PTE考生目前最大的问题之一就是练习题缺乏。除了有限的基本官方书（PLUS，Testbuilder, OG）之外，就没有题了。很多英语基础不是很扎实的同学很难找到练习材料。墨尔本文波雅思PTE培训学校专门为墨尔本，悉尼PTE考生准备了适合PTE听力阅读练习的科学60秒。各位PTE同学可以练习PTE听力中的summarise spoken text和PTE口语中的retell lecture，练习记笔记技巧和复述。废话少说，下面开始：
60秒科学：Bacteria Lowers Mosquito-Transmission of Malaria, Dengue
听力内容：
60秒科学节目（SSS）是科学美国人网站的一套广播栏目，英文名称：Scientific American – 60 Second Science,节目内容以科学报道为主，节目仅一分钟的时间，主要对当今的科学技术新发展作以简明、通俗的介绍，对于科学的发展如何影响人们的生活环境、健康状况及科学技术，提供了大量简明易懂的阐释。
The human microbiome is the community of tiny organisms that live on us and inside us. These critters play vital roles in our health. They calibrate our immune systems, ward off pathogenic bacteria, even affect our weight. But if we stop the navel gazing—literally, because some scientists are actually measuring belly button bacteria—there’s a whole lot to be found in the microbiomes of other organisms, too.
Take the pesky mosquito. A few years back, scientists found a soil microbe called Chromobacterium Csp_P living in the guts of mosquitoes in Panama. Upon further study, the researchers say this mosquito-occupant could be a remarkably versatile weapon to fight malaria and dengue fever. Because Chromobacterium shortens the lifespan of disease-transmitting mosquito species that harbor it; and kills their larvae outright. It also reduces mosquitoes’ ability to catch the dengue virus, or the malarial parasite; and it kills both pathogens in the lab. Those findings are in the journal PLoS Pathogens. [Jose Luis Ramirez et al.: Chromobacterium Csp_P Reduces Malaria and Dengue Infection in Vector Mosquitoes and Has Entomopathogenic and In Vitro Anti-pathogen Activities]
The researchers say this Chromobacterium strain could someday guide the development of new drugs. Or serve as a more environmentally-friendly stand-in for pesticides. But they also say that, as with many disease-control strategies, there’s no one silver bullet. Drugs, vaccines, and education will still be crucial to keeping mosquito-borne killers in check. Along with good old vector control: in this case, fighting bugs with bugs.
—Christopher Intagliata
