researchers.However, it is impossible to recreate most of them, either because the fossilized (变成化石的) DNA is too old (dinosaur) or just not available.But the one exception may be the woolly mammoth, which lived about 8,000 years ago.

　　Thanks to their relatively recent disappearance and the ice­cold weather they lived in, plenty of well­preserved specimens (标本) have been discovered.In the last few years, scientists have been able to piece together the mammal's genetic code (遗传密码) using some frozen hair and also recreate its blood, with the help of DNA that was found preserved in the bone.Now, a group of Japanese scientists want to take it one step further and bring the mammoth back to life.

　　The team of scientists plan to start with a journey to Siberia this summer, to seek out the DNA from a flash­frozen specimen of the mammal.In case they are unable to find one, they will use the tissue of a preserved mammoth that currently sits in a Russian laboratory.

　　The scientists will join the mammoth's DNA with an empty egg of the mammoth's closest present­day relative - the elephant.Then, by using an electric current, they will trick the egg into growing and dividing.After a few days, the researchers will put it inside a female elephant, which will act as a surrogate mother (代孕母亲)．

　　Then begins the waiting game - for it takes about 600 days, for an elephant or in this case a woolly mammoth baby, to fully develop - that is, if everything goes well and the surrogate mother doesn't reject the egg.

　　If luckily we do get a baby mammoth, scientists are not sure if they would produce more, but they are hoping they will be able to study it and answer the age­old question of how they became extinct - were they hunted down by humans or did they die because of climate change?

　　Will the woolly mammoth come back to life? We have to wait and see.

语篇解读：本文是说明文。日本的科学家正在尝试克隆猛犸象，企图复活这一史前庞然大物。

　　5．The remains of the woolly mammoth are kept well partly due to ________.

　　A．their long hair B．their big size

　　C．the coldness D．human activity

　　解析：选C　细节理解题。由第二段中的"the ice­cold weather they lived in, plenty of well­preserved specimens (标本) have been discovered"及"frozen"可知，猛犸象生活的地域气候寒冷，这使得它们的遗骸保存得比较完好。

　　6．Why do the Japanese scientists plan to go to Siberia?

　　A．To find suitable DNA.

　　B．To preserve the specimen.

C．To recreate the mammoth's blood.