2．Testing new drugs for safety and effectiveness is a costly process in the United States．It also can take a lot of time．Some scientists are now designing silicon computer chips that act like human organs．The scientists think they have found a way to make the process faster and more economical．
The silicon chips are smaller than a child's hand．Each one has living cells that act and react like a human organ．The chips are being created as part of a program to test the safety of drug compounds．It is called the Tissue Chip for Drug Screening Program．It is a project of the US National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences，or NCATS．Danilo Tagle is the center's Associate Director．He says a three-dimensional computer chip can be designed to act like a human lung．He describes how such a device would operate．
Some computer chips contain very small models of the human digestive system．They copy the real function or duties of the human stomach and intestine，moving when breaking down food．Drugs are added to the tiny organs for testing through instruments known as micro-tubes．Experiments with the tissue chips have produced more detailed information than tests using animal or cell models．
Researchers at Columbia University are working on a project that would combine models of the heart，liver and circulatory system．The scientists hope to test how well some drugs work on diseases of the heart and liver．At Harvard University，researchers are developing a tissue chip modeled on the heart and lungs．
Researchers say they can safely test the effects of a drug on different organ systems．They can use the tissue chips to observe a drug's effect on the organ or organs it is designed to target．
12．What can we learn about the silicon chips？A
A．They have living cells acting like a human organ．
B．They can replace the bad organ of human．
C．They can find diseases of a human organ．
D．They can examine a human organ．
13．The underlined word intestine （ in paragraph 3）meansB．
A．The organ inside our body where food is digested．
B．The tube in our body through which food passes．
C．The organ filled with air when we breathe in．
D．The organ in our body which processes blood and help to clean waste．
14．What can be the best title for the text？A
A．Scientists Put Living Human Tissue on Silicon Chips
B．Researchers Test New Drugs for Safety and Effectiveness
C．Scientists Observe Diseases of the Heart and Liver
D．Scientists Develop Some Computer Chips
15．What is the main purpose of writing the text？C
A．describe the effectiveness of drugs on the organ．
B．persuade people to use a new product．
C．inform new research finding in testing drugs．
D．present the progress of testing new drugs．
分析 本文主要介绍了由美国的一些科学家们正在研发的一种计算机硅芯片的原理以及用途；在美国，由于测试新药的安全性和有效性是件既耗费财力，又耗费时间的事情，因此一些科学家们正在研发一种像人体器官一样运作的计算机硅芯片；这种硅芯片比小孩的手还小，每个硅芯片都有很多活细胞，它们可以像人体器官一样运作及反应；这种芯片被开发出来用于一项测试药物化合物安全性的程序，它被称之为"用于药物筛选程序的组织芯片"；研究人员表示，这种硅芯片能够安全地测试某种药物对不同器官系统的影响；科学家们还希望该芯片能够帮助他们在人体试验开始前找到最安全和最有效的药物．
解答 答案：
12．A 细节理解题 根据第二段中的"The silicon chips are…Each one has living cells that act and react like a human organ．"可知，每个硅芯片都有一些像人类器官一样运作和反应的活细胞；故选A
13．B 词义猜测题 根据第三段中的"Some computer chips contain very small models of the human digestive system．They copy the real function or duties of the human stomach and intestine，moving when breaking down food（一些计算机芯片包含非常小的人类消化系统的模型，它们会模仿人的胃和肠的实际功能或职责，在分解食物时蠕动）"提到了"the human digestive system"（人类消化系统）以及"the human stomach and intestine"（人的胃和…）可推测出intestine意为：肠；故答案为：B
14．A 标题选择题 A．科学家们把人类的活体细胞应用在了硅芯片上； B．研究人员测试新药物的安全性和有效性；C．科学家观察心脏和肝脏的疾病；D．科学家开发了一些电脑芯片；通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了由科学家们正在研发的计算机硅芯片用于测试新药的安全性与有效性的原理及用途；故选A
15．C 主旨大意题 A．描述了药物对器官的有效性；B．说服人们使用一种新产品；C．通告了在药物检测中的新的研究发现；D．介绍了新药测试的研究进程；由于本文主要介绍了科学家们正在研发的计算机硅芯片在药物检测中的原理及用途，故选C
点评 做本题时，首先应快速浏览全文，把握文章的主旨大意；其次，可以通过对相关细节的理解，以及通过内容归纳，词义猜测或概括段落大意，从而选出正确的答案．
