Can people change their skin color without suffering like pop king Michael Jacks

Can people change their skin color without sufferinglike pop king Michael Jackson? Perhaps yes. Scientists have found the gene thatdetermines skin color.

    The gene comes in two versions, oneof which is found in 99 per cent of Europeans. The other is found in 93 to 100per cent of Africans, researchers at Pennsylvania State University report inthe latest issue of Science.

    Scientists have changed the colorof a dark-striped zebrafish（斑马鱼） to uniform gold byinserting a version of the pigment (色素) gene intoa young fish. As with humans, zebrafish skin color is determined by pigmentcells, which contain melanin (黑色素). The number, size anddarkness of melanin per pigment cell determine skin color.

    It appears that, like the goldenzebrafish, light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation (变异) in the gene for melanin production. This results inless pigmented skin.

    However, Keith Cheng, leader of theresearch team, points out that the mutation is different in human and zebrafishgenes.

    Humans acquired dark skin in Africaabout 1.5 million years ago to protect bodies from ultra-violet rays of the sun(太阳光紫外线), which can cause skin cancer.

    But when modern humans leave Africato live in northern latitudes, they need more sunlight on their skin to producevitamin D. So the related gene changes, according to Cheng.

    Asians have the same version of thegene as Africans, so they probably acquired their light skin through the actionof some other gene that affects skin color, said Cheng.

    The new discovery could lead tomedical treatments for skin cancer. It also could lead to research into ways tochange skin color without damaging it like chemical treatment did on MichaelJackson.

1.The passage mainly tells us that ________.

A. people can not change their skin color without anypain

B. the new discovery could lead to research into waysto change skin color safely

C. pop king Michael Jackson often changed his skincolor as he liked

D. scientists have found out that people’s skin coloris determined by the gene

2.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A. nowadays people who want to change their skin colorhave to suffer a lot from the damage caused by the chemical treatment

B. Europeans and Africans have the same gene

C. the new discovery could help to find medicaltreatments for skin cancer

D. there are two kinds of genes

3.Scientists have done an experiment on a dark-stripedzebrafish in order to ________.

A. find the different genes of humans’

B. prove the humans’ skin color is determined by thepigment gene

C. find out the reason why the Africans’ skin color isdark

D. find out the ways of changing people’s skin color

4.The reason why Europeans are light-skinned isprobably that _____

A. they are born light-skinned people

B. light-skinned Europeans have mutation in the genefor melanin production

C. they have fewer activities outside

D. they pay much attention to protecting their skin

5.The writer’s attitude towards the discovery is________.

A. neutral B. negative        C.positive       D. unconcerned

试题答案

【答案】

1.D

2.A

3.B

4.B

5.C

【解析】本文主要讲述基因决定人的肤色。将来人们想换肤色可能不需要象迈克杰克逊那样受罪了。

1.主旨大意题 根据全文讲述的主要内容得知：科学家们发现人的肤色是由基因决定的。选D

2.A 推理判断题 从文章最后一句话Italso could lead to research into ways to change skin color without damaging itlike chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson.得知，人们改变肤色会象迈克尔·杰克逊那样受到化学药品对皮肤的伤害。选A。

3.细节理解题 根据第三段的句子：Aswith humans, zebrafish skin color is determined by pigment cells, which containmelanin (黑色素).得知，因为斑马鱼和人类一样肤色中含有黑色素，所以科学家们以此来证明之。选B

4.推理判断题 根据第四段的句子：light-skinnedEuropeans also have a mutation (变异) in thegene for melanin production. This results in less pigmented skin.得知，因为欧洲人体内黑色素的基因发生了变异，所以他们的皮肤为浅肤色。选B。

5.推理判断题 根据作者对基因决定人的肤色的论述以及文章首尾段可知，作者对此的态度是肯定的。选C

考点：考查科普类短文