2021-2022学年度第12期总第849期 (6版)
Is human hibernation possible? (page 6)
Lead-in 
1. Why do animals enter hibernation in winter?
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Read for main idea
Read the article quickly to get the main idea.
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Read for structure
Read the text and try to work out the structure. 
Part 1 (Paras. _____)             animal hibernation
Part 2 (Paras. _____ )             reasons why humans don’t hibernate
Part 3 (Paras. _____ )             human hibernation in the future

Read for details 
Read the text carefully and answer the following questions.
1. What is hibernation? 
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2. Why don’t humans hibernate?
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3. Could humans hibernate in the future?
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Summary
Read the text carefully and fill in the blanks.
   Many animals enter hibernation to get through the ____ winter season during which they go into ________ extended inactivity. But why don’t humans hibernate? Human hibernation doesn’t exist for many reasons. Our body _____________ hibernation. For example, waste ________ is a huge challenge for human hibernation. There are other challenges. Cold temperatures can also suppress_____________, making people more vulnerable to_______. In fact, humans don’t need to sleep through winter because we have much more effective ways of _________.Could humans hibernate in the future? For long-distance space travel, it’s likely. 

Language study
Find useful words and expressions in the text and work out their meanings.
1. a harsh season _____________
2. hide away from predators _____________
3. migrate _____________
4. waste management _____________
5. the immune system _____________
6. conserve vital resources _____________
7. long-term space travel _____________

参考答案
Lead-in 
1. With low temperatures and a lack of food, winter is a harsh season for animals. Many animals enter hibernation to get through it. 

Read for main idea
Human hibernation doesn’t exist for many reasons, but chances are that we may hibernate during space travel in the future.

Read for structure
Part 1 (Paras. ___1 _ 2 ____)             animal hibernation
Part 2 (Paras. __3 _ 6_____ )             reasons why humans don’t hibernate
Part 3 (Paras. __7 _8_____ )             human hibernation in the future

Read for details 
1. Hibernation is when an animal goes into a state of extended inactivity in which their metabolism will slow to less than a quarter of its normal rate. This cools the creature’s body and slows its heartbeat to just a few beats per minute for up to months at a time. 
2. Our body is not designed for hibernation. Humans don’t need to sleep through winter
3. For long-distance space travel, it’s likely. NASA is taking this question seriously. Beginning in 2014, the agency funded research on long-term hibernation as a way to facilitate long-term space travel.

Summary
Many animals enter hibernation to get through the __harsh____ winter season during which they go into __a state of _____ extended inactivity. But why don’t humans hibernate? Human hibernation doesn’t exist for many reasons. Our body ____ is not designed for____ hibernation. For example, waste ___management____ is a huge challenge for human hibernation. There are other challenges. Cold temperatures can also suppress____the immune system____, making people more vulnerable to____infections____. In fact, humans don’t need to sleep through winter because we have much more effective ways of ___surviving the cold_____.Could humans hibernate in the future? For long-distance space travel, it’s likely. 

Language study
1. a harsh season 恶劣的季节
2. hide away from predators 躲避天敌
3. migrate 迁徙
4. waste management 废物管理
5. the immune system 免疫系统
6. conserve vital resources 保护重要资源
7. long-term space travel 长途太空旅行