“You are just like your mother.” This phrase is often said by many people. As we grow older, we may notice that we’re getting more like our mother. Yet surprisingly, new research has found that most people are more similar to their father.

A team of scientists from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in the US found that we inherit (继承) equal amounts of genes (基因) from mother and father. But we use more of the DNA we inherit from our father.

The study helps us to partly explain who we are. And more importantly, it helps us to find out whether we are likely to develop illness. For example, if we inherit the gene of a disease from our mother, it may not be as strong as the one we inherit from our father.

“We know that there are 95 genes affected by our parents,” said lead researcher Profesor Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena. These are called imprinted genes (印记基因). But now, the study has found that there are thousands of other genes that have come from our parents.

For the study, the scientists selected (挑选) three different species of mice with different genes. The mice then gave birth to nine babies each. When they all reached adulthood, the team then measured (测量) every single gene of their DNA.

They found an imbalance that swung toward their father. Villena also said that the recent study was the first to show that mammals (哺乳动物) are more similar to their fathers than mothers. “This is an unusual new research finding that opens the door to an entirely new area of exploration in human genetics,” he said.

Have you ever been told there are things you cannot do because of your gender (性别)? For many girls and women around the world, this happens a lot. 【小题1】 This year’s theme is “embrace (拥抱) equality”.

【小题2】 such as the right to education. However, women have often fewer rights and choices than men. In the UK, two thirds of girls aged 11 to 21 see or experience sexism (性别歧视) every day.

Making the world a better place for girls doesn’t mean that it becomes a worse one for boys. 【小题3】 Researchers have found that people who live in gender equal countries are happier than those who live in unequal societies. Many of the stereotypes (刻板印象) that harm women—such as that they should be the main care for children—also harm men, who often want to care for their children.

You could challenge unfair behavior—for example, if you see a girl being excluded (排斥的) or belittled. 【小题4】 Although it’s important to challenge stereotypes, that doesn’t mean girls shouldn’t enjoy traditionally feminine (女性的) activities. As 17-year-old Mary said, “【小题5】.”

Some countries have a large number of earthquakes. Japan is one of them. 【小题1】 There are few earthquakes in Britain.

【小题2】 The ground vibrates(颤动). Houses fall down. Railways are broken, which causes trains to turn over. Sometimes thousands of people are killed in different ways. About 60, 000 were killed in 1783 in the south of Italy.

【小题3】 The centers of some earthquakes are under the sea. The bottom of the sea suddenly moves. The powerful forces inside the earth break the rocks. The coast is shaken and great waves appear. These waves travel long distances and rush over the land when they reach it, breaking down houses and other buildings. 【小题4】

A terrible earthquake happened in Assam, India, in 1986. The land near Shillong suddenly moved 1.5 feet to one side, and then back again. 【小题5】 Few buildings could stand what was happening and the great stores flew four feet up into the air. What kind of building stays up best in an earthquake? The Americans carefully studied, the results of the earthquake at San Francisco(1906) and believed it best for buildings to be made with concrete(混凝土) walls together by steel frames. Such are the buildings that can’t burn or fall easily.