Question

The sight of a mosquito can mean trouble to people in many parts of the world. The bite of the mosquito can be deadly. The insects carry serious diseases like malaria (疟疾). It is estimated that almost 630,000 people died from malaria and malaria­related causes in 2012, and most of these cases were in African countries.

In the United States, a group of California scientists are working to develop a more effective and less costly substance (物质) to protect people from mosquitoes. The researchers are investigating the sense of smell in mosquitoes. They found the insects use the same receptor for identifying carbon dioxide in human breath as they do for the smell of our skin. Anandasankar Ray, who is leading the investigation, says scientists tested more than a million chemical compounds (化合物) until they found a substance called Ethyl Pyruvate. He says Ethyl Pyruvate makes the mosquitoes' receptors inactive. “When we apply Ethyl Pyruvate to a human arm and offer it to hungry mosquitoes in a cage, very few of the mosquitoes are attracted to the human arm because only a few of them are able to smell it out,” said Ray.

Genevieve Tauxe, a member of the research team, says it was not easy to find the neurons (神经元) of noble cells that recognize both the smell of human breath and skin. “With the device used to examine the mosquito, we are able to insert a very small electrode (电极) into the part of the mosquito's nose, where its smelling neurons are and where the smell is happening,” said Tauxe.

Anandasankar Ray says a product based on Ethyl Pyruvate may cost less to produce than DEFT, the most effective chemical treatment now in use. He says DEFT is too costly for most people who live in areas affected by malaria.

“Perhaps by finding smells that can attack other target receptors, we will be able to improve upon DEFT and finally have the next generation of insect behaviour control products,” said Ray.ytytzygx.

1.The underlined word in the second paragraph probably means ________.

A. a substance that protects people from mosquitoes

B. a sense organ that reacts to changes

C. a device that reacts to light

D. a piece of equipment that sends signals

2.According to the passage, Ethyl Pyruvate can ________.

A. kill the mosquitoes' smelling neurons

B. cause the mosquitoes to lose their senses of smell

C. result in the inactiveness of the mosquitoes' receptors

D. make the mosquitoes uninterested in human breath and skin smell

3.This passage most probably appears in ________.

A. a textbook of medical schools

B. a collection of doctors' essays

C. the column of newspaper ads

D. the health column of a magazine

4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. Ethyl Pyruvate—an Insect Behaviour Control Product

B. Malaria—a Serious Disease Causing 630,000 Deaths

C. Scientists Find a New Substance to Fight Mosquitoes

D. A New Generation of DEET Has Been Developed to Kill Mosquitoes

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲的是在世界上很多地方，蚊子的声音就意味着麻烦。蚊子叮咬有可能致命。这种昆虫会传播疟疾等严重疾病。据世界卫生组织估计，2012年将近有63万人死于疟疾和疟疾相关疾病。科学家们相信他们将很快能够找到办法生产出更便宜更有效的防蚊产品。

1.B词义猜测题。根据第二段第二、三句The researchers are investigating the sense of smell in mosquitoes. 研究人员正在调查蚊子的嗅觉。They found the insects use the same receptor for identifying carbon dioxide in human breath as they do for the smell of our skin. 他们发现蚊子使用相同的感受器来识别人呼吸的气味和皮肤的气味。故选B。

2.C细节理解题。根据第二段倒数第二句He says Ethyl Pyruvate makes the mosquitoes' receptors inactive. 他说丙酮酸乙酯使得蚊子的感受器不敏感。故选C。

3.D推理判断题。根据第一段The sight of a mosquito can mean trouble to people in many parts of the world. 看到一只蚊子就意味着在世界上许多地方给人到来烦恼。The bite of the mosquito can be deadly. 蚊子的叮咬可能是致命的。The insects carry serious diseases like malaria (疟疾).昆虫可能带来像疟疾一样的疾病。It is estimated that almost 630,000 people died from malaria and malaria­related causes in 2012, and most of these cases were in African countries.估计在2012年大约有630,000人死于疟疾或与疟疾有关的疾病。这些案例多数在非洲国家。通过以上内容可知这篇文章最有可能出现在一本杂志的健康栏目。故选D。

4.In the United States, a group of California scientists are working to develop a more effective and less costly substance (物质) to protect people from mosquitoes.在美国，一群加利福尼亚科学家正在想办法生产出更便宜更有效的防蚊产品。故选C。

考点：考查健康类阅读