Something in chocolate could be used to stop coughs and lead to more effective medicines, say UK researchers.
Their study found that theobromine, found in cocoa, was nearly a third more effective in stopping coughs than codeine, which was considered the best cough medicine at present.
The Imperial College London researchers who published their results online said the discovery could lead to more effective cough treatment. “While coughing is not necessarily harmful(有害的) it can have a major effect on the quality of life, and this discovery could be a huge step forward in treating this problem,” said Professor Peter Barnes.
Ten healthy volunteers(志愿者) were given theobromine, codeine or placebo, a pill that contains no medicine, during the experiment. Neither the volunteers nor the researchers knew who received which pill. The researchers then measured levels of capsaicin, which is used in research to cause coughing and as a sign of how well the medicine are stopping coughs.
The team found that, when the volunteers were given theobromine, the capsaicin need to produce a cough was around a third higher than in the placebo group. When they were given codeine they need only slightly higher levers of capsaicin to cause a cough compared with the placebo.
The researchers said that theobromine worked by keeping down a verve activity(神经活动), which cause coughing. They also found that unlike some standard cough treatments, theobromine caused no side effects such as sleepiness.According to Professor Barnes, theobromine ______.
| A．cannot be as effective as codeine |
| B．can be harmful to people’s health |
| C．cannot be separated from chocolate |
| D．can be a more effective cure for coughs |
What was used in the experiment to cause coughing?
| A．Theobromine. | B．Codeine. | C．Capsaicin. | D．Placebo. |
We learn from the text that volunteers in the experiment _____.
| A．were patients with bad coughs |
| B．were divided into the three groups |
| C．received standard treatments |
| D．suffered little side effects |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Codeine: A New Medicine | B．Chocolate May Cure Coughs |
| C．Cough Treatment: A Hard Case | D．Theobromine Can Cause Coughs |
Blogs have become an important part of life. Millions of people have blogs. Perhaps you would like to have one; you would like to improve your blog; perhaps you would like to make your blog as a means of earning money or attracting more people. Whatever your aim is, this course shows you how to become better bloggers. You will learn how to find the right tone for your blog, set it up and keep it, write something that are effective and worth reading, and attract people from all over the world to your blog. While it’s simple to start a blog, it takes energy and skill to do it really well, as is true of any kind of writing.
Among the topics covered: introduction to the blog, the benefits of blogging, focusing on your blog concept, how to set up and keep a page, tips for effective blog writing and drawing visitors to your blog.
Course offered
How to blog
In this four-week course, a blogging expert will guide you through the process of designing, setting up, writing, and improving a blog. Each student will talk with the expert on blog, then set up a “live” blog and introduce it to the rest of the class for suggestions. Students will also have chances to ask the expert questions.
Online classes
Tuition(学费): $ 125. Registration(注册): $ 25.
Each class is strictly limited to 25 students aged 18 and up.
| Start |
New Lecture |
Location |
Time |
| Jan.12 |
Wednesday |
Online |
24 hrs. a day |
| Feb. 9 |
Wednesday |
Online |
24 hrs. a day |
| Mar. 16 |
Wednesday |
Online |
24 hrs. a day |
In the course, you will learn something Except _________.
| A．focusing on your blog concept | B．how to set up a blog |
| C．the benefits of blogging | D．how to follow others’ blog |
What do we know about the course?
| A．There are more than 25 students in each class. |
| B．The course is intended for teenagers under 18. |
| C．It will cost you $ 150 to learn the course. |
| D．New lectures are given each day. |
The passage is mainly about _________.
| A．an online course about how to blog |
| B．an online plan on writing |
| C．an online program about blog history |
| D．an online competition in writing blogs |
Which word can be used to describe the course for bloggers?
| A．Difficult. | B．Helpful. | C．Simple. | D．Boring. |
On Christmas, children are curious about what to be in the stockings (长筒袜). It might be safe to think children will ask Santa for an extensive list of toys, games and big dinners. But a survey of their lists for Father Christmas has shown many have more serious concerns, requesting "a dad" instead. Despite their material requests, a 'dad' is tenth most popular Christmas list request for children who would be happy to give up the latest iPad, toy or new pet, a survey of 2,000 British parents has found.
Most children will put a new baby brother or sister at the top of their Christmas list, closely followed by a request for a real-life reindeer (驯鹿). A "pet horse" was the third most popular choice, with a "car" at number four.
The survey also found children aged 3 to 12 years also wanted a dog, chocolate and a stick of rock. Traditional hopes for a white Christmas were represented by a wish for "snow" in ninth place, with sensible youngsters also requesting a "house". Of the top 50 festive requests, 17 related to pets and animals, with some imaginative children hoping for a chicken and an elephant. iPhones and iPads also appeared on the list, with some quirky children asking for the moon, a time machine, and a pond cover. A request for a "mum" reached number 23 on the list.
What’s the No.1 on the children’s Christmas list?
| A．A new baby brother or sister. | B．A real-life reindeer. |
| C．A pet horse. | D．A house. |
Which of the following is not included on the Christmas list?
| A．A car. | B．A chicken. |
| C．A stick of rock. | D．A monkey. |
What do quirky children in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A．Children with quick reaction. | B．Children with wild ideas. |
| C．Children with cleverness. | D．Children with good manners. |
Which of the statements is Not True according to the passage?
| A．Some children would rather request a dad than the latest iPad for Christmas. |
| B．Children of different character or ages may ask for different Christmas gifts. |
| C．A real-life reindeer is next to a car on children’s Christmas list. |
| D．According to the survey, a ‘dad” is tenth most popular Christmas list request. |
Dear Betty,
My roommate’s family wants me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with them in their home. I accepted the invitation, and I’m excited about going, but I’m a little nervous about it, too. The social customs in my country are different from those here, so I’m a little worried about making mistakes.
Should I bring a gift, such as candy or flowers? Should I arrive on time or a little late? At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Yours,
Knowing Nothing
Dear Knowing Nothing,
It’s a good idea to bring a gift when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always welcome, or you can bring a bottle of wine if you know the family drink it.
You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
Try to relax at the dinner table. If you don’t know how to use the right fork, knife or spoon, just watch the other guests, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, don’t be shy about asking the person next to you; it’s better to ask them than to be silently uncomfortable and nervous.
If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a card to thank them the day after.
Yours
BettyKnowing Nothing wrote a letter to Betty to _____.
| A．tell Betty some good news |
| B．ask for some advice |
| C．answer some questions |
| D．invite her to dinner |
According to Betty, Knowing Nothing ______ when going to a dinner party.
| A．can only bring some flowers |
| B．can’t bring wine |
| C．should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late |
| D．should arrive twenty minutes late |
Betty does NOT advise Knowing Nothing to _____.
| A．relax at the dinner table |
| B．watch the other guests |
| C．ask the person beside him |
| D．keep silent at table |
After a dinner party , Knowing Nothing should _____________.
| A．say nothing but goodbye. |
| B．send a card to thank them the day after. |
| C．thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness at once |
| D．invite the host and hostess for a dinner the next day |
Mark Twain was a great writer. He was from the USA. He was born in 1835. He was also a famous speaker. He was famous for his sense of humour. Many people liked to listen to him talk because he liked to tell some interesting stories to make people laugh all the time.
One day Mark Twain was going to a small town because of his writing. Before he was going to leave, one of his friends said to him that there were always a lot of mosquitoes in the town and told him that he’d better not go there. Mark Twain waved (摇动) his hand and said, “It doesn’t matter. The mosquitoes are no relatives of mine. I don’t think they will come to visit me.”
After he arrived at the town, Mark Twain stayed in a small hotel near the station. He went into his room, but when he was just about to have a rest, quite a few mosquitoes flew about him. The waiters felt very sorry about that. “I’m very sorry, Mr Mark Twain. There are too many mosquitoes in our town.” One of them said to him.
Mark Twain, however, made a joke, saying to the waiter, “The mosquitoes are very clever. They know my room number. They didn’t come into the wrong room.” What he said made all the people present laugh heartily.
But that night Mark Twain slept well. Do you know why? That was because all the waiters in the hotel were driving the mosquitoes away for him during the whole night.That day Mark Twain went to the town _____.
| A．to see one of his friends |
| B．because he wanted to do something there for his writing |
| C．because he was told there were a lot of mosquitoes there |
| D．to see one of his relatives |
The waiters felt sorry because _____.
| A．they did something wrong to Mark Twain |
| B．their hotel was too small |
| C．the room was not very clean |
| D．there were quite a few mosquitoes in Mark Twain’s room |
All the people present laughed heartily because _____.
| A．the mosquitoes were very clever and they didn’t come into the wrong room |
| B．the mosquitoes knew Mark Twain’s room number |
| C．Mark Twain gave the waiters some nice presents |
| D．Mark Twain made a joke |
From the story we know _____.
| A．no mosquitoes troubled Mark Twain in the night |
| B．the owner of the hotel told the waiters to look after Mark Twain well at night |
| C．Mark Twain didn’t have a good rest that night |
| D．there were not mosquitoes in the hotel any longer |
People are overweight for many reasons, the most important one of which is that they eat the wrong foods, get the wrong types of calories per meal, and they also eat meals at the wrong time each day. Food is more powerful than any weight loss pill(减肥药), because the food that you eat can either make you thin or fat. This is true because your body is like an engine, and it only needs certain foods at certain intervals(间隔)each day. Low-calorie Diets Do Not Work
The reason people cannot lose weight by starving themselves is that their metabolism(新陈代谢)will detect any major drop in calories and it will then adjust(调整)itself by burning fewer calories each day. That is the reason why you can eat 1,000 calories per day and not lose any weight, while your friends can eat 2,500 calories per day and not gain any weight.
Low-fat Diets Do Not Work
Many people in today’s society are buying mostly low- fat or non-fat food at the grocery store. Everybody knows how much fat is inside the food they buy. However, people are getting fatter than ever before by doing this. They are not losing weight by changing to this low fat lifestyle.
Losing weight has nothing to do with these things. One of the most important things you can do to control your weight is to eat the proper foods, such as fruit and vegetables, eat them at the right time, and exercise every day. If people make this a habit, they will lose weight.What is the main reason why people are overweight?
| A．They eat the wrong foods at the wrong time. |
| B．They eat food with lots of calories. |
| C．They don’t take any weight loss pills. |
| D．They burn many calories every day. |
The article is written in order to _______.
| A．tell readers not to buy low-fat or non-fat food |
| B．tell readers how to lose weight |
| C．tell readers about an important scientific discovery |
| D．call on people to lose weight and stay healthy |
To realize the aim of your weight loss plan, you should ________.
a. do exercise every day
b. eat meals at the right time
c. eat fruits and vegetables
d. eat low-fat or sweet food
e. eat the proper foods at each meal
| A．a, b, c, d | B．a, b, d, e | C．a, c, d, e | D．a, b, c, e |