Ques: Scientists have discovered a special biological behavior in dolphins  that could lead to a treatment for late-onset diabetes  in humans. Studies on dolphins found that healthy dolphins switch into a diabetic-like state overnight when they are not feeding, but return to normal when they eat the following morning. The extraordinary finding has led scientists to suggest that dolphins have "genetic switch" that allows them to imitate diabetes while they are not feeding for a night, without suffering any ill effect. If researchers can identify a similar genetic pathway in human, they may be able to develop drugs to effectively switch off diabetes. Some 2.2 million people in Britain have type 2 (or late-onset) diabetes, a figure that is expected to reach 4 million by 2025 as a consequence of rising levels of obesity . The tissues of people with type 2 diabetes have become resistant to insulin  so they lose the ability to control sugar levels in their blood. The condition can damage the heart, eyes, kidneys  and nerves and contribute to 5% of all deaths, according to the World Healthy Organization. Dolphins appear to imitate diabetes to keep high levels of blood sugar when food is rare. Like humans, dolphins need some sugar in their blood for their brains to function normally. Venn-Watson's team analyzed 1,000 blood samples  from 52 dolphins while they didn't eat anything overnight and fed in the morning. At night time, the dolphins' metabolism changed greatly and showed similar characteristics to that seen in people with type 2 diabetes. "It is our hope that this discovery can lead to new ways to prevent, treat and maybe even cure diabetes in humans," said Stephanie Venn-Watson, director of clinical research at the National Marine Foundation in San Diego. The key to applying the finding to curing human diabetes lies in   _  . A) producing insulin in a larger amount B) developing drugs from healthy dolphins C) identifying a similar genetic pathway in human D) analyzing more blood samples from hungry dolphins
Ans: C

Ques: Farmers can produce more by planting several different crops in the same field.But their success depends on which crops they plant together and how they mix   them in the filed.In the past, the only way the farmers could learn which crops grow best together is to plant them and wait for the results.Now, however, a computer can give them answers.A new computer program written by Dr John Vanderwell of Michigan University can tell a farmer which plants grow well together and which do not.It can tell him how to plant the different crops; if he should plant each in a separate row, or mix the crops in the same row.It can tell the farmer how changes in planting each of the crops will affect the production of all of them.And it can tell him which plants can help reduce losses   from diseases. It seems the new computer program can NOT tell us   _  . A) whether we should grow cotton and tomato together B) how we should plant cotton and tomato together C) what will happen if we grow potato, instead of tomato, together with cotton D) how we can grow rice in the tomato field
Ans: D

Ques: EDGEWOOD-EVERY morning at Dixie Heights High School, customers pour into a special experiment; the district's first coffee run mostly by students with special learning needs. Well before classes start, students and teachers order Lattes Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolates. Then, durning the first period teachers call in orders on their room phones, and students make deliveries. By closing tome  at 9.20 a.m., the shop usually sells 90 drinks. "Whoever made the chi tea, Ms. Schatzman says it was good," Christy McKinley, a second year student, announced recently, after hanging up with the teacher. The shop is called the Dixie PIT, which stands for Power in Transition. Although some of the students are not disabled, many are, and the PIT helps them prepare for life after high school. They learn not only how to run a coffee shop but also how to deal with their affairs. They keep a timecard and receive paychecks, which they keep in check registers. Special-education teachers Kim Chevalier and Sue Casey introduced the Dixie PIT from a similar program at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia. Not that it was easy. Chevalier's first problem to overcome was product-related. Should school be selling coffee? What about sugar content? Kenton County Food Service Director Ginger Gray helped. She made sure all the drinks, which use non fat milk, fell within nutrition  guidelines. The whole school has joined in to help. Teachers agreed to give up their lounge  in the mornings. Art students painted the name of the shop on the wall. Business students designed the paychecks.  The basketball team helped pay for cups. The Dixie PIT program was introduced in order to   _  . A) raise money for school affairs B) do some research on nutrition C) develop students' practical skills D) supply teachers with drinks
Ans: C

Ques: When you are little, the whole world feels like a big playground. I was living in Conyers, Georgia the summer it all happened. I was a second grader, but my best friend Stephanie was only in the first grade. Both of our parents were at work and most of the time they let us go our own way.  It was a hot afternoon and we decided to have an adventure in Stephanie's basement. As I opened the basement door, before us lay the biggest room, full of amazing things like guns, dolls, and old clothes. I ran downstairs, and spotted red steel can. It was paint. I looked beyond it and there lay even more paint in bright color1s like purple, orange, blue and green.  "Stephanie, I just found us a project for the day. Get some paintbrushes. We are fixing to paint." She screamed with excitement as I told her of my secret plans and immediately we got to work. We gathered all the brushes we could find and moved all of our materials to my yard. There on the road in front of my house, we painted bit stripes   of color1s across the pavement  . Stripe by stripe, our color1s turned into a beautiful rainbow. It was fantastic! The sun was starting to sink. I saw a car in the distance and jumped up as I recognized the car. It was my mother. I couldn't wait to show her my masterpiece. The car pulled slowly into the driveway and from the look on my mother's face, I could tell that I was in deep trouble.  My mother shut the car door and walked towards me. Her eyes glaring, she shouted, "What in the world were you thinking? I understood when you made castles out of leaves, and climbed the neighbors' trees, but this! Come inside right now!" I stood there glaring hack at her for a minute, angry because she had insulted   my art.   "Now go clean it up!" Mother and I began cleaning the road. Tears ran down my cheeks as I saw my beautiful rainbow turn into black cement.    Though years have now passed, I still wonder where my rainbow has gone. I wonder if, maybe when I get older, I can find my rainbow and never have to brush it away. I guess we... It can be learned from the passage that parents should   _  . A) encourage children to paint B) protect rather than destroy children's dreams C) discover the hidden talent in children D) value friendship among children
Ans:
B