Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all spell misery, but being able to tell if the cause is a cold or flu may make a difference in how long the misery lasts. The American Lung Association (ALA. has issued new guidelines on combating colds and the flu, and one of the keys is being able to quickly tell the two apart. That’s because the prescription drugs available for the flu need to be taken soon after the illness sets in. As for colds, the sooner a person starts taking over-the-counter remedy, the sooner relief will come. The common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses. More than 200 viruses can cause cold symptoms, while the flu is caused by three viruses—flu A, B and C. There is no cure for either illness, but the flu can be prevented by the flu vaccine, which is, for most people, the best way to fight the flu, according to the ALA. But if the flu does strike, quick action can help. Although the flu and common cold have many similarities, there are some obvious signs to look for. Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy throat typically develop gradually, and adults and teens often do not get a fever. On the other hand, fever is one of the characteristic features of the flu for all ages. And in general, flu symptoms including fever and chills, sore throat and body aches come on suddenly and are more severe than cold symptoms. The ALA notes that it may be particularly difficult to tell when infants and preschool age children have the flu. It advises parents to call the doctor if their small children have flu-like symptoms. Both cold and flu symptoms can be eased with over-the-counter medications as well. However, children and teens with a cold or flu should not take aspirin for pain relief because of the risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious condition of the liver and central nervous system. There is, of course, no vaccine for the common cold. But frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who have colds can reduce the likelihood of catching one.
Which of the following symptoms will distinguish the flu from a cold? A. A stuffy nose. B. A high temperature. C. A sore throat. D. A dry cough.
ID：9121-13206 Passage 1 Scientists have identified the elephants that live on the island of Borneo in Malaysia as separate from other Asian elephants. The group Worldwide Fund for Nature, or W-W-F, announced the finding. This follows genetic tests on waste from Borneo's Pygmy Elephants（婆罗州矮象）, as they are called. The Sabah Wildlife Department in Malaysia permitted researchers to collect droppings from forests on Borneo. They sent the material to Columbia University in New York City. There, the Department of Evolution and Environmental Biology carried out the tests. Scientists compared the DNA to the genes of elephants that live in mainland Malaysia and in Sri Lanka, India and other Asian countries. The research shows that Borneo elephants were separated from other Asian elephants about three-hundred-thousand years ago. Some differences are easy to see. The Borneo elephants are smaller than other elephants. Their ears and tails make up a larger part of their bodies. And their tusks (象牙) are straighter. Also, the chairman of the W-W-F program in Malaysia says the Borneo elephants are gentler compared to other Asian elephants. The group says the test results mean that the pygmy elephants of Borneo should be treated as their own kind. It says the elephants should not be permitted to reproduce with other Asian elephants. It says there should also be research into the reproductive rates of the Borneo elephants and survival of their young. The nature group notes a long-standing dispute about where the Borneo elephants came from. One theory is that their ancestors were gifts from the British East India Company to the Sultan of Sulu in the seventeenth century. The scientists, however, say the new findings reject the argument that humans brought the elephants to the island. The other theory is that the elephants could remain from a native population that traveled between Borneo and Sumatra. During the ice ages, more than ten-thousand years ago, sea levels were much lower. Land sometimes linked the two islands. The elephants could have been trapped on Borneo after the water rose again.
