Question

    For as long as we’ve known about it, humans have searched for a cure for cancer. Across the world, countless amounts of time and money have been spent on researching a way to stop this terrible disease. But now, it seems like the answer could have been inside our own bodies the whole time.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) in the US, a government agency that’s responsible for healthcare, approved a new form of gene therapy(疗法) that could mean the end of a certain type of cancer.

The therapy allows scientists to “train” the immune(有免疫力的) cells of sick patients to fight leukemia(白血病) — a form of blood cancer that mostly affects young people.

The exciting new treatment works by removing healthy immune cells from the patient, known as T-cells, which are then changed to be able to “hunt down” cancer cells.

The cells are then put back into the patient before they begin to get rid of the patient’s leukemia over time, similar to how the body fights off other illnesses.

“This is truly an exciting new day for cancer patients,” Louis J. DeGennaro, president of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, said in a news release.

Up until now, a long and painful marrow transplant(骨髓移植) was the only option for many leukemia patients.

In this procedure, healthy blood cells are taken from a donator and placed into the sick patient, who also has to go through chemotherapy (化疗) to allow their body to adjust to the new cells.

But with a recovery rate of around 83% — according to a news release published by the FDA — it’s hoped that the days of painful trips to the hospital, or even death, are over for leukemia sufferers.

“We’re entering a new frontier in medical innovation(创新) with the ability to reprogram a patient’s own cells to attack a deadly cancer,” FDA representative Scott Gottlieb said in the release. “New technologies such as gene and cell therapies hold the potential to transform medicine and our ability to treat and even cure many incurable illnesses.”

1.What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?

A.To compare different ways of curing leukemia.

B.To report on a breakthrough in cancer treatment.

C.To explore the potential of gene and cell therapies.

D.To show scientists’ efforts in search of a cure for cancer.

2.How does the new treatment to fight leukemia work?

A.By using changed T-cells to destroy cancer cells.

B.By replacing sick blood cells with healthy ones.

C.By removing sick blood cells during marrow transplant.

D.By using chemotherapy to improve the patient’s immune system.

3.What can be inferred about the new therapy for leukemia sufferers?

A.It can save them many more trips to the hospital.

B.It can improve their ability to fight off all kinds of cancer.

C.It can give them a better chance of survival and recovery.

D.It can reduce their pain in the process of marrow transplant.

4.What is Scott Gottlieb’s attitude toward gene and cell therapies?

A.Doubtful. B.Optimistic. C.Worried. D.Casual.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.C

4.B

【解析】

本文是一篇科普说明文。文章介绍了医学领域的一项重大进步。美国食品药品监督管理局批准了一项新的基因疗法—通过“训练”患者有免疫力的细胞去杀死癌细胞。实验已经证明这一疗法相当有效，并且前景光明。

1.推理判断题。通览全文可知，文章介绍了医学领域的一项重大进步。美国食品药品监督管理局批准了一项新的基因疗法—通过“训练”患者有免疫力的细胞去杀死癌细胞。因此作者写这篇文章的目的是要报导一项癌症治疗领域的新突破。故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据文章第三段The therapy allows scientists to “train” the immune(有免疫力的)cells of sick patients to fight leukemia(白血病) — a form of blood cancer that mostly affects young people.一句可知，新的基因疗法是通过“训练”患者有免疫力的细胞去杀死癌细胞。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段it’s hoped that the days of painful trips to the hospital, or even death, are over for leukemia sufferers.一句可知，由于这项新疗法，白血病患者有望战胜癌症，从病痛折磨中恢复，并活下来。故选C。

4.推理判断题。根据文章最后一句New technologies such as gene and cell therapies hold the potential to transform medicine and our ability to treat and even cure many incurable illnesses.可知，Scott Gottlieb认为基因和细胞疗法有望让我们治疗甚至治愈一些难以治疗的疾病。因此Scott Gottlie对于基因和细胞疗法持乐观态度。故选B。