[解析]
(1)A.细节理解题。根据第六段"After closer examination,researchers identified a new set of regulatory genes﹣homeostasis genes.These genes are often responsible for picking up sound and the overall sensitivity of the ear. "(经过更仔细的研究,研究人员发现了一组新的调节基因﹣﹣稳态基因。这些基因通常负责接收声音和耳朵的整体敏感性。)可知,伦敦大学的科学家发现稳态基因维持一个人的听觉能力。故选A.
(2)D.推理判断题。根据第四段"A fruit fly's ears share many molecular(分子的) similarities with the ears of humans,making it an ideal tool for the study of human hearing loss."(果蝇的耳朵与人类的耳朵在分子上有许多相似之处,这使其成为研究人类听力损失的理想工具。)可知,研究中使用果蝇的原因是它们的听觉系统与人类的相似。故选D.
(3)B.目的意图题。根据倒数第二段"While many studies have been conducted into the hearing function of fruit flies,ours is the first to look at the mechanistic and molecular detail of their auditory life course."(虽然已经对果蝇的听觉功能进行了许多研究,但我们的研究是第一次研究果蝇听觉生命过程的机制和分子细节。),再结合最后一段 "The fact that these genes are conserved in humans will also help to focus future clinical research in humans and thereby accelerate the discovery of new pharmacological or gene﹣therapeutic strategies."(这些基因在人类中是保守的这一事实也将有助于将未来的临床研究重点放在人类身上,从而加速发现新的药理学或基因治疗策略。)可以推出,研究果蝇是为了为人类提供借鉴,所以最后两段的主要目的是讲述研究的意义。故选B.
(4)C.标题归纳题。根据第六段"After closer examination,researchers identified a new set of regulatory genes﹣homeostasis genes.These genes are often responsible for picking up sound and the overall sensitivity of the ear.Using this information,scientists were then able to genetically modify(修改) the genes and prevent the flies from getting ARHL. "(经过更仔细的研究,研究人员发现了一组新的调节基因﹣﹣稳态基因。这些基因通常负责接收声音和耳朵的整体敏感性。利用这一信息,科学家们就可以对这些基因进行基因改造,防止苍蝇感染ARHL.)再结合最后一段"The fact that these genes are conserved in humans will also help to focus future clinical research in humans and thereby accelerate the discovery of new pharmacological or gene﹣therapeutic strategies."(这些基因在人类中是保守的这一事实也将有助于将未来的临床研究重点放在人类身上,从而加速发现新的药理学或基因治疗策略。)可知,科学家研究果蝇是对人类听力损伤治疗有借鉴价值的。由此可知,Gene discovery could lead to hearing loss treatments.(基因发现可能导致听力损失治疗)是本文的最佳标题。故选C.