Ebola: A Complex Virus to Cure

Fact, Question, Reponse

Use this organizer to keep track of your thoughts as you listen to the audio story. In the "Fact" column, record interesting or useful factual information you learn about the topic. In the "Question" column, write questions that occur to you as you listen. Finally, in the "Response" column, make a list of responses to the story, either as they occur to you or in relation to one of the facts or questions you’ve listed.

Fill-in-the-Blank

As you listen to the story, fill in the blank in each statement below with the appropriate word.

• The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unnerving because there is no drug to treat this often disease.
• According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, there are vaccines being developed that can Ebola and related diseases, rather than simply prevent it.
• One challenge in treating Ebola virus is that there are of the virus, including the Marburg virus.
• An experimental drug called BCX4430 attacks an enzyme found in Ebola and Marburg virus, but not in
• The government has promised to stockpile drugs that are effective against Ebola in case it is used as a on a battlefield or as an act of terrorism.

Language Identification Organizer

Listen closely and check off each sentence or partial sentence as you hear it.

• no incentive for big pharmaceutical companies to develop a treatment
• used to treat rather than simply prevent Ebola
• there are several varieties of Ebola-like viruses
• attacks an enzyme that's found in viruses like Ebola
• this drug is being developed by a small company
• has only stricken a few thousand people
• the market is the US government
• biological agent on the battlefield or in an active terrorism
• most potential drugs don't live up to their early promise
• I'm absolutely certain it will happen