsay,ineffect,“WhaddyameanIhavetosavemoneybyconnectingonthatcrummyairlinethroughChicagoandHoustontogettomydestinationinLosAngeles,whereyouexpectmetostayatsomecheaphotelthat’sanhour’sdrivefrommymeeting?
”
Sowe’lllistentothelecturesandtravelwithourusualfiscalprudence.ButwecantakeheartinastatisticreleasedbytheInternationalAirTransportAssociation.Pennypinchingaside,internationalpremiumtravelinfirstandbusinessclasswasup12.1percentinSeptember.
Astheysayattherodeo,Yippee!
1.Whatcanweinferfromparagraphone?
A.Someairlinesarebenefitingfromtheimprovedeconomicconditions.
B.Someairlinesaretryingtobalancethedemandandsupply.
C.Someairlineshavebeencuttingdownthepriceforalongtime.
D.Someairlineshaveprovidedaccommodationfortheirpassengers.
2.AccordingtoarecentreportbytheInternationalAirTransportAssociation,_____.
A.airlineshavesuppliedmoreseatsthanactuallydemanded
B.airlineshaverespondedtothedemandatafastspeed
C.airlineshavereliedonstockmarketanalyststoenterthemarket
D.airlineshavehadthedemandsupplyequationundercontrol
3.Companiesarefacingtheproblemof__________.
A.morebusinesstrips
B.highertravelexpenses
C.shortageoffunds
D.revisionofcostcontroltactics
4.Thestatement“They’reonatighterrein,too”inparagraphfivemeans__________.
A.theymustreducetheirbusinesstrips,too
B.theymustsavetheirownmoney,too
C.theyarealsoaffectedbythenewsituations
D.theyarealsounderstrictcontrol
5.Inthelasttwoparagraphs,theauthorimpliesthat_____________.
A.employeeshavetotravelwiththeirusualfiscalprudence
B.airlineswillbenefitfromtheincreaseof