Question

Learn to cure cancer

A vaccine for cancer is in the works.

Lauren Landry and Chloe Tomblin are the scientists. They look in freezers(冰柜) for bacteria to use in the research. This research has its limitations—mostly because their lab is in a high school.

But Lauren, 16, and Chloe,17 both students are Western Reserve Academy in the US, aren’t put off by the difficulties they face in their cancer immunology(免疫学) class.

“I hope we get to the point where we can get to a vaccine and write a paper,” Lauren said.

Both conduct research into how to engage the immune system in stopping cancer from forming.

Though the lab is in a high school, they don’t use textbooks. The aim is to conduct real cancer research, either by testing the effects of substances on cancer cells or developing vaccines to target the growth of those harmful cells.

The idea for the class came from Robert Aguilar, who has taught at the private school for many years. Students spend the first year learning research techniques. In the second year, students swap(调换) their blue lab coats for white ones. By this stage they are well into their research projects.

“If first-years need any help, they can feel free to ask second-year students,” Aguilar said.

Students form groups to conduct their research. One pair of students has researched the effect of capsaicin(辣椒素) on killing cancer cells. Another has tested the effect of caffeine(咖啡因) on the growth rate of breast cancer(乳腺癌) cells.

But few students get to the point in their research of experimentation with mice, Aguilar said. Lauren and Chloe hope that they can make decent progress in their work.

“We know they’re going to be used for good,” Lauren said. “If it does or doesn’t work, it still has a huge impact.”

Aguilar teaches the students that even research that doesn’t work still contributes to science in some way. He tells students that “the best part of research is failing a lot”.

1.What do Laudry and Tomblin do in their research?

A. They use capsaicin to kill harmful cancer cells.

B. They try to develop vaccines that can fight cancer cells.

C. They study the effects of caffeine on breast cancer cells.

D. They tested the effects of male mice eating cells.

2.What do we know about the cancer immunology class?

A. Only talented students can take it.

B. Students do not do their own research projects in this class.

C. It equips students with knowledge and practical research skills.

D. It asks students to start research with experiments on mice.

3.What does Aguilar mean in the last paragraph?

A. Research that doesn’t work is still useful.

B. The students’ projects will often fail.

C. Most students can’t accept failure in their research.

D. Teamwork is the key to successful projects.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。讲述了16岁的劳伦和17岁的克洛伊都是美国西储学院的学生，他们在研发一种能够战胜癌症细胞的疫苗。他们在癌症免疫课上所面临的困难也并没有让他们却步。

1.细节理解题。根据第四、五段“I hope we get to the point where we can get to a vaccine and write a paper,” Lauren said. Both conduct research into how to engage the immune system in stopping cancer from forming.可知Laudry和Tomblin在研发能够战胜癌症细胞的疫苗。故选B。

2.判断推理题。第六段“Though the lab is in a high school, they don’t use textbooks. The aim is to conduct real cancer research, either by testing the effects of substances on cancer cells or developing vaccines to target the growth of those harmful cells.”可知虽然实验室在一所高中里，但他们不使用教科书。其目的是进行真正的癌症研究，要么通过测试物质对癌细胞的影响，要么开发针对这些有害细胞生长的疫苗。故可推理得知癌症免疫学课程是使学生具备知识和实践研究技能，故选C。

3.细节理解题。根据最后一段最后一句“Aguilar teaches the students that even research that doesn’t work still contributes to science in some way.”可知Aguilar教学生即使是不奏效的研究，在某种程度上仍然对科学有贡献。即不奏效的研究仍然是有用的，故选A。