Money, jewels and important documents may not be the only valuables placed in banks these days. Some mothers store their breast milk (母乳) in banks.
There are ten breast milk banks across the United States, where mothers can donate their extra milk for other women’s babies.
Experts say breast milk is the best food for babies. The World Health Organization says it is the only food babies should get during the first six months of life, in most cases. Breast milk is especially important for babies born too early. Sometimes these premature babies must stay in the hospital for many weeks.
James Cameron is a doctor who treats newborns at Lutheran Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He says breast milk is almost like medicine. Doctor James Cameron says, “The fact is that there are so many different proteins and specialized sugars in the breast milk that the mom’s able to make that help provide immunity (免疫力). It’s very important for the health of the newborn.”
Lucy Baur lives near Fort Wayne. She breastfed both her children and always had more milk than they needed. She wanted to donate to the Indiana Mothers Milk Bank in Indianapolis. But freezing and shipping milk can be costly. Then, a donor station opened near her home.
Milk donations in the United States work like this. Donors must be willing to provide almost three liters of breast milk. They freeze the milk and take it to the station. There, employees warm the milk and mix it with other mothers’ milk. Then, the milk is heated to kill bacteria. After that, the technicians test samples of all the milk to make sure it is safe and healthful. The milk is re-frozen and sent to the main milk bank. The milk bank transports the milk to hospitals to feed premature or sick babies.
Donors are tested for diseases before any milk is accepted. They are not permitted to smoke tobacco, use illegal drugs or drink too much alcohol.
小题1:According to the passage, which thing can also be stored in banks except money, jewels and important documents?
A．Notes.
B．Diamonds.
C．Valuable papers.
D．Breast milk.小题2:From the text we learn .
A．Lucy Baur wanted to donate her milk to the donor station near her home
B．the milk is frozen and sent to the milk station after killing bacteria
C．the milk bank transports the milk to babies’ home to feed them
D．James Cameron is a doctor who feeds the babies on the milk in the milk station小题3: The breast milk is important for newborns because .
A．only it can stop babies from developing diseases
B．it contains rich nutrients (营养) babies need
C．it is the only food suitable for babies
D．it benefits babies as the best medicine小题4: Who is allowed to donate her extra milk of the following women?
A．A heavy smoker.
B．A heavy drinker.
C．A fruit lover.
D．A drug user.小题5:The purpose of setting up breast milk banks is to .
A．store extra fresh milk for some school children
B．provide milk to the children who go hungry
C．help other mothers donate milk to their own babies
D．offer breast milk to early born and unhealthy babies