Surgeons in Spain have successfully carried out the world’s first organ transplant using new stem cell technology. Some people are calling it the greatest medical breakthrough so far this century.
But what are stem cells? As we know, most cells in our bodies are designed to serve specific purposes – for example, a liver cell develops to work in the liver and cannot bee a heart cell. But stem cells are different. They are very young, and in the laboratory scientists can grow them into different types of cell.
Claudia Castillo needed a new windpipe after getting a serious disease. Scientists from the University of Bristol in the UK took a donor windpipe, or trachea, from someone who had recently died. They used strong chemicals to remove the donor’s cells, leaving a tissue scaffold(组织支架). This was refilled with cells from Ms Castillo’s windpipe, and stem cells from her bone. After four days the cells had grown sufficiently for the windpipe to be transplanted into Ms Castillo.
Currently, transplant patients have to take drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent their bodies rejecting the new organs. These drugs can have bad side-effects, and do not always prevent rejection. But by using Ms Castillo’s own cells, doctors were able to trick her body into thinking the new windpipe was her own organ. Five months on, Claudia Castillo is in perfect health.
This ground-breaking procedure could be used in other transplant operations in the future. Scientists also believe stem cells might be used to treat Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, burns and so on.
However, stem cell research is extremely controversial. The most effective stem cells do not e from adults but from embryos created in laboratories and which are just a few days old. Many people have religious or ethical objections to growing embryos, even if they can be used to cure diseases.
【小题1】This transplant is considered the greatest medical breakthrough because .A．this is the first organ transplant in the whole worldB．the patient is in perfect health after the operationC．it is the first success with new stem cell technologyD．the stem cells are from an embryo developed in a lab【小题2】Stem cells are different from the other ceils in the way that .A．they are grown in the lab onlyB．they can grow into different types of cellC．they are designed for a specific purposeD．they can work in the liver not in the heart【小题3】What is the main idea of the third paragraph?A．How Claudia survived in the operationB．How to remove the cells from the donor’s organC．Why stem cells are needed in the transplantD．How the windpipe is transplanted【小题4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A．Human bodies always reject transplanted organs even with their own cellsB．The donor’s cells had to be removed because they were unhealthyC．The transplanted organ was refilled with the stem cells onlyD．Claudia will not have to take drugs to prevent rejection.【小题5】Which word can best describe the scientists’ attitude towards the stem cell technology?A．controversialB．confidentC．conservative (保守的)D．criticalC
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(答案→)C
解析：本文叙述的是干细胞移植的问题，在文章中作者举例说明干细胞移植的好处，在最后也提出了干细胞移植会遇见的困难。
【小题1】C 细节题。根据文章第一段1,2行Surgeons in Spain have successfully carried out the world’s first organ transplant using new stem cell technology.说明这是第一次成功的使用干细胞技术的移植。故C项正确。
【小题1】B 细节题。根据第二段最后2行But stem cells are different. They are very young, and in the laboratory scientists can grow them into different types of cell.说明这种细胞和别的细胞不一样，是因为它能长成不同种类的细胞，故B正确。
【小题1】D 段落大意题。本段是举例说明干细胞移植的一次成功的经历，通过这次经历的描述告诉我们the windpipe是怎么样被移植的。故D项正确。
【小题1】D 推理题。根据文章第4段前4行Currently, transplant patients have to take drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent their bodies rejecting the new organs. These drugs can have bad side-effects, and do not always prevent rejection. But by using Ms Castillo’s own cells, doctors were able to trick her body into thinking the new windpipe was her own organ.说明Ms Castillo不需要再服用药物，故D正确。
【小题1】B 态度意图题。从作者对干细胞移植的好处的描述可以看出他还是比较乐观的，虽然干细胞移植有点困难，但是不会阻止它的进一步发展。故B项正确。