Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 38 to 45.
Oxford University scientists have launched an attempt to bring the Northern White Rhinoceros back from beyond the “point of no return” using IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). The team believes a pioneering treatment can prompt a revival of the persecuted species, despite the death last year of the last known male and the fact that the two remaining females, Najin and Fatu, cannot have calves.
One of two subspecies of White Rhinoceros, the Northern Rhinoceros once ranged over tracts of Uganda, Sudan, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the value of its horns saw it poached from a population of approximately 500 to 15 in the 1970s and 1980s. A small recovery – numbers reached 32 – from the early 1990s was then reversed from 2003 when illegal hunting intensified again.
The Oxford researchers believe that it will be possible to remove ovarian tissue from the animals and stimulate it to produce eggs, which would then be fertilized from sperm preserved from male Northern White Rhinoceros. The embryos would then be implanted into a surrogate mother of a similar species, probably a Southern White Rhinoceros. The technique has been used successfully in mice for nearly two decades; it has also been accomplished for some species of dog, horse and cat. However, it has never been attempted before on a rhinoceros, meaning the Oxford team plan to perfect it first by conducting a series of trials on ovarian tissue taken from a Southern White Rhinoceros.
In principal, the benefit of removing ovarian tissue for use in the lab is that it can go on producing eggs. Other researchers are exploring the possibility of using the remaining Northern White Rhinoceros sperm to cross–breed with Southern White Rhinoceros, however Dr Williams believes the focus should be on preserving the identity of the northern species. “This will be a huge buffer against disease and ill health in the long–term, and give the new herds better genetic ability to adapt to changing environments in the future.”
Najin was born in captivity in 1989 and Fatu in 2000. They both belong to the Cvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic, which shipped them to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya in 2009 amid tight security. In place of their horns, keepers have fitted radio transmitters to allow close monitoring of their whereabouts in the large paddock areas. The team has enough funding for three years’ research, donated from Foundation Hoffman, however Oxford University has launched a public appeal to raise the money to secure the project long term.
According to paragraph 2, the number of Northern Rhinoceros _______.
A. has been dramatically dropped since 2003, after a long time of continuous development
B. has been descended as a result of illegal hunting since people began to value its horns
C. decreased from approximately 500 to 32 in the 1970s and 1980s because of poaching
D. was relatively small in Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Giải bởi qa.haylamdo.com
Kiến thức: Đọc hiểu
Giải thích:
Theo đoạn 2, số lượng tê giác phương Bắc ___.
A. đã giảm đáng kể từ năm 2003, sau một thời gian dài phát triển liên tục.
B. đã bị hạ xuống do kết quả của việc săn bắn bất hợp pháp kể từ khi mọi người bắt đầu coi trọng sừng của nó.
C. giảm từ khoảng 500 xuống còn 32 vào những năm 1970 và 1980 vì nạn săn trộm.
D. tương đối nhỏ ở Cộng hòa Trung Phi và Cộng hòa Dân chủ Congo.
Thông tin: However, the value of its horns saw it poached from a population of approximately 500 to 15 in the 1970s and 1980s. A small recovery – numbers reached 32 – from the early 1990s was then reversed from 2003 when illegal hunting intensified again.
Tạm dịch: Tuy nhiên, giá trị của sừng của nó đã thấy nó bị săn trộm từ dân số khoảng 500 đến 15 trong những năm 1970 và 1980. Một sự phục hồi nhỏ – con số đạt 32 – từ đầu những năm 1990 sau đó đã bị đảo ngược từ năm 2003 khi nạn săn bắn bất hợp pháp tăng cường trở lại.
Chọn B
Dịch bài đọc:
Các nhà khoa học của Đại học Oxford đã đưa ra một nỗ lực để đưa Tê giác trắng phương Bắc trở lại từ bên ngoài điểm không thể quay trở lại bằng cách sử dụng IVF (thụ tinh trong ống nghiệm). Nhóm nghiên cứu tin rằng một phương pháp điều trị tiên phong có thể thúc đẩy sự hồi sinh của các loài bị đàn áp, mặc dù cái chết năm ngoái của con đực được biết đến cuối cùng và thực tế là hai con cái còn lại, Najin và Fatu, không thể có bắp chân.
Một trong hai phân loài của Tê giác trắng, Tê giác phương Bắc đã từng trải dài trên các vùng của Uganda, Sudan, Cộng hòa Trung Phi và Cộng hòa Dân chủ Congo. Tuy nhiên, giá trị của sừng của nó đã thấy nó bị săn trộm từ dân số khoảng 500 đến 15 trong những năm 1970 và 1980. Một sự phục hồi nhỏ – con số đạt 32 – từ đầu những năm 1990 sau đó đã bị đảo ngược từ năm 2003 khi nạn săn bắn bất hợp pháp tăng cường trở lại.
Các nhà nghiên cứu Oxford tin rằng sẽ có thể loại bỏ mô buồng trứng khỏi động vật và kích thích nó sản xuất trứng, sau đó sẽ được thụ tinh từ tinh trùng được bảo quản từ tê giác trắng phương Bắc. Các phôi thai sau đó sẽ được cấy vào một người mẹ thay thế của một loài tương tự, có thể là một con tê giác trắng phương Nam. Kỹ thuật này đã được sử dụng thành công trên chuột trong gần hai thập kỷ; nó cũng đã được thực hiện cho một số loài chó, ngựa và mèo. Tuy nhiên, nó chưa bao giờ được thử trước đây trên một con tê giác, có nghĩa là nhóm Oxford có kế hoạch hoàn thiện nó trước bằng cách thực hiện một loạt các thử nghiệm trên mô buồng trứng lấy từ một con tê giác trắng phương Nam.
Về nguyên tắc, lợi ích của việc loại bỏ mô buồng trứng để sử dụng trong phòng thí nghiệm là nó có thể tiếp tục sản xuất trứng. Các nhà nghiên cứu khác đang khám phá khả năng sử dụng tinh trùng tê giác trắng phương Bắc còn lại để lai tạo với tê giác trắng phương Nam, tuy nhiên, tiến sĩ Williams tin rằng cần tập trung vào việc giữ gìn bản sắc của các loài phía bắc. Về lâu dài, đây sẽ là một bước đệm lớn chống lại bệnh tật và sức khỏe kém, và mang lại cho đàn gia súc mới khả năng di truyền tốt hơn để thích nghi với môi trường thay đổi trong tương lai.
Najin được sinh ra trong điều kiện nuôi nhốt vào năm 1989 và Fatu vào năm 2000. Cả hai đều thuộc sở thú Cvur Kralove ở Cộng hòa Séc, nơi đã chuyển chúng đến Bảo tồn Ol Pejeta ở Kenya vào năm 2009 trong bối cảnh an ninh chặt chẽ. Thay cho sừng của chúng, những người canh gác đã lắp thiết bị phát sóng vô tuyến để cho phép theo dõi chặt chẽ nơi ở của chúng trong khu vực bãi lớn. Nhóm nghiên cứu có đủ tài chính cho ba năm nghiên cứu, được tài trợ từ Fondation Hoffman, tuy nhiên Đại học Oxford đã đưa ra một lời kêu gọi công khai để quyên tiền để bảo đảm dự án lâu dài.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 4 to 8.
CYBERFASHION
Most of us own modern gadgets such as mobile phones, or digital cameras. We may carry them round in our pockets, or attach them to our bodies. But not for much longer! So far designers have succeeded in (4) ________ tiny bits of technology directly into our clothing. In actual fact “cyberfashion” is the latest trend! One example, the Musical Jacket, is already in the shops and stores. This jacket is silk. It is (5) _______ by a keyboard, also manufactured from fabric, which is connected to a tiny device (6) _______ plays music.
At present, you have to touch a shoulder pad to hear the music. But in the future, you will be able to operate the device just by turning your wrist or walking! For many athletes, scientists have invented a smart shirt which measures your heart rate, body temperature and respiration rate! (7) _______, the most romantic piece of cyberfashion must be the Heartthrob Brooch. This item of jewellery, made from diamonds and rubies, has two miniature transmitters. They make the brooch glow in time to the beating of its wearer’s heart. If you meet someone (8) _______, your heart will beat faster – and your brooch will let everyone know how you feel!
Điền vào ô số 5
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 46 to 50.
Transportation accounts for up to one–third of greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s biggest cities and traffic is the largest source of toxic air pollution. To create sustainable, healthy and liveable cities, we need to increase the number of cyclists on our streets, and that means getting more women on their bikes. In San Francisco, only 29% of cyclists are women; in Barcelona, there are three male cyclists for every female cyclist; in London, 37% of cyclists are female.
Surveys reveal that potential cyclists of all genders are deterred by similar concerns, including aggressive and speeding drivers, the threat posed by large vehicles such as lorries and buses, and bike theft. However, women disproportionately view protected cycle lanes as a more urgent priority. According to research about women and cycling in San Francisco, cities should invest in protected cycle lanes with consistent and clear signage that function as a joined–up network to encourage female riders. Together with more secure cycle parking, these infrastructure investments would make cycling safer, supporting those who already cycle and encouraging those who do not yet ride.
People do what they perceive to be possible. Research in San Francisco found that women, especially women of colour, felt that “people like me” do not cycle. Similarly, 49% of people in London say they do not feel cycling is for “people like them”. More diverse and inclusive imagery of cyclists (in policy documents, in the media and on city streets) could help challenge these perceptions and make more people feel that cycling is for everyone. Social events that enable women to try cycling in a relaxed environment, perhaps as part of a buddy or mentor system that pairs experienced cyclists with those newer to cycling, can help make cycling more accessible and inclusive, along with approaches such as female–led maintenance classes.
The different decisions men and women make about cycling are not only based on issues of convenience or comfort. People’s perceptions of safety influence how, when, where and why they travel. Women and girls learn early on to worry about their personal safety when out and about, and to change their behaviour, dress, speech and travel patterns to avoid sexual harassment or violence. Cities must take women’s and girls’ safety considerations seriously through initiatives such as safety audits.
What is the passage mainly about?
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
The team tried for many years to win the competition and they finally brought it off.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following sentences.
As every other nation, the United States used to define its unit of currency, the dollars, in terms of the gold standard.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 38 to 45.
Oxford University scientists have launched an attempt to bring the Northern White Rhinoceros back from beyond the “point of no return” using IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). The team believes a pioneering treatment can prompt a revival of the persecuted species, despite the death last year of the last known male and the fact that the two remaining females, Najin and Fatu, cannot have calves.
One of two subspecies of White Rhinoceros, the Northern Rhinoceros once ranged over tracts of Uganda, Sudan, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the value of its horns saw it poached from a population of approximately 500 to 15 in the 1970s and 1980s. A small recovery – numbers reached 32 – from the early 1990s was then reversed from 2003 when illegal hunting intensified again.
The Oxford researchers believe that it will be possible to remove ovarian tissue from the animals and stimulate it to produce eggs, which would then be fertilized from sperm preserved from male Northern White Rhinoceros. The embryos would then be implanted into a surrogate mother of a similar species, probably a Southern White Rhinoceros. The technique has been used successfully in mice for nearly two decades; it has also been accomplished for some species of dog, horse and cat. However, it has never been attempted before on a rhinoceros, meaning the Oxford team plan to perfect it first by conducting a series of trials on ovarian tissue taken from a Southern White Rhinoceros.
In principal, the benefit of removing ovarian tissue for use in the lab is that it can go on producing eggs. Other researchers are exploring the possibility of using the remaining Northern White Rhinoceros sperm to cross–breed with Southern White Rhinoceros, however Dr Williams believes the focus should be on preserving the identity of the northern species. “This will be a huge buffer against disease and ill health in the long–term, and give the new herds better genetic ability to adapt to changing environments in the future.”
Najin was born in captivity in 1989 and Fatu in 2000. They both belong to the Cvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic, which shipped them to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya in 2009 amid tight security. In place of their horns, keepers have fitted radio transmitters to allow close monitoring of their whereabouts in the large paddock areas. The team has enough funding for three years’ research, donated from Foundation Hoffman, however Oxford University has launched a public appeal to raise the money to secure the project long term.
Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?
If you _____ to my advice in the first place, you wouldn’t be in this mess right now.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Jane has such bewitching smile that almost everyone seems to dote on her.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
It’s possible that Joanna didn’t receive my message.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
The information you have got is actually off the record, so be careful if you intend to use it for publication.
He refused to ______ to the local customs, which caused him a lot of troubles.
My daughter often says that she won’t get married until she _____ 25 years old.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the opinion that best completes each of the following exchanges.
Mary and Jane are talking about John.
– Mary: “I was so disgusted by his accusations that I packed up my things and left right then and there.”
– Jane: “______. No one can put up with his selfishness.”
We always unite and work together whenever serious problems ______.
There can be no _____ fixes or magic solutions to the problem of unemployment.
