科學家們認為他們已經找到了一種方法來阻止普通感冒以及與之密切相關的病毒，這種病毒可能導致癱瘓。研究人員們并未直接攻擊這些病毒，而是將目標轉向了人體細胞內的一種必需的蛋白質，病毒需要這種蛋白質進行復制。

The common cold gets us all. Adults can expect a couple of bouts of streaming noses every year. In the UK, minor coughs and colds are the main reason we take days off work - around 34 million of them every year.

感冒傷風，人人在所難免。成年人每年有幾次流鼻涕感冒的經歷都是預料之中的事情。在英國，輕微的咳嗽和感冒是人們請病假的主要原因——每年因感冒為由的病假天數大約有 3400 萬天。

Most colds are caused by rhinoviruses. However, there are around 160 different types and the viruses can quickly mutate. Developing a drug to stop such a diverse and rapidly changing array has proved impossible. So a team at the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University, tried something different. They targeted the host, in this case us - humans.

絕大多數的感冒是由鼻病毒引起的。但這種病毒大約有160種不同的類型，而且能快速變異。事實證明，想研發出一種藥物來消滅如此多樣化且迅速變化的病毒是不可能的。所以，來自加利福尼亞大學舊金山分校和斯坦福大學的研究團隊嘗試了不同的方法。他們將目標對準了病毒的宿主，也就是我們人類。

Viruses are not truly alive - they need to hijack parts of a host organism in order to replicate. The US team found a protein that cold viruses and more dangerous polio-like viruses were dependent upon. Disabling the protein in mice and human lung cells using gene editing led to complete protection.

病毒并不是真正的活的，它們需要通過劫持宿主機體中的一些部分來進行自我復制。這支美國研究團隊發現了感冒病毒及更危險的脊髓灰質炎病毒賴以生存的一種蛋白質。他們利用基因編輯技術使小老鼠和人類肺細胞中的這種蛋白質失去其功能，從而起到了完全的防護作用。

The US team now want to develop a drug that could be sprayed up the nose to protect us from the common cold. The researchers say this could happen relatively quickly. Until then, a duvet day with a mug of something warm is about all you can do.

這支美國研究團隊現在想開發出一種可以噴到鼻子上的藥物來保護我們免收普通感冒的侵襲。研究人員們表示，這種藥物可能很快就能研發出來。在此之前，要想治感冒，你只能請一天病假，坐在被窩里喝點熱的、養養病了。

詞匯

bouts （疾病的）發作
streaming （因感冒）流鼻涕的
rhinoviruses 鼻病毒
mutate 變異
array 大批，大量（病毒）
host （寄生物的）宿主
hijack 劫持，搶占
organism 生物體，有機體
replicate 自我復制
dependent 依賴的
gene editing 基因編輯
duvet day “被子日”，偷懶假

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. How many different types of rhinovirus are there?

2. What is different about this research in finding a cure for the common cold?

3. True or false? A drug, sprayed up the nose to stop us catching a cold, is now available.

4. What did researchers find gave complete protection from getting a cold?

答案

1. How many different types of rhinovirus are there?
There are around 160 different types and the viruses can quickly mutate.

2. What is different about this research in finding a cure for the common cold?
A team at the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University, targeted the host, in this case us - humans.

3. True or false? A drug, sprayed up the nose to stop us catching a cold, is now available.
False. The US team now want to develop a drug that could be sprayed up the nose to protect us from the common cold – but it is not available yet.

4. What did researchers find gave complete protection from getting a cold?
Disabling the protein in mice and human lung cells using gene editing led to complete protection.