单选题

Using HIV Virus to Cure Cancer

Scientists are planning to use human immunodeficiency(免疫缺陷) virus (HIV), one of mankind"s most feared viruses, as a carrier of genes which can fight cancer and a range of diseases that cannot be cured. The experts say HIV has an almost perfect ability to avoid the body"s immune (免疫的) defenses, making it ideal for carrying replacement genes into patients" bodies, according to the observer.
A team at the California-based Salk Institute, one of the world"s leading research centers on biological sciences, has created a special new breed of HIV and has started negotiations with the U. S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) to begin clinical gene therapy(治疗) trials this year. The first trials are expected to involve patients suffering from cancers that cannot be cured by surgery although project leader Professor Inder Verma said the HIV technique would have "far wider applications".
The plan remains very likely to cause controversy since it involves making use of a virus which has caused more than 22 million deaths around the world in the past two decades. Verma said that the idea of using HIV for a beneficial purpose was "shocking" but the fierce nature of HIV had disappeared by having all six of the potentially deadly genes removed.
Illnesses such as various cancers are caused when a gene in a patient"s body fails to work properly. In the past two years, breakthroughs in genetics(遗传学) have led gene therapy scientists to try and replace the genes that do not function normally.
Unfortunately, the body"s immune defenses have been known to attack the modified genes and make them lose their effects before they can start their task and progress in the field has been held up by the lack of a suitable carrier.
The HIV virus has the ability to escape from, and then destroy, the immune defense cells designed to protect our bodies and this makes it attractive to scientists as a way of secretly conveying replacement genes into patients" bodies.

单选题 FDA has approved the plan of using HIV to cure cancer in humans.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 原文第二段的第一句话明确说到，A team...has created a special new breed of HIV and has started negotiations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) to begin clinical gene therapy trials this year.由此可知，目前只是开始与FDA协商将使用HIV进行治疗。而本题说“FDA已经同意使用HIV治疗人类癌症的计划”这一说法显然是错误的。故选B。

单选题 The idea of using HIV for a beneficial purpose has been widely accepted.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 原文第三段的第一句话说到，The plan remains very likely to cause controversy since...第二句话说到，Verma said that the idea of using HIV for a beneficial purpose was "shocking"...表明，这个计划很有可能会引起争议，善意地使用HIV这一想法很令人震惊。可见，这种方法是没有被广泛接受的。因此，本题说这一想法已被广泛接受，显然是错误的。故选B。

单选题 HIV can be safely used to cure cancer only if the deadly genes have been removed.

单选题 The HIV virus is an excellent warrior to fight the body"s immune cells.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 原文最后一段的前半部分说到，The HIV virus has the ability to escape from, and then destroy, the immune defense cells designed to protect our bodies...，由此可知，HIV病毒可以避开并毁坏保护我们身体的免疫细胞的抵御。因此，本题说“HIV病毒是一个对抗身体免疫细胞的优秀战士”，是采用比喻的修辞方式来说明原文的内容，是正确的说法。故选A。

单选题 Other countries are also expected to begin clinical gene therapy trials soon.

单选题 It is the lack of money that has held up the progress in using replacement genes to cure cancer.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 原文第一段的第一句话说到，...HIV, one of mankind"s most feared viruses说明，HIV是人类最害怕的一种病毒。由此可知，不是因为缺钱阻碍了用HIV来治疗癌症，而是人们对HIV这种病毒的畏惧。因此，本题说“缺钱阻碍了用HIV来治疗癌症的进程”，这一说法显然是错误的。故选B。