单选题
A Gay Biologist

Molecular biologist Dean Homer has blue eyes, light brown hair and a good sense of humor. He smokes cigarettes, spends long hours in an old laboratory at the US National Institute of Health, and in his free time climbs up cliffs and points his skis down steep slopes. He also happens to be openly, matter of factly gay.
What is it that makes Homer who he is? What, for that matter, accounts for the talents and traits that make up anyone"s personality? Hamer is not content merely to ask such questions; he is trying to answer them as well. A pioneer in the field of molecular psychology, Homer is exploring the role genes play in governing the very core of our individuality. To a remarkable extent, his work on what might be called the gay, thrill-seeking and quit-smoking genes reflects how own genetic predispositions.
That work, which has appeared mostly in scientific journals, has been gathered into an accessible and quite readable form in Homer"s creative new book, Living with Our Genes. "You have about as much choice in some aspect of your personality." Homer and co-author Peter Copeland write in the introductory chapter, "as you do in the shape of your nose or the size of your feet."
Until recently, research into behavioral genetics was dominated by psychiatrists and psychologists, who based their most compelling conclusions about the importance of genes on studies of identical twins. For example, psychologist Michael Bailey of Northwestern University famously demonstrated that if one identical twin is gay, there is about a 50% likelihood that the other will be too. Seven years ago, Hamer picked up where the twin studies left off, homing in on specific strips of DNA that appear to influence everything from mood to sexual orientation.
Hamer switched to behavioral genetics from basic research, after receiving his doctorate from Harvard, he spent more than a decade studying the biochemistry of a protein that cells use to metabolize heavy metals like copper and zinc. As he was about to turn 40, however, Hamer suddenly realized he had learned as much about the protein as he cared to. "Frankly, I was bored," he remembers, "and ready for something new."
Homosexual behavior, in particular, seemed ripe for exploration because few scientists had dared tackle such an emotionally and politically charged subject. "I"m gay," Hamer says with a shrug, "but that was not a major motivation. It was more of a question of intellectual curiosity—and the fact that no one else was doing this sort of research."
单选题 The first paragraph describes Hamer"s ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 题意:第一段描写了Hamer的……。
根据第一段“...blue eyes, light brown hair and a good sense of humor...smokes cigarettes, spends long hours...in his free time... ”可知,Hamer有一双蓝眼睛,一头浅棕色的头发,为人幽默风趣。他抽烟,实验室里一待就是很长时间。闲暇时他去攀登险峰,踩着滑雪板滑下陡峭的斜坡,所以A项正确。而B项、C项和D项的内容,第一段都未提及。故本题选A。
单选题 Hamer was a ______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 题意:Hamer是一位……。
根据文章第一句“Molecular biologist Dean Hamer”可知,Hamer是一位分子生物学家。故本题选D。
单选题 What is Hamer doing now?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 题意:Hamer如今在做什么?
根据文章第二段倒数第二句“...is exploring the role...our individuality”可知,作为分子心理学领域的先驱,Hamer一直在探究基因在决定人的个性核心中所发挥的作用,所以B项正确。文章未提及A项和D项的内容,故A项和D项错误。根据文章第三段第一句“has been gathered into...Living with our Genes”可知,这本书是从科学杂志的论文结集而成的,即书已经写完,所以C项错误。故本题选B。
单选题 What happened to Hamer"s research interest?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 题意:Hamer的研究兴趣发生了什么变化?
根据文章第五段“Hamer switched to behavioral genetics from basic research... ”可知,Hamer从基础科学研究转向行为遗传学研究,故本题选C。
单选题 According to Hamer, what was one of the main reasons for him to choose homosexual behavior as his research subject?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 题意:根据Hamer所说,他选择同性恋行为作为研究课题的主要原因是什么?
根据文章第六段最后一句“...was not a major motivation...more of a question of intellectual curiosity—and the fact... ”可知,Hamer本人是同性恋者,但这不是他做研究的主要的动机,其动机更多的是因为求知欲,而且事实上还没有人做过这类研究,所以A项和C项错误,B项正确。D项内容文章没有涉及。故本题选B。