① 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.
② 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.
③ 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.”
④ 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.
⑤ 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.
⑥ 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.
1.1.It can be learned from Paragraph 1 that the biotech companies would like ________.
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
解析：选A。
A推理判断题。本题问的是第一段所表明的“生物技术公司意愿”。该段指出，法官裁决“基因不可申请专利”，这令生物科技公司极度不安。生物科技组织（BIO）向成员们保证“这只是一场持久战争的第一步”。由此可反向判断，生物技术公司希望“基因可申请专利”，[A]选项正确。
2.2.Those who are against gene patents believe that ________.
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
解析：选B。
B细节理解题。根据题干who are against gene patents定位到第三段③句Critics make three main arguments against gene patents...。该句指出基因专利反对者的三大理由：一，基因是自然产物，故不可申请专利；二，基因专利阻碍创新；三，基因垄断限制基因检测的使用。[B]符合意见一，故正确。
3.3.According to Hans Sauer, companies are eager to win patents for ________.
A discovering gene interactions
B establishing disease correlations
C drawing pictures of genes
D identifying human DNA
解析：选A。
A细节理解题。根据题干中人名关键词Hans Sauer定位到第五段末句。该句指出Hans Sauer观点：公司们急于就“connecting the dots”获取专利。但从本句无法推知connecting the dots具体所指，所以需继续回看上文。上一句指出，生物技术公司当前致力于研究“基因之间是如何相互作用的”，以期找到疾病成因，推测药物疗效。可推知，connecting the dots即指发现基因间的相互作用，[A]选项正确。
4.4.By saying “Each meeting was packed” (Para. 6), the author means that ________.
A the supreme court was authoritative
B the BIO was a powerful organisation
C gene patenting was a great concern
D lawyers were keen to attend conventions
解析：选C。
C推理判断题。所考句连同其上一句共同指出：生物技术组织（BIO）举行了一系列会议培训律师应对目前变换的基因专利情形，而每次会议都座无虚席。可见作者意在表明：无论是BIO还是律师们都极为关注基因专利情形，即：基因专利是个重大问题，[C]正确。
5.5.Generally speaking, the author’s attitude toward gene patenting is ________.
A critical
B supportive
C scornful
D objective
解析：选D。
D观点态度题。纵观全文，作者只是在介绍“基因专利”相关裁决及引发的反响，重在说明这一问题的重大意义以及热议性，客观阐释了生物科技产业（基因专利支持者）和基因专利反对者的观点。从头到尾作者都未表明自己的立场或站位，未就“基因是否可以申请专利”发表自己观点。故[D]最为准确。
