基因改造鼠帮助科学家了解自闭症

As a 16-year-old boy looked closely at a mouse, it ran around an enclosed area in a laboratory. “Hi, Jakob 1. I’m Jake.”

Jake Litvag named the mouse, but they share more than just names. Scientists genetically engineered(基因改造) Jakob, the mouse, to be similar to Jake in one important genetic way. That mouse and its relatives are the first in the world to have the same missing gene that scientists say may cause Jake’s condition—autism(自闭症).

Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis raised the mice from stem cells(干细胞) that came from Jake’s blood. They wanted to study his condition. Jake’s parents, Joe and Lisa Litvag, visited the laboratory back in December 2021. They thought that meeting the scientists and the mice would help Jake understand his important part in the research. He now considers autism something to be proud of rather than something that makes him different from others.

“Oh wow. Cool!” Jake said as he watched the research mice. Walking out of the lab, Lisa Litvag cried as she thought about her son’s cells helping others. After meeting the mice, the family visited another lab, where Jake looked through a microscope at his own stem cells. “That’s me! That’s cool stuff. I never saw anything like that in my life,” Jake said, as his dad pulled him close.

Jake’s father Joe Litvag said that he and his family are “deeply proud” to be part of the research. He added, “What do we live this life for? It’s to try to—in one way, shape or form—be of service to others.”

1.What can we know about Jakob according to the passage?

A It is the pet of Jake Litvag.

B It is the first mouse with autism.

C It has the same genes as Jake Litvag.

D It was probably born in the lab for research.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第二段的“Scientists genetically engineered(基因改造) Jakob, the mouse, to be similar to Jake in one important genetic way.”可知，科学家通过基因改造了老鼠雅各布，使它在一个重要的基因方面与杰克相似。结合第三段第一句可知雅各布可能是一只在实验室诞生的作研究之用的老鼠，故选D。

2.What did Jake do for the research?

A He donated his stem cells to it.

B He helped raised the mouse Jakob.

C He provided a missing gene for Jakob.

D He took part in the research by himself.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第三段的“Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis raised the mice from stem cells(干细胞) that came from Jake’s blood.”可知，杰克给该实验捐赠了干细胞。故选A。

3.What’s the purpose for Jake’s parents to visit the lab?

A To let Jake forget his illness.

B To make Jake have a happy feeling.

C To consider his son’s autism treatment.

D To help Jake know his role in the research.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第三段的“They thought that meeting the scientists and the mice would help Jake understand his important part in the research.”可知，杰克父母认为，与科学家和那些老鼠会面将有助于杰克理解他在研究中的重要作用，即他们此行是想帮助杰克了解他在研究中的作用。故选D。

4.How did Jake feel in the lab according to the passage?

A Sad.

B Curious.

C Amazed.

D Calm.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据第四段的“That’s me! That’s cool stuff. I never saw anything like that in my life”可知，杰克在实验室表示这一切很酷，他这辈子从没见过这样的事。由此推断他对眼前的一切感到很惊奇。故选C。

5.According to Joe Litvag, we can infer(推断) that_____.

A he took pride in what Jake had done

B he hoped to help others in the future

C he deeply understood the meaning of life

D he had different ideas about the autism research

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“What do we live this life for? It’s to try to —in one way, shape or form—be of service to others.”可知，杰克父亲认为活着就是要以某种方式为他人服务，由此可见，他对于生命的意义有着深刻的理解。A选项是事实细节，不用推断即可得知，所以不选。故选C。