The Covid-19 pandemic(大流行病) may have been three times deadlier than the reported death toll suggests. Globally, official reports through the end of 2021 show that 6 million people have died directly because of Covid-19. But researchers estimate in a new study that from the start of 2020 through the end of 2021, there have been at least 18 million more deaths than researchers would typically expect over the course of two years.

Some of this excess mortality(超额死亡人数) may have been missed in official counts due to lack of diagnostic or reporting resources. But some may be caused by other indirect effects of the pandemic, such as lack of access to health care, behavior changes during lockdowns. There was not enough data to distinguish the cause of death.

Excess mortality is “a much more accurate measurement of the true impact of the pandemic” precisely because of the known issues in underreporting(少报) of direct Covid-19 deaths and because of the deadly indirect effects of the pandemic, said Haidong Wang, a specialist at the University of Washington. Researchers, led by Wang, analyzed all-cause mortality for 187 countries, using weekly or monthly reported data when available and creating models to estimate for others. They found that seven countries accounted for more than half of all excess deaths over the past two years: India, the United States, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia and Pakistan. There were more than 4 million excess deaths in India alone and more than 1.1 million in the United States.

The World Health Organization has also advocated for the importance of understanding broader Covid-related mortality. In February 2021, an advisory group was formed in partnership with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to explore the topic. “Gaps in high-quality and timely data are a major challenge in global health,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. 

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1.What did the research find for the Covid-19 pandemic?

A It caused more deaths than reported.

B It was actually not very infectious.

C It made fewer than 6 million deaths.

D It was surely to come to end in 2021.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据文章第二段最后一句的 “there have been at least 18 million more deaths than researchers would typically expect over the course of two years”可以得知新冠病毒造成的实际死亡人数比报告人数会更多。故选A。

2.What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A The possible action of officials.

B The outbreak of the Covid-19.

C The severe results of diseases.

D The reasons for unreported deaths.

解析：选D。D 主旨大意题。根据文章第二段第一句的 “Some of this excess mortality may have been missed in official counts due to lack of diagnostic or reporting resources”以及第二句 “But some may be caused by other indirect effects”可以得知该段主要论述超额死亡人数——未被报告的死亡人数出现的原因。故选D。

3.How did Haidong Wang study the excess mortality?

A Search some of the known issues.

B Set up models to judge other countries.

C Go and visit the different countries.

D Report the result every month fast.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章第三段第二句的 “analyzed all-cause mortality for 187 countries, using weekly or monthly reported data when available and creating models to estimate for others”可以得知研究者利用有的国家每周或每个月上报的死亡数据，创建模型来评估其他国家或地区的死亡数字，从而达到研究全球死亡人数的目的。故选B。

4.What did the WHO do to understand broader Covid-related mortality?

A It narrowed the gaps in data.

B It considered it as a challenge.

C It formed an advisory group.

D It listed it as the very hot topic.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据文章最后一段第二句的 “In February 2021, an advisory group was formed in partnership with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to explore the topic”可以得知，世卫组织联合国经济和社会事务部合作成立了一个咨询小组，专门来探讨这一主题。故选C。