Ⅰ.阅读理解
A
Inflammation(炎症) is the body’s defense mechanism.You might have experienced it if you sustained physical injuries or had an infection，like the flu，which causes a sore throat.Inflammation can occur in any organ，but it is most common and easy to see in the skin.You will notice redness，heat and swelling.
Usually this is a good thing，as it shows you have a healthy immune system that can kill pathogens(病原体) and repair damage.However，inflammation can be a double-edged sword as in some people it can target the body’s healthy cells，causing what is called an autoimmune disease.
Given this danger，a new study from Cambridge University，the UK，has been looking into brain conditions that are not usually linked to autoimmune diseases.The study found that inflammation of the brain— known as neuroinflammation(神经炎症)—has been linked to several forms of dementia(痴呆)．
In this new study，researchers scanned the brains of 31 volunteers with three different types of dementia.The first scan was to highlight neuroinflammation，and a second scan illuminated(阐明) poisonous proteins that are linked with dementia.The team also examined 12 post-mortem(after death) brains.
These experiments showed similar patterns of poisonous protein build-up and neuroinflammation，suggesting a relationship between inflammation and dementia.
“Even we were surprised by how tightly these two problems mapped onto each other.Now，the big question is what role this neuroinflammation plays in the decline of the mind associated with dementia，”said Thomas Cope，one of the authors of the study.
Another of the study’s researchers，James Rowe，highlighted the importance of further research.He said the frequent presence of inflammation in neurodegenerative(神经退化的) diseases，including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease，“offers hope that immune-based treatments might help slow or prevent these conditions”．
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语篇解读 本文是一篇说明文。文章讲述了一项新发现，对神经炎症的研究有助于治疗神经退行性疾病。
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1．Why is inflammation usually a good thing?
A．It can defend our body against infection.
B．It allows injuries to heal themselves.
C．It gives long-term protection to healthy cells.
D．It is a reflection of a healthy immune system.
答案 D
解析 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Usually this is a good thing，as it shows you have a healthy immune system that can kill pathogens(病原体) and repair damage.”可知，炎症通常是一件好事，因为它反映了你有健康的免疫系统。故选D。
2．What did the study from Cambridge University find?
A．Neuroinflammation leads to dementia.
B．Increased poisonous proteins in the brain cause dementia.
C．There are links between neuroinflammation and dementia.
D．Poisonous protein build-up and neuroinflammation have different patterns.
答案 C
解析 细节理解题。根据第三段第二句可知，剑桥大学的这项研究发现，神经炎症和痴呆症之间存在联系。故选C。
3．What is still unknown according to Thomas Cope?
A．Why neuroinflammation is connected with dementia.
B．How the decline of the mind is associated with dementia.
C．How to prevent neuroinflammation from developing into dementia.
D．To what extent neuroinflammation and dementia are linked with each other.
答案 D
解析 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中的“Now，the big question is what role this neuroinflammation plays in the decline of the mind associated with dementia”可知，Thomas Cope认为，我们依然不知道神经炎症和痴呆症在多大程度上是相互联系的。故选D。
4．What can be inferred from James Rowe’s words?
A．Inflammation is one of the causes of neuroinflammation.
B．Immune-based treatments would be the best cure for dementia.
C．Research on neuroinflammation could help treat neurodegenerative diseases.
D．Further research will focus on methods of cutting poisonous proteins in the brain.
答案 C
解析 推理判断题。最后一段James Rowe说，神经退行性疾病，包括阿尔茨海默氏症和帕金森氏症，经常出现炎症，这给基于免疫的治疗带来了希望，可能有助于减缓或预防这些疾病。由此推知，James Rowe认为对神经炎症的研究有助于治疗神经退行性疾病。故选C。
