Thousands of years ago man used handy rocks for his surgical operations. Later he used sharp bone or horn, metal knives and more recently, rubber and plastic and that was where we stuck, in surgical instrument terms, for many years. In the 1960s a new tool was developed, one which was, first of all, to be of great practical use to the armed forces and industry, but which was also, in time, to revolutionize the art and science of surgery.
The tool is the laser and it is being used by more and more surgeons all over the world, for a year large number of different complaints. The word “laser” means: light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. As we all know, light is hot, any source of light ------- from the sun itself down to a humble match burning ------ will give warmth. But light is usually spread out over a wide area. The light in a laser beam, however, is concentrated. This means that a light with no more power than that produced by an ordinary electric light bulb becomes intensely strong as it is concentrated to a pinpoint-sized beam.
Experiments with these pinpoint beams showed researchers that different energy sources produce beams that have a particular effect on certain living cells. It is now possible for eye surgeons to operate on the back of human eye without harming the front of the eye, simply by passing a laser beam right through the eye-ball. No knives, no stitches, no unwanted damage----a true surgical wonder. Operations which once left patients exhausted and in need of long period of recovery time now leave them feeling relaxed and comfortable. So much more difficult operations can now be tired.
The rapid development of laser techniques in the past ten years has made it clear that the future is likely to be very exciting. Perhaps some cancers will be treated with laser in a way that makes surgery not only safer but also more effective. Altogether, tomorrow may see more and more information coming to light on the diseases which can be treated medically.
51. Which of the following would be appropriate to describe the instruments of surgical operations up until 1960s?
A. Traditional.
B. Complicated
C. Remarkable.
D. Revolutionary
52. What do we find after the development of the laser in the 1960s?
A. Industrial revolution brought surgery changed greatly.
B. Medical help became available for industrial workers.
C. The study of art went through a complete revolution.
D. Human being’s methods in surgery changed greatly.
53. The reason why the laser beam is very strong is that ____________.
A. it is artificially illuminated
B. it is made up of a concentrated beam of light
C. it sends out heat in all directions.
D. its heat is increased by the heat of the sun
54. After the use of the laser beam, surgeons can perform operation which __________.
A. leave their patients with negative effects
B. can treat only human eye diseases
C. do little damage to their patients
D. make their patients need a long time to recover
55. The rapid development of laser techniques has meant that __________.
A. surgery is likely to improve considerably
B. in another ten years we shall be able to cure cancer
C. in future all the diseases can certainly be cured
D. operations will be performed more complicatedly in the future
参考答案：51 A 52 D 53B 54 C 55 A
