第三部分：阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分, 满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
Snakes bite an estimated 5.5 million people worldwide each year. Experts say tens of thousands of people die from venom poisoning. An untreated or incorrectly treated bite might require the removal of a bitten foot, for example, or an arm. Each year around 400,000 amputations are the result of snakebites.
Last year, for the first time, the World Health Organization added snakebites to its list of "neglected tropical diseases". This recognition aims to bring greater attention to the problem. Scientists know of about 3,000 kinds of snakes. About 600 of them are venomous. These are most often found in rural areas in tropical climates. Asia and Africa have the highest number of snakebites -- together about 4 million a year. Latin America and islands in the South Pacific follow.
The highest number of victims are agricultural workers. Snakebites are also common among fishermen, hunters and children. Many victims live in areas with poor or non-existent health care systems and where anti-venom treatments are often not available.
Anti-venom is the only cure. But experts say anti-venom technologies and their use need to be improved. Problems include a shortage of manufacturers and the high cost of treatment. Also, there is a widespread lack of knowledge among local health workers about how to use anti-venoms. The treatments can cause dangerous and even deadly reactions if not used carefully.
Anti-venom contains proteins (蛋白质) from animals such as horses or sheep. The animals are injected repeatedly with one or more different snake venoms to produce immunity (免疫力). The Lancet Medical Journal recently published a series of reports on snakebite prevention and treatment, David Warrell at the University of Oxford in England co-wrote one of them. He praised efforts by the WHO to establish common practices for the production, regulation and control of anti-venom. But he says more must be done.
The authors say community education programs could help prevent snakebites by teaching people how to avoid them. They also suggest actions like providing protective boots to wear while working in fields, and not sleeping on the ground. Also important is providing information about where dangerous snakes are most likely to live and when they are most active.
56. What's the meaning of the underlined word "amputations" in Paragraph 1?
A. removals of one's arms or legs B. deaths caused by infection
C. injuries of snakebites D. fames of a celebrity
57. Why did WHO add snakebites to its list of "neglected tropical diseases"?
A. To warn people of the danger of snakes.
B. To encourage people to protect wild animals.
C. To ask people to pay more attention to this kind of disease.
D. To study the problem of tropical weather conditions.
58. Which of the following is True according to the passage?
A. The victims wouldn’t be injured if they had better health-care systems.
B. Anti-venom technologies and their uses are medically safe and perfect.
C. Patients need to pay a little if they get treated with the anti-venoms.
D. The local health workers need further training on how to use anti-venoms.
59. The animals are injected with different snake venoms because _______.
A. they have been bitten by venomous snakes B. venoms can help to cure their diseases
C. this can help produce the immunity D. medical experiments are being carried out
