2023届高考英语三轮复习·冲刺押题·外刊阅读理解训练 (58)

2023届高考英语三轮复习·冲刺押题 外刊阅读理解训练58 ——改编自Closed 【文章】 PLANET EARTH is facing a daunting challenge as countries across the world struggle to contain the covid-19 pandemic. Governments are imposing stringent controls and shutting down businesses, causing the global economy to reel. However, even worse may be awaiting us, with new findings suggesting that suppressing the outbreak will likely require repeated shutdowns, leading to grave economic harm. Economies worldwide have been hit much harder than anticipated, with industrial output plummeting and retail sales declining drastically. To manage the disease and avoid overloading healthcare systems, governments are faced with two options: mitigation and suppression. Mitigation aims to reduce the intensity of the pandemic by isolating cases while suppression aims to stop it in its tracks by shutting everything down. A group from Imperial College London has found that mitigation would only prevent about half of the deaths caused by the virus if left unchecked in advanced economies. Suppression has worked in China, but with low infection rates, this approach leaves many people vulnerable to the virus. As the virus is so widespread, epidemics could return after restrictions are lifted, requiring repeated suppressions until there is either a vaccine or the disease has run its course. There are trade-offs between the two strategies, and both can be made more efficient through mass testing, enforcing quarantines and social distancing with technology, and investing in healthcare. Governments may favor suppression now, but if the disease is not conquered quickly, they may resort to mitigation, at the cost of many lives. In conclusion, governments face challenging choices as they navigate this unprecedented crisis. While hope remains for treatments such as antiviral compounds, the situation requires immediate and decisive action based on evidence, with investment in healthcare and technology to make both approaches more effective. 【重