Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
①The threat of a global outbreak (疾病大爆发) of bird flu makes it urgent for the international community to cooperate effectively. Wealthy countries will have to provide hundreds of millions of dollars for the testing and production of medicines necessary for treating patients suffering from bird flu. Developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, where the bird flu virus (病毒) has spread since 1997, must work out special programs so that farmers will not hide signs of possible outbreaks. In addition, the way such farm birds as chickens and ducks are traditionally raised and marketed in the developing world should be changed; there should be more distance between the birds and their keepers. Countries should deal with the disease with joint effort. If one country is inadequately prepared, it will be a threat to every other country.
②The potential effects of a national outbreak of bird flu are enormous. Firstly, an outbreak may kill large numbers of people. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that an outbreak similar to the mild Hong Kong flu of 1968 could kill as many as 7.4 millions people. If it were as dangerous as the 1918 Spanish flu, which killed 50 million, the number would be much higher. Secondly, such an outbreak may cause great financial damage. The latest outbreak of bird flu, which began in December 2003, has cost Southeast Asia more than $10 billion and depressed its GDP(gross domestic product) by 1.5 percent. If a new outbreak of bird flu were to last for a whole year, $800 billion would be lost.
③Despite the 124 human cases and 63 deaths from bird flu since December 2003, the virus remains mainly a disease of animals. However, the more animals that die of the disease, the more chances it has of spreading to people. Large numbers of dead or dying birds mean that more people will be exposed to the virus and change into a virus with new characteristics. If the international community works together efficiently, man can surely prevent such a virus and possibly save millions of lives.
26. Faced with the threat of a global outbreak of bird flu, the international community should ________.
A. establish new markets
B. work together effectively
C. stop birds from flying to other countries
D. raise fewer chickens and ducks