Question

Darek Fidyka, a 38-year-old Bulgarian, had been paralysed (瘫痪的) from the chest down for four years after a knife attack. Scientists from Britain and Poland took cells from his nose, transplanted  (移植) them into his back and re-grew his spinal cord (脊髓). Now he can walk and even drive a car. The doctors were delighted but said it was the first step in a long journey.

The breakthrough came after 40 years of research by Professor Geoff Raisman, who found that cells had the possibility to repair damage to nasal (鼻腔的) nerves, the only part of the nervous system that constantly re-grows. “The idea was to take something from an area where the nervous system can repair itself, and does so throughout life, and put it into an area that doesn’t repair itself,” Professor Raisman said.

Polish doctors injected the nasal cells into Mr Fidyka’s spinal cord above and below the injury and used some nerves from his ankle to form a bridge across the damaged tissue. The nasal cells appear to have caused the spinal nerves to repair themselves.

Professor Raisman achieved this with rats in the late 1990s, but this is his greatest success. “I think the moment of discovery for me was Christmas in 1997 when I first saw a rat that couldn’t control its hand put its hand out to me. That was an exciting moment, because I realised then that my belief that the nervous system could be repaired was true.”

Doctors chose the easiest case for their first attempt — it might not work for others. But there is a real sense of hope that an idea once thought impossible has been realised.

David Nicholls, who helped provide money for the breakthrough, said information about the breakthrough would be made available to researchers across the globe.

“What you’ve got to understand is that for three million paralysed people in the world today, the world looks a totally brighter place than it did yesterday,” he said.

1.Why did Professor Geoff Raisman choose cells from the nose?

A. The nervous system in the nose can repair itself.

B. Cells in the nose can be easily transplanted.

C. Cells in the nose re-produce rapidly.

D. He just wanted to give it a try.

2.Why did the operation work for Darek Fidyka?

A. The nasal cells re-produced and spread quickly.

B. The nerves from his ankle helped cure the injury.

C. The nervous system in the spinal cord can repair itself.

D. The nasal cells helped the spinal nerves to repair themselves.

3.What made Professor Geoff Raisman believe the nervous system can be repaired?

A. His study on animals.

B. His operation on a paralysed patient.

C. His sudden thoughts about Christmas.

D. His unusual experience with a sick rat.

4.David Nicholls’ words suggest that _____.

A. the world is becoming better and brighter

B. paralysed people have the hope of recovery

C. the report of the breakthrough will be published soon

D. researchers across the globe will carry out the operation

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.D

4.B

【解析】

试题分析: 本文是说明文。文章主要讲述了英国和波兰科学家通过移植鼻腔细胞使得瘫痪病人重获走路的能力。

1.A考察细节理解题。由第二段中的found that cells had the possibility ... the nervous system that constantly re-grows可知，Geoff Raisman教授发现鼻腔细胞是神经系统中唯一能够不断再生的部分，所以答案是A。

2.D考察细节理解题。由第三段中的The nasal cells appear to have caused the spinal nerves to repair themselves可知，鼻腔细胞能够促使脊髓神经自我修复，所以答案是D。

3.D考察细节理解题。由第四段中的when I first saw a rat ... the nervous system could be repaired was true可知，Geoff Raisman教授看到一只不能使唤爪子的老鼠竟然把一只爪子伸向他，由此他开始相信神经系统是可以修复的，所以答案是D。

4.推理判断题。由最后一段中的What you’ve got to understand ... brighter place than it did yesterday可知，对于世界上三百万瘫痪的病人来说，治愈这种病有一线希望，所以答案是B。

考点：科研类阅读。