Don'twashthosefossils!

StandardmuseumpracticecanwashawayDNA.

1.Washing,brushingandvarnishingfossils—allstandardconservationtreatmentsusedbymanyfossilhuntersandmuseumcuratorsalike—vastlyreducesthechancesofrecoveringancientDNA.

2.Instead,excavatorsshouldbehandlingatleastsomeoftheirbountywithgloves,andfreezingsamplesastheyarefound,dirtandall,concludesapaperintheProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciencestoday.

3.AlthoughmanypalaeontologistsknowanecdotallythatthisisthebestwaytouptheoddsofextractinggoodDNA,Eva-MariaGeigloftheJacquesMonodInstituteinParis,France,andhercolleagueshavenowshownjusthowimportantconservationpracticescanbe.Thisinformation,theysay,needstobehammeredhomeamongthepeoplewhoareactuallyoutinthefielddiggingupbones.

4.Geiglandhercolleagueslookedat3,200-year-oldfossilbonesbelongingtoasingleindividualofanextinctcattlespecies,calledanaurochs.ThefossilsweredugupatasiteinFranceattwodifferenttimes—eitherin1947,andstoredinamuseumcollection,orin2004,andconservedinsterileconditionsat-20oC.

5.Theteam'sattemptstoextractDNAfromthe1947bonesallfailed.Thenewlyexcavatedfossils,however,allyieldedDNA.

6.Becausetheboneshadbeenburiedforthesameamountoftime,andinthesameconditions,theconservationmethodhadtobetoblamesaysGeigl."AsmuchDNAwasdegradedinthese57yearsasinthe3,200yearsbefore,"shesays.

Washin,washout

7.Becausemanypalaeontologistsbasetheirworkontheshapeoffossilsalone,theirmethodsofconservationarenotdesignedtopreserveDNA,Geiglexplains.

8.Thebiggestproblemishowtheyarecleaned.Fossilsareoftenwashedtogetheron-siteinalargebath,whichcanallowwater—andcontaminantsintheformofcontemporaryDNA—topermeateintotheporousbones."NotonlyistheauthenticDNAgettingwashedout,butcontaminationisgettingwashedin,"saysGeigl.

9.MostancientDNAspecialistsknowthisalready,saysHendrikPoinar,anevolutionarygeneticistatMcMasterUniversityinOntario,Canada.Butthatdoesn'tmeanthatbestpracticehasbecomewidespreadamongthosewhoactuallyfindthefossils.

10.GettingholdoffossilsthathavebeenpreservedwiththeirDNAinmindreliesoncloserelationshipsbetweenlab-basedgeneticistsandtheexcavators,sayspalaeogeneticistSvantePbooftheMaxPlanckInstituteforEvolutionaryAnthropologyinLeipzig,Germany.Andthatonlyoccursinexceptionalcases,hesays.

11.Pbo'steam,whichhasbeensequencingNeanderthalDNA,continuallyfacestheseproblems."WhenyouwanttostudyancienthumanandNeanderthalremains,there'sabigissueofcontaminationwithcontemporaryhumanDNA,"hesays.

12.Thisdoesn'tmeanthatallmuseumspecimensarefatallyflawed,notesPbo.TheNeanderthalfossilsthatwererecentlysequencedinhisownlab,forexample,hadbeenpartofamuseumcollectiontreatedinthetraditionalway.ButPboiskeentoseesamplesoffossilsfromeverymajorfindpreservedinlinewithGeigl'srecommendations—justincase.

Warmandwet

13.Geiglherselfbelievesthat,withcooperationbetweenbenchandfieldresearchers,preservingfossilsproperlycouldopenupavenuesofdiscoverythathavelongbeenassumedclosed.

14.Muchhumanculturaldevelopmenttookplaceintemperateregions.DNAdoesnotsurvivewellinwarmenvironmentsinthefirstplace,andcanvanishwhenfossilsarewashedandtreated.Forthisreason,Geiglsays,mostancientDNAstudieshavebeendoneonpermafrostsamples,suchasthewoollymammoth,oronremainsshelteredfromtheelementsincoldcaves—includingcavebearandNeanderthalfossils.

15.Betterconservationmethods,andafocusonfreshfossils,couldboostDNAextractionfrommoredelicatespecimens,saysGeigl.Andthatcouldshedmorelightonthestoryofhumanevolution.

(640wordsnature)

Glossary

Palaeontologists古生物学家

Aurochs欧洲野牛

Neanderthal(人类学)尼安德特人，旧石器时代的古人类。

Permafrost(地理)永冻层

Questions1-6

AnswerthefollowingquestionsbyusingNOMORETHANTHREEWORDSforeachanswer.

1.Howdidpeopletraditionallytreatfossils?

2.WhatsuggestionsdoGeiglandhercolleaguesgiveonwhatshouldbedonewhenfossilsarefound?

3.Whatproblemsmaybeposediffossilbonesarewashedon-site?NameONE.

4.WhatcharacteristicdofossilboneshavetomakethemsusceptibletobecontaminatedwithcontemporaryDNAwhentheyarewashed?

5.Whatcouldbebetterunderstoodwhenconservationtreatmentsareimproved?

6.Thepassagementionedseveralanimalspeciesstudiedbyresearchers.Howmanyofthemarementioned?

Questions7-11

Dothefollowingstatementsagreewiththeinformationgiveninthepassage?PleasewriteTRUEifthestatementagreeswiththewriterFALSEifthestatementdoesnotagreewiththewriterNOTGIVENifthereisnoinformationaboutthisinthepassage.

7.IntheirpaperpublishedintheProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciences，GeiglandhercolleagueshaveshownwhatconservationpracticesshouldbefollowedtopreserveancientDNA.

8.ThefossilbonesthatGeiglandhercolleaguesstudiedareallfromthesameaurochs.

9.Geneticistsdon'thavetoworkonsite.

10.OnlynewlyexcavatedfossilbonesusingnewconservationmethodssuggestedbyGeiglandhercolleaguescontainancientDNA.

11.Paaboisstillworriedaboutthepotentialproblemscausedbytreatmentsoffossilsintraditionalway.

Questions12-13

CompletethefollowingthestatementsbychoosingletterA-Dforeachanswer.

12.“Thisinformation”inparagraph3indicates:

[A]ItiscriticaltofollowproperpracticesinpreservingancientDNA.

[B]ThebestwayofgettinggoodDNAistohandlefossilswithgloves.

[C]Fossilhuntersshouldwearhome-madehammerswhilediggingupbones.

[D]Manypalaeontologistsknowhowoneshoulddointreatingfossils.

13.ThestudyconductedbyGeiglandhercolleaguessuggests:

[A]thefactthatancientDNAcannotberecoveredfromfossilbonesexcavatedinthepast.

[B]thecorrelationbetweentheamountofburyingtimeandthatoftherecoveredDNA.

[C]thepaceatwhichDNAdegrades.

[D]thecorrelationbetweenconservationpracticesanddegradationofDNA.

-----Didyounoticehimcomein?

-----No.I________afootballgame.

1.The failure of a high-profile cholesterol drug has thrown a spotlight on the complicated machinery that regulates cholesterol levels.But many researchers remain confident that drugs to boost levels of 'good' cholesterol are still one of the most promising means to combat spiralling heart disease.

2.Drug company Pfizer announced on 2 December that it was cancelling all clinical trials of torcetrapib，a drug designed to raise heart-protective high-density lipoproteins (HDLs).In a trial of 15000 patients，a safety board found that more people died or suffered cardiovascular problems after taking the drug plus a cholesterol-lowering statin than those in a control group who took the statin alone.

3.The news came as a kick in the teeth to many cardiologists because earlier tests in animals and people suggested it would lower rates of cardiovascular disease."There have been no red flags to my knowledge," says John Chapman，a specialist in lipoproteins and atherosclerosis at the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Paris who has also studied torcetrapib."This cancellation came as a complete shock."

4.Torcetrapib is one of the most advanced of a new breed of drugs designed to raise levels of HDLs，which ferry cholesterol out of artery-clogging plaques to the liver for removal from the body.Specifically，torcetrapib blocks a protein called cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP)，which normally transfers the cholesterol from high-density lipoproteins to low density，plaque-promoting ones.Statins，in contrast，mainly work by lowering the 'bad' low-density lipoproteins.

Under pressure

5.Researchers are now trying to work out why and how the drug backfired，something that will not become clear until the clinical details are released by Pfizer.One hint lies in evidence from earlier trials that it slightly raises blood pressure in some patients.It was thought that this mild problem would be offset by the heart benefits of the drug.But it is possible that it actually proved fatal in some patients who already suffered high blood pressure.If blood pressure is the explanation，it would actually be good news for drug developers because it suggests that the problems are specific to this compound.Other prototype drugs that are being developed to block CETP work in a slightly different way and might not suffer the same downfall.

6.But it is also possible that the whole idea of blocking CETP is flawed，says Moti Kashyap，who directs atherosclerosis research at the VA Medical Center in Long Beach，California.When HDLs excrete cholesterol in the liver，they actually rely on LDLs for part of this process.So inhibiting CETP，which prevents the transfer of cholesterol from HDL to LDL，might actually cause an abnormal and irreversible accumulation of cholesterol in the body."You're blocking a physiologic mechanism to eliminate cholesterol and effectively constipating the pathway," says Kashyap.Going up

7.Most researchers remain confident that elevating high density lipoproteins levels by one means or another is one of the best routes for helping heart disease patients.But HDLs are complex and not entirely understood.One approved drug，called niacin，is known to both raise HDL and reduce cardiovascular risk but also causes an unpleasant sensation of heat and tingling.Researchers are exploring whether they can bypass this side effect and whether niacin can lower disease risk more than statins alone.Scientists are also working on several other means to bump up high-density lipoproteins by，for example，introducing synthetic HDLs."The only thing we know is dead in the water is torcetrapib，not the whole idea of raising HDL," says Michael Miller，director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center，Baltimore.

Questions 7-13

Match torcetrapib，HDLs，statin and CETP with their functions (Questions 8-13)..Write the correct letter A，B，C or D in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.NB You may use any letter more than once.

7.It has been administered to over 10,000 subjects in a clinical trial.

8.It could help rid human body of cholesterol.

9.Researchers are yet to find more about it.

10.It was used to reduce the level of cholesterol.

11.According to Kashyap，it might lead to unwanted result if it's blocked.

12.It produced contradictory results in different trials.

13.It could inhibit LDLs.List of choices

A.TorcetrapicB.HDLSC.StatinD.CETP

HowaFrenchmanisrevivingMcDonald’sinEurope

A.WhenDenisHennequintookoverastheEuropeanbossofMcDonald’sinJanuary2004,theworld’sbiggestrestaurantchainwasshowingsignsofrecoveryinAmericaandAustralia,butsalesinEuropeweresluggishordeclining.OneexceptionwasFrance,whereMrHennequinhaddoneasterlingjobasheadofthegroup’sFrenchsubsidiarytosellmoreBigMacstohiscompatriots.Histaskwastoreplicatethissuccessinall41oftheEuropeancountrieswhereanti-globalisers’favouriteenemyoperates.

B.SofarMrHennequinisdoingwell.LastyearEuropeansalesincreasedby5.8%andthenumberofcustomersby3.4%,thebestannualresultsinnearly15years.Europeaccountedfor36%ofthegroup’sprofitsandfor28%ofitssales.DecemberwasanespeciallygoodmonthascustomerstooktoseasonalmenuofferingsinFranceandBritain,andtoapromotioninGermanybasedonthegameofMonopoly.

C.MrHennequin’srecipeforrevivalistobemoreopenabouthiscompany’soperations,tobe“locallyrelevant”,andtoimprovetheexperienceofvisitinghis6,400restaurants.McDonald’sisblamedformakingpeoplefat,exploitingworkers,treatinganimalscruelly,pollutingtheenvironmentandsimplyforbeingAmerican.MrHennequinsayshewantstoengageinadialoguewiththepublictoaddresstheseconcerns.

D.Heintroduced“opendoor”visitordaysineachcountrywhichbecamehugelypopular.InPolandalonesome50,000visitorscametoMcDonald’sthroughthevisitors’programmelastyear.TheNutritionInformationInitiative,launchedlastyear,putdetailedlabelsonMcDonald’spackagingwithdataoncalories,protein,fat,carbohydratesandsaltcontent.Thedetailsarealsoprintedontray-liners.

E.MrHennequinalsowantspeopletoknowthat“McJobs”,thelow-paidmenialjobsatMcDonald’srestaurants,aremuchbetterthanpeoplethink.Butsomeofhiseffortshavebackfired:lastyearhesparkedacontroversywiththeintroductionofa“McPassport”thatallowsMcDonald’semployeestoworkanywhereintheEuropeanUnion.PoliticiansaccusedthefirmofaploytomakecheaplabourfromeasternEuropemoreeasilyavailabletoMcDonald’smanagersacrossthecontinent.

F.Tostayintouchwithlocalneedsandpreferences,McDonald’semployslocalbossesasmuchaspossible.ARussianisrunningMcDonald’sinRussia,thoughaSerbisinchargeofGermany.Thegroupbuysmainlyfromlocalsuppliers.Four-fifthsofitssuppliesinFrancecomefromlocalfarmers,forexample.(SomeoftheFrenchfarmerswhocampaignedagainstthecompanyinthelate1990ssubsequentlydiscoveredthatitwas,infact,buyingtheirproduce.)AndithirescelebritiessuchasHeidiKlum,aGermanmodel,aslocalbrandambassadors.

G.InhispreviousjobMrHennequinestablisheda“designstudio”inFrancetospruceuphiscompany’sdrabrestaurantsandadapttheinteriortolocaltastes.ThestudioisnowmastermindingimprovementseverywhereinEurope.Healsosetupa“foodstudio”,wherecooksdevisenewrecipesinresponsetolocaltrends.

H.GivenFrance’sreputationasthemostanti-AmericancountryinEurope,itseemsoddthatMcDonald’srevivalinEuropeisbeingledbyaFrenchman,usingideascookedupintheFrenchmarket.ButFranceisinfactthecompany’smostprofitablemarketafterAmerica.ThemarketwhereMcDonald’sisweakestinEuropeisnotFrance,butBritain.

I.“FixingBritainshouldbehispriority,”saysDavidPalmer,arestaurantanalystatUBS.Almosttwo-thirdsofthe1,214McDonald’srestaurantsinBritainarecompany-owned,comparedwith40%inEuropeand15%inAmerica.Thecompanysuffersfromthevolatilityofsalesatitsownrestaurants,butcanrelyonsteadyincomefromfranchisees.Soitshouldsellasmanyunderperformingoutletsaspossible,saysMrPalmer.

J.M.MarkWiltamuth,ananalystatMorganStanley,estimatesthatEuropeancompany-ownedrestaurants’marginswillincreaseslightlyto16.4%in2007.Thisisstilllessthaninthelate1990sandbelowAmerica’s18-19%today.ButitismuchbetterthanbeforeMrHennequin’sreign.HeisalreadybeingtippedasthefirstEuropeancandidateforthegroup’stopjobinIllinois.NobodywouldcallthataMcJob.

NotestoReadingPassage1

1.sterling高质量的

e.g.Hehasmanysterlingqualities.他身上有许多优秀的品质。

2.menial不体面的,乏味的(工作、职业)

3.spruceup打扮整齐、漂亮、装饰

4.mastermind指挥、谋划(一个计划或活动)

e.g.Thepoliceknowwhomastermindedtherobbery.警察知道是谁策划了那次抢劫。

5.underperform表现不佳表现出低于标准的工作水平、企业出现亏本

Questions1-6

DothefollowingstatementsreflecttheclaimsofthewriterinReadingPassage1?

WriteyouranswerinBoxes1-6onyouranswersheet.

TRUEifthestatementreflectstheclaimsofthewriter

FALSEifthestatementcontradictstheclaimsofthewriter

NOTGIVENifitisimpossibletosaywhatthewriterthinksaboutthis

1.McDonaldwasshowingthesignofrecoveryinallEuropeancountriesexceptFranceafterDenisHennequintookofficeasthebossofEuro-markets.

2.Startingfromlastyear,detailedlabelsareputonMcDonald’spackaginganddetailedinformationisalsoprintedontray-liners.

3.Franceissaidtobethemostanti-AmericancountryinEurope,buttheideasofthe“opendoor”visitingdaysand“McPassport”areinventedintheFrenchmarket.

4.BritainpossessestheweakestMcDonaldmarketamongEuropeancountriesandapproximately1214McDonald’srestaurantsarecompany-owned.

5.AccordingtoDavidPalmer,arestaurantanalystatUBS,DavidHennequinshouldtreattheproblemaboutMcDonaldinBritainasthemostimportantthing.

6.DavidPalmersuggestedthatthemanagementofMcDonalodinItalyshouldsellasmanyitsoutletswhichlosemoneyinbusinessaspossibleforrevival.

Questions7-10

ChoosetheappropriatelettersA-Dandwritetheminboxes7-10onyouranswesheet.

7.Theword“sterling”inline3ofParagraphAmeans__________.

A.difficult

B.menial

C.terrible

D.excellent

8.WhichofthefollowingstatementsontheaccusationofMacDonaldisNOTTRUE?

A.Ittendstomakepeoplefat.

B.Itsoperationsareveryvague.

C.Ittendstoexploitworkers.

D.Ittendstotreatanimalscruelly.

9.WhichofthefollowingmeasurestakenbyDenisHennequinproducedundesiredresult?

A.“FoodStudio”scheme.

B.“OpenDoor”visitordays.

C.The“McPassport”scheme.

D.TheNutritionInformationInitiative.

10.WhatdidDenisHennequindosoastorespondtolocaltrends?

A.setupa“FoodStudio”.

B.establisheda“DesignStudio”.

C.hiredcelebritiesaslocalbrandambassadors.

D.employedlocalbossesasmuchaspossible.

Questions11-14

Completeeachofthefollowingstatements(Questions11-14)withwordsornumbertakenfromReadingPassage1.

WriteNOMORETHANTHREEWORDSforeachanswer.

Writeyouranswersinboxes11-14onyouranswersheet.

11.AfterJanuary2004,McDonaldwasmakingimprovementfollowingaperiodofslumpinAmericaandAustralia,butsalesinEuropewere………………………….

12.BusinessofMcDonaldinFranceandBritainwasparticularlygoodinDecembersincecustomerstookto……………………………..

13.Comparedwithothercountries,FranceisMcDonald’s……………………….nexttoAmerica.

14.…………………….ofMcDonald’srestaurantsinAmericaarecompanied–ownedandthefigureismuchlowerthanthatinBritain.

In the earliest stages of man's development he had nomore need of money than animals have.He was content with very simple forms of shelter,made his own rough tools and weapons and could provide food and clothing for himself and his family from natural materials around him.As he became more civilized,however,he began to want better shelter,more efficient tools and weapons,and more comfortable and more lasting clothing than could be provided by his own neighborhood or by the work of his own unskilled hands.For these things he had to turn to the skilled people such as smiths,leather workers or carpenters.It was then that the question of payment arose.

At first he got what he wanted by a simple process ofexchange.The smith who had not the time to look after land or cattle was glad to take meat or grain from the farmer inexchange for an axe or a plough.But as more and more goods which had no fixed exchange value came on the market,exchange became too complicated to be satisfactory.Another problem arose when those who made things wanted to get stocks of wood or leather,or iron,but had nothing to offer in exchange until their finished goods were ready. Thus the difficulties of exchange led by degrees to the invention of money.In some countries easily handled things like seeds or shells were given a certain value and the farmer,instead of paying the smith for a new axe by giving him some meat or grain,gave him so many shells.If the smith had any shells left when he had bought his food,he could get stocks of the raw materials of his trade.In some countries quite large things such as cows or camels or even big flat stones were used for trade.Later,pieces of metal,bearing values according to the rarity of the metal and the size of the pieces,or coins were used.Money as we know it had arrived.

1.Exchange of goods became difficult because _________.

A man became more civilized

B smiths began to look after land or cattle in their spare time

C more and more goods which had no fixed exchange alues came to the marker

D farmers hadn't enough grain or meat to provide for

skilled workers

2.Money was not used until _______.

A paper was invented

B people practiced a simple process of exchange

C nothing could be offered in exchangeD the exchange of one thing for another became too complicated

3.The best title for this passage is _____.

A What is money

B What are money's functions.

C The importance of money

D The beginning of money