Despite all the research every one of us catches a cold and most of us catch it frequently.

Question

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Despite all the research every one of us catches a cold and most of us catch it frequently. Our failure to control one of the commonest of all ailments sometimes seems ridiculous. Medical science regularly practises transplant surgery and has rid whole countries of such fatal diseases as Typhus and the Plague. But the problem of the common cold is unusually difficult and much has yet to be done to solve it.

It is known that a cold is caused by one of a number of viral infections that affect the lining of the nose and other passages leading to the lungs but the confusing variety of viruses makes study and remedy very difficult. It was shown in 1960 that many typical colds in adults are caused by one or the other of a family of viruses known as rhinoviruses, yet there still remain many colds for which no virus has as yet been isolated. There is also the difficulty that because they are so much smaller than the bacteria which cause many other infections, viruses cannot be seen with ordinary microscopes.

Nor can they be cultivated easily in the bacteriologist’s laboratory, since they only grow within the living cells of animals or plants. An important recent step forward, however, is the development of the technique of tissue culture, in which bits of animal tissue are enabled to go on living and to multiply independently of the body. This has greatly aided virus research and has led to the discovery of a large number of viruses. Their existence had previously been not only unknown but even unsuspected.

The fact that we can catch a cold repeatedly creates another difficulty. Usually, a virus strikes only once and leaves the victim immune to further attacks. Still, we do not gain immunity from colds. Why? It may possibly be due to the fact that while other viruses get into the bloodstream where anti-bodies can oppose them, the viruses causing cold attack cells only on the surface or it may be that immunity from one of the many different viruses does not guarantee protection from all the others. It seems, therefore, that we are likely to have to suffer colds for some time yet.

1. On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it using heading and sub-headings.

2. Write a summary of the passage and suggest a suitable title.

Answer 1

1. Notes:
1. Status of various ailments
1.1. Common cold – no cure to control
1.2. Cure available
1.2.1. Typhus
1.2.2 Plague

2. Reasons for no control
2.1. Viral infection – affects the lining
2.2. Caused by the family of viruses – Rhinoviruses
2.3. For certain colds – no viruses have yet been isolated

3. Viruses – a problem in identifying
3.1. Smaller than bacteria – can’t be seen by ordinary microscope
3.2. Can’t be cultivated in laboratory 3.3. Grows only in living cells of
3.3.1. Animals
3.3.2. Plants

4. Tissue culture – a recent step further
4.1. Bits of animal tissue is made to go on living
4.2. They multiply independently off from the body
4.3. Led to the discovery of a large number of viruses
4.4 Previously unknown and unsuspected

5. No immunity from the common cold
5.1. Viruses causing cold attacks
5.1.1. Surface
5.1.2. Not bloodstream
5.2. Cannot be opposed by antibodies
5.3 Immunity from one virus does not guarantee protection from others
5.4 We have to suffer the cold for some more time

2. Summary
It is ridiculous that we have the cure of fatal diseases like typhus and plague but medical science doesn’t have the cure for the common cold that is so prevalent and it seems that we are likely to suffer it for some time more. The reason is that it is caused by the family of viruses known as rhinoviruses. They are confusing, very small and cannot be seen with ordinary microscopes. The development of the technique of tissue culture has discovered a number of viruses. But catching a cold once doesn’t create immunity because they attack surface not the bloodstream.
Title – Common Cold – Uncommon Problem