Passage 9
      A theoretical specks in a Petri dish has a veritable mob straining for a better view across the industrialized world and beyond: men and women in white coat and religious robes jostle beside parliamentary lords,scruffy environmentalist and patients trembling with Parkinsons disease.The mystery in question is none other than the human embryo cloned à la Dolly.The aim is not to produce people.Through “therapeutic” cloning,scientists would create embryos to harvest stem cells,which may hold the key to treating a wide range of disease.But like most passionate debates,the real issue—commercialization—sits quietly in the background of the emotional din. The debate erupted across the industrially advanced world on January 22nd when Britain became the first European country to legalize the creation of cloned human embryos.Members of the European Parliament almost immediately expressed their shock and condemned the decision.Yet in many ways,the new law is a logical extension of rules dating back over a decade.Since 1990,UK researchers could create and use embryos for limited research purposes,namely to treat infertility and detect birth defects.The new law widens the field of study to include stem cells,which experts say could revolutionize medicine,offering the possibility of transplants to treat scores of illnesses from Parkinsons disease to diabetes.No one has yet applied for a license to perform such experiments,according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority,which will carefully screen each request.No other uses of cloning would be allowed and a new law has been promised to explicitly ban reproductive cloning.
       As expected,the most rigid opposition has come from the Catholic Church, which considers the embryo to be a living person from the moment of conception. Cloning aside,even research involving “spare” embryos (created for infertility treatments but not used) is condemned because it is morally wrong to use a person for the benefit of someone else. At the opposite end of the spectrum lie the hardcore utilitarians of science and business,who are generally astute enough not to announce their politically incorrect views: namely that the embryo is just another batch of cellular sludge that can and should be used like any other biological resource in the pursuit of medical research.

1.The purpose of therapeutic cloning is to　　 .

A) clone human embryo in Dolly
B) produce people
C) commercialize stem cells
D) treat various diseases

2.What triggered the debate across the industrial countries?

A) A theoretical speck in the experiment of human embryos cloning.
B) The commercialization of cloned human embryos.
C) Legalizing the creation of cloned human embryos in Britain.
D) The European Parliaments harsh criticism on the UKs decision.

3.In the 1990s the British researchers use embryos basically to .

A) harvest stem cells
B) reform the system of medical care
C) treat infertility and detect birth defects
D) study the possibility of organ transplants

4.The Catholic Church argue against human embryos cloning because .

A) it may lead to reproductive cloning
B) it considers the embryo to be a living person
C) cloning creates spare embryos
D) it's morally wrong to use a person for the benefit of another one

5.The utilitarians of science and business think .

A) human embryos cloning is a hard choice
B) it's politically incorrect to clone human embryos
C) the embryos should be used like any other biological resource
D) human embryos are important samples in the pursuit of medical research

答案：
Passage 9

1.D
本题是细节题。文章第一段提及治疗性克隆的目的——提取对治疗多种疾病至关重要的干细胞组织(Through “therapeutic” cloning,scientists would create embryos to harvest stem cells,which may hold the key to treating a wide range of disease.)

2.C
文章第二段中交待了引发这场争论的直接原因是英国政府通过法律，承认克隆人类胚胎的合法性。选项A和B虽是公众反对克隆人的原因，但不是诱发这次争论的直接原因，故不能入选。而选项D是欧洲议会对英国这项立法决定做出的反应，所以也不能入选。

3.C
本题是细节题。文章第二段比较了新法规和旧法规之间的关系，指出二十世纪九十年代以来，英国的研究人员克隆人类胚胎的目的只是为了治疗不育症和预测先天性疾病。故C为正确答案。在解题过程中，考生必须理解句与句之间的关系。文中 “Since 1990,UK researchers could create and use embryos for limited research purposes,namely to treat infertility and detect birth defects”一句中，namely表示对前一句进一步解释。

4.B
文章第三段集中表述了天主教对克隆人的强烈反对。教庭方面认为从受孕的那一刻起， 胚胎是一个有生命的人。故正确答案为B。选项C、D与此次争论的焦点无关。它们表明的是教庭对旧法规保护下进行治疗性克隆的反对。

5.C
文章最后一段表述了坚决支持克隆人的科学家和商人的看法。他们认为同其他任何生物 资源一样，在医学研究中人类胚胎只不过是又一个细胞矿，应该被开发和利用。故正确答案为C。此段理解的难点在于句型结构复杂。全句由一个复杂句构成，而语义重点在namely后的解释中。