Imagine having a very strong glue that is non-toxic and so flexible that it can penetrate the tiniest holes and corners, sticking to any surface, even under water. Shipbuilders would welcome it for repairing vessels without the expense of dry-docking them. Auto-body workers would like a really waterproof paint that keeps the rust out. Surgeons would value a safe glue to join broken bones and to close wounds… The list of possible uses appears endless.

　　However, scientists are not thinking of using the mussels themselves to produce this super glue. It would take some 10,000 shellfish to make just one gram of glue. So collection enough mussels to supply the world’s demand for super glue would wipe out the mussel population, many species of which are already endangered. Instead, American researchers have isolated and cloned the genes for five mussel glue proteins, and they are about to mass-produce them in the laboratory. However, the mussel is still one jump ahead. Only the mussel instinctively knows the exact blend of proteins needed for each kind of surface. Molecular biologist Frank Roberto has asked admiringly: “How are you ever going to imitate that?” (407 words)

　　56. A mussel grips a hard surface very firmly to ____.

　　A. seal itself from being damaged by sea water

　　B. produce the waterproof super glue

　　C. protect itself from being blown away by strong wind

　　D. protect itself from being the food of other animals

　　57. The waterproof super glue originates in _____.

　　A. the mussel’s tongue-shaped foot

　　B. some glands in the mussel’s body

　　C. the thread given off by the mussel

　　D. the channel of the mussel’s foot

　　58. To tie itself safely to a new home, a mussel must _____.

　　A. produce a thread to anchor to the hard surface

　　B. draw air and water from its pad-like structure

　　C. hold down a tent as human beings do

　　D. place many anchor lines strategically

　　59. Scientists are not thinking of using mussels to produce the super glue mainly because of _____.

　　A. the possible mass-production of the super glue

　　B. their concern about the cost of collecting mussels

　　C. their concern about the extinction of the species

　　D. the world’s limited demand for the super glue

　　60. The main idea of this passage is that _____.

　　A. mussels can be used to produce super glue

　　B. mussels are much smarter than we think

　　C. it is important to protect mussels

　　D. mussels have an amazing power useful to man

Part IV Cloze (10 minutes, 10 points, 0.5 for each )

　　Directions: In this part, there is a passage with twenty blanks. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best answer for each blank and mark the corresponding letter on your ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.

　　In recent years a new farming revolution has begun, one that involves the 61 of life at a fundamental level – the gene. The study of genetics has 62 a new industry called biotechnology. As the name suggest, it 63 biology and modem technology through such techniques as genetic engineering. Some of the new biotech companies specialize in