In 2010, a federal judge shook America’s biotech industry to its core. Companies had won patents for isolated DNA for decades—by 2005 some 20% of human genes were patented. But in March 2010 a judge ruled that genes were unpatentable. Executives were violently agitated. The Biotechnology Industry Organisation ( BIO) , a trade group, assured members that this was just a “preliminary step” in a longer battle.
On July 29th they were relieved, at least temporarily. A federal appeals court overturned the prior decision, ruling that Myriad Genetics could indeed hold patents to two genes that help forecast a woman’s risk of breast cancer. The chief executive of Myriad, a company in Utah, said the ruling was a blessing to firms and patients alike.
But as companies continue their attempts at personalised medicine, the courts will remain rather busy. The Myriad case itself is probably not over. Critics make three main arguments against gene patents: a gene is a product of nature, so it may not be patented; gene patents suppress innovation rather than reward it; and patents’ monopolies restrict access to genetic tests such as Myriad’s. A growing number seem to agree. Last year a federal task-force urged reform for patents related to genetic tests. In October the Department of Justice filed a brief in the Myriad case, arguing that an isolated DNA molecule “is no less a product of nature...than are cotton fibres that have been separated from cotton seeds.
Despite the appeals court’s decision, big questions remain unanswered. For example, it is unclear whether the sequencing of a whole genome violates the patents of individual genes within it. The case may yet reach the Supreme Court.
As the industry advances, however, other suits may have an even greater impact. Companies are unlikely to file many more patents for human DNA molecules—most are already patented or in the public domain. Firms are now studying how genes interact, looking for correlations that might be used to determine the causes of disease or predict a drug’s efficacy. Companies are eager to win patents for “connecting the dots”, explains Hans Sauer, a lawyer for the BIO.
Their success may be determined by a suit related to this issue, brought by the Mayo Clinic, which the Supreme Court will hear in its next term. The BIO recently held a convention which included sessions to coach lawyers on the shifting landscape for patents. Each meeting was packed. (407 words)
1.It can be learned from Paragraph 1 that the biotech companies would like （ ）.
2.Those who are against gene patents believe that （ ）.
3.According to Hans Sauer, companies are eager to win patents for （ ）.
4.By saying “Each meeting was packed”(Para. 6) the author means that （ ）.
5.Generally speaking, the author’s attitude toward gene patenting is（ ）.
问题1选项
A.genes to be patentable
B.the BIO to issue a warning
C.their executives to be active
D.judges to rule out gene patenting
问题2选项
A.genetic tests are not reliable
B.only man-made products are patentable
C.patents on genes depend much on innovation
D.courts should restrict access to genetic tests
问题3选项
A.discovering gene interactions
B.establishing disease correlations
C.drawing pictures of genes
D.identifying human DNA
问题4选项
A.the supreme court was authoritative
B.the BIO was a powerful organization
C.gene patenting was a great concern
D.lawyers were keen to attend conventions
问题5选项
A.critical
B.supportive
C.scornful
D.objective
第1题:A
第2题:B
第3题:A
第4题:C
第5题:D
第1题:
【选项释义】
It can be learned from Paragraph 1 that the biotech companies would like_____. 从第一段可以得知，生物技术公司想要_____。
A. genes to be patentable A. 基因申请专利
B. the BIO to issue a warning B. 生物技术委员发出警告
C. their executives to be active C. 他们的高管积极起来
D. judges to rule out gene patenting D. 法官否决基因专利申请
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】根据题干Paragraph 1和biotech companies可定位至首段第二句到第四句。Companies had won patents for isolated DNA for decades—by 2005 some 20% of human genes were parented. But in March 2010 a judge ruled that genes were unpatentable. Executives were violently agitated. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), a trade group, assured members that this was just a “preliminary step” in a longer battle.（几十年来，公司已经获得了分离DNA的专利——到2005年，大约20%的人类基因是亲代的。但是在2010年3月，一位法官裁定基因是不可申请专利的。公司的管理者们焦躁不安。贸易组织生物技术产业组织（BIO）向成员国保证，这只是一场长期斗争的“初步步骤”。）第三句‘一位法官裁决基因不能获得专利’中的But表示与第二句逻辑相反，讲到法官对公司多年享有专利的否定。而第四句‘公司的管理者们焦躁不安’表明生物技术公司对裁决的不满，即自己的愿望是“希望与以前一样可以得到基因专利”。所以A选项‘基因可以申请专利’正确。
【干扰项排除】
B、C选项在原文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项根据解析可知属于反向干扰。
第2题:
【选项释义】
Those who are against gene patents believe that_____. 那些反对基因专利的人认为_____。
A. genetic tests are not reliable A. 基因测试不可靠
B. only man-made products are patentable B. 只有人造产品可以申请专利
C. patents on genes depend much on innovation C. 基因专利很大程度上依赖于创新
D. courts should restrict access to genetic tests D. 法院应限制进行基因检测
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】根据题干Those who are against gene patents和believe可定位至第三段第三句Critics make three main arguments against gene patents: a gene is a product of nature, so it may not be patented; gene patents suppress innovation rather than reward it; and patents’ monopolies restrict access to genetic tests such as Myriad’s.（反对基因专利的批评家提出了三个主要理由：基因是自然的产物，所以它可能不会获得专利；基因专利抑制而不是奖励创新；专利垄断限制了基因测试的使用，比如myriad。）B选项‘只有人造产品才可以申请专利’与理由“基因是自然产物，不应得到专利保护”相符，正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、D选项在原文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
C选项，原文中提到gene patents suppress innovation rather than reward it（基因专利抑制而不是奖励创新），可知基因专利不依赖创新反而抑制，属于反向干扰。
第3题:
【选项释义】
According to Hans Sauer, companies are eager to win patents for_____. 据汉斯·绍尔称，公司渴望为_____赢得专利。
A. discovering gene interactions A. 发现基因相互作用
B. establishing disease correlations B. 建立疾病的相关性
C. drawing pictures of genes C. 绘制基因图
D. identifying human DNA D. 人类DNA识别
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】根据题干Hans Sauer和companies are eager to win patents可定位至第五段。第五段第三句Firms are now studying how genes interact, looking for correlations that might be used to determine the causes of disease or predict a drug’s efficacy.（生物公司正在研究基因的相互作用，以确定它们的彼此关系，这些关系可以用来确诊病因或预测药物疗效的相关性。）A选项discovering gene interactions‘发现基因之间相互作用’是正确答案。
【干扰项排除】
B、C、D选项在定位处没有提及，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
By saying “Each meeting was packed” (Para. 6) the author means that_____. “每次会议都挤满了人”（第6段），作者的意思是_____。
A. the supreme court was authoritative A. 最高法院具有权威
B. the BIO was a powerful organization B. 生物技术研究所是一个强大的组织
C. gene patenting was a great concern C. 基因专利的授予受到广泛关注
D. lawyers were keen to attend conventions D. 律师们热衷于参加大会
【考查点】推理判断题
【解题思路】根据题干Para. 6和each meeting was packed可定位至尾段。尾段倒数第二句The BIO recently held a convention which included sessions to coach lawyers on the shifting landscape for patents.（BIO最近召开了一个大会，期间开展了一系列研讨会，以培训律师应对专利格局的变化。）再结合最后一句Each meeting was packed.（每次会议都座无虚席。）可以得出“人们对此问题极为关注”，所以C选项‘基因专利的授予受到广泛关注’。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、D不能通过定位段信息推理出来。
第5题:
【选项释义】
Generally speaking, the author’s attitude toward gene patenting is_____. 总的来说，作者对基因专利的态度是_____。
A. critical A. 批评的
B. supportive B. 支持的
C. scornful C. 鄙视的
D. objective D. 客观的
【考查点】主观态度题
【解题思路】根据题干Generally speaking和the author’s attitude可知该题目需要从整体宏观的角度把握作者观点。纵观全文，作者没有明确表明自己的任何立场，只是客观描述了正反两种观点。此外，根据尾段首句Their success may be determined by a suit...他们能否成功可能取决于一个相关诉讼。此句中的情态动词may表明作者的态度是不确定的，是以客观的语气来叙述的，所以D项是正确答案。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C选项不能通过文章信息推理出来。
