Choose the yum(美味的东西) and risk the yuk(讨厌的东西)?
Scientists have given us a lot of health warnings. The advice from cancer experts for avoiding bowel(肠) cancer is "try to avoid processed(加工过的) meats such as bacon, ham, corned beef and some sausages", and women fearing breast cancer are told "there doesn't seem to be a starting point at which alcohol consumption is safe",
But all these health warnings tend to have little influence on behavior, So who is being unreasonable —the scientists who give us health advice, or the public that just ignores it?
The curious fact is that both might be right. The reasoning behind these health warnings seems to be this: if you do more of something pleasurable (which we shall give the name “yum”) there is a higher risk of something bad (which we shall give the name “yuk”)occurring, so you should avoid yum.
But when presented with this argument you might ask two questions.
First, maybe the pleasure of yum makes the risk worth taking, especially if yuk might occur a long time in the future? Second, maybe there are other benefits of yum that could cancel out the risks of the particular yuk that has been identified (确认) ?
So suppose bacon sandwiches are your particular yum: research shows that 50g per day — that is a great greasy sandwich — increases your risk of bowel cancer by 20%.
But this means that out of every 100 people who stuffed down that big bacon sandwich every day of their lives, the number of bowel cancers would rise from five to six.
In addition, if a middle-aged woman gave up alcohol, it might reduce her risk of breast cancer, but could increase risk of some other cancers as well as heart disease.
So we need to look at the whole picture before trying to get people to change what they do, since everything has benefit and harms — just think of the joggers(慢跑者) who get knocked down by cars — and people need to be able to find their own balance.
Therefore, as you reach for your yum, perhaps sometimes pause a moment and realize that you are taking a gamble(赌博) on the yuk occurring, but that it may be a risk worth taking.
1.What is the advice given by scientists for avoiding breast cancer?
A. Try to avoid processed meat. B. Try to avoid alcohol.
C. Try to choose the yum. D. Try to risk the yuk.
2. What does “this argument” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. If you choose the yum, you will risk the yuk.
B. If you risk the yuk, you’ll choose the yum.
C. The yum is worth taking, especially if yuk might occur in the future.
D. Other benefits of yum could cancel out the risks of the yuk.
3.Why do we need to look at the whole picture before trying to get people to change what they do?
A. Because giving up alcohol might reduce breast cancer.
B. Because people are not able to find their own balance.
C. Because all the things have both sides.
D. Because the advice given by scientists is not true.
4.According to the passage, which of the following is correct?
A. People are often influenced by the health warnings.
B. Both the scientists and the public are not reasonable.
C. Alcohol consumption has both benefit and harms.
D. People should avoid yum to reduce the risk of yuk.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Choose the yum(美味的东西) and risk the yuk(讨厌的东西)?
Scientists have given us a lot of health warnings. The advice from cancer experts for avoiding bowel(肠) cancer is "try to avoid processed(加工过的) meats such as bacon, ham, corned beef and some sausages", and women fearing breast cancer are told "there doesn't seem to be a starting point at which alcohol consumption is safe",
But all these health warnings tend to have little influence on behavior, So who is being unreasonable —the scientists who give us health advice, or the public that just ignores it?
The curious fact is that both might be right. The reasoning behind these health warnings seems to be this: if you do more of something pleasurable (which we shall give the name “yum”) there is a higher risk of something bad (which we shall give the name “yuk”)occurring, so you should avoid yum.
But when presented with this argument you might ask two questions.
First, maybe the pleasure of yum makes the risk worth taking, especially if yuk might occur a long time in the future? Second, maybe there are other benefits of yum that could cancel out the risks of the particular yuk that has been identified (确认) ?
So suppose bacon sandwiches are your particular yum: research shows that 50g per day — that is a great greasy sandwich — increases your risk of bowel cancer by 20%.
But this means that out of every 100 people who stuffed down that big bacon sandwich every day of their lives, the number of bowel cancers would rise from five to six.
In addition, if a middle-aged woman gave up alcohol, it might reduce her risk of breast cancer, but could increase risk of some other cancers as well as heart disease.
So we need to look at the whole picture before trying to get people to change what they do, since everything has benefit and harms — just think of the joggers(慢跑者) who get knocked down by cars — and people need to be able to find their own balance.
Therefore, as you reach for your yum, perhaps sometimes pause a moment and realize that you are taking a gamble(赌博) on the yuk occurring, but that it may be a risk worth taking.
1.What is the advice given by scientists for avoiding breast cancer?
A. Try to avoid processed meat. B. Try to avoid alcohol.
C. Try to choose the yum. D. Try to risk the yuk.
2. What does “this argument” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. If you choose the yum, you will risk the yuk.
B. If you risk the yuk, you’ll choose the yum.
C. The yum is worth taking, especially if yuk might occur in the future.
D. Other benefits of yum could cancel out the risks of the yuk.
3.Why do we need to look at the whole picture before trying to get people to change what they do?
A. Because giving up alcohol might reduce breast cancer.
B. Because people are not able to find their own balance.
C. Because all the things have both sides.
D. Because the advice given by scientists is not true.
4.According to the passage, which of the following is correct?
A. People are often influenced by the health warnings.
B. Both the scientists and the public are not reasonable.
C. Alcohol consumption has both benefit and harms.
D. People should avoid yum to reduce the risk of yuk.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The sixth mass extinction of life on the Earth is unfolding more quickly than feared, scientists have warned. More than 30 percent of animals with a backbone — fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals — are declining in both range and population, according to the first comprehensive analysis of these trends.
Around a decade ago, experts feared that a new range wipeout of species was appearing. Today, most agree that it is underway — but the new study suggests that the die-out is already growing fast.
The loss of biodiversity has recently accelerated. Several species of mammals that were relatively safe one or two decades ago are now endangered, including cheetahs, lions and giraffes, the study showed.
There is no mystery as to why: our own ever-expanding species — which has more than doubled in number since 1960 to 7.4 billion — is eating, crowding and polluting its planetary cohabitants out of existence. By comparison, there are as few as 20,000 lions left in the wild, less than 7,000 cheetahs, 500 to 1,000 giant pandas.
The main drivers of wildlife decline are habitat loss, over-consumption, pollution, other species, disease, as well as hunting in the case of tigers, elephants, rhinos and other large animals prized for their body parts.
Climate change is thought to become a major threat in the coming decades, with some animals — most famously polar bears — already in decline due to rising temperatures and changing weather patterns.
1.What does the underlined word “accelerated” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. Made up. B. Put up.
C. Sped up. D. Used up.
2.Why has the loss of biodiversity sped up?
A. The mankind’s population is growing fast.
B. The air pollution is too severe.
C. There are fewer species in larger areas.
D. Man causes wider water pollution.
3.Which is not the main driver of wildlife decline?
A. Outside animals.
B. Loss of living areas.
C. Various illnesses.
D. Lack of water.
4.How is the future of polar bears?
A. Uncertain. B. Hopeful.
C. Doubtful. D. Unsatisfying.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Losing an arm means losing the ability to grab, as well as losing the sense of touch. Scientists have been working on mind-controlled prostheses (义肢) and have successfully built a few to help patients regain their ability to grab. But restoring the sense of touch has been quite a challenge – until now.
Seven years ago, a group of Swedish scientists created a new type of prostheses, which has since then been tried out on three patients to see how they perform in people’s daily lives. The study result was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
According to the study, this is the first time that people who have had an arm amputated (截肢) can experience sensations of touch in mind-controlled arm prostheses.
The new product is named “neuromusculoskeletal” prosthesis. As the name indicates, the prosthesis is connected directly to a user’s nerves, muscles and skeleton. The sensation of touch becomes possible by stimulating nerves that used to be connected to the biological hand before the amputation.
When a patient grabs an object, for example, force sensors planted in the prosthetic thumb would measure contact and pressure. The collected information would then be transmitted to the patient’s nerves that lead to the brain. In this way, the patient can “feel” the characteristics of the object being touched and perceive (感知) its pressure against the prosthetic hand, which can be crucial when handling delicate objects – an egg, for example.
“The ability of the patients to discern (觉察) smaller changes in the intensity of sensations has improved,” Max Ortiz Catalan, Associate Professor at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, who is the leader of the study, told Science Daily.
According to Catalan, the new study has demonstrated that their prosthesis is qualified as a “clinically viable replacement for a lost arm”.
“The sensors are not the obstacle for restoring sensation,” Catalan added. “The challenge is creating neural interfaces (接口) that can seamlessly (无缝地) transmit large amounts of artificially collected information to the nervous system, in a way that the user can experience sensations naturally and effortlessly.” And they did it.
With the development of prosthesis technology, people who suffer from limb loss will have a greater chance of getting their normal lives back.
1.Neuromusculoskeletal prosthesis’ unique advantage is helping people with arm amputations to _____ .
A.carry heavy objects again B.regain the ability to grab objects
C.move their prostheses as they wish D.experience the sense of touch again
2.The new prosthesis is connected directly to __________.
① user’s nerves ② user’s brains ③ user’s muscles ④ user’s skeleton
A.① ② ③ B.① ③ ④ C.② ③ ④ D.① ② ④
3.How do the new prostheses work?
A.They collect information about objects and process it.
B.They stimulate the cut nerves to restore the sense of touch.
C.They measure the size of objects and send the information.
D.They detect the material of objects and send the information.
4.What can patients perceive with the new prosthesis?
A.The intensity of an object. B.The structure of an object.
C.The pressure from an object. D.The changes inside an object.
5.What is the difficulty in developing the new technology?
A.Measuring the pressure of objects. B.Connecting the sensors to nerves.
C.Creating good neural interfaces. D.Building responsive sensors.
6.What’s the author’s attitude towards the prospect of prosthesis technology?
A.Optimistic. B.Neutral.
C.Critical. D.Unconcerned.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When we choose to worry over what we don't possess,we actually stand at a risk of losing whatever we already have.1.Therefore,there is no way we can succeed in life unless our mind is first happy and satisfied and then yearns for more.Here are some ways to help you to be more grateful.
Choose to be grateful.Well,whether to complain about what you don't have or to be thankful for what you have is a conscious choice you make yourself.Treasure what you have and strive for what you need next.Some are always worrying over what they don't have or can't achieve in the present.2.
Look around you.When in fear or frustration,look around yourself for examples of patience and gratitude.3. Observe how trees stand tall and brave the fury of storms,rains and the ever-changing seasons.
4.Once you have the mindset to be first thankful for the life you have,you will find hundreds of ways to do that.As you live your normal daily routine,you will find a number of hidden opportunities to be thankful for the bounties you have.
Think positive to achieve positive.5.Have you ever noticed that if you keep telling yourself that the present tough times shall pass and you are happy with what you have,you actually get the.courage to deal with the crisis? The human mind is a powerful machine.To flunk positive and steer the course of actions that way is a power that lies absolutely within!
A.Your thoughts can shape your life.
B.Look for hidden ways to be thankful.
C.Think about why you should be grateful.
D.After all,it is our mind that rules our body.
E.Helping others is just one of such examples!
F.Learn to observe how birds are grateful to nature for their food.
G.Actually,it is merely a way to waste the precious present moments.
高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
They weighed the advantages of the operation ______ all the possible risks involved over and over again.
A.within B.except C.behind D.against
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world?It’s an increasingly urgent question,given the recent highprofile(引人注目的) mining accidents in Sago,W.Va.and Huntington,Utah.A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the nottoodistant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work.
Robotic technology,in particular,holds much promise,McAteer says,especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners—the special operations of the mining industry.
One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at CarnegieMellon University’s Robotics Institute.It was called Groundhog and it looked like a golf cart.It used lasers(激光器) to “see” in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines—some of the most dangerous work in the business.
The latest design is called Cave Crawler.It’s a bit smaller than Groundhog,and even more advanced.It can take photos and video and has sensors mounted(增加) that can detect the presence of dangerous gases.Incredibly,the robot has a real sense of logic.If it comes across an obstacle it gets confused.It has to think through the process and where to go next,and sometimes it throws_a_fit just like a real person.
The biggest obstacle,though,is cost.The original research project was federally funded,but that money has dried up,and it’s not clear where future funding will come from. Partly for that reason,and partly because of advances in safety,mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past.Since 1990,fatalities(致命性) have declined by 67 percent and injuries by 51 percent,according to the National Mining Association.
Some experts predict that robots in mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry.The robots do the most repetitive and dangerous jobs,but don’t eliminate(消除) the need for human workers.
1.The underlined phrase “throws a fit” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
A.gets angry B.gets sick
C.becomes hungry D.becomes cheerful
2.We can infer from the last paragraph that ________.
A.robots in mines will serve much in the automotive industry
B.there will be no need for human workers in mines
C.the mine robots will have a very bright future
D.robots in mines have a long way to go
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
A.Mining robots do most of the mining work at present.
B.Groundhog can discover the presence of dangerous gases.
C.Experts are trying to make robots save miners in danger.
D.Robots cannot do dangerous work in dark areas.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A.Mining Accidents in America
B.Could Robots Replace Humans in Mines?
C.Cave Crawler,the Latest Robot
D.The Development of Robots
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Pushy parents and teachers who “hothouse” the under-5s risk causing damage to the children’s long term development, a leading education expert said.
Lilian Katz, Professor of Education at the University of Illinois, said that four-year-olds engaged in reading and writing went on to perform worse academically than those engaged in imaginative learning. They scored higher in tests at the age of 5, but children whose first year at school was stimulating outstripped them four years later.
The findings suggest that the government's structured approach to early years' learning could be storing up problems for children. They also raise serious questions about the plan for all children to be able to read by the age of 6.
In many countries formal teaching does not start until children are 6 or 7 and have improved their social and manual skills. Children start learning to read and write at 6 in the United States, France and Germany, and at 7 in Finland and Sweden.
Professor Katz said that in many schools the courses were "boring children to tears". Much academic teaching required children to learn by memorizing pieces of information out of context, she said. Teaching in reception class should instead allow children to develop their intellect by exploring their environments and asking questions.
"Research suggests the benefits of formal academic instruction for four- and five-year-olds seem to be promising when they are tested early, but considerably less so in the long term. When these children are followed over a period of three or more years, those who had early experience in more intellectually engaging curricula were more likely to do well in school than their peers, who had received early academic instruction." She advocates teaching children through first-hand experience and play, in mixed-aged classes. This can include puppet shows, drawing or running a pretend shop in the classroom.
1.According to the passage, those who “hothouse” the under-5s would probably _________.
A. prefer a lot of interaction and stimulation while teaching
B. teach in a lively way to motivate kids’ interest
C. push the kids to memorize pieces of information
D. care about the kids’ physical development
2.What does the underlined word “ outstripped” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. did better than B. looked down upon
C. caught up with D. performed worse than
3.According to Lilian Katz, the government’s structured approach to early-years learning __.
A. is necessary for improving children’s reading and writing ability
B. needs to be improved to develop children’s academic ability
C. will cause problems to children in their future learning
D. has more advantages than disadvantages
4.The message the author wants to deliver through the passage is that formal teaching _____.
A. can start at different times in different countries. B. should not be started too early
C. is best carried out in Finland and Sweden
D. should include teaching children social and manual skills
5.Which of the following is NOT the opinion of Lilian Katz?
A. Children should be taught through first-hand experience.
B. Learning in a mixed-age class is good for children.
C. Running a shop can help children get good marks.
D. Puppet shows and drawing are useful in teaching children.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Pushy parents and teachers who "hothouse" the under-5s risk causing damage to the children's long-term development,a leading education expert said.
Lilian Katz,Professor of Education at the University of Illinois,told that four-year-olds engaged in reading and writing went on to perform worse academically than those,engaged in imaginative learning.They scored higher in tests at the age of 5,but children whose first year at school was stimulating(使人兴奋的)outstripped them years later.
The findings suggest that the government's structured approach to early-years learning could be storing up problems for children.They also raise serious questions about the plan for all children to be able to read by the age of 6.
In many countries formal teaching does not start until children are 6 or 7 and have improved their social and manual skills.Children start learning to read and write at 6 in the United States,France and Germany,and at 7 Finland and Sweden.
Professor Katz said that in many schools the courses were “boring children to tears”.Much academic teaching required I children to learn by memorizing pieces of information out of context,she said.Teaching in reception class should instead allow children to develop their intellect by exploring their environments and asking questions.
"Research suggests the benefits of formal academic instruction for four and five-year-olds seem to be promising when they are tested early,but considerably less so in the long term.When these children arc followed over a period of three or more years,those who had early experience in more intellectually engaging curricula were more likely to do well in school than their peers,who had received early academic instruction."She advocates teaching children through first-hand experience and play,in mixed-aged classes.This can include puppet shows,drawing or running a pretend shop in the classroom.
1.According to the passage,those who "hothouse" the under-5s would probably______.
A. prefer a lot of interaction and stimulation while teaching
B. teach in a lively way to motivate kids' interest
C. push the kids to memorize pieces of information
D. care about the kids' physical development
2.What does the underlined word "outstripped" in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. did better than
B. looked down upon
C. caught up with
D. performed worse than
3.The message the author wants to deliver through the passage is that formal teaching______.
A. can start at different times in different countries
B. should not be started too early
C. is best carried out in Finland and Sweden
D. should include teaching children social and manual skills
4.Which of the following is NOT the opinion of Lilian Katz?
A. Children should be taught through first-hand experience.
B. Learning in a mixed-age class is good for children.
C. Running a shop can help children get good marks.
D. Puppet shows and drawing are useful ways in teaching children.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
With the young unable to afford to leave home and the old at risk of isolation(孤独), more families are choosing to live together.
The doorway to peace and quiet, for Nick Bright at least, leads straight to his mother-in-law, she lives on the ground floor, while he lives upstairs with his wife and their two daughters.
Four years ago they all moved into a three-storey Victorian house in Bristol - one of a growing number of multigenerational families in the UK living together under the same roof. They share a front door and a washing machine, but Rita Whitehead has her own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room on the ground floor.
“We floated the idea to my mum of sharing at a house,” says Kathryn Whitehead. Rita cuts in: “We spoke more with Nick because I think it’s a big thing for Nick to live with his mother-in-law.”
And what does Nick think? “From my standpoint, it all seems to work very well. Would I recommend it? Yes, I think I would.”
It’s hard to tell exactly how many people agree with him, but research indicates that the numbers have been rising for some time. Official reports suggest that the number of households with three generations living together had risen from 325,000 in 2001to 419,000 in 2013.
Other varieties of multigenerational family are more common. Some people live with their elderly parents; many more adult children are returning to the family home, if they ever left. It is said that about 20% of 25-34-year-olds live with their parents, compared with 16% in 1991.The total number of all multigenerational households in Britain is thought to be about 1.8 million.
Stories like that are more common in parts of the world where multigenerational living is more firmly rooted. In India, particularly outside cities, young women are expected to move in with their husband’s family when they get married.
1.Who mainly uses the ground floor in the Victorian house in Bristol?
A.Nick. B.Rita. C.Kathryn D.The daughters.
2.What is Nick’s attitude towards sharing the house with his mother-in -law?
A.Positive. B.Carefree. C.Tolerant. D.Unwilling.
3.What is the author’s statement about multigenerational family based on?
A.Family traditions. B.Financial reports. C.Published statistics. D.Public opinions.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.Lifestyles in different countries. B.Conflicts between generations.
C.A housing problem in Britain. D.A rising trend of living in the UK.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Electronic book publishing has many of the same risks and opportunities as electronic music publishing. By delivering text direct to the reader’s computer screen, the e-book could cut down costs, and allow creators to deal directly with their audience, by passing (绕开) traditional publishers and traders. But it also raises the possibility of mass piracy (盗版). Phil Rance, founder and managing director of Online Originals, a London-based e-book publisher, sums it up, “No one wants Napster (在线音乐服务) to happen to books.”
Indeed, the most popular MP3 may have put the frighteners on an industry that generally operates some way behind the “bleeding edge”. The Meta Group, a leading US-based market researcher, says publishers are far too concerned about protecting their rights, “We believe all the recent legal control over Napster is like putting a finger in a river that is already overflowing. Publishers need to deal with reality and come up with new ways to develop wide electronic distribution, asking the question: How can we use the certainty of wide distribution to our advantage.”
At the moment, most publishers would like to limit the use of e-books to the person who bought them, or to the computer used to download them. If that can be done, e-books become just an extra income stream in a publishing industry that would continue to operate the way it does today, according to Terry Robinson, business manager for Adobe’s e-paper group. “If you’ve cracked the digital rights aspect, you’ve cracked the market.” He says.
Robert Nichols, Books Director at BOL agrees, “Rights management is absolutely important. Publishers just say that ‘until copyright is secure, we are not going to talk’.”
1.According to the text, what is the similarity of e-books to electronic music?
A.They both avoid industry management.
B.They both result in piracy. (剽窃)
C.They both bring in much money to creators.
D.They both lead to price reduction.
2.From the text, we can infer that ________.
A.wide use of e-books may increase the income
B.the publishing markets should be brought back to normal
C.publishers haven’t agreed on rights management up to now
D.most publishers prefer e-books for the extra income
3.What do publishers care most about e-books?
A.Price B.Copyright
C.Quality D.Design
4.Which of the following can be the best title for this text?
A.The E-book-a New and Big Challenge B.The E-book-an Extra Income Stream
C.An Economic Rise from E-books D.Changes Brought by E-books
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析