A new study suggests that people who drank a ...

A new study suggests that people who drank a certain amount of alcohol（酒）had a lower risk of cancer and death than those who drank more or none during a nine-year period. And with each additional drink a week, the risk of cancer and death from any cause increased, the scientists reported.

However, the study found only an association between alcohol and cancer and death, and did not prove cause and effect, the researches said. What sets the new study apart, said lead study author Andrew Kunzmann, is that previous studies looked at cancer and death separately. “What our study does is combine the two outcomes together and we find that lighter drinking is associated with the lowest risk of cancer or death,” Kunzmann said.

But Kunzmann noted that the participants（参与者）were all older adults. That means that “we’re not really showing what happens in younger people if they drink,” he said. Also, it’s difficult to account for other lifestyles that could have affected the results. “These could also influence health. But the results did take into consideration differences in diet, smoking and education among participants,” Kunzmann noted.

The researchers said that they hope their study sparks conversation about reducing the suggested alcohol intake in countries’ guidelines. “We’re not telling people what they can or can’t do or what they can or can’t drink,” Kunzmann said. “We’re just trying to give them reliable evidence so that they can make their own informed, healthy decisions.”

1.What is the finding of the new study?

A. Nondrinkers are least likely to have cancer.

B. Drinking helps lower the risk of cancer.

C. Lighter drinking is helpful to health.

D. Heavy drinkers are at more risk.

2.Which of the following best explains “previous” underlined in Paragraph 2?

A. Future.　　 B. Present.

C. New.　　 D. Former.

3.What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A. The result is of little value.

B. The research has its limitations.

C. The participants are all adults.

D. The influence of diet is included.

4.What does the researchers suggest people do about drinking?

A. Make their own decisions.

B. Reduce the amount they drink.

C. Have additional drinks occasionally.

D. Drink according to the countries’ guidelines.

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Two new studies suggest that modern running shoes could increase the risk of injuries to runners.

One study involved sixty-eight healthy young women and men who ran at least twenty-four kilometers a week. The runners were observed on a treadmill machine (跑步机). Sometimes they wore running shoes. Other times they ran barefoot (赤脚).

Researchers from the JKM Technologies Company in Virginia, the University of Virginia and the University of Colorado did the study.

They found that running shoes create more stress that could damage knees, hips and ankle joints than running barefoot. They observed that the effect was even greater than the effect reported earlier for walking in high heels.

The study appeared in the official scientific journal of The American Academy of Physical Medicine.

The other study appeared in the journal Nature. It compared runners in the United States and Kenya. The researchers were from Harvard University in Massachusetts, Moi University in Kenya and the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

They divided the runners into three groups. One group had always run shoeless. Another group had always run with shoes. And the third group had changed to shoeless running.

Runners who wear shoes usually come down heel first. That puts great force on the back of the foot. But the study found that barefoot runners generally land on the front or middle of their foot. That way they ease into their landing and avoid striking their heel.

Harvard’s Daniel Lieberman led the study. He says the way most running shoes are designed may explain why those who wear them land on their heels. The heel of the shoe is bigger and heavier than other parts of the shoe, so it would seem more likely to come down first. Also, the heel generally has thick material under it to soften landings.

But the researchers do not suggest that runners immediately start running barefoot. They say it takes some training. And there can be risks, like running when your feet are too cold to feel if you get injured.

The study was partly supported by Vibram, which makes a kind of footwear that it says is like running barefoot. The findings have gotten a lot of attention. But the researchers say there are many problems in the way the press has reported in their paper. So they have tried to explain their findings on a Harvard Website.

1.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A. Walking in high heels could cause less serious effects than running barefoot.

B. Two new discoveries encourage people to run in high heels.

C. Running in shoes is partly good to runners.

D. Two new studies prove running without shoes is beneficial to runners in most cases.

2.Which part of our body could be injured if we run in running shoes?

A. Toes.                    B. Hips.

C. Feet.                    D. Legs.

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A. The way that we run by landing on the front or middle of our foot could avoid damaging our heel.

B. We should start running barefoot in no time.

C. Running in modern running shoes could cause more serious effects than running in high heels.

D. We won’t be injured if we run barefoot.

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Conventional wisdom says that hardship can make us before our time. In fact, a new study suggests that violence not only leaves long-term scars on children's bodies, but also changes their DNA, causing changes that equal to seven to ten years of premature aging (提前衰老).

“Scientists measured this by studying the ends of children' s chromosomes(染色体), called telomeres.” says Idan Shalev, lead author of a study published in Molecular Psychiatry.

Telomeres are special DNA sequences (序列)which prevent the DNA in chromosomes from separating. They get shorter each time a cell divides, until a cell cannot divide any more and dies.

Several factors have been found to shorten telomeres including smoking, radiation (辐射) and psychological stress(心理压力), such as being treated badly when young, and taking care of someone who is permanently ill.

In the study, researchers examined whether exposure to(暴露于) violence could make children' s telomeres shorten faster than normal. They interviewed the mothers of 236 children at the ages of 5, 7 and 10, asking whether the children had been exposed to violence between the mother and her partner, having been treated badly in a physical way by an adult, or bullying. Researchers measured the children's telomeres— in cells from their cheeks—at the ages of 5 and 10.

Telomeres shortened more quickly in children exposed to two or more types of violence, says Shalev. Unless such a pattern changes, the study suggests these children could be expected to develop diseases related to aging, such as heart attacks or memory loss, seven to ten years earlier than children of the same age.

Shalev says there is hope for these children. His study found that in some cases, telomeres can lengthen."Better exercise and stress reduction are three things that may be able to lengthen telomeres,” he says

1.The new study found that ________.

A. hardship has a long-term effect on a child's mind　　 B. violence leaves scars on a child's mind

C. violence can speed up a child's aging　　 D. hardship can change a child's DNA

2.According to the passage, telomeres ________.

A. are at the ends of people's chromosomes　　 B. can help prevent DNA from separating

C. can make a cell die quickly　　 D. become shorter before they die

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Violence can cause quick cell division in children’s body.

B. Children at the ages of 5 to 10 are more likely to be exposed to violence.

C. Being treated badly will make a child's telomeres shorten faster.

D. Children who have shorter telomeres may have a heart attack earlier.

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A. Violence Aging Children’s DNA.

B. Children’s Changing DNA Patterns

C. Violence and Telomeres

D. The Function of Telomeres

高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

A new study suggests that the more teenagers watch television, the more likely they are to develop depression(情绪低落) as young adults.

The researchers used a national long-term survey of adolescent(青少年的)health to survey the relationship between media use and depression. They based their findings on more than 4,000 adolescents who were not depressed when the survey began in the year 2000.

As part of the survey, the young people were asked how many hours of television or videos they watched daily. They were also asked how often they played computer games and listened to the radio. Media use totaled an average of five and one-half hours a day. More than two hours of that was spent watching TV.

Seven years later, in 2007, more than seven percent of the young people had signs of depression. The average age at that time was twenty-one.

The researchers say they did not find any such relationship with the use of other media such as movies, video games or radio, etc. But the study did find that every extra hour of television meant an eight percent increase in the chances of developing signs of depression. Young men were more likely than young women to develop depression given the same amount of media use.

The study didn’t explore if watching TV causes depression. But one possibility is that it was taking time away from activities that could help prevent depression.

Last December, the journal Social Indicators Research published a study of activities that help lead to happy lives. Sociologists from the University of Maryland found that people who describe themselves as happy spend less time watching television than unhappy people. The study found that happy people are more likely to be socially active, to read, to attend religious services and to vote.

1.We can learn from the survey that of all the media use ___________________.

A. computer games are teenagers’ favorite

B. most teenagers prefer to listen to the radio

C. teenagers enjoy watching TV very much

D. newspaper is not included in the survey

2.According to the passage, what kind of activity may help prevent depression?

A. Taking part in sports.　　 B. Playing computer games.

C. Listening to the radio.　　 D. Watching movies.

3.We can conclude that a teenager should ____________.

A. play more video games instead of watching TV

B. attend religious services and care for politics

C. be more active in reading and studying

D. be active in taking part in outdoor activities

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

For an old person, his brain may perform not so well as before. But a new study suggests that some parts of brain may already decline in young adulthood.

The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions — including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving — started to dull as early as age 27. Meanwhile, the decline of memory generally became apparent around age 37.

On the other hand, indicators of a person’s accumulated knowledge — like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge — kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Most people's minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse. “According to these patterns, some kinds of flexibility in the brain decline relatively early in adulthood, but throughout adulthood the knowledge pool in one’s command and the effective combination with one’s capabilities may be on the increase without the attack of diseases.” Salthouse said in a news conference.

The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoning and perception at first and at some point over the next seven years.

The tests are designed to detect subtle (细微的) changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.

In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found that certain aspects of cognition (认知能力) generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.The findings explain normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia (痴呆), according to the researchers. “By following individuals over time,” Salthouse said, “we gain insight in cognition changes, and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline.”

The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants’ health and lifestyle to see which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.

1.According to the text, what is the common view of mental function?

A.It varies from person to person.

B.It weakens in one’s later years.

C.It gradually expands with age.

D.It indicates one’s health condition.

2.What does Timothy Salthouse say about people’s minds in most cases?

A.They tend to decline in people’s later years.

B.Their flexibility determines one’s abilities.

C.They function quite well even in old age.

D.Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.

3.Although people’s minds may function less flexibly as they age, what is their strength?

A.They may be better at solving puzzles.

B.They can memorize things with more ease.

C.They may have greater facility in abstract reasoning.

D.They can put what they have learned into more effective use.

4.According to Salthouse, how may their study help us?

A.It will find ways to stop mental functions dulling fast.

B.It will find ways to improve our memories.

C.It will help us understand the complex process of mental functioning.

D.It will help us understand the relation between physical and mental health.

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

No one knows why we sleep,but it’s certain that we need to.People who are prevented from sleeping begin to suffer obvious effects after a few days—they think less clearly,and they fall asleep during the working hours;some may have hallucinations（幻觉）.

There are no rules about sleep.Generally speaking,grown-ups sleep about 7 and half hours each night and probably more than 60 percent get between seven and eight hours.But perhaps eight percent are quite happy with 5 hours or lees,and four percent or so find that they want ten hours or more.If you feel all right,you’re probably getting enough sleep.The important thing is not to worry how much other people get—their needs may be different.Exercise doesn’t seem to need to increase the sleep time—office workers,for example,sleep for about as long as people doing physically active work.

Children sleep more than grown-ups---perhaps 14 to 18 hours soon after birth,going down to grow-up levels by early teenage.Sleep patterns also tend to be different in the elderly,who may sleep less at night than they did when younger,find sleep getting more broken,and often make it a rule to sleep during the daytime.

1.According to the passage,some people are unable to think clearly because　　　　　 .

A. they have hallucinations　　 B. they feel sleepy during the working hours

C. they don’t have enough sleep　　 D. they are certain to be kept from going to bed

2.Which of the following is true?

A. All grown-ups must have at least eight-hour sleep　　 B. Most of grown-ups sleep for seven or eight hours

C. Quite a few people need only 5 hours or less for them sleep　　 D. No grown-ups sleep more than ten hours

3.Whether you have got enough steep is judged by　　　　　 .

A. how may hours you have slept　　 B. How may hours you need to sleep

C. Whether you do exercise and physical work　　 D. Whether you feel fresh and energetic

4.According to the passage a boy of 14 years old sleeps　　　　　 .

A. as long hours as a grown-up　　 B. much longer hours than grown-up

C. for 14 hours each night　　 D. for less than 8 hours per night

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Dreaming is believing, claim researchers of a new study, who found that dreams have an effect on people’s behavior, judgment and they might contain important hidden truths as well.

“Psychologists’ interpretations (解释) of the meaning of dreams vary widely. But our findings show that people believe their dreams provide meaningful insight (见识) into themselves and their world,” said a lead author of the study Carey More wedge, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

In six different studies, researchers surveyed nearly 1,100 people about their dreams. One of the studies focused on general beliefs about dreams and involved 149 university students. All students were asked to rate different theories about dreams. The experts found that a surprising majority of the participants supported the theory about dreams revealing (揭示) the hidden truths about themselves and the rest of the world.

In a second experiment, they surveyed 182 people at a Boston train station, and asked them to imagine one out of four possible situations that could have occurred the night before a scheduled airline trip. Most of the participants said that dreaming of a plane crash would be more likely to affect their travel plans than would just thinking about a crash, or being warned by the government of a terrorism risk. They said a dreamed crash would influence their travel plans just as much as learning about a real crash on their planned route would.

Another experiment involved 270 men and women from across the United States. In a short online survey, they were asked to recall one of the dreams they had seen about any person they knew. The findings showed that people were more likely to remember and describe pleasant dreams about a person they liked, rather than a person they disliked. Meanwhile, in most cases they tended to consider an unpleasant dream as more meaningful if it was about a person they disliked.

“In other words,” said More wedge, “people attribute (归因于) meaning to dreams when it corresponds (与……一致) with their pre-existing beliefs and desires.” The researchers say that more investigation (研究) is needed to fully understand how people interpret their dreams. According to More wedge, most people realize that dreams are not predicting their future, but they still try to find some meaning in there.

1.The purpose of the studies is to _______.

A. determine when people tend to remember their dreams

B. research whether dreams have anything to do with real life

C. find out how people interpret their dreams and what impact that has

D. understand what causes people to dream and how to interpret dreams

2.According to the second experiment, what might influence people’s travel plans most?

A. Thinking about a past plane crash.

B. Dreaming about a plane crash.

C. Hearing a government’s warning of a terrorism risk.

D. Imagining a plane crashing on their planned route.

3.What can be concluded from the study?

A. When a dream conflicts with people’s existing beliefs and desires, they tend to attribute less

meaning to it.

B. Most people disagree that dreams help them better know themselves and the world.

C. A majority of people believes that dreams can predict their future and try to find their meaning.

D. Dreams can be a useful tool for learning and problem solving.

4.Which kind of dream is seen as more meaningful than the rest?

A. A pleasant dream about a person the dreamer likes.

B. A pleasant dream about a person the dreamer dislikes

C. An unpleasant dream about a person the dreamer likes.

D. An unpleasant dream about a person the dreamer dislikes.

高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

A medical study has shown that excess(过度的)coffee drinking could cause heart attacks in people who do not metabolize(使新陈代谢)caffeine fast enough.

The study, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says an enzyme(酶)that metabolizes caffeine in the liver works differently in some people, depending on the make­up of the gene(基因). People who have a slow version (版本)of the enzyme are at a greater risk(风险)of a heart attack when they drink more coffee. The risk had something to do with a person's age and how many cups of coffee he drinks.

The team from the University of Toronto in Canada studied 4,024 people living in coffee­rich Costa Rica between 1994 and 2004, of whom half suffered non­fatal(非致命的)heart attacks. They found slightly more than half had the slow version of the gene, while the rest had the fast form.

Two to three cups of coffee a day increased the possibilities of a heart attack by 36 percent for those with the slow­acting gene and four or more cups a day lifted it by 64 percent.

But those under 50 who had the fast version of the gene had a lower risk of heart disease, even with four or more cups a day.

Those with the fast­acting gene who drank two to three cups of coffee a day had 22 percent reduced possibilities of having a heart attack, but drinking four or more cups a day only lessened the risk by 1 percent. Scientists recommend limiting coffee consumption(消耗量)to within four cups a day.

1.People who have a slow version of the enzyme________.

A. are in danger when they drink coffee　　 B. are living in coffee­rich Costa Rica

C. have the slow version of the gene　　 D. can not drink four or more cups of coffee a day

2.The example of Costa Rica the author presented in the passage proves that________

A. the heart attack in Costa Rica is really serious.

B. the heart problem has something to do with drinking coffee.

C. people in Costa Rica cannot metabolize caffeine in the liver.

D. more than half people have the slow version of gene.

3.It can be concluded that the passage is most probably written for________

A. doctors who study heart disease

B. specialists who offer medical care

C. old people who have the slow version of the gene

D. those who love drinking coffee every day

4.What is the best title for this passage?

A. Coffee and heart attacks　　 B. Gene and heart disease

C. Caffeine and enzyme　　 D. Reasons for heart problems

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A new study shows that fat people in the United States suffer direct economic and social effects because of their size. The findings are from an 8-year study of about 100,000 people. The people who were studied were between the age of 18 and 24 when the research began.

The researchers who carried out the study say they consider the people fat if they are in the top of 5% of the measurement in which weight is linked to height. For example, fat women in the study were about 160 centimeters tall and weighed about 90 kilograms. Fat men in the study were about 175 centimeters tall and weighed 100 kilograms. The researchers say that more than 1,000,000 Americans are that big. The researchers found that fat young women were from wealthy families. The fat women also were 20% less likely to get married and they earned an average of about $6,700 a year less than other women. The study showed less severe effects on fat men. They earned an average of about $3,000 a year less than other men. Fat men also were 11% less likely to get married.

1.

The passage mainly tells us __________.

2.

From this study we know fat people in America __________.

3.

. The underlined word "severe" here means __________.

4.

The researchers consider the people fat if __________.

高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

A new study of 8,000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily, it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love(早恋) may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression(忧郁症). The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.

The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won’t tell that to their parents.

Dr. Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression.

She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.

Parents should watch for signs of depression---eating or mood changes---and if they see signs from their daughter or son, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity(成熟) gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.

1.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Puppy love may bring young people depression.

B．Parents should forbid their children’s love lives.

C．Romance is a two-edged sword for adults.

D．Romance is good for young people.

2.Which of the following is more likely to have depression?

A．Young people who have a strong sense of self.

B．Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior.

C．Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions.

D．Careless parents whose children are deep in love.

3.What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly.

B．Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents.

C．Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression.

D．The older a woman is, the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance.

4.What’s the author’s attitude towards puppy love?

A．Confused.         B．Disapproving.       C．Disinterested.      D．Scared.

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析