The Omicron Covid variant has been found to multiply about 70 times quicker than the original and Delta versions of coronavirus in tissue samples taken from the bronchus( 支气管 ), the main tubes from the windpipe to the lungs, in laboratory experiments that could help explain its rapid transmission.
The study, by a team from the University of Hong Kong, also found that the new variant grew 10 times slower in lung tissue, which the authors said could be an indicator of lower disease severity.
Michael Chan, who led the work, said the result needed to be interpreted with caution because severe disease is determined not only by how quickly the virus replicates( 复制 ) but also by a person’s immune response. “It is also noted that by infecting many more people, a very infectious virus may cause more severe disease and death even though the virus itself may be less pathogenic( 致病的 ),” he said. “Therefore, taken together with our recent studies showing that the Omicron variant can partially escape immunity from vaccines and past infection, the overall threat from the Omicron variant is likely to be very significant.”
Jeremy Kamil, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, pointed out that Delta, which turned out to be more pathogenic, showed a similar pattern of replicating more slowly in the lungs. “These authors found Omicron replicates fantastically well--even far better than either Delta or the original virus--in bronchial tissue,” Kamil said. “This could in some ways contribute to an advantage in transmission between people.”
Kamil added, “Of course, a huge component of Omicron’s transmissibility in real life is going to be its potential to escape neutralising antibodies that protect against infection in the first place. It’s very likely spreading well even between vaccinated people, especially those who haven’t recently gotten a booster shot.”
The findings, together with other recent work showing Omicron infects cells more readily, add to an emerging picture that the variant may be intrinsically more transmissible in addition to escaping existing immunity.
1 . What is the kind of the passage?
A . A news report. B . A science fiction.
C . A health guide. D . A medicine advertisement.
2 . What could Jeremy Kamil agree with?
A . We should take the result seriously.
B . Omicron may cause more severe disease and death.
C . Both Omicron and Delta grew slowly in the lungs.
D . Those who have gotten a booster shot won’t be infected.
3 . What can we learn about Omicron?
A . It is a new variant of Delta.
B . Delta is less pathogenic than it.
C . Vaccinated people needn’t worry about it.
D . It may pose a great threat to people’s health.
4 . According to the passage, which of the following may cause Omicron’s transmissibility?
A . That many people haven’t been vaccinated.
B . That many people refused to wears masks in public.
C . That Omicron infects lung cells much more quickly.
D . That existing immunity plays a poor part in fighting Omicron.
1 . A
2 . C
3 . D
4 . D
【解析】
【导语】
这是一篇新闻报道。文章讲述了实验室实验发现,在从支气管 ( 从气管到肺部的主要管道 ) 采集的组织样本中, Omicron Covid 变体比原始和 Delta 版本的冠状病毒繁殖速度快约 70 倍,这可能有助于解释其快速传播。
1 .
推理判断题。根据文章第一段 “The Omicron Covid variant has been found to multiply about 70 times quicker than the original and Delta versions of coronavirus in tissue samples taken from the bronchus( 支气管 ), the main tubes from the windpipe to the lungs, in laboratory experiments that could help explain its rapid transmission. ( 实验室实验发现,在从支气管 ( 从气管到肺部的主要管道 ) 采集的组织样本中, Omicron Covid 变体比原始和 Delta 版本的冠状病毒繁殖速度快约 70 倍,这可能有助于解释其快速传播。 )” 可知,这篇文章是有关于新冠肺炎变异病毒 Omicron Covid 变异株的相关报道,由此可推知,文章可能是一篇新闻报道。故选 A 。
2 .
推理判断题。根据文章第四段 “Jeremy Kamil, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, pointed out that Delta, which turned out to be more pathogenic, showed a similar pattern of replicating more slowly in the lungs. ( 路易斯安那州立大学卫生什里夫波特分校 (Louisiana State University Health Shreveport) 的微生物学和免疫学副教授杰里米 · 卡米尔 (Jeremy Kamil) 指出,致病性更高的 Delta 在肺部也表现出类似的复制模式,复制速度更慢。 )” 可知, Jeremy Kamil 可能会同意 Omicron 和 Delta 在肺部生长缓慢。故选 C 。
3 .
推理判断题。根据文章第三段 ““It is also noted that by infecting many more people, a very infectious virus may cause more severe disease and death even though the virus itself may be less pathogenic( 致病的 ),” he said. “Therefore, taken together with our recent studies showing that the Omicron variant can partially escape immunity from vaccines and past infection, the overall threat from the Omicron variant is likely to be very significant.” ( 他说: “ 人们还注意到,一种传染性很强的病毒通过感染更多的人,可能会导致更严重的疾病和死亡,尽管这种病毒本身的致病性可能较低。 ”“ 因此,结合我们最近的研究表明, Omicron 变种可以部分逃脱疫苗和过去感染的免疫, Omicron 变种的总体威胁可能非常重大。 ”)” 可知,它可能对人们的健康造成很大的威胁。故选 D 。
4 .
细节理解题。根据文章倒数第二段 “Kamil added, “Of course, a huge component of Omicron’s transmissibility in real life is going to be its potential to escape neutralising antibodies that protect against infection in the first place. It’s very likely spreading well even between vaccinated people, especially those who haven’t recently gotten a booster shot.” (Kamil 补充道: “ 当然, Omicron 在现实生活中传播性的一个重要组成部分,将是它在最初抵御感染的中和抗体方面的潜力。它很可能在接种疫苗的人之间传播得很好,尤其是那些最近没有接受加强注射的人。 ”)” 可知,现有的免疫在对抗 Omicron 中发挥的作用很差,这可能会导致 Omicron 的传播性加强。故选 D 。