Preparing for Civil Service Examination: Reading Comprehension Practice 2

Do you often worry about how to improve your reading comprehension level efficiently? Now, our website has carefully prepared a series of reading comprehension questions closely related to Civil Service Examination, covering a wide range of topics and question types, aiming to hone your reading analysis and comprehension skills in all aspects.

Read the passages and answer the questions that follow. Good luck!

 

Biotechnology can be broadly defined as “using living organisms or their products for commercial purposes.” As such, biotechnology has been practiced since the beginning of recorded history in such activities as baking bread, brewing alcoholic beverages, or breeding food crops or domestic animals.
A narrower and more specific definition of biotechnology is “the commercial application of living organisms or their products, which involves the deliberate manipulation of their DNA molecules.” This definition implies a set of laboratory techniques developed within the last 20 years that have been responsible for the tremendous scientific and commercial interest in biotechnology, the founding of many new companies, and the redirection of research efforts and financial resources among established companies and universities.
Combining DNA from different existing organisms (plants, animals, insects, bacteria, etc.) results in modified organisms with a combination of traits from the parents. The sharing of DNA information takes place naturally through sexual reproduction and has been exploited in plant and animal breeding programs for many years.
However, sexual reproduction can occur only between plants and animals of the same species. A Holstein cow can be mated with a Hereford bull because the two animals are different breeds of the same species, cattle. But trying to mate a cow with a horse, a different species of animal, would not be successful.
What’s new since 1972 is that scientists have been able to identify the specific DNA genes for many desirable traits and transfer only those genes, usually carried on a plasmid or virus, into another organism. This provides a method to transfer DNA between any living cells (plant, animal, insect, bacterial, etc.). Virtually any desirable trait found in nature can, in principle, be transferred into any chosen organism. An organism modified by genetic engineering is called transgenic.
Specific applications of genetic engineering are abundant and increasing rapidly in number. Genetic engineering is being used in the production of pharmaceuticals, gene therapy, and the development of transgenic plants and animals.

 

1. Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?

a. ambivalent
b. critical
c. defensive
d. enthusiastic
e. objective

Correct Answer: d

Answer Explanation:

The author cites the benefits and leaping bounds science has been able to make since the discovery. The tone of the article is one of excitement, using adjectives such as “tremendous” and citing examples of its efficacy. Ambivalence is contrary to the tone, so choice a is incorrect. The answer is not choice b because the author doesn’t criticize anything but rather supports the findings. The answer is not choice c; although the author seems to be defending the legitimacy of the use of biotechnology, it is never suggested that anyone else has attacked it. Objectivity (choice e) would imply that no emotion is involved in the findings, and the author has a clear interest in the further development of biotechnology.

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2. Based on what’s been said thus far, what is the next paragraph most likely to discuss?
a. the effects of what would happen if a cow and horse were mated
b. the specific examples of biotechnology and its benefits to science
c. what happened in 1972 and which scientists were involved
d. who opposes the use of biotechnology
e. how the production of beer is not so different from the production of pharmaceuticals

Correct Answer: b

Answer Explanation:

The last line in the last paragraph cites nonspecific examples of where genetic engineering has been used with benefit. It is implied that the author will continue to articulate the strides made with the use of genetic engineering by more specifically citing its contribution. The answer is not choice a. The reference made to mating a cow and a horse was made to cite an example of what couldn’t work prior to new scientific findings. There is never implication that a cow and a horse should swap DNA for any reason. Although reference can be made eventually to the advancements made in 1972, this segue would be clumsy if made here, and therefore choice c is incorrect. The answer is not choice d. There is never any reference to opponents of biotechnology. The answer is not choice e. There is never any additional implied link between beer and pharmaceuticals.

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3. The outcome of the mating of a Holstein cow and a Hereford bull would be called:
a. an abomination
b. transgenic
c. improbable
d. manipulation
e. transference

Correct Answer: b

Answer Explanation:

The end of the fifth paragraph states, “An organism modified by genetic engineering is called transgenic.” Although any individual may have the opinion that DNA swapping is an abomination, it’s not called that technically, so choice a is incorrect. The answer is not choice c. It is stated that manipulating the DNA between these two animals of the same breed has been possible for years. Although it is a manipulation, this is not what it is definitively called, so choice d is incorrect. This is not what transference means, so choice e is incorrect.

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