2020-2021学年度第7期总第806期
Cold cure progress (P6)
河北石家庄市第二中学 翟欢

Lead-in
Getting a cold is very common, especially in winter, but it is difficult for us to get rid of.

Reading
1. Which genre do you think this article belongs to according to the title?
A. Expository writing
B. Argumentative writing
C. Narrative writing
D. Practical writing
Key: A

2. Try to predict what the passage is mainly about according to the title.
The latest developments in the cure for the common cold.

Difficulties in expository writing
Long text
Difficult sentences
Unfamiliar terms
The core: unfamiliar with the content

General Structure of the Expository Writing   

What is the structure of the article?

Part One (para 1-2)
1. What is the objective of the research?
To research the cause of the common cold and find a cure.

From talking robots and video phones to rovers[ˈrəuvə] (探测器) on Mars, technology has become so advanced that the previously impossible seems to occur on a daily basis. And yet, we still have no cure for the common cold.
Why can`t we stop the common cold? According to Peter Barlow, a scientist at Edinburgh Napier University in the UK, the main challenge lies in the many different types of cold viruses that are produced by the rhinoviruses[raɪnəʊ‘vaɪərəs] (鼻病毒), Scientific American reported. There are at least 160 types. They mutate[mjuːˈteit] (突变) so easily that they quickly become resistant to drugs, or learn to hide from our immune systems (免疫系统). In other words, a single cure isn`t likely to work on every type of cold.

2. Why is it difficult to cure the common cold?
Because a single cure isn`t likely to work on every type of cold.

Part Two (para 3)  
However, researchers from Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco, have found a possible answer. They discovered a protein that the viruses need. Without it, they can`t spread inside your body.
The solution to the problem?   
A protein.

Part Three: Three Stages of the Research

Stage One (para 4-5)  

To identify the gene that produces the specific protein needed by the viruses, researchers used a gene-editing technique to test all genes in the human genome [ˈdʒiːnəum] (基因组) one by one for thousands of cells. These modified (改变的) cells were then exposed to a range of viruses, including the enteroviruses [entərəʊ'vaɪərəs] (肠道病毒) and the rhinoviruses, which cause the common cold.
All the viruses were unable to replicate['replɪkeɪt] (复制) inside cells without a gene that produces a specific protein called methyltransferase  [meθɪl'trænsfəreɪs] (甲基转移酶) SETD3.

What can we learn about the protein needed by the viruses?
A. It helps the viruses replicate inside our bodies.
B. It allows the viruses to mutate easily.
C. It helps the viruses become resistant to drugs.
D. It picks up the speed at which the viruses spread.
Key: A

Stage Two (para 6-8)
What does the sentence “These mice would always die [without the mutation]” in paragraph 8 mean?
Paraphrase: If these mice had not been genetically modified, they would have died.

Stage Three (para 9-11)
What does the word “target” in paragraph 10 refer to?
A. A protein.               B. A gene.  
C. A drug.                  D. A cure.
Key: A

What will the researchers most probably do next, according to Carette?
A. Conduct experiments on genetically modified humans.
B. Find a drug that can help take away the protein.
Key: B