Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This is one of life’s __1__ questions and people have been debating about it for thousands of years. Now scientists believe they have solved this _2__. Researchers from Sheffield and Warwick Universities in England discovered the answer __3__. They used a super computer to observe the shell-making process while a new shell was __4__. Then they found one protein called OC17 that is __5__ for forming eggshell. This is only found inside a chicken’s body, which is proof that the _6__ came first. The team was __7__ looking at how animals and birds make eggshells but suddenly made their surprising __8__. The big question now is where chickens came from. The _9__ is from dinosaurs. The research team said eggshells are one of nature’s most __10__ creations. Professor John Harding from the team told reporters: “Understanding how chickens make eggshells is fascinating in itself, but it can also be __11__ in designing new materials.” Eggshells are very lightweight but incredibly strong. Even the most up-to-date materials __12__ by the world’s top engineers can not produce anything as __13__ as an eggshell. Professor Harding added that __14__ eggshells could help to cure bone diseases and design materials for the construction industry.“Nature has found wonderful ways that __15__ for all kinds of problems in materials science and technology — we can learn a lot from them.” he said. 小题1: A．strangest B．best C．oldest D．longest 小题2: A．puzzle B．story C．history D．idea 小题3: A．on purpose B．by chance C．without hesitation D．at work 小题4: A．breaking B．changing C．disappearing D．forming 小题5: A．necessary B．easy C．kind D．impossible 小题6: A．egg B．eggshell C．chicken D．dinosaur 小题7: A．obviously B．originally C．thoughtfully D．surprisingly 小题8: A．invention B．mistake C．statement D．discovery 小题9: A．answer B．research C．key D．egg 小题10: A．strange B．ridiculous C．funny D．amazing 小题11: A．hopeful B．helpful C．respectful D．colorful 小题12: A．bought B．cut C．designed D．carried 小题13: A．brilliant B．ordinary C．1ight D．strong 小题14: A．finding B．watching C．studying D．making 小题15: A．happen B．work C．wait D．look