高三英语课外阅读短文练习

1 Passage reading comprehension I

一

Russia's government says President Vladimir Putin is in self-isolation after

several members of his team became infected with ernment

spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday that Putin himself

tested

negative for COVID-19 and was "absolutely healthy." But the Russian leader

decided to self-isolate because he had been in close contact in recent days with others

who were infected.Peskov did not say how long Putin would remain in self-isolation.

He did not name any of the individuals around the president who were infected, but he

did say there were several cases.Peskov added that Putin's isolation would not greatly

affect his work. He said that while Putin will not hold in-person meetings, the

president "will continue his activity via video conferences."The 68-year-old Putin has

had two injections of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. The president explained the

situation at a government meeting by video conference. "It's a natural experiment.

Let's see how Sputnik V works in practice," Putin said. "I have quite high levels of

antibodies. Let's see how that plays out in real life. I hope everything will be as it

should be."Putin said the situation forced him to cancel a planned trip to Tajikistan

this week for security meetings expected to center on Afghanistan. He added that he

planned to take part in those meetings by video conference instead.

1. Government spokesman Dmitry Peskov reporters Tuesday that Putin

himself tested negative for COVID-19 and was "absolutely healthy."

2. The president explained the situation at a government meeting video

conference.

3. Putin said the situation him to cancel a planned trip to Tajikistan this

week for security meetings expected to center on Afghanistan.

Reference answers:

1. told

2. By

3. forced

2

二

World Health Organization Africa director Matshidiso Moeti says that Africa

will get 25 percent fewer COVID-19 vaccine doses than expected by the end of

2021.Her comments to reporters last week came as the Africa Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention said just over 3 percent of people in Africa have been fully

vaccinated.African health officials were surprised by the announcement that the

COVAX effort to give vaccines to low-and middle-income countries is again

lowering its delivery expectations. The United Nations runs the COVAX plan, which

was organized to make certain poorer countries get the vaccine.Moeti told reporters

that the announcement was "in part because of the prioritization of bilateral deals

over international solidarity."Moeti noted that certain COVAX difficulties, such as

export controls on vaccine doses and the introduction of booster shots by some

countries, are the reasons for the 25 percent reduction. A booster shot is an extra

amount of a vaccine given to provide added protection against a disease.

Moeti noted that COVAX has delivered over 5 million vaccine doses to African

countries in September. But, she added, "three times as many doses have been thrown

away in the United States alone" since March."Every dose is precious," Moeti

said.She said that wealthy countries have promised to share 1 billion doses worldwide,

but, so far, only 120 million have been released.

1. The United Nations the COVAX plan, which was to make certain

poorer countries get the vaccine.

2. What is an extra amount of a vaccine given to provide added protection

against a disease?

3. What did she said about wealthy countries?

Reference answers:

1. runs organized

2. A booster shot

3.She said that wealthy countries have promised to share 1 billion doses

worldwide, but, so far, only 120 million have been released.

3

三

South Korean researchers say they have developed a skin-like material that

behaves like the skin of a chameleon. It can change colors to look like its

surroundings.The team was led by Ko Seung-hwan, a mechanical engineering

professor at Seoul National University. The team created the skin with a special liquid

that turns colors in different temperatures. These changes are

controlled

by flexible heaters made of very small wires.If you are in a desert, and you wear

forest-colored clothing, you can easily be seen, Ko told Reuters news agency.

Changing colors and forms actively with your surroundings is central to the

technology, Ko said.The technology uses something called thermochromic

liquid crystal and silver nanowire heaters. Thermochromic means heat causes the

colors to change. Nanowires are just like normal electrical wires, but they are

extremely small.Ko and the team demonstrated this technology using a

chameleon-shaped robot with color-seeking sensors. The skin tried to copy whatever