病毒研究与病毒危害防范(解析版)-备战考前热点.docVIP

备战2021年高考英语考前时事热点话题阅读 热点38 病毒研究与病毒危害防范 一、阅读理解 1 What do you get when you mix six little pigs, four monkeys and the deadly Ebola virus? Bad news, according to a recent experiment by Canadian researchers. The experiment is the first to suggest that the Ebola virus can spread through the air. The study, published in November, detailed how the virus apparently moved from pigs to monkeys without their coming into physical contact. Previously, researchers thought animals had to touch to pass along the virus, which has been blamed for the deaths of more than 1,500 people. In the experiment, researchers infected six piglets with Ebola. The team then placed the infected piglets in a room with several monkeys. A barrier separated the monkeys from the pigs, so the two species could not touch. And yet, after about a week, two monkeys became sick, infected with the virus. A few days later, the other two monkeys also fell sick with Ebola. The Ebola virus is named for a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa, close to where the germ was discovered. The virus causes high fevers and deadly bleeding disorders in primates, including people and monkeys. It is often deadly. However, scientists previously believed that the virus spread only through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person or animal. Other viruses, including the ones that cause chicken pox and the common cold, are known to spread through the air. Though Ebola too appeared to spread through the air in the laboratory experiment, researchers haven’t documented any cases of airborne infection under normal conditions. Since the discovery of Ebola in 1976, it has infected more than 2,200 people. Of that total, only 13 people fell ill apparently without coming into direct contact with an infected animal or person. If Ebola spreads easily through the air, scientists and doctors would expect to see more such cases. 1. What does the underlined part “Bad news” in Paragraph1 refer to?