Caffeine not only gives us a daily jump start, but new research suggests it also can strengthen long-term memory.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, nearly 90 percent of people worldwide consume about 200 milligrams of caffeine each day. That' s equivalent to about one strong cup of coffee a day. Writing in " Nature Neuroscience" , Johns Hopkins University researchers say their findings show that caffeine strengthens certain memories for up t0 24 hours after being taken in.
" We've always known that caffeine has cognitive-enhancing effects (促智效果) , but its ,particular effects on strengthening memories and making them resistant to forgetting has never been examined in detail in humans, " said senior author of the paper Michael Yassa. " We re- port for the first time a specific effect of caffeine on reducing forgetting over 24 hours. " Conducting a double-blind trial, the researchers worked with a test group of people who didn't regularly consume caffeinated products. Five minutes after studying a series of images, the test subjects were given either a placebo(无效对照剂) or a 200-milligram caffeine tablet.
To check the caffeine levels of their test subjects, the research team took saliva samples (唾液样品) from them before they took their tablets and again one, three and 24 hours after- wards.
Both groups of test participants ( those who took the placebo and those who took the caffeine tablet) were tested the following day to see if they could recognize the images they' d seen the previous day.
The test included showing the test subjects another series of images that included some new images , those that were shown the previous day, as well as other images that were similar, but not the same as those they had viewed earlier.
The researchers found that more members of the group who were given the caffeine tablets were able to correctly identify some of the new images as " similar" to previously viewed images rather than incorrectly identifying them as the same.
"We also know that caffeine is associated with health and longevity(长寿) and may havesome protective effects from cognitive decline like Alzheimer' s disease (阿尔茨海默症). " said Yassa.The purpose of the new research is
| A．to survey how much caffeine people consume a day |
| B．to write the paper " Nature Neuroscience" |
| C．to prove caffeine has cognitive-enhancing effects |
| D．to examine caffeine ' s memory-strengthening effects in detail |
During the research ,the researchers did the following things EXCEPT
| A．giving the test subjects placebos or caffeine tablets |
| B．checking the caffeine levels of the test subjects |
| C．encouraging the test subjects to drink more coffee |
| D．showing the test subjects series of images |
How did the test subjects show the caffeine ' s memory-strengthening effects?
| A．By recognizing images they ' d seen the previous day. |
| B．By taking the caffeine tablets instead of placebos. |
| C．By identifying the new images as the same. |
| D．By telling the differences between new images. |
What will the next part of the text possibly talk about?
| A．Ways to achieve health and longevity. |
| B．The effects caffeine has on health. |
| C．The treatment for Alzheimer' s disease. |
| D．The harmful effects of cognitive decline. |
Cotton farmers in some Indian villages are busily buying Coca-Cola and Pepsi, believing that the sugar in the fizzy(有 泡 沫 的 ) drinks kills pests.
Farmers say scientists advised them to mix pesticides with a sugary juice to control pests, and they found the mixture cheaper and more effective than pure chemicals— although soft drink makers and scientists dismissed the remarks. N. Hamunayya, who has become a famous person in his village in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, said his crop survived an attack of pests which had resisted other pesticides. “We found that all the colas had uniform effect on pests. The pests became dead and fell to the ground, ”he said. He said the drinks had all the elements they needed : they were cheaper, sticky, fizzy, and attracted ants, which ate the young of the pests. But Thinupathi Reddy, assistant director of the Regional Agri-Research Station, Guntur, says tests had proved such results wrong. “We conducted some field trials on cotton crop at our research station. There was no obvious productivity or destruction of pests, ”he says.
Statements from Pepsi and Coca-Cola said there was “ no scientific basis” for this practice. But their dealers are enjoying increasing sales. Mantan Wall, who sells soft drinks in 17 villages in the region, said sales rose up, thanks to the farmers. “ For the 10 days between August and September I had successful business. Instead of just 30 cases( each containing a dozen one-litre bottles) of cola, I started selling almost 200 cases, ”he said. “ We expected the sales to drop after the news over pesticide residues(残 留 ) in the cola drinks. Now I have to keep extra supply for the cotton farmers, ”he said.
In February, an Indian environment group made a report saying drinks made by Coca-Cola and Pepsi contained pesticides and called for tougher safety standards. The U. S firms strongly rejected the findings of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment and said their products were safe.The writer’ s purpose of writing this passage is to.
| A．tell an interesting incident |
| B．warn people that some drinks might be dangerous to health |
| C．suggest using Coca-Cola to kill pests. |
| D．announce a new discovery of Coca-Cola |
The drink makers would not accept the fact that their drinks could kill pests because .
| A．they thought it went against science |
| B．they believed that the farmers didn’t tell the truth |
| C．they might fear that it could bring harm to their business |
| D．they insisted that no poison was left in their products |
The underlined part in Para. 3 “ this practice” probably refers to .
| A．testing the mixture |
| B．selling more drinks in India |
| C．mixing the drinks with the pesticide |
| D．attracting ants to eat the young pests |
The drinks can kill pests because .
| A．there is some pesticide left in them |
| B．they are sticky and fizzy |
| C．they have elements that kill pests |
| D．they made the pesticide more effective |
The Tropical Paradise Holiday
Welcome to St Anna, our tropical paradise just off the coast of Latin America. You can spend two weeks in our luxury four-star hotel. The cost of your flight is included in the holiday, and you can be picked up from your home by our special airport bus. On your arriving, our coach will be waiting to take you to the hotel. All flights leave from Heathrow on a Monday morning.
The Cowrie Hotel is built right on the beachfront, and many rooms have wonderful ocean views. If swimming and surfing are not enough for you, the hotel also offers horse rides on the island, and a discount membership of the golf club.
The Rain Forest Adventure Holiday
Every year Broughton holidays offer twelve days of unforgettable adventure in a tropical rain forest. You may have a choice of Borneo, Malaysia, Indonesia, or even to the greatest rain forest of them all, the mighty Amazonian forest.
You will fly to our special base camps at the edge of the forest, where you will be given five days of survival training, and talks on the local wildlife.
Then you take a bus into the forest. You will have to walk the final five miles to the camp sites to avoid disturbing the local ecology. All of the camp sites have been carefully built to cause the minimal amount of disturbance to the local wildlife.
Remember that these adventure holidays take you deep into the wilderness, and they are not suitable for families with young children. Also remember that no more than two dozen guests can stay at any camp at one time, so if you want to go on one of these very special holidays, you will need to book early!What can we learn about the rain forest holiday?
| A．Travelers will learn to talk with wild animals. |
| B．Different means of transportation will be used. |
| C．The holiday will end with a survival training. |
| D．Booking early, travelers will get a discount. |
What kind of people will probably choose the rain forest holiday?
| A．People loving water sports. |
| B．People travelling with children. |
| C．People preferring comfortable hotels. |
| D．People concerned with environment and wildlife. |
Which of the following is mentioned in both holidays?
| A．Transportation. | B．Price. |
| C．Reservation. | D．Departure time. |
When Abraham Lincoln was young, he worked in a store. One day a woman came into the store and bought some things. They added up to two dollars and six and a quarter cents.
The bill was paid, and the woman was entirely satisfied. But the young storekeeper, not feeling
quite sure as to the accuracy of his calculations, added up the things again. To his surprise he found that it should have been but two dollars.
“ I’ve made her pay six and a quarter cents more, ”said Abe, disturbed.
It was an unimportant thing, and many clerks would have forgotten it, but Abe was too conscientious for that.
“ The money must be paid back, ”he decided.
At night, he closed the store, and walked to the home of his customer. He explained the matter, paid over the six and a quarter cents, and returned satisfied.
Here is another story of young Lincoln’s strict honesty. A woman entered the store and asked for half a pound of tea. The young clerk weighed it out. This was the last sale of the day.
The next morning, when beginning his duties, Abe discovered a four-ounce weight on the scales. It flashed upon him at once that he had used this in the sale of the previous night, and so, of course, given his customers short weight. I am afraid that there are many country merchants who would not have been much worried by this discovery. But Abe weighed out the balance of the half pound, shut up the store, and carried it to the defrauded customer. I think my young readers will begin to see that the name so often given, in later times to President Lincoln, of “Honest Old Abe, ”was well deserved. A man who begins by strict honesty in his youth is not likely to change as he grows older, and mercantile honesty is some guarantee of political honesty.We know from the text that Abe .
| A．charged less for the woman |
| B．tricked the woman on purpose |
| C．was careful and responsible |
| D．was confident of his calculations |
From the underlined sentence, we can see that the author .
| A．speak highly of Abraham Lincoln |
| B．learns how to succeed in the political field |
| C．comes to understand the importance of honesty |
| D．hopes to give readers some personal suggestions |
What does the author mainly intend to tell us?
| A．Better late than never. |
| B．Honesty is the best policy. |
| C．A good name is better than gold. |
| D．Where there is a will there is a way. |
The author develops his idea mainly .
| A．by reasoning | B．by making comparisons |
| C．by giving examples | D．by recalling what he had seen |
A young fashion designer from Germany is revolutionizing high fashion by designing clothes from milk.
Domaske, 28, has developed a fabric(织物) called QMilch from high concentrations of the milk protein casein (酪蛋白). “It feels like silk and it doesn’t smell----you can wash it just like anything else,“ Domaske told Reuters. Made from all natural materials, QMilch has many health benefits, says Domaske. The amion acids （氨基酸）in the protein fight bacteria and aging, and can help regulate both blood circulation and body temperature, she says.
Domaske’s fashion label MCC is popular among people, and has now started weaving the milk fiber into its collection.
Currently MCC’s line of clothes----which feature flowing wrap dresses with modern cuts and bright patterns----are made from combinations of various fibers, including QMilch. But Domaske plans to design a collection made entirely from the milk fiber.
Milk fabric has been around since the 1930s, but was always produced in environmentally unfriendly ways that used a lot of chemicals. Unlike early forms, QMilch is made almost entirely from casein without chemicals.
“We have developed an all-natural fiber consisting of a very high concentration of casein, with a few other natural ingredients – and in only two years,” Domaske, a fo
rmer microbiology student, say.
The casein is taken from dried milk powder and then heated up in a type of meat-mincing machine（绞肉机）with other natural ingredients. The fiber comes out in threads and is then made into yarn（纱线）on a spinning machine.
Domaske says it would take about 6 liters of milk to produce an entire dress, which costs about $200 to $270. Luckily, for that kind of money, the clothes don’t come with a date when they are no longer usable----during the heating process, the molecules（分子）bond in such a way that the protein won’t break down.
Due to its anti-bacterial qualities, the fiber can also be used in medicine and makeup, and some auto companies have ever looked into using it in car seat covering.Which of the following feature of QMilch is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．It is beneficial to one’s health. |
| B．It feels soft and has a special smell. |
| C．It is easy to clean. |
| D．It is a man-made fiber that uses no chemicals. |
We can learn from the passage that MCC’s line of clothes ?
| A．are fashion labels created by Domaske’s students |
| B．are characterized by their modern cuts and bright patterns |
| C．are made completely from various chemicals |
| D．are produced in environmentally unfriendly ways |
Put the following in order in which clothes can be produced from milk.
a. Casein is heated
b. Milk powder is acquired.
c. Casein is taken from dried milk powder.
d. The fiber is spun into yarn.
e. Threads of fiber are produced.
f. Clothes are woven.
| A．a,c,b,e,d,f | B．b,c,a,d,e,f. |
| C．b,c,a,e,d,f | D．c,a,e,b,d,f |
We can infer from the passage that .
| A．this new type of clothing will never go out of fashion |
| B．these new clothes are reasonably priced |
| C．the new clothes are heat-resistant |
| D．milk fiber will have a good sales market |
Having experienced a shocking electrical accident, which caused him to become both blind and deaf, James Franco’s world became completely dark and quiet for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family, especially his wife, did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live.
One hot summer afternoon, he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorms started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet, but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up 20 minutes later, lying face down in muddy water. He was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes, he could hardly believe what he saw: a tree and muddy road. When Mrs. Franco came running up to him, shouting to their neighbors to call for help, he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of James regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sig
ht and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However, none of them could give a compellent answer as to why this should happen. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since James lost his sight and hearing as a result of a sudden shock, perh
aps, the only way for him to regain them was another sudden shock. The reason why James attempted to kill himself was that _________.
| A．a terrible electrical accident happened to him |
| B．nobody in the whole world cared about him |
| C．he was struck by the lightning once more |
| D．he had to live in a dark and silent world |
What was James doing when he was struck by the lightning?
| A．Taking a walk with a stick |
| B．Putting an end to his life |
| C．Sheltering from the rain under a tree |
| D．Lying on the ground |
What does the underlined word “compellent” in paragraph 3 mean?
| A．Unexplained. | B．Convincing. |
| C．Wrong | D．True |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．A Terrible Electrical Accident |
| B．What a Sudden Shock |
| C．An Unforgettable Experience |
| D．James Franco and His wife |