Late last year, a French company called Carmat received approval in Europe for its total artificial heart. It’s exactly what it sounds like; a heart made of synthetic and biological materials intended for implantation into people who need heart transplants. Now, just half a year later, the first US patient has received one of the Carmat artificial hearts (CAH).
The transplant took place last week in a 39-year-old man at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina. The man didn’t go to the hospital expecting to have a heart transplant, but it ended up saving his life.
After experiencing unexpected heart failure, he was diagnosed with advanced coronary artery disease and went in for bypass surgery.
When his condition quickly worsened, his medical team realized bypass surgery wasn’t going to do it, but by that point a traditional heart transplant had become too risky. The patient was in the right place, because not just any transplant center could have implanted an artificial heart.
The device weighs 900 grams, or just under 2 pounds (about three times the weight of the average human heart). The external setup is a bit heavier; recipients will have to carry about nine pounds of equipment, including a controller, a bag of actuator fluid, and two battery packs. In the case of the Duke patient, his artificial heart will stay remotely connected to the hospital’s system so that his doctors can monitor it and be sure it’s functioning as it should.
Just days after the US transplant, a similar transplant took place in Naples, Italy, marking Carmat’s first commercial sale of the heart (the difference being that this patient’s transplant was planned, not done as part of a trial).
1. What did the 39-year-old patient go to hospital expecting to have?| A．A heart failure. | B．A heart transplant. | C．A physical exam. | D．A bypass surgery. |
| A．Because that hospital had something to save his life. |
| B．Because there were the best doctors in that hospital. |
| C．Because he knew his medical team well enough. |
| D．Because he wanted an artificial heart. |
| A．Doctors. | B．Patients. | C．Researchers. | D．Nurses. |
| A．CAH Transplanted into First US Patient | B．Carmat Received Approval in Europe |
| C．First Commercial Sale of CAH | D．Man Saved by CAH |
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【推荐1】Scientists believe they are close to developing a cancer vaccine. Already, the vaccine has proved effective on mice, and has successfully stopped the growth of all cancer tumors(肿瘤).Scientists plan to begin trials this year and see whether it is safe and could produce an active immune(免疫的)response in humans.
The gene-based vaccine appears to wake up the body’s immune system by encouraging it to attack cancer tumors in our bodies. Through gene technology, genes are taught to recognize cancer cells through a protein that only exists on the surface of tumors. “When you use genes as a weapon, your immune system is actually a blueprint for the ‘ wanted poster’ of the enemy and will distinguish cancer cells from normal cells,“ Professor Alan Kingsman, from Oxford Biomedica which has developed the vaccine, said.
He also points out that the vaccine will train immune system to attack tumors in the same way as it attacks normal infections. “The cancer vaccine could produce the desired antigen(抗原)that could be recognized by immune system. So the vaccine gets immune system to recognize those tumor cells as dangerous and sweep them out in much the same way as it destroys viruses and bacteria when we get an infection.”
“You have to understand cancer is a genetic disease. Cancer treatments are facing great challenges but we couldn’t find a way out. That’s probably because we haven’t reached the core of the issue: genes. Ultimately the fundamental change of our cures will come from targeting cancer cells at genetic level. So this gene-based vaccine probably is the future, “ Dr. Richard Sullivan, from the Cancer Research Programme, said.
Though working on the vaccine remains at an early stage, plans to begin clinical trials on humans are scheduled to be carried out soon. The Oxford company is hoping that the vaccine will prove as successful in humans as it has in mice.Still. it’s worth noting that many promising cancer trials end in failure. It may be several years before we know if the cancer vaccine really do live up to its fame.
1. How do genes tell cancer cells from normal cells?| A．By using themselves as a weapon. |
| B．By identifying a protein on tumors. |
| C．By waking up immune system in bodies. |
| D．By turning immune system into a blueprint. |
| A．It could take tumor cells away. |
| B．It could treat normal infections. |
| C．It helps immune system to recognize antigen. |
| D．It activates immune response through antigen. |
| A．How gene technology works. |
| B．How cancer treatments will change. |
| C．Why this vaccine is promising. |
| D．Why cancer treatments are challenging. |
| A．Gene-based Cancer Vaccines: Will They Be the Future? |
| B．Gene-based Cancer Vaccines:How Do They Affect Us? |
| C．Gene Technology: Will It Change Cancer Treatment? |
| D．Gene Technology: How Does It Shape the Vaccine Research? |
【推荐2】For years, doctors have given blood to patients who need it to survive. These “transfusions” (输血) usually involve giving red blood cells to patients. Red blood cells do an important job: they take oxygen from the lungs and spread it through the body. People who suffer from some diseases need extra red blood cells to remain healthy.
The blood used in transfusions comes from people who donate blood. Since our bodies are always making more red blood cells, donating blood doesn’t cause problems for the person giving it. There is a constant demand for blood transfusions, and there are often shortages.
For the first time ever, scientists’ are testing red blood cells grown in a laboratory on human volunteers. The new trial is being carried out in the United Kingdom. The project is being run by the National Health Service’s Blood and Transplant unit and the University of Bristol, along with other universities.
What’s new in the experiment is that people are being given red blood cells that were created in a laboratory. The scientists used stem cells(干细胞) from a blood sample to grow billions of brand new red blood cells. The new red blood cells can be adjusted for people with different blood types. Also, the red blood cells created are brand new, meaning they last longer.
To test the safety of the lab—grown red blood cells, researchers have given a couple of teaspoon of lab—created blood to two healthy people. Both people seem to be doing just fine after the transfusions. In all, the red blood cells from the lab will be tested on 10 people, and compared to normal transfusions.
The new process isn’t expected to replace normal blood transfusions, which will remain hugely important. Growing red blood cells in a lab is extremely expensive. And a lot of work and testing still needs to be done. But if it’s successful, in the future the process could make life much easier for patients who often need transfusions—even those with rare blood types.
1. Why do the scientists grow new red blood cells in laboratory?| A．Because the donated blood is unsafe. |
| B．Because it is hard to get donated blood. |
| C．Because there isn’t always enough blood. |
| D．Because more patients need blood to survive. |
| A．They can be used flexibly. |
| B．They can be kept alive for ever. |
| C．Their production cost is low. |
| D．They can be easier for transfusion. |
| A．Objective. | B．Doubtful. | C．Negative. | D．Positive. |
| A．Scientists test blood grown in a laboratory |
| B．New red blood cells shine lights on patients |
| C．Lab-created blood will replace donated blood |
| D．The shortages of blood will be gone for ever |
【推荐3】Very often, we have small medical problems that aren’t serious enough to require a visit to the doctor’s office. Problems, such as a sore throat or a stomachache, can often be taken care of with medicines available in drug stores. However, many people prefer to treat slight medical problems at home instead of going to a doctor.
For a sore throat, it is certainly easy to stop by a local drug store and pick up a pack of lozenges (含片) .But some people prefer to make special drinks, such as warm milk with honey, or lemon juice and honey. Other people like to wash out their mouths with warm, salty water.
Stomachaches can be treated with medicines that are available at local drug stores, but many people first try drinking soda (苏打水)to settle their stomachs. Another more natural treatment is peppermint (薄荷)tea.
Besides the various cold medicines available, many people treat their colds by having a bowl of homemade chicken soup. Others like to drink hot water with lemon and honey before they go to bed.
Many books offer helpful suggestions for the treatment of small medical problems at home and provide useful information about first-aid. In case of a bee sting (蛰伤), for example, they advise that you put mud or a piece of potato directly on the sting or a little vinegar on the skin so the sting will disappear.
Modern medicine has progressed greatly in the past few years, but there are still times when it is very convenient to rely on good old home treatment.
1. The underlined word “sore” in the first paragraph probably means _______.| A．nice | B．clear | C．sweet | D．painful |
| A．chicken soup | B．a little vinegar |
| C．milk with honey | D．a bottle of soda |
| A．bad cold | B．headache | C．toothache | D．stomachache |
| A．home treatment doesn’t work when we have small medical problems. |
| B．some old home treatment is as useful as treatment in hospitals. |
| C．we have to visit a doctor when having small medical problems. |
| D．people always go to drug stores to solve small medical problems. |
【推荐1】A 5,300-year-old Chinese city that provides the earliest example of civilisation in the country has been named China’s latest UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Liangzhu Archaeological Site in Zhejiang Province was designated a “cultural site” at the ongoing UNESCO meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing the total number of Chinese heritage sites to 55 — surpassing (超过) Italy as the country with the largest number in the world.
The ruins, located in Hangzhou, sit on the plain of river networks in the basin of the Yangtze River and date back to around 3,300 BC. The site covers an area of 14.3 square kilometers and includes relics of 11 dams, cemetery sites (墓址), a water protection system and walls that give evidence to an early Chinese city civilization, with planing rice as the economic foundation.
The discovery of the site was of “primary importance” as it provides good evidence that Chinese civilization started around 5,000 years ago — 1,000 years earlier than previously (先前的) thought. Colin Renfrew, a retired professor of archaeology at the University of Cambridge said, “So when we are talking about the origins (起源) of state society in China, we can think of the Liangzhu instead of the Shang civilization around 1,500 BC.”
The site was first discovered in 1936 when a team of archaeologists unearthed some pottery (陶器) and began searching for further evidence. A breakthrough came in 1986 when a cemetery site with around 1,200 artifacts (手工艺品) was uncovered. The walls of the city were discovered in 2007 and the surrounding water protection system was unearthed in 2015. Archaeologists think that it would have taken 4,000 people working for ten years to build the system.
The decision to add the site to the UNESCO list is the result of more than twenty years’ work, with preparations starting in 1994. The site is now open to tourists, but the number allowed to visit the site is limited to 3,000 a day and bookings (预定) must be made online.
1. What dos the underlined word “designated” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Made. | B．Named | C．Developed. | D．Created. |
| A．It proves state society’s origins around 1500 BC. |
| B．It proves the existence of Shang civilisation. |
| C．It proves China’s 5000-year-old civilisation. |
| D．It proves China has the longest civilisation. |
| A．A burial site was first unearthed in 1994. |
| B．It took 4,000 people 10 years to build the city walls. |
| C．It took UNESCO 20 years to include the site in its list. |
| D．China is taking measures to protect the site. |
| A．Liangzhu Archaeological Site included in UNESCO Word Heritage List |
| B．The total number of world heritage sites in China reached 55 |
| C．Liangzhu City provides China’s earliest example of civilization |
| D．China became the country with the largest number of heritage sites |
【推荐2】“Best space tacos(玉米卷饼) yet,” American astronaut Megan McArthur wrote on social media Twitter on Oct 30, with a photo of her smiling from ear to ear. The taco feast celebrated the first time peppers were successfully grown on the International Space Station.
Life as an astronaut is exciting, but that doesn’t include food. Astronauts have endured packaged food for decades. “If you store packaged food for a long duration, the quality, flavor and nutritional quality decrease, the vitamins degrade,” Gioia Massa of NASA Kennedy Space Center in the US told The Guardian. Growing food in space could be crucial for astronauts on long-duration missions.
“Growing colorful vegetables in space can have long-term benefits for physical and psychological health,” said Mat Romeyn, project scientist at NASA, in a statement. The benefits of growing vegetables in space are obvious, but how are they grown?
Though astronauts have been growing plants in space for decades , cultivating edible(可食用的) food without the benefits of gravity and natural light has been difficult . A plant growth system called Veggie has been used to grow plants on the space station since 2014, according to The New York Times.
The Veggie garden is about the size of a piece of luggage and typically holds six plants. Each plant grows in a “pillow” filled with clay and fertilizer. The “pillows” are important for distributing water, nutrients and air in a healthy balance around the roots.
In the absence of gravity, plants use other environmental factors, such as light, to guide growth. LEDs above the plants produce a light suited for the plants’ growth. According to NASA, Veggie typically glows pink, which enables plants to use both blue and red wavelengths more efficiently. Other spectrums(光谱) of light, like greens, yellows or oranges, are less useful for plants.
So far, US astronauts have successfully grown 10 different crops, including lettuce and radish, on the space station since 2015, according to CNN.
1. Which word can best describe the food consumed by astronauts in space?| A．Low-nutrition | B．Tasty-flavor | C．Poor-package | D．High-calorie |
| A．The shortage of crop varieties |
| B．The objection of the International Space Station |
| C．The lack of gravity and natural light |
| D．The long-duration missions |
| A．It can hold 10 different crops for a piece of garden. |
| B．It has been used to grow plants on the space station for nearly six years. |
| C．The “pillows” can provide plants with balanced water, nutrients and air. |
| D．Blue, red and orange lights are important for the growth of plants. |
| A．Life of American Astronauts on the Space Station |
| B．Success of Planting in Space |
| C．Benefits of Growing Vegetables in Space |
| D．Varieties of crops on the Space Station |
【推荐3】Abdulrazak Gurnah was born on 20 December 1948 on the island of Zanzibar, off the coast of East Africa. He went to Britain as a student in 1968, after leaving Zanzibar at 18. He initially studied at Christ Church College. Canterbury, whose degrees were at the time awarded by the University of London.
He then moved to the University of Kent, where he earned his PhD in 1982. From 1980 to 1983, Gurnah lectured at the Bayero University Kano in Nigeria. He was a professor and the director of graduate studies at the University of Kent’s department of English until his retirement. His main academic interest is in postcolonial(殖民地时期之后的) writing and in discourses associated with colonialism(殖民主义), especially as they relate to Africa, the Caribbean and India.
He has edited two volumes(册) of Essays on African Writing, which has published articles of a number of contemporary postcolonial writers, including V. S. Naipaul, Salman Rushdie and Zoe Wicomb. He is the editor of A Companion to Salman Rushdie(Cambridge University Press, 2007). He has served as a contributing editor to Wasafiri magazine since 1987.
He is the author of 10 novels, including “Memory of Departure,” “Pilgrims May,” “Paradise”—shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1994—“By the Sea” and “Desertion.” On 7 October 2021, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2021 “for his influence on colonialism and his uncompromising efforts for the fates(命运) of the suffering people between cultures and countries”.
1. Where did Abdulrazak Gurnah work when he retired?| A．The University of London | B．The University of Kent |
| C．Bayero University Kano | D．Christ Church College |
a. Won the Nobel Prize b. Left Zanzibar for Britain
c. Edited Wasafiri magazine d. Taught at Bayero University Kano
| A．bcda | B．dbca | C．bdca | D．cbda |
| A．Persevering | B．Gentle | C．Upset | D．Embarrassing |
| A．Abdulrazak Gurnah had won a few awards before Nobel Prize. |
| B．Abdulrazak Gurnah wrote a great number of novels as a writer. |
| C．Abdulrazak Gurnah’s novel “By the Sea” was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. |
| D．Abdulrazak Gurnah won the Nobel Prize for his attention to the suffering people in his works. |
