Question

Recently, scientists are reported to have grown a living human “brain”. The team at Aston University in UK created tiny bunch of cells which act like a mini nervous system.

They believe it could help find a cure for worse mental conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Professor Michael Coleman is leading the research program. He explained, “We are aiming to be able to study the human brain at the most basic level, using an actual living human cell system. Cells have to be alive and operating efficiently to enable us to really understand how the brain works.” The experiment involves changing cells from a cancer tumor (肿瘤）and making them behave like brain cells.

Although far from finished, researchers hope the false brain cells will give them a greater understanding of how real brains work. This, in turn, could significantly further research into conditions which affect the brain. Neil Hunt, chief leader of the research group, said, “It is still very early days, but in the future the research could lead to a useful tool for looking into dementia (痴呆).”

The technique could also provide a way to carry on animal test and is being supported by the Humane Research Trust (HRT). The scientists predict that over the next ten years a million people will develop dementia. Professor Coleman believes their findings could change this. He said, “We hope our research will provide scientists with a new and highly relational human experimental model to help them understand the brain better and develop new drugs to control the related disease. However, the biggest challenge at present is that we are greatly short of fund, which will slow our research.”

1.UK scientists grow a living human “brain” in order to ______.

A. separate cells from a cancer tumor

B. discover how human brain really works

C. make use of living human cell system

D. study the structure of human brain

2.According to Neil Hunt, research into brain cells ______.

A. will help treat some diseases in nerve system

B. will influence the brain growth in many ways

C. will get finished as early as possible

D. will make people discover dementia

3.From the last paragraph, we can know that ______

A. the technique provided by HRT is not fully developed

B. the research program lacks financial support

C. animal tests are no longer allowed by law

D. a million people suffer from brain diseases

4.The text is meant to ______.

A. tell us about an important achievement in medical research

B. introduce the progress of drugs for dementia

C. tell us about health problem in nerve system

D. introduce a research program in human's brain

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.B

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文属于科普说明文，介绍了英国科学家对人类大脑进行的一项研究，希望能够了解人类大脑的工作原理，为一些精神疾病找到解决方法。

1.

2.

3.

4. 目的意图题。根据文章第一段Scientists in UK have grown a living human "brain". The team at Aston University created tiny bunch of cells which act like a mini nervous system可知本文介绍了英国科学家进行的一项对人类的大脑的研究计划。故D正确。

【名师点睛】

如果待处理的长难句为一个复杂的单句，可这样处理：跳读修饰成分，迅速找出主谓结构。这样一来，我们便可以将长句化为短句，将难句化为易句。具体步骤是：先跳读修饰成分或附加成分，找出句子的主干并理解其意义；然后再分段理解修饰成分或附加成分。 如果待处理的长难句为一个复杂的并列句，可这样处理：先找出其中的并列连词，然后再根据并列连词的意思理清句子前后是顺连关系还是反连关系，是因果关系还是转折关系等，最后再根据不同的语境关系正确理解句意。

如果待处理的长难句为一个复杂的主从复合句，可这样处理：先分清主句与从句，然后弄清从句的性质，即弄清它是什么从句——名词性从句，还是状语从句，或是定语从句。注意，弄清从句性质对于理解复合句的意思至关重要。

另外，有一点要提醒同学们，在处理长难句时，如果既能正确理解句意，又能将其准确地译成中文，那是最好了。但是，对于有些长难句，要在较短时间内（如在参加考试时）将其译成中文比较困难，此时只要能正确理解其意思就行了，如果硬要勉为其难地译成中文，不仅会浪费时间，而且在许多情况也没有必要。

【长难句解析】

However, the biggest challenge at present is that we are greatly short of fund, which will slow our research."

【翻译】然而，现在最大的挑战是我们的资金短缺，这会减缓我们的研究。

【分析】本句中含有一个that引导的表语从句that we are greatly short of fund, which will slow our research，that在句中不充当任何成分，只是一个引导词而已。另外句中还有一个非限制性定语从句which will slow our research，which指代前面缺少资金这件事情，在句中做主语。

考点：考查科普说明文阅读