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With only about 1, 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone(克隆) the animal and save the endangered species(物种). That’s a move similar to what a Texas A & M University researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called “Noah’s Ark”.

Noah’s Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos(胚胎), semen and DNA of endangered animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen. If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A & M’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future.

It is estimated that as many as 2, 000 species of mammals, birds reptiles will become extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years.

This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal.

The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete.

“The nuclear transfer(核子移植) of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available(capable of being used) panda eggs could be a major problem,” Kraemer believes. “They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it’s difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort,” adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A& M, the first-ever attempt at cloning a dog.

“They are trying to do something that’s never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah’s Ark. We’re both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there’s a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It’s a research that is very much needed.”

1. The aim of “Noah’s Ark” project is to _______.

A. make efforts to clone the endangered pandas

B. save endangered animals from dying out

C. collect DNA of endangered animals to study

D. transfer the nuclear of one animal to another

2. According to Professor Kraemer, the major problem in cloning pandas would be the lack of _______.

A. available panda eggs                B. host animals

C. qualified researchers                D. enough money

3. The best title for the passage may be _______.

A. China’s Success in Pandas Cloning   

B. The First Cloned Panda in the World

 C. Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas

 D. China —the Native Place of Pandas Forever

4. From the passage we know that _______.

A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog

 B. scientists try to implant a panda’s egg into a rabbit

 C. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches

 D. about two thousand of species will probably die out in a century

【答案解析】

本文讲述中国正在竭力克隆濒临绝种的熊猫，这和Texas A & M University 的Noah's Ark(诺亚方舟)工程极为相似，都是想拯救濒临灭绝的动物。

1. B。语义理解题。从第2段内容可知，“诺亚方舟”工程的目标是把濒临灭绝的动物的蛋(卵)、胚胎、精液和DNA储存在液体氮中，如果某一种动物濒临灭绝时，将来可以重现这一动物。

2. A。细节题。从第6段第1句话 The nuclear transfer(核子移植) of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available (capable of being used ) panda eggs could be a major problem  可以做出正确判断。

3. C。主旨题。从文章内容来看，无论是中国还是世界克隆熊猫还没有成功，所以排除A、B项；D项内容明显与文章内容不符，故排除。所以“探索克隆熊猫的可能性”应该是这篇文章的标题。