阅读理解。
Not all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Wars and
traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional (精神上的) hurts. Often they appear
again in dreams.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a drug which will help people forget bad
memories. The drug is designed to he taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might
reduce or possibly erase (清除) the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body producing
chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects
of memories may be reduced, not all the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to drugs that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They
say that there are many people who suffer from terrihle memories.
"Some memories can ruin (毁坏) people's lives. They come back to you when you don't want to have
them in a dream. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry
at Harvard Medical School. "This could reduce a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories
give us our identity (特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past."
All of us can think of bad experiences in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are.
I'm not sure we want to erase those memories," said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
1. Now American researchers are trying to develop a drug to _______.
A. change people's bad memories into good ones
B. make people forget what happened in the past
C. help soldiers get away from troubling memories
D. treat people who suffer from terrible memories
2. The drug that have been tested on people can _______.
A. cause the brain to lose memories
B. reduce the effect of bad memories
C. help people improve their memories
D. totally erase the painful memories
3. Rebecca Dresser thinks that _______.
A. some memories can ruin people's lives
B. the drug can prevent people from sufferings
C. bad memories make us different from others
D. taking the drug will do harm to people's health
