2012年职称英语理工类教材-完形填空(1至12篇).doc

第一篇 Captain Cook Arrow Legend It was a great legend while it lasted,but DNA testing has (finally) ended a two-century-old story of the Hawaiian arrow carved from the bone of British exolorer Captain James Cook (who) died in the Sandwich Islands in 1779. “There is (no) Cook in the Australian Museum,” museum cillection manager Jude Philip said not long ago in announcing the DNA evidence that the arrow was not made of Cooks bone.But that will not stop the museum from continuing to dispiay the arrow in its (exhibition) .”Uncovered:Treasures of the Australian Museum,” which (does) inclued a feather cape presented to Cook by Hawaiian King Kalaniopuu in 1778. Cook was one of Britains great explorers and is credited with (discovering) the “Great South Land.” (now) Australian, in 1770. He was clubbed to death in the Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii. The legend of Cooks arrow began in 1824 (when) Hawaiian King Kanehaneha on his deathbed gave the arrow to William Adams, a London surgeon and relative of Cooks wife, saying it was made of Cooks bone after the fatal (fight) with islangers. In the 1890s the arrow was given to the Australian Museum and the legend continued (until) it came face-to-face with science. DNA resting by laboratories in Australia and New Zealand revealed the arrow was not made of Cooks bone but was more (likely) made of animal bone, said Philp. However, Cooks fans (refuse) to give up hope that one Connk legend will prove true and that part of his remains will still be uncovered, as they say there is evidence not all of Cooks body was (buried) at sea in 1779. “On this occasion rechnology has won,” said Cliff Thornton, president of the Captain Cook Society, in a (statenent) from Britain. “But I am (sure) that one of these daysone of the Cook legends will prove to ture and it will happen one day.”第二篇Avalanche and Its Safety An avalanche is a sudden and ripia flow of snow, often mixed with air and water, down a mountainside. AvalancheS are (among) the biggest dangers in the mountains for both life and propety. All avalanches are caused by an over-burden of material, typically snowpack, that is too massive and unsatable for the slope (that) supports it. Determining the critical load, the amount of over-burden which is (likely) to cause an avalanche, (is) a compiex task involving the evaluation of a number of factors. Terrain slopes flatter than 25 degrees or steeper than 60 degrees typically have a low (risk) of avalanche.Snow does not (gather) significantly on steep slopes; also, snow does not (flow) easily on flat slopes. Human-triggered avalanches have the greatest incidence when the snows angle of rest is (between) 35 and 45 degrees; the critical angle, the angle at which the human incidence of avalanches is greatest, is 38 degrees. The rule of thumb is:A slope that is (fiat) enough to hold snow but steep enough to ski has the potential to generate an analance, regardless of the angle. Additionally, avalance risk increasea with (use); that is, the more a slope is disrurbed by skiera, the more likely it is that an avalance will occur. Due to the compiexity of the subject, winter travelling un the backcountry is never 100% safe. Good avalanche safely is a continuous (process),including route selection and examination of the snowpack, weather(conditions) the risk. If local authorities issue avalanche risk reports, they should be considered and all warnings should be paid (attention) to. Never follow in the tracks of others without your own wvaluations; snow conditions are almost certain to have changed since they were made. Observe the terrain and note obvious avalanche paths where liants are (missing) or damaged. Avoid traveling below others who might trigger an avalanche.第三篇Germs on BanknotesPeople in different countries use different types of (money): yuan in cjina, pesos in Mexico, pounds in the United Kingdom, dollars in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. They may use (different) currencies, but these countries, and probably all countries, still have one thing in common: Germas on the banknotes.Scinentists have been studying the germs on money for well over 100 years. At the turn of the 20th (century), some researchers began to suspect that germs living on money could spread disease. Most studiea of germy money have looked at the germs on the currency ()within one counyt. In a new study, Frank Vriesekoop and other researchers compared the germ populations found on bills of different (countries). Vriesekoop is a microbiologist at the University of Ballarat in Australia. He led the study, which compared the germ populations found on money (gathered) from 10 nations. The scientists studied 1,280 banknotes in tital; all came from places where people buy food, like supermarkets, street vendors and cafes, (because) those businesses often rely on cash. Overall, the Australian dollars hosted the fewest live bacteria_no more than 10 per square centimeter. Chinese yuan had the most_about 100 per square centimeter. Most of the germs on money probably would not cause harm. What we call “paper money” usually isnt made from paper. The U.S. dollar, for exanlie, is printed on fabric that is mostly (cotton). Different countries may ues different (materials) to print their money. Some of the currencies studied by Vriesekoop and his (team), such as the Amrican dollar, were made from cotton. Others were made from polymers. The three (currencies) with the lowest numbers of bacteria were all printed on polymers. They included the Australian dollar, the New Zealand dollar and some Mexican pesos. The other currencies were printe on fabric made (mostly) of cotton. Fewer germs lived on the polymer notes. This connevtion suggests that (germs) have a harder time staying alive on polymer surfaces. Scientists need to do more studies to understand how germs live on moneyand whether or not we need to be concerned. Vriesekoop is now starting a study that will (compare) the amounts of time bacteria can stay alive on different types of bills. Whatever Vriesekoop finds, the fact remains: Paper money harbors germs. We should wash our (hands) after touching it; after all, you never know where your moneys been. Or whats living on it.第四篇Animals “Sixth Sense A tsunami was triggered by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean in December, 2004. It killed tens of thousands of people in Asia and East Africa. Wild animals, (however), seem to have escaped that terrible tsunami. This phenomenon adds weight to notions that they possess a “sixth sense” for (disasters), esperts said. Sri Lankan wildife officials have said the giant waves that killed over 24,000popel along the Indian Ocean ialands coast clearly ()missed wild beasts, with no dead animals fonud. “No elephants are daed, not (even) a daed rabit. I think animals can (sense) disaster. They have a sixth sense. They koow when things are happening,” H.D.Ratnayake, deputy director of Sri Lankas Wildlife Depatment, said sbout one month after the tsunami attack. The (waves) washed floodwaters up to 2 miles inland at Yala Nationai Park in the ravaged southeast, Sri Lankas biggest wildlife (reserve) and home to hundreds of wild elephants and several leopards. “There has been a lot of (apparent) evidence about dogs barking or birds migrating befire volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. But it has not been proven,” said Matthew van Lierop, an animal behavior (specialist) at Johannesburg Zoo. “There have been no (specific) studies because you cant really test it in a lab or field setting,” he told Reuters. Other authorities concurred with this ()assessment. “Wildlife seem to be able to pick up certain (phenomenon), especially birdsthese are many reports of birds detecting impending disasters,” said Clive Walker, who has written several books on African wildlife. Animal (certainly) rely on the known sense such as smell or hearing to avoid danger such as predators. The notion of an animal “sixth sence”or (some) other mythical poweris an enduring one which the wvidence on Sri Lankas ravaged on Sri Lankas ravange coast is likely to add to. The Romans saw owls (as) omens of impending disaster and many ancient cultures viewed elephants as sacred animals endowed with special powers or attributes.第五篇Singing Alarms Could Save the Blind If you cannot see, you may not be able to finf your may out of a burning buildingand that could be fatal. A company in Leeds could change all that (with) directional sound alarms capable of guiding you to the sxit. Sound Alert, a company (run bu) the University of Leeds, is installing the alarms in a residential home for (blind) people in Sommerset and a resource centre for the blind in Cumbria. (The alarms) produce a wide range of frequencies that enable the brain to determine where the (sound) is coming from. Deborah Withington of Sound Alert says that the alarms use most of the frequencies that can ba (heard)by humans. “It is a burst of white noise (that) people say sounds like static on the radio,” she says. “Its life-saving potential is great.” She counducted an experiment in which people were filmed by thermalimaging cameras trying to find their way out of a large (smokefilled) room. It (took) them nearl four minutes to find the door (without) a sound alarm, but only 15 seconds with one. Withington studies how the brain (processes0 sounds at the university. She says that the (source) of a wide band of frequencies can be pinpointed more easily than the source of a narrow band. Alarms (based on) the same concept have already been installed on emergency vehicles. The alarms will also include rising or falling frequencies to indicate whether people should go up (or) down stairs. They were (developed) with the aid of a large grant from British Nuclear Fuels. 第六篇Car Thieves Could Be Stopped RemotelySpeeding off in a stolen car,the thidf thinks he has got a great catch.But he is in a nast surpise.The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer,and a radio signal from a control center miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine(off),he will not be able to start it again.For now,such device(are)only available for fleets of trucks and specialist vehicles used on construction sites.But remote immobilization technology could soon start to trickle down to ordinary cars,and(should)be available to ordinary car in the UK(in) two months.There are even plans for immobilizers (that) shut down vehicles on the move, though there are fears over the safety implivations of such a system.In the UK, an array of technical fixes is already making (life) harder for car thieves.“the pattern of vehivles crime has changed, ”says Martyn Randall of Thatcham, a security research organization based in Berkshire that is funded in part (by ) the motor insurance industy.He says it would only take him a few minutes to (teach), a novice how to steal a car, using a bare minimun of tools.But only if the car is more than 10 years old.Modern cars are a far tougher proposition, as their engine management computer will not (allow), them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition key. In the UK,technologies like this (have helped) achieve a 31 per cent drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997.But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars. Often by getting hold of the owners keys in a burglary. In 2000, 12 per cent of vehicles stolen in the UK were taken by using the owners keys, which doubles the previous years figure.Remote-controlled immobilization system would (put) a major new obstacle in the criminals way by making such thefts pointless. A group that includes Thacham, the police, insurance companies and security technology firms have developed standards for a system that could go on the market sooner than the (customer) expects第七篇：An Intelligent CarDriving needs sharp eyes,keen ears,quick brain,and coordination between hands and the brain.Many buman drivers have all (these) and can control a fast-moving car. But how does an intelligent car control itself?There is a virtual driver in the smart car. This virtual driver has“eyes”, “brains”, “hands”,and “feet”, too. The minicameras (on) each side of the car are his “eyes”, which observe the road conditions ahead of it. They watch the (traffic) to the cars left and right. There is also a highly (automatic) driving system in the car. It is the built-in computer, Which is the virtual drivers“brain”. His “brain” calculates the speeds of (other) moving cars near it and analyzes their politions. Basing on this information, it chooses the right (path) for the intelligent car, and gives (instructions) to the“hands” and“feet” to act accordingly. In his way, the virtual driver controls his car.What is the virtual drivers best advantage? He reacts (quickly). The minicameras are (sending) images continuously to the“brain”. It (completes) the processing of the images within 100 miliseconds. However, The worlss best driver (at least) needs one second to react. (Besides), when he takes action, he needs one more second.The virtual driver is really wonderful. He can reduce the acciden (rate) considerably on expressways. In this case, can we let him have the wheel at any time and in any place? Experts (warn) that we cannot do that just yet. His ability to recognize things is still (limited). He can now only dreve an intelligent car on expressways.第八篇：A Biological ClockEvery living thing has what scientists call a biological clock that controls behavior. The biological clock tells (plants) when to form flowers and when the flowers should open1. It tells (insects) when to leave the protective cocoon and fly away, and it tells animals and human beings when to eat, sleep and wake.Events outside the plant and animal (affect) the actions of some biological clocks. Scientists recently found, for example, that a tiny animal changes the color of its fur (because of) the number of hours of daylight. In the short (days) of winter, its fur becomes white. The fur becomes gray brown in color in the longer hours of daylight summer.Inner signals control other biological clocks. German scientists found that some kind of internal clock seems to order birds to begin their long migration (flight) twice each year. Birds (prevented from) flying become restless when it is time for the trip, (but) they become calm again when the time of the flight has ended.Scientists say they are beginning to learn which (parts) of the brain contain biological clocks. An American researcher, Martin Moorhead, said a small group of cells near the front of the brain (seems) to control the timing of some of our actions. These (cells) tell a person when to (awaken), when to sleep and when to seek food. Scientists say there probably are other biological clock cells that control other body activities.Dr. Moorhead is studying (how) our biological clocks affect the way we do our work2. For example, most of us have great difficulty if we must often change to different work hours. (It) can take3 many days for a human body to accept the major change in work hours. Dr. Moorhead said industrial officials should have a better understanding of biological clocks and how they affect workers. He said (such) understanding could cut sickness and accidents at work and would help increase a factorys production.第九篇：Wonder WebsSpider webs are more than homes, and they are ingenious traps. And the worlds best web spinner may be the Goldern Orb Weaver spider. The female Orb Weaver spins a web of fibers thin enough to be invisible to insect prt, yet (tough) enough to snare a flying bird without breaking.The secret of the webs strength? A type of super-resilient (silk) called dragline. When the female spider is ready to (weave) the webs spokes and frame, she uses her legs to draw the airy thread out through a hollow nozzle in her belly. Dragline is not sticky, so the spider can race back and forth along (it) to spin the webs trademark spiral.Unlike some spiders that weave a new web every day, a Golden Orb Weaver (reuses) her handiwork until it falls apart, sometimes not for two years1. The silky thread is five times stronger than steel by weight and absorbs the force of an impact three times better than Kevlar, a high-strength human-made (material) used in bullet-proof vests. And thanks to its high tensile strength, or the ability to resist breaking under the pulling force called tension, a single strand can stretch up to 40 percent longer than its original (length) and snap back as well as new. No human-made fiber even comes (close).It is no (wonder) manufacturers are clamoring for spider silk. In the consumer pipeline: high-performance fabrics for athletes and stockings that never run2. Think parachute cords and suspension bridge cables. A steady (supply) of spider silk would be worth billions of dollarsbut how to produce it? Harvesting silk on spider farms does not (work) because the territorial arthropods have a tendency to devour their neighbors.Now, scientists at the biotechnology company Nexia are spinning artificial silk modeled after Goldern Orb dragline. The (first) step: extract silk-making genes from the spiders. Next, implant the genes into goat egg cells. The nanny goats that grow from the eggs secrete dragline silk proteins in their (milk) . “The young goats pass on the silk-making gene without (any) help from us,” says Nexia president Jeffrey Turner. Nexia is still perfecting the spinning process, but they hope artificial spider silk will soon be snagging customers (as fast as) the real thing snags bugs. 第十篇：Chicken Soup For the Soul: Comfort Food Fights LonelinessMashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, may be bad for your arteries. (but) accord