Mosquitoes spread malaria that kills an estimated 429,000 people every year. Many of them are children, so this new method of killing mosquito populations has sparked a huge interest. Scientists from Imperial College London managed to eliminate a population of breeding mosquitoes in a laboratory using a gene drive.

Professor Andrea Crisanti co-led the research. 

“The gene drive is, is a technical solution that allows a genetic qualification to be spread from few individuals to an entire population.” 

That modification involved disrupting a gene that determines sexual differentiation. 

“So, in this way, a genetic female, if you destroy this gene, cannot develop into a female but develop in something between a male and a female that we call intersex. These individuals cannot bite, so which is very good, cannot lay egg and so it cannot reproduce itself.”

That inability to reproduce spread across the mosquitoes and the entire population died off within eleven generations. The big question is whether that success can be replicated outside the laboratory.

“We already done we moved this mosquito in large confined space which mimicked completely the tropical environments. Then after this is completed… this phase will also be crucial to gather a lot of information for regulatory purpose for simple about safety, stability, ability of the gene drive to move across the species.” 

Scientists say reassuring the public about the safety of this powerful technique is paramount. It’s hoped that gene drive can be tested in the wild within five to ten years. New tools in the fight against malaria are urgently needed. As the World Health Organization says, global progress against the disease is stalling.

Henry Ridgwell, the VOA News, London.

Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/201810/566790.shtml

1. malaria n. (不可数名词) a disease that causes fever and shivering (= shaking of the body) caused by the bite of some types of mosquito 疟疾

2. replicate v. 动词 + 名词短语)(formal) to copy sth. exactly 复制；（精确地）仿制。例如：Subsequent experiments failed to replicate these findings. 后来的实验没有得出同样的结果。

3. mimick v. to copy the way sb. speaks, moves, behaves, etc., especially in order to make other people laugh 模仿（人的言行举止）；（尤指）做滑稽模仿。例如：

 She's always mimicking the teachers. 她总喜欢模仿老师的言谈举止。

 He mimicked her southern accent. 他滑稽地模仿她的南方口音。

4. paramount adj. more important than anything else 至为重要的；首要的。例如：

 This matter is of paramount importance. 此事至关重要。

 Safety is paramount. 安全至上。

5. stall v. to stop sth. from happening until a later date; to stop making progress 暂缓；搁置；停顿。

用法：

 (动词 + 名词短语) 例如：attempts to revive the stalled peace plan旨在重新启动搁置的和平计划的努力

 (单独使用的动词) 例如：Discussions have once again stalled. 讨论再次停顿下来。

(A) Mosquitoes spread malaria that kills an estimated 429,000 children every year. 

(B) Professor Andrea Crisanti was the only leader of the research.

(C) That ability to reproduce spread across the mosquitoes and the entire population died off within eleven generations.  

(D) New tools in the fight against malaria are urgently needed.

(A) It is a technical solution that allows a genetic qualification to be spread from few individuals to an entire population.

(B) That modification involved disrupting a gene that determines sexual differentiation.

(C) A genetic female cannot develop into a female if you destroy this gene. 

(D) It’s hoped that gene drive can be tested in the wild within three to five years.

(Q1) D。细节题。 (A) Mosquitoes spread malaria that kills an estimated 429,000 children every year. 不正确。根据：Mosquitoes spread malaria that kills an estimated 429,000 people every year. Many of them are children, so this new method of killing mosquito populations has sparked a huge interest. (B) Professor Andrea Crisanti was the only leader of the research. 不正确。根据：Professor Andrea Crisanti co-led the research. (C) That ability to reproduce spread across the mosquitoes and the entire population died off within eleven generations. 不正确。根据：That inability to reproduce spread across the mosquitoes and the entire population died off within eleven generations.

(Q2) D。细节题。命题出处：Scientists say reassuring the public about the safety of this powerful technique is paramount. It’s hoped that gene drive can be tested in the wild within five to ten years.