Animal experimentation(实验) is the backbone(支柱，基础) of American research and treatment of disease¹. Each year, 17 million to 22 million animals are sacrificed in the name of(以......的名义) science. While 90 percent of them are rats and mice, 180,000 dogs, 50,000 cats, 61,000 monkeys and 554,000 rabbits are done away with in laboratories² operated by industry and government.

But the public has raised an outcry(导致抗议) over these deaths. Spurred(驱策，刺激) vivid(生动的) reports of cruelty(残忍), the animal rights movement(维护动物权利运动) is made up of (由...组成)7,000 organizations with 10 million members. They've documented(用文件或证书等证明) cases in which monkeys were isolated(隔离) in steel tanks(箱、柜) for 45 days and dogs were bombarded(轰击、辐射) with radiation(放射线) or chemicals until they bled from the mouth.

Scientists say such incidents(事件) are rare. Laws have been passed to govern(管理) testing. Many research centers now have committees(委员会) to review(审查) all proposed³ animal experiments, and computers can be used in place of（代替）animals in many experiments. But scientists say they can't do without(不用，放弃) animals to test new drugs and treatments on animals to make sure they're safe for humans. Animal experiments produced vaccines(疫苗) or treatments for diseases⁴ such as diabetes(糖尿病), and techniques used in open heart surgery(心脏外科手术). They're important to efforts to find a treatment for AIDS.

Animal rights activists⁵ have shown they will go to almost any length(奉陪到底). One New York researcher received more than 10,000 protest(抗议) letters following publicity(公开) of her experiments in which she gave drugs to monkeys. The researcher was studying drug addiction(依赖，成瘾). A protester⁶ was arrested in Connecticut for placing a pipe bomb（铁管土炸药）outside a company that used animals in tests. After fires and break-ins(闯入，破门而入), many labs have bought electronic locks and alarms for protection. Other targets(目标，对象) of the animal rights movement are the fur industry, farms, and school biology(生物学) classes in which children dissect(解剖) frogs.

The movement has scored some successes(获得某些成功). A dozen states no longer allow pounds(兽栏) ── places that accept dogs and cats that have no homes ── to sell animals to scientists. Scientists claim the cost of their work will rise as a result.

The battle between scientists and activists raises a basic question: Can modern society be both humane(仁慈的) in its treatment of living things(生物) and advanced(先进的，高级的) in its treatment of disease? It seems certain there will be new restrictions(限制，约束) placed on the use of animals in scientific experiments.

Choose the correct answer.

1. The main idea of the article is _____.

A. fewer animals should be taken to laboratories

B. Americans are questioning the use of animals in experiments

C. mice and rats make the best subjects for experiments

D. scientific experiments can be carried out without animals

2. Animal experiments will probably continue because _____.

A. scientists insist they are harmless⁷

B. the groups that oppose them aren't very big or powerful

C. they are critical for understanding and curing human disease

D. there are enough regulations to protect animals from abuse⁸

3. Proponents⁹ of animal rights are most convincing when they _____.

A. explode bombs at laboratories that conduct scientific tests

B. point out the diseases that have been cured by scientists

C. threat their own pets kindly¹⁰

D. give examples of animals that were mistreated in labs

4. The animal rights movement is _____.

A. not very successful in passing laws to protect animals

B. trying many different approaches to accomplish its goals

C. more interested in protecting dogs than in protecting mice

D. supported mostly by people who dislike scientists

5. Scientists will be satisfied only if _____.

A. they can continue using animals in their experiments

B. the animal rights movement comes to a halt¹¹

C. they install¹² locks and alarms on their labs

D. their supply of animals is increased significantly

Keys: BCDBA