第二篇 Influenza(C級)

Influenza has been with us a long time. According to some Greek writers on medical history, the __1__ of 412 B.C. was of influenza. The same has been suggested of the sickness that swept through the Greek army __2__Syracuse in 395 B.C. Flu is a disease that moves most quickly among people __3__in crowded conditions, hence, it is likely to attack armies.

During the nineteenth century there were five widespread __4__of influenza.The last of the five happened in 1889 and marked the __5___ of the story of influenza in our time. Like the recent outbreak, __6__started in Asia.

For more than forty years before that outbreak, influenza had steadily __7__and was believed to be dying out. A new group of outbreaks was introduced by the great outbreak of 1889-1890 and for the next quarter of a century flu __8__a constant threat.

In April 918 flu broke among American troops stationed in France. It quickly spread through all the armies but caused relatively __9__deaths. Four months later, however, a second outbreak started which proved to be a _10___. It killed not only the old and already sick but also __11__young adults. It went through every country in the world, only a few distant islands in the South Atlantic and the Pacific remaining __12__. It brought the life of whole countries __13__, food supplies stopped and work loss was very great. _14___ the great outbreak ended, it had killed at least 15 million people. Thereafter there have been several great outbreaks throughout the world. It is thus __15__that influenza is a terrible infection that we have to pay more attention to.

1. A cause B outbreak C source D effect

2. A being attacked B having been attacked C attacked D attacking

3. A sitting B standing C living D appearing

4. A outbreaks B incidents C accidents D cases

5. A end B beginning C final D begin

6. A it B they C which D those

7. A enlarged B strengthened C decreased D increased

8. A was no longer B went out of C ceased to be D remained

9. A few B many C countless D innumerable

10. A killing B killer C kill D saver

11. A weak B disabled C sick D healthy

12. A touching B touched C untouched D having touched

13. A stop B stopping C stopped D to stop

14. A During B In C Before D After

15. A clear B strange C uncertain D questionable