Findings from a new study were presented at a recent meeting of the American Psychosomatic (身心的) Society. Researchers in the United States studied 100,000 women during an eight-year period, beginning in 1994. All of the women were fifty or older. The study was part of the Women’s Health Initiative organized by the National Institutes of Health.
The women were asked questions measuring their beliefs or ideas about the future. The researchers attempted to identify each woman’s personality eight years after gathering the information.
The study found that hopeful individuals were 14% less likely than other woman to have died from any cause. The hopeful women were also 30 less likely to have died from heart disease after the eight years, Hilary Tinkle from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania was the lead author of the report. She said the study confirmed earlier research that linked optimistic feelings to longer life.
The researchers also gathered information about people’s education, financial earnings, physical activity and use of alcohol or cigarettes. Independent of those things, the findings still showed that optimists had less of a chance of dying during the eight-year period.
Some women who answered the questions were found to be hostile (敌意的), or highly untrusting of others. These women were 16% more likely to die than the others. They also were 23% more likely to die of cancer.
The study also found women who were not optimistic were more likely to smoke and have high blood pressure or diabetes. They were also more likely mot to exercise.
Tindle says the study did not confirm whether optimism leads to healthier choices, or if it actually affects a person’s physical health. She also says the study does not prove that negative emotions or distrust lead to bad health effects and shorter life. Yet there does appear to be a link that calls for more research.In which part of a newspaper can you read the above passage?
A.Nation. | B.Opinion. |
C.Business. | D.Science. |
Researchers carry out the study to .
A.decide who is more likely to enjoy a happier life. |
B.gather information for the National Institutes of Health. |
C.find out the link between personality and health. |
D.compare each woman’s personality changes. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A.Negative emotions cause a shorter life indeed. |
B.The more optimistic you are, the longer life you may enjoy. |
C.It’s uncertain whether optimism affects one’s health. |
D.There may be some link between personality. |
Who is more likely to die of cancer according to the passage?
A.A woman who doesn’t exercise. |
B.woman who always doubts what others say. |
C.A woman with high blood pressure. |
D.A woman with poor physical health. |
What’s Hilary Tindle’s opinion of the study?
A.Necessary. | B.Useless. |
C.Unfair. | D.meaningless. |
People who multitask all the time may be the worst at doing two things at once,a new research suggests.The findings,based on performances and selfevaluations by about 275 college students,indicate that many people multitask not out of a desire to increase productivity,but because they are easily distracted (分心) and can’t focus on one activity.And “those people turn out to be the worst at handling different things,”said David Sanbonmatsu,a psychologist at the University of Utah.
Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues gave the students a set of tests and asked them to report how often they multitasked,how good they thought they were at it,and how sensationseeking (寻求刺激) or impulsive (冲动)they were.They then evaluated the participants’multitasking ability with a tricky mental task that required the students to do simple mathematical calculations while remembering a set of letters.
Not surprisingly,the scientists said,most people thought they were better than average at multitasking,and those who thought they were better at it were more likely to report using a cellphone while driving or viewing multiple kinds of media at once.But those who frequently deal with many things at the same time were found to perform the worst at the actual multitasking test.They also were more likely to admit to sensationseeking and impulsive behavior,which connects with how easily people get bored and distracted.
“People multitask not because it’s going to lead to greater productivity,but because they’re distractible,and they get sucked into things that are not as important,”Sanbonmatsu said.
Adam Gazzaley,a researcher at the University of California,San Francisco,who was not a member of the research group,said one limitation of the study was that it couldn’t find out whether people who start out less focused tend toward multitasking or whether people’s recognizing and understanding abilities change as a result of multitasking.
The findings do suggest,however,why the sensationseekers who multitask the most may enjoy risky distracted driving.“People who are multitasking are generally less sensitive to risky situations.”said Paul Atchley,another researcher not in the group.“This may partly explain why people go in for these situations even though they’re dangerous.”The research led by Sanbonmatsu indicates that people who multitask________.
A.seek high productivity constantly |
B.prefer handling different things when getting bored |
C.are more focused when doing many things at a time |
D.have the poorest results in doing various things at the same time |
When Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues conducted their research,they________.
A.assessed the multitasking ability of the students |
B.evaluated the academic achievements of the students |
C.analyzed the effects of the participants’tricky mental tasks |
D.measured the changes of the students’understanding ability |
According to Sanbonmatsu,people multitask because of their________.
A.limited power in calculation |
B.interests in doing things differently |
C.inability to concentrate on one task |
D.impulsive desire to try new things |
From the last paragraph,we can learn that multitaskers usually________.
A.drive very skillfully |
B.go in for difficult tasks |
C.fail to react quickly to potential dangers |
D.refuse to explain the reasons for their behavior |
LowCost Gifts for Mother’s Day
Gift No.1
Offer to be your mother’s health friend.Promise to be there for any and all doctor’s visits whether a disease or a regular medical checkup.Most mothers always say “no need,” but another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor’s visit.The best part? This one is free.
Gift No.2
Help your mother organize all of her medical records,which include the test results and medical information.Put them all in one place.Be sure to make a list of all of her medicines and what times she takes them.“Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mother’s life,” Dr.Marie Savard said.
Gift No.3
Enough sleep is connected to general health conditions.“Buy your mother cotton sheets and comfortable pillows to encourage better sleep,”Savard said.“We know that good sleep is very important to our health.”
Gift No.4
Some gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother’s Day by picking gifts in which 10 percent of the price you pay goes to a charity (慈善机构).Gift givers can choose from a wide variety of useful but inexpensive things -many of which are“green”-and then choose a meaningful charity from a list.When your mother gets the gift,she will be told that she has helped the chosen charity.What are you advised to do for your mother at doctor’s visits?
A.Take notes. | B.Be with her. |
C.Buy medicine. | D.Give her gifts. |
Where can you find a gift idea to improve your mother’s sleep?
A.In Gift No.1. | B.In Gift No.2. |
C.In Gift No.3. | D.In Gift No.4. |
Buying gifts from Presents for Purpose allows mothers to________.
A.enjoy good sleep | B.be wellorganized |
C.get extra support | D.give others help |
The National Gallery
Description:
The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London.It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13thcentury religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh.The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance
Layout:
The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13thto 15thcentury paintings,and artists include Duccio,Uccello,Van Eyck,Lippi,Mantegna,Botticelli and Memling.
The main West Wing houses 16thcentury paintings,and artists include Leonardo da Vinci,Cranach,Michelangelo,Raphael,Bruegel,Bronzino,Titian and Veronese.
The North Wing houses 17thcentury paintings,and artists include Caravaggio,Rubens,Poussin,Van Dyck,Veláazquez,Claude and Vermeer.
The East Wing houses 18thto early 20thcentury paintings,and artists include Canaletto,Goya,Turner,Constable,Renoir and Van Gogh.
Opening Hours:
The Gallery is open every day from 10am to 6pm (Fridays 10am to 9pm) and is free,but charges apply to some special exhibitions.
Getting There:
Nearest underground stations:Charing Cross (2minute walk),Leicester Square (3minute walk),Embankment (7minute walk),and Piccadilly Circus (8minute walk).In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?
A.The 13th. | B.The 17th. |
C.The 18th. | D.The 20th. |
Where are Leonardo da Vinci’s works shown?
A.In the East Wing. |
B.In the main West Wing. |
C.In the Sainsbury Wing. |
D.In the North Wing. |
Which underground station is closest to the National Gallery?
A.Embankment. | B.Leicester Square. |
C.Piccadilly Circus. | D.Charing Cross. |
About 30 years ago,I left Cuba for the United States with my son.After getting settled finally in Brunswick,New Jersey,I enrolled(注册) my son in kindergarten.Several weeks later,my son’s teacher asked me to meet him at his office.
In the teacher’s office,and exchange of greetings was followed by his questions:“Is your son mentally retarded(弱智的)?Does he suffer from any kind of mental disability?”
Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? NO,no,it can’t be.What a helpless,lonely moment!I told him that Scola was a quiet,sweet little boy,instead.I asked him why he was asking me all these questions.
My son could not follow the teacher’s directions,he told me,and thus,Scola was disrupting the class,Didn’t he know my son did not speak English yet?
He was angry;“Why hasn’t your son been taught to speak English? Don’t you speak English at home?”
No,I didn’t speak English at home,I replied.I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months,and I didn’t want him to forget his native language.Well,wrong answer!What kind of person would not speak in English to her son at home and at all times? “Are you one of those people who come to this country to save dollars and send them back to their country,never wanting to be a part of this society?”
Needless to say,I tried to tell him I was not one of “those people”.Then he told me the meeting was over,and I left.
As I had expected,my son learned to speak English fluently before the school year was over.He went on to graduate from college and got a job,earning close to six figures.He travels widely and leads a welladjusted,contented life.And he has benefited from being bilingual(双语的)。
Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others;it teaches people about other cultures and other places—something very basic and obviously lacking in the“educator”I met in New Jersey.The teacher asked the author to his office________.
A.to discuss Scola’s inclass performance |
B.to get Scola enrolled in kindergarten |
C.to find a language partner for Scola |
D.to work out a study plan for Scola |
What does the underlined word“disrupting” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.Breaking | B.Following |
C.Attending | D.Disturbing |
The author’s attitude towards being bilingual may best be described as________.
A.critical B.casual
C.positive D passiveThis text is likely to be selected from a book of________.
A.medicine B.education
C.geography D history
The light from the campfire brightened the darkness,but it could not prevent the damp cold of Dennis’s Swamp (沼泽地) creeping into their bones.It was a strange place.Martin and Tom wished that they had not accepted Jack’s dare.They liked camping,but not near this swamp.
“So,”Martin asked as they sat watching the hot coals.“How did this place get its name? ”
“Are you sure you want to hear it ? It’s a scary story,”warned Jack.
“Of course!”cried out Tom.“If there were anything to be scared of,you wouldn’t have chosen this place!”
“Ok,but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” said Jack,and he began his tale.
“Way back in time,a man called Dennis tried to start a farm here.He built that cottage over there to live in.In those days,the area looked quite different—it was covered with tall trees and the swamp was a crystalclear river.After three hard years,Dennis had cleared several fields and planted crops.He was so proud of his success that he refused to listen to advice.
“‘You are clearing too much land,’warned one old man.‘The land is a living thing.It will hit back at you if you abuse it.’”
“‘Silly fool,’said Dennis to himself.‘If I clear more land,I can grow more crops.I’ll become wealthier.He’s just jealous!’”
“Dennis continued to chop down trees.Small animals that relied on them for food and shelter were destroyed.He was so eager to expand his farm that he did not notice the river flowing slowly towards his door.He did not notice salt seeping to the surface of the land.He did not notice swamp plants choking all the native plants.”
“What happened?”Martin asked.It was growing colder.He trembled,twisting his body closer to the fire.
“The land hit back—just as the old man warned,”Jack shrugged.“Dennis disappeared.Old folks around here believe that swamp plants moved up from the river and dragged him underwater.His body was never found.”
“What a stupid story,”laughed Tom.“Plants can’t...”Before he had finished speaking,he screamed and fainted(晕倒).The other two boys jumped up with fright,staring at Tom.Suddenly,they burst out laughing.Some green swamp ivy (常春藤) had covered Tom’s face.It was a while before Tom could appreciate the joke.The underlined word “dare”in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to________.
A.courage | B.assistance |
C.instruction | D.challenge |
Why did Jack tell Tom and Martin the story?
A.To frighten them. |
B.To satisfy their curiosity. |
C.To warn them of the danger of the place. |
D.To persuade them to camp in the swamp. |
Why did Dennis ignore the warning of the old man?
A.The old man envied him. |
B.The old man was foolish |
C.He was too busy to listen to others. |
D.He was greedy for more crops. |
Why did Tom scream and faint?
A.He saw Dennis’s shadow. |
B.He was scared by a plant. |
C.His friends played a joke on him. |
D.The weather became extremely cold. |
What lesson can we learn from the story of Dennis?
A.Grasp all,lose all. |
B.No sweat,no sweet. |
C.It is no use crying over spilt milk. |
D.He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. |