微软巨头保罗·艾伦慷慨捐赠助西非抵御埃博拉
微软巨头保罗·艾伦慷慨捐赠助西非抵御埃博拉

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The good people from Microsoft Corp are at it again.

The tech giant’s co-founder, Paul Allen, says his charitable foundation is donating $9 million to support the fight against the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, just a month after donating $2.8 million to the American Red Cross for its work on the outbreak.

The gift to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention comes at a time when international groups have said resources to contain the epidemic and treat those affected are falling tragically short.

Allen’s donation joins that of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has promised to donate $50 million to United Nations agencies and other international groups to purchase supplies, such as protective equipment for healthcare workers treating Ebola patients, and to expand the emergency response.

“The tragedy of Ebola is that we know how to tackle(处理)the disease, but the governments in West Africa are in desperate need of more resources and solutions,” Allen said in a statement. “The developed world needs to step up now with resources and solutions.”

Allen said the donation from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation will help establish emergency operations centers in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where the worst Ebola outbreak on record has killed about 2,300 people and shows no sign of slowing six months after it began.

Allen said his foundation’s gift would help CDC establish and equip emergency operations centers in the three most-affected countries, focusing on public health, not patient care. The centers will use “data management and communication systems for disease and patient contact tracing, to detect and stop the disease from spreading,” Allen said. They will also expand lab testing to identify new outbreaks, and circulate(传播)information about the epidemic to the public.

“A winnable battle should never be lost,” Allen said.

Since resigning from Microsoft in 1983, Allen has become a prominent philanthropist, supporting scientific research through the Allen Institute for Brain Science and the Allen Institute for Artificial(人造的)Intelligence.


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1.What is the present situation in West Africa?

A Many charitable foundations have donated money to the area.

B The epidemic is still spreading with supplies falling short.

C There seems to be a slowdown of the outbreak of Ebola in this area.

D People have set up new emergency operations centers in West Africa.

解析:选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章第二、三自然段可知,西非目前面临的处境非常紧急,疫情仍然在蔓延,更为严重的是,用于治疗和预防的物资非常短缺。

2.What does the “tragedy of Ebola” refer to according to Mr. Allen?

A There is no way to deal with the horrible disease.

B The developed countries have done nothing to stop the disease spreading.

C About 2,300 people have been killed by Ebola for the past six months.

D Supplies as well as solutions to tackle the disease are far from enough.

解析:选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章第五段可知,人们固然知道如何处置疫情,但资源严重匮乏,并缺少有效的方案,这是艾伦所说的西非面临的“悲剧”。

3.What can be implied in the passage?

A Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have donated $50 million.

B There have been outbreaks of Ebola on the continent of Africa.

C Paul Allen was sure of the victory fighting against Ebola.

D People are able to detect the upcoming outbreaks of Ebola.

解析:选C。C 推理判断题。根据文章援引艾伦的话“A winnable battle should never be lost”可以判断,艾伦坚信人们必定赢得埃博拉之役。

4.What will Allan’s donation be used for?

A Setting up emergency operations centers.

B Providing service for Ebola patients.

C Building up communication systems.

D Setting up labs to do researches on Ebola.

解析:选A。A 细节理解题。综合文章第七段内容可知,艾伦捐款将用于建立紧急行动中心,通过数据管理和通讯跟踪,有效控制病毒蔓延和扩散。

5.What is the author’s attitude toward the fight against Ebola in West Africa?

A Negative.

B Doubtful.

C Optimistic.

D Disappointed.

解析:选C。C 推理判断题。根据语境,结合文章中所用的积极词汇如good people, winnable battle判断,作者对于人们克服困难,抵御埃博拉病毒的努力是持乐观态度的。