Bill Gates on how to fight future pandemics
WHEN HISTORIANS write the book on the covid-19 pandemic, what we've lived through so far will probably take up only the first third or so.The bulk of the story will be what happens next.
I believe that humanity will beat this pandemic, but only when most of the population is vaccinated(接种疫苗).Until then, life will not return to normal.
As the pandemic slows in developed nations,it will accelerate in developing ones.Their experience,however,will be worse.In poorer countries,where fewer jobs can be done remotely,distancing measures won't work as well.The virus will spread quickly,and health systems won't be able to care for the infected.
Wealthy nations can help.But people in rich and poor places alike will be safe only once we have an effective medical solution for this virus,which means a vaccine.
My hope is that,by the second half of 2021,facilities around the world will be manufacturing a vaccine.If that's the case,it will be a history-making achievement: the fastest humankind has ever gone from recognizing a new disease to immunizing (免疫)against it.
Apart from this progress in vaccines,two other big medical breakthroughs will emerge from the pandemic.One will be in the field of diagnostics.The next time a novel virus crops up,people will probably be able to test for it at home.Researchers could have such a test ready within a few months of identifying a new disease.
The third breakthrough will be in antiviral drugs.We haven't been as effective at developing drugs to fight viruses as we have those to fight bacteria.But that will Researchers will develop large diverse libraries of antivirals,which they'll be able to scan trough and quickly find effective treatments for novel viruses.
All three technologies will prepare us for the next pandemic by allowing us to intervene(干预)early when the number of cases is still very low.
Our progress won't be in science alone.It will also be in our ability to make sure everyone benefits from that science.In the years after 2021,I think we'll learn from the years after 1945. With the end of the Second World War, leaders built international institutions like the UN to prevent more conflicts.After covid-19, leaders will prepare institutions to prevent the next pandemic.
These will be a mix of national,regional and global organizations.I expect they will participate in regular"germ games”in the same way as armed forces take part in War games.These will keep us ready for the next time a novel virus jumps from bats or birds to humans.
I hope wealthy nations include poorer ones in these preparations,especially by devoting more foreign aid to building up their primary health-care systems.This pandemic has shown us that viruses don't obey border laws and that we are all connected biologically by a network of microscopic germs,whether we like it or not.
The best analogy(类比)for today might be November 10th 1942.Britain had just won its first land victory of the war,and Winston Churchill declared in a speech: “This is not the end.It is not even the beginning of the end.But it is,perhaps,the end of the beginning.”
1.What are the three technologies that will prepare us for the next pandemic?
①manufacturing a vaccine fast
②diagnosing a virus at home
③developing antiviral drugs
④allowing us to intervene early
A.①②③ B.①②④ C.①③④ D.②③④
2.As far as poorer countries are concerned,which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?
A.pandemic disease is more likely to begin in poorer countries
B.Working from home can work well in poorer countries.
C.Health systems are sufficient to care for the infected in poorer countries.
D.Virus will cross borders if poorer countries fail to contain it.
3.Why is the Second World War mentioned in Para.8?
A.The fight against the COVID-19 is similar to the Second World War.
B.People are suffering just as they were in the Second World War.
C.We should cooperate globally just as we did after the Second World War.
D.Countries are fighting each other like in the Second World War.
4.What is the tone of this passage?
A.pessimistic B.optimistic
C.neutral D.indifferent
The new garbage sorting regulation has taken effect in Shanghai starting July 1. Many citizens are still confused about the classification of the four different types of trash. Thankfully, authorities have released an official guideline to clarify the new rules.
The guideline, published by the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, provides a rather clear definition on the four kinds of waste: recyclable waste, hazardous (有害的) waste, household food waste and residual (剩余的) waste.
Hazardous waste, as the name suggests, includes assorted poisonous materials like used batteries, light bulbs, out-of-date medicines, paint and pesticides.
Household food waste, which is translated to “wet trash” in Chinese,refers to food leftovers, rotten food, pet food, fruit peels, remains of TCM herbs (中药) and flowers.
Paper, plastic, glass, metal and textiles (纺织品) are counted as recyclable waste.
The definition of residual waste is a little confusing. Anything that is not listed above belongs in this category.
As specific as the new guideline is, residents still have a hard time sorting trash correctly and are finding it challenging to memorize them all. For instance, both plastic bottles and bubble tea or coffee cups are plastic materials. However, the former falls to the category of recyclable waste and the latter belongs to residual waste. To save the hassle, some netizens have come up with their own ways to sort trash.
“We should do this from a pig’s angle,” commented one netizen. “Those edible (可食用的) for pigs are household food waste. Those even pigs don’t want to eat are residual waste. If a pig consumes something and dies of it, then something must be hazardous waste. Those which can be sold and the money we gain can be used to purchase pigs are recyclable waste.” The new regulation has gone into effect on July 1. Those who do not sort their trash properly will be fined RMB200.
1.What do the old thrown-away sweaters belong to?
A.Residual waste. B.Hazardous waste.
C.Recyclable waste. D.Household food waste.
2.What does “wet trash” have in common?
A.They are completely wet. B.They all come from plants.
C.They can give off bad smell. D.They can break up easily.
3.What is the tone of the netizen?
A.Humorous. B.Serious.
C.Delightful. D.Uncertain.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A.Shanghai bans four sorts of garbage.
B.Shanghai launches garbage sorting enforcement.
C.Citizens in Shanghai still question garbage sorting.
D.Citizens in Shanghai welcome the garbage sorting policy.
阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为 150 左右。
I was lacking in everything needed to start a new friendship.
My parents moved to the town when they decided to look for new jobs but they didn’t realize I was really hurt when I said goodbye to my old friends. It felt awful to be a new student in the school and when my classmates were chatting, what I could do was to be caught up in my thoughts watching the clouds outside the window. I was not good at math or history; nor was I good at drawing or dancing. I was shy and timid. I had a few friends back at my hometown and it seemed that they were the only ones who I could be friends with for my whole life. I felt I had achieved a point of saturation with regard to having friends and I could make no further addition to my friend list. I was ashamed of myself, so I believed I deserved no notice from others until Emily came to my world.
Emily was fearless, outspoken and easy to go. She was everything I was not and I was too shy to come out of my shell. I met Emily in school almost every day and yet I never talked to her. We were in the same class but we were like poles apart. How I wished I could be like her or at least be a friend of hers!
It was another ordinary day.
I wandered to the bus stop in the morning and waited for the school bus. Birds were singing songs with their friends but who could I sing songs with? I got on the bus and went straight to my usual seat, complaining in a low voice about getting up early and going to school like every other day, and about how things were going to be the same all over again. Little did I realize something different would happen that day.
Para. 1:
When I got up to get down the bus, my schoolbag was stuck in the armrest. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Para. 2:
I got noticed by Emily, who brought me courage to start a new friendship!
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假定你是李华,你校英语社团要举行一个主题为“绿色校园建设”的演讲比赛。请你给交换生 Tom 写一封邮件,邀请他参赛,内容包括:
1. 比赛时间、地点;
2. 参赛要求。
注意:
1. 词数 100 左右;
2. 可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
阅读下面短文,在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. A half-century ago, activists 1.(walk) to the street to speak out for the protection of the planet in 2.(respond) to one of the worst oil spills (原油泄漏) in history. These activists inspired important changes in how our society views the environment, 3.(lead) to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. But protecting the earth is also a social justice issue. People of color and poor people are often the first 4. (suffer) from the climate change, because they live near highways, factories, or garbage dumps, 5. there are more pollutants, for example, and they may not be able to afford fresh green foods.
But you don’t have to be an activist to make 6.difference—in fact there are many tiny everyday 7.(effort) you can make to help the planet. The environmental movement didn’t start with Earth Day and indigenous people (原住民) protecting the earth as 8.(they) way of life were the pioneers. I wish that everyone would see the climate crisis this way and take it 9. (serious) as well. It isn’t just polar bears and plastic bags 10.an issue that will determine the future of life. So, actually, every day is Earth Day.
Most of us go through some hardships in life. But few things match the _______brought upon people by the genocide (种族灭绝) of Jews during World War II and it's still _______people nowadays. Luckily, today's story has a happy _______for two men and their families. The two cousins _________got to meet after being separated 75 years ago during the holocaust (大屠杀).
Morris and Simon were best friends as kids _______the Nazis invaded their country Romania in 1940. However, their families lost _______as they didn’t flee the country together. Both grew up believing the other died. Until some time ago their children _________the two families on Facebook.
Morris’ niece came across Simon's daughter while _______for relatives online only to find out that Simon is _______in the UK. Morris settles in Israel. It took some time but they organized a ________for the two long-lost men in Tel Aviv, Israel. Someone recorded a video of this emotional meeting and ________it online, leaving people all over the world ________.
________the fact that both men are in their 80's, they plan to keep in touch and see each other often, reconstructing the beautiful ________they had as children. And it will surely not ________with time.
1.A.gains B.embarrassment C.sufferings D.hope
2.A.encouraging B.reaching C.leading D.affecting
3.A.ending B.plot C.background D.design
4.A.hurriedly B.eventually C.suddenly D.unwillingly
5.A.since B.before C.but D.though
6.A.contact B.relation C.news D.approach
7.A.found B.responded C.called D.reconnected
8.A.searching B.asking C.hoping D.waiting
9.A.happy B.sociable C.alive D.safe
10.A.party B.dinner C.reunion D.travel
11.A.mailed B.shared C.donated D.supplied
12.A.in silence B.in doubt C.in panic D.in tears
13.A.Despite B.Beyond C.Though D.In case of
14.A.wishes B.understanding C.friendship D.ideas
15.A.pass B.come C.show D.decline