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NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase(抹去) the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers’ troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
“Some memories can ruin people’s lives. They come back to you when you don’t want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions,” said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatryat Harvard Medical School. : “This could relieve a lot of that suffering.”
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity（特质）. They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
“All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I’m not sure we want to wipe those memories out,” said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist
53．The passage is mainly about .
A．a new medical invention
B．a new research on the pill
C．a way of erasing painful memories
D．an argument about the research on the pill
54．The drug tested on people can .
A．cause the brain to fix memories
B．stop people remembering bad experiences
C．prevent body producing certain chemicals
D．wipe out t he emotional effects of memories
55．We can infer from the passage that .
A．people doubt t he effects of the pills
B．the pill will stop people’s bad experiences
C．taking the pill will do harm to people’s health
D．the pill has probably been produced in America
56．Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with?
A．Some memories can ruin people’s lives.
B．People want to get rid of bad memories.
C．Experiencing bad events makes us different from others.
D．The pill will reduce people’s sufferings from bad memories.
One hundred and thirteen million Americans have at least one bank-issued credit card. They give their owners automatic credit in stores, restaurants, and hotels, at home, across the country, and even abroad, and they make many banking services available as well. More and more of these credit cards can be read automatically, making it possible to withdraw or deposit money in scattered locations, whether or not the local branch bank is open. For many of us the “cashless society” is not on the horizon----it’s already here.
While computers offer these conveniences to consumers, they have many advantages for sellers too. Electronic cash registers can do much more than simply ring up sales. They can keep a wide range of records, including who sold what, when, and to whom. This information allows businessmen to keep track of their list of goods by showing which items are being sold and how fast they are moving. Decisions to reorder or return goods to suppliers can then be made. At the same time these computers record which hours are busiest and which employees are the most efficient, allowing personnel and staffing assignments to be made accordingly. And they also identify preferred customer for promotional campaigns. Computers are relied on by manufacturers for similar reasons. Computer analyzed marketing reports can help to decide which products to emphasize now, which to develop for the future and which to drop. Computers keep track of goods in stock, of raw materials on hand, and even of the production process itself.
Numerous other commercial enterprises, from theaters to magazine publishers, from gas and electric utilities to milk processors, bring better and more efficient services to consumers through the use of computers.According to the passage, the credit card enables its owner to .
| A．withdraw as much money from the bank as he wishes |
| B．obtain more convenient services than other people do |
| C．enjoy greater trust from the storekeeper |
| D．cash money where he wishes to |
From the last sentence of the first paragraph we learn that .
| A．in the future all the Americans will use credit cards |
| B．credit cards are mainly used in the United States today |
| C．nowadays many Americans do not pay in cash |
| D．it is now more convenient to use credit cards than before |
The phrase “ring up sales” most probably means .
| A．make an order of goods |
| B．record sales on a cash register |
| C．call the sales manager |
| D．keep track of the goods in stock |
It can be inferred that .
| A．computers will bring disaster |
| B．computer industry will not develop faster |
| C．computers will bring about more convenience to people’s life |
| D．None |
Honey(蜂蜜)from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest(巢)and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals unexpected helper一a little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax (蜂蜡) in the beehives (蜂)finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?
| A．It's small in size. |
| B．It's hidden in trees. |
| C．It's covered with wax. |
| D．It's hard to recognize. |
What do the words "the follower" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．A bee. | B．A bird. |
| C．A honey seeker. | D．A beekeeper. |
The honey guide is special in the way .
| A．it gets its food |
| B．it goes to church |
| C．it sings in the forest |
| D．it reaches into bees' nests |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Wild Bees |
| B．Wax and Honey |
| C．Beekeeping in Africa |
| D．Honey-Lover's Helper |
Life is filled with challenges. As we get older, we come to realize that those challenges are the very things that shape us and make us who we are. It is the same with the challenges that come with friendship. When we are faced with a challenge, we usually have two choices. We can try to beat it off, or we can decide that the thing presenting the challenge isn't worth the trouble and call it quits. Although there are certainly times when calling it quits is the right thing to do, in most cases all that is needed is commitment and communication.
When we are committed to something, it means that no matter how painful or how uncomfortable something is, we will always choose to face it through instead of running away from it. Communication is making a space for discussion and talking about how you feel as opposed to just saying what the other person did wrong. If you can say to a friend, "I got my feelings hurt", rather than "You hurt my feelings", you are going to be able to solve the problem much faster.
In dealing with many challenges that friendship will bring to you, try to see them for what they are: small hurdles you need to jump or get through on your way through life. Nothing is so big that it is impossible to get over, and hurt only serves to make us stronger. It is all part of growing up, it happens to everyone, and some day you will look back on all of this and say, "Hard as it was, it made me who I am today. And that is a good thing." The writer believes that challenges ________.
| A．are always born with friendship |
| B．help build friendship |
| C．are never worth attention |
| D．help us grow |
If your friend hurts your feelings, you are advised to ____.
| A．point out your friend's mistake |
| B．calm yourself down |
| C．start a proper conversation |
| D．run away from it |
The whole passage is centered on the relationship（关系） between ___.
| A．friendship and challenges |
| B．commitment and friendship |
| C．friendship and growth |
| D．challenges and chances |
A mental professor walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired(询问): "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Different answers called out from the audience.
She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb(无知觉的) and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
She continued, "The stress and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed--incapable of doing anything."
It's important to remember to let go of your stress. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!
Comments
Aye Chan Aung---October 27, 2015 at 11:37 am
Short but valuable! It has clearly taught me how to deal with stress.
Nelson Malicdem--October 28, 2015 at 8:23 pm
Wow! Thanks to the author and to the one who submitted this article. I am experiencing a challenge, as I read this it gives me peace. What exactly is in the article is what I am doing. My burden actually paralyzes me without my knowing it. I should put down the glass of water that I'm holding. Thank you so much!The professor tells a lesson by ________.
| A．asking a surprising question |
| B．giving proper examples |
| C．imagining a situation |
| D．making a comparison（比较） |
From what the professor says, we can know a small problem _________.
| A．can result in a complete failure |
| B．is seldom taken seriously |
| C．can cause much stress |
| D．seldom causes real problems |
From the two comments, we can know that ________.
| A．Nelson Malicdem expresses thanks to the professor |
| B．Nelson Malicdem thinks the story is meaningful |
| C．Aye Chan Aung is suffering from heavy stress |
| D．Aye Chan Aung complains the story is too short |
Where can we most probably read the passage?
| A．On a health website. |
| B．On a high school website. |
| C．In a magazine for teenagers. |
| D．In a textbook about mental health. |
Ask a question! Email it to Letters@Highlights.com.
Gift Giving
I'm going to China and everyone in my class is asking me to buy them something. What should I do?
Reply from the Highlights Editor:
Your classmates are probably just excited about your trip. Most likely they don't expect you to buy gifts for everyone. Sending a few postcards to the entire class during your trip would be a wonderful way to share your experiences. The pictures on the cards and your words of description will be the best gift of all.
Dog Begging
My dog always begs for food at the dinner table. I really want to feed him, but my mom says I can't. I'm afraid he won't like me anymore. What should I do?
Reply from the Highlights Editor:
Your dog loves you for many more reasons than just for what you feed him. You can show him that you care about him by playing with him, by petting him and speaking kindly to him and by making sure he has fresh water. It might be best if your dog is not near the dinner table while you are eating. You could teach him to stay in another room.
Being Bilingual(会说双语的)
My aunt insists that we speak our language(Tagalog) at home and English outside the house. Do you think she is right?
Reply from the Highlights Editor:
It is a great gift to have someone in your family who is willing to take the time to teach you another language. It's a good way to keep family traditions alive, and it helps develop your language skills. Your ability to use both English and Tagalog will help you learn a third and fourth language later in life. So it sounds like a great idea!The Highlights editor suggests the student who is going to China _______.
| A．send postcards as the gifts to the class |
| B．make phone calls to all the classmates |
| C．buy gifts for some of the classmates |
| D．give each classmate a picture as a gift |
According to the Highlights editor, if your dog begs for food at the dinner table, you'd better __________.
| A．feed him immediately |
| B．speak loudly to him |
| C．teach him to stay in another room |
| D．provide him with fresh water |
What is the Highlights editor's attitude towards being bilingual?
| A．Opposed(反对）. | B．Tolerant（忍受） |
| C．Supportive（支持） | D．Doubtful（怀疑）. |
The Highlights editors give the replies to __________.
| A．show their readers how to send girls |
| B．tell their readers about their interesting work |
| C．help their readers to solve school problems |
| D．offer their readers advice on personal problems |