28 岁的克里斯·布鲁克斯史密斯曾经一度生活在恐惧之下，担心哪怕吃下极少量的花生就会因过敏致死。在他报名参与一项预防过敏反应的新方法的试验之后，他的生活终于发生了改变。

The method used, known as oral immunotherapy, has already been successful in children and babies with peanut allergies. But it wasn't clear if adult allergies, which are more embedded, could be treated the same way.

这个试验所使用的方法被称为口服免疫疗法，这种治疗方法已经在对花生过敏的儿童和婴幼儿中取得了成功。但研究者们尚不清楚的是，对于成年人更加根深蒂固的过敏症来说同样的疗法是否有效。

At the start of the small trial, participants were given tiny doses of peanut powder mixed with food. And over many months, the quantities were gradually increased to whole nuts. All this happened under strict medical supervision.

在这个小规模试验开始时，受试者被要求服下混在食物中的微量花生粉末。在接下来的数月中，花生粉末的量逐步增加到相当于整颗花生的含量。试验过程始终在严格的医学监督下进行。

By the end of the trial, the average dose tolerated had increased by one hundred-fold with patients able to eat out, socialise and travel without worry. This is early research, and larger trials are now needed to find out more about who could benefit from this approach in the long run.

到试验结束时，受试者对花生的平均耐受剂量提升了 100 倍，并且可以在外出就餐、社交和旅行时不必再担心出现过敏反应。这是早期的研究结果，而现在研究人员需要进行更大规模的研究来判断哪些人能长期受益于这项治疗方法。

词汇表

immunotherapy 免疫疗法
allergies 过敏症
embedded 根深蒂固的
participants 受试者，参与者
powder 粉末
supervision 监督，监管
tolerated 耐受的，能够承受的
one-hundred fold 100倍

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. Is this approach aimed at treating people having an allergic reaction, or preventing allergic reactions from happening?

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. Oral immunotherapy was first used with adults.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

2. As the trial progressed, the amount of peanut…
a. was increased.
b. was reduced.
c. was mixed with more food.

3. Participants administered the trial independently.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. What had increased by 100 times at the end of the trial?
a. the level of the allergic reaction
b. the number of participants
c. the amount of peanut that could be eaten

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. The method used, known as oral immunotherapy, ________________ successful in children and babies with peanut allergies.

2. ________________ the trial, the average dose tolerated had increased by one hundred-fold with patients able to eat out, socialise and travel without worry.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. This approach is used to prevent allergic reactions.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. b. False. The method used, known as oral immunotherapy, has already been successful in children and babies with peanut allergies.

2. a. was increased. And over many months, the quantities were gradually increased to whole nuts.

3. b. False. All this happened under strict medical supervision.

4. c. the amount of peanut that could be eaten. By the end of the trial, the average dose tolerated had increased by one hundred-fold with patients able to eat out, socialise and travel without worry.

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. The method used, known as oral immunotherapy, has already been successful in children and babies with peanut allergies.

2. By the end of the trial, the average dose tolerated had increased by one hundred-fold with patients able to eat out, socialise and travel without worry.