下面是英语阅读训练题（工学类），答案请点击第二页。
Many people think that information technology and biotechnology will rule the 21st century. Robert Birge， a chemist at the University of Connecticut， is trying to combine them， by making computer memories out of protein.
The protein in question is bacteriorhodopsin (bR)， a molecule that undergoes a structural change when it absorbs light. By using genetic engineering to tweak wild bR from a bacterium called Halobacterium salinarum， Dr Birge and his colleagues have made a variety of the molecule that they claim is well-suited to act as an element of a computers memory. Hit with a green light， it adopts one shape. Hit subsequently with a red light， it twists itself into another. Then， if hit with blue light， it resets itself into its original state.
To make a memory from the protein， Dr Birge suspends elements made from it in a transparent plastic cube known as a cuvette. A pair of lasers arranged at right angles to one another write data into the cuvette by shining in turn on slices through the plastic matrix. The first laser， which produces green light， sweeps the whole cuvette， causing its protein contents to take on a shape that (in binary code) is designated as zero。 The second laser， which produces red light， then stimulates particular sites to take the second shape. This corresponds to one in binary code. Once the lasers are switched off， data recorded this way will， according to Dr Birge， remain stable for more than 12 years.
To read the stored data， a low-powered red laser is shone slice by slice through the cuvette. This does not disturb the conformation of the protein molecules; but those in state zero absorb light at this wavelength. A machine placed behind the cuvette detects this absorption pattern and translates it into the appropriate string of ones and zeroes. Once the contents have been read into a more conventional storage device， the cuvette can be wiped clean and reset by illuminating it with a blue laser.
Dr Birge says that each cuvette can now hold about seven gigabytes of data (a small laptop computer might have about this much space on its hard drive)。 He hopes to boost that figure to ten gigabytes by finding a better-performing variety of the protein. Only those with deep pockets， however， could afford the $25，000 cost of each device.
Luckily for Dr Birge， the deep-pocketed American air force thinks that bR cuvettes could be a good way to equip its aircraft and satellites with light， high-density devices to store the mountains of images collected during reconnaissance missions. A protein-based memory is particularly suitable for this， because the bR molecule is robust enough to withstand the barrage of radiation from space that wreaks havoc on conventional magnetic-memory devices operating at high altitude.
注(1)：本文选自Economist; 12/22/2001， p94， 1/2p， 1c;
注(2)：本文习题命题模仿对象2001年真题Text 3(第一题到第三题); 2004年真题Text 1(第四题和第五题);
1. What is the passage mainly about?
[A]What will rule the 21st century.
[B]How bacterial protein can be used in computers.
[C]What we can get from bacterial protein.
[D]How to make bacterial protein.
2. The application of bR turns out to be___________.
[A]very trustworthy
[B]rather superficial
[C]somewhat contradictory
[D]quite encouraging
3. The basic problem of applying bR to computer lies in ____________.
[A]limited space on hard drive
[B]its complexity
[C]its high price
[D]its limited users
4. Which of the following is not the advantage of bR?
[A]Working at higher altitude.
[B]Light weight.
[C]High density.
[D]Safe from strong radiation.
5. Which of the following is true according to the text?
[A]bR has a wide variety of application in life.
[B]The protein molecules have stable characteristics.
[C]The data recorded with bR can be kept for a long time.
[D]The new device will replace conventional storage device.
参考答案
答案：BDCAC
考研不是你一个人在战斗，在漫漫考研路上，查字典公务员考研的老师会一直陪伴着同学们的左右，为你们解答考研路上的各种疑惑，祝同学们考研成功!为了帮助考生更好地复习，查字典公务员考研为广大学子推出2017考研押题集训营、VIP一对一系列备考专题，针对每一个科目要点进行深入的指导分析，还会根据每年的考研大纲进行针对性的分析哦~欢迎各位考生了 解咨询。同时，查字典公务员考研一直为大家推出考研直播课堂，足不出户就可以边听课边学习，为大家的考研梦想助力!
推荐阅读》》》
2017年 考研 英语冲刺各题型每日一练
2017考研12月份各科复习计划与备考指导
【2017考研英语阅读12月8日模拟练习题】相关文章：
