13.Scientists say they have discovered a promising treatment for sleeping sickness,a killer disease that infects(感染) about 60,000people in Africa a year.
British and Canadian experts say drugs could attack the parasite(寄生虫) causing the illness needs to survive.They say the drug could be ready for human medical test in about 18months.
The disease,spread by the bite of a fly,is caused by a parasite attacking the central nervous system.It has similar symptoms(症状) to malaria(疟疾),making it difficult to diagnose.Left untreated,it moves to the brain,resulting in mental confusion and final death
The"breakthrough"came at the University of Dundee in Scotland,where scientists were offered money to research diseases ignored by major drugs companies.
Professor Paul Wyatt,director of the programme,said:"This is one of the most significant findings made in recent years in terms of drug discovery and development for ignored diseases."
He said the research,published in the journal Nature,represented"significant progress"in the development of a full blown drug against the disease.
The World Health Organization said there are between 50,000and 70,000cases of the disease a year,with a further 60million people at risk of infection.
The research in Dundee was backed by partners at the University of York in England and the Structural Genomics Consortium in Toronto,Canada.The two drugs currently available to treat sleeping sickness both have problems.One is with side effects that kill one in 20patients and the other is costly,only partially effective and requires long-time hospital treatment,the scientists said.
57.The word backed in the last paragraph probably meansB.
A.conducted B.supported
C.believed D.managed
58.What the World Health Organization said suggested thatD.
A.about 60000people died of the disease each year
B.about 60000people were cured of the disease each year
C.600million people are likely to get infected
D.the disease is spreading fast in Africa
59.We can read this passageD.
A.in the journal Nature
B.in a newspaper of the University of Dundee
C.in a book about flies
D.in a newspaper about medicine
60.We can learn from the passage thatB.
A.big drug companies play an important role in the research of the new drug
B.people who get infected with the disease are mentally disturbed
C.among 200people infected with the disease,5may die because of the old drug
D.Professor Paul Wyatt may be a professor at the University of York.
分析 本文是一篇科普文.讲述了科学家发现一种新的治疗方法,用来治疗昏睡症.这种药品通过攻击人体内造成昏睡症的寄生虫起作用.这种药物将在18个月后在人体进行试验.昏睡症主要爆发在非洲,一年大约有6万人感染.主要传播方式为蚊虫叮咬.症状类似疟疾,感染后会攻击人类的中央神经系统.这一项新的治疗方式让治愈昏睡症成为可能,是科学上的一次巨大突破.
解答 57.答案B.词义猜测题.从最后一段的句子"The research in Dundee was backed by partners at the University of York in England and the Structural Genomics Consortium in Toronto,Canada",可知这个研究受到纽约大学的合作伙伴支持.选B.
58.答案D.推理判断题.从倒数第二段的句子:The World Health Organization said there are between 50,000 and 70,000 cases of the disease a year,with a further 60 million people at risk of infection.可知世界健康组织认为疾病在非洲传播的很快.选D.
59.答案D.文章出处题.这篇文章讲的是治疗睡眠疾病的药物,就是说是出自药品的报纸.选D.
60.答案B.细节理解题.从第三段的句子:Left untreated,it moves to the brain,resulting in mental confusion and final death可知这种病会导致精神失常.选B.
点评 科普类文章的阅读,要特别留意文章开头或结尾,学会找主旨句.根据不同的题型,选用不同的阅读策略.词义猜测题一定要结合整句话,瞻前顾后,留意相似词及反义词.