閱讀理解：第十九篇Prolonging Human Life Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of famine, infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, whereas if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often "go on welfare" if they have a serious illness. When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet this need, a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built. These are often profit-making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions arc good, most of them are simply "dumping grounds" for the dying in which "care" is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under-skilled personnel.詞匯：dependency n.依賴性contemporary .現(xiàn)代的obligation n. 義務(wù)insurance n. 保險welfare n.福利senile dj. 衰老的grave dj. 嚴(yán)肅的convalescent dj.康復(fù)的sponsor v. 發(fā)起，資助institution n. 機(jī)構(gòu)注釋:1. Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population:延長人類生命的結(jié)果使得人口的數(shù)量有了增加。句中的 prolonging human life是動名詞短語。由動名詞短語作句子的主語時，句中動詞必須用單數(shù)形式。如 : Collecting stamps is his hobby.2. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago:如果今天活著的很多人生于一百年以前，他們會死于各種兒童疾病。3. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time:因為有更多的人壽命更長，所以在任何一個特定的時間里的人也就更多。4. the dependency load: 撫養(yǎng)人口數(shù)量。5. In times of famine: 在饑荒年代6. go on welfare : 靠福利救濟(jì)go on 有許多意思，其中的一個意思是"依靠過活"。例:Many people go on welfare when jobs become scarce.(工作難找時，許多人靠政府救濟(jì)金過日子。)7. grave problems: 嚴(yán)重的問題8. convalescent hospitals: 康復(fù)醫(yī)院;療養(yǎng)院9. profit-making organizations: 贏利機(jī)構(gòu)10. dumping grounds: 垃圾場練習(xí):1. The writer believes that the population explosion results fromA an increase in birthrates.B the industrial development.C a decrease in death rates.D cultural advances.2. It can be inferred from the passage that in hunting and gathering culturesA it was a moral responsibility to keep old-aged people alive.B infants could be left dead in times of starvation.C parents had to impart the cultural wisdom of the tribe to their children.D death was considered to be freedom from hardships.3. According to the passage, which of the following statements about retired people in the United States is true?A Many of them have a very hard life.B They cannot live a decent life without enough bank savings.C They rely mainly on their children for financial support.D Most of them live with their children and therefore are well looked after.4. In Paragraph 3, the phrase "this need" refers toA the need to prolong the lives of old people.B the need to enrich the life of the retired people.C the need to build profit-making nursing homes.D the need to take care of a sick and weak person.5. Which of the following best describes the writers attitude toward most of the nursing homes, and convalescent hospitals?A Sympathetic.B Unfriendly.C Optimistic.D Critical.答案與題解 :1. C 第一段最后一句說： In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. 事實上，是由于死亡率的下降，而不是出生率的上升，導(dǎo)數(shù)了人口爆炸。因此，選項 C是正確答案。2. B 第二段第四句說： In times of famine, infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, whereas if the parents survived they could have another child. 在災(zāi)年，可能會容忍嬰兒死亡，因為，如果他們的父母餓死了，他們也無法生存，而如果父母生存下來可重新生兒育女。因此，選項 B是正確的答案。3. A 第二段倒數(shù)第二句是這么說的：In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. (在美國，許多退休人員依靠社會保障金生活，其數(shù)額之小差不多使人窮困潦倒。)可以看出，在美國許多退休人員的生活是很艱難的。這正是選項A表達(dá)的意思，因而選項A是正確的答案。4. D 第三段第三句：Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. (當(dāng)今，由于家庭中大多數(shù)人都出去工作或上學(xué)，家里常常沒有人來照顧有病或虛弱的人。)"this need" 出現(xiàn)在下面這個短語中："To meet this need"(為了滿足這種需要)，它指句子前面的care for a sick or weak person。這正是選項D表達(dá)的意思。5. D文章昀后一句說 : most of them are simply "dumping grounds" for the dying in which "care" is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under-skilled personnel.大多數(shù)機(jī)構(gòu)只不過是傾倒垂死的人的"垃飯場"，所謂的"照顧"都是由收入低、超量工作、技術(shù)水平低下的人員提供的。作者如此措辭顯然是對大多數(shù)機(jī)構(gòu)的強烈批評。因此，選項 D是正確答案。第十八篇Exercise Can Replace Insulin for Elderly Diabetics Most older people with so-called type H diabetes could stop taking insulin if they would do brisk exercise for 30 minutes just three times a week, according to new medical research results reported in the Copenhagen newspaper Berlingske Tidende on Monday. Results from tests conducted on diabetics at the Copenhagen Central Hospital Rigshospitalets Center for Muscle Research showed that physical exercise can boost the bodys ability to utilise insulin by 30 per cent, the newspaper reported. This is equal to1 the effect most elderly diabetics get from their insulin medication today，it said. 、 Researchers had a group of non-diabetic men and a group of men with type n, all more than 60 years of age, exercise on bicycles six times a week for three months. After the three months the doctors measured how much sugar the test subjects muscles could utilise as a measure for how well their insulin worked.2 Associate Professor3 Dr. Flemming Dela of the Muscle Research Center said the tests demonstrated that the exercising diabetics had just as high insulin utilisation as the healthy non?exercising persons. "This means that the insulin works just as well for both groups. Physical exercise cannot cure people of diabetes,4 but it can eliminate almost all their symptoms. At the same time it can put off5 the point at which they have to begin taking insulin or perhaps completely avoid insulin treatment，” Dela was quoted as saying.6 Insulin isa hormone produced by the pancreas，controlling sugar in the body and used against diabetes. Dela said that to achieve the desired effect diabetics need only exercise to the point where they begin to work up7 a sweat, but that the activity has to be maintained since it wears off6 after five days without sufficient exercise. Most diabetics realise that they have to watch their diet while remaining unaware of the importance of exercise, Dela added. 詞匯：insulin /丨insjulin/ n.胰島素 diabetic /,dai9betik/ adj.(患）糖尿病的; .n.糖尿病患者diabetes /idaisbiitiiz/ n.糖尿??；多尿癥 brisk /brisk/ adj.輕快的；活潑的，活躍的 Copenhagen /丨ksijpsn丨h(huán)eigsn/ n.哥本哈根(丹麥?zhǔn)锥迹?muscle /丨mAsl/ n.肌肉 utilise ( = utilize) /丨ju:tilaiz/ vt.利用，使用 medication /jmedikei/sn/ n.藥物，藥物治療 subject /sAbdsikt/ n.實驗對象 utilisation ( = utilization) /juitilaizei/on/n.利用，使用 saying /senq/ n. hormone /hoimsun/ n.激素 pancreas /paeqkriss/ n. JR(H) 注釋：1. be equal to;等于2. as a measure for how well their insulin worked:作為測量他們的胰島素工作狀況如何的標(biāo)志。 從語法上分析，how引起的從句是for這個介詞的賓語從句。3. associate professor ：畐lj 教授4. . cannot cure people of diabetes:不能治好人們的糖尿病。cure sb. of sth.：給某人醫(yī)治某 病。例如:liiis medicine should cure you of your cold.這藥準(zhǔn)能治好你的感冒。5. put off:推遲，延期6. Dela was quoted as saying:Dela的話像格言一樣被人們所引用。注意謂語是被動語態(tài)。7. work up:逐步引起，激起8. wear off:逐漸消失 ，9. (be) unaware of sth.：不知道，沒覺察練習(xí)：1. How could most elderly type II diabetics stop taking insulin? A By taking more salt than usual. B By taking less salt than usual.C By doing brisk exercise for half an hour at least three times a week. D By going climbing, swimming or boxing every day.2. Physical exercise may increase the body ability to utilise insulin by A 70 per cent. B 30 per cent.C 60 per cent. D only a few per cent.3. The subjects of the research tests conducted at the Copenhagen Central Hospital included A elderly non-diabetic men. B elderly type II diabetic men.C both sexes of all ages. D both A and B.4. To what a degree have diebetics to exercise in order to achieve the desired effect? A To the degree where they begin to sweat.B To the degree where they feel exhausted. C To the point when they feel thirsty. D To the point when they have to take insulin.5. According to Dela, among most diabetics the importance of exercise is the importance of watching their diet.A as poorly understood as B as well understood asC less understood than D better understood than答案與題解：1. C文章一開始就有此問題的明確答案。至于吃多少鹽或者從事其他劇烈運動文章自始至 終都沒有提到。2. B文章第二段說到，體育鍛煉能將身體利用胰島素的能力提高30%。3. D此題答案在文章第四段，實驗對象既有n型糖尿病患者，也有健康人，而且都是60歲以 上的男人。4. A文章倒數(shù)第二段說到，體育鍛煉只要達(dá)到出汗的程度就能起作用。5. C最后一段明確說到，大多數(shù)糖尿病患者知道必須注意飲食，但卻并不知道體育鍛煉的重要性。譯文：老年糖尿病患者進(jìn)行體育鍛煉可以取代胰島素治療哥本哈根的貝林時報周一刊登了一則最tf醫(yī)療研究結(jié)果稱，大多數(shù)n型老年糖尿病患者只 要每周堅持三輕快的體育鍛煉，每次30分鐘，都可以不用注射胰島素。報道稱，哥本哈根市中心醫(yī)院Rigshospitalet肌肉研究中心對糖尿病人進(jìn)行測試,結(jié)果顯示體育 鍛煉能將身體利用胰島素的能力提高30%。據(jù)說，這一結(jié)果和大多數(shù)老年糖尿病患者每天接受胰島素治療的療效相同。 研究人員挑選了一組非糖尿病患者,一組II型糖尿病患者，都是60歲以上的男性。這些被試者 每周騎自行車鍛煉六次，并持續(xù)了三個月。三個月后，醫(yī)生測量出被試者肌肉能夠利用的血糖總量， 以此作為測量他們的胰島素工作狀況如何的標(biāo)志。肌肉研究中心副教授弗萊明德拉醫(yī)生稱，實驗結(jié)果顯示，進(jìn)行體育鍛煉的糖尿病患者胰島素 利用率和那些沒有鍛煉的健康人胰島素利用率一樣高。 、 ，“這就意味著，兩組被試者的胰島素都是正常工作的。體育鍛煉不能治好患者的糖尿病，但是 能最大限度地消除患者癥狀。另外,即使患者不得不接受胰島素治療，體育鍛煉也能盡量推遲這一 臨界點，甚至有可能完全避免實施胰島素治療?！钡吕t(yī)生的話像格言一樣被人們所引用。 胰島素是胰腺分泌的一種激素，可以控制體內(nèi)血糖，預(yù)防糖尿病。德拉解釋說，糖尿病患者只需鍛煉到出汗的程度即可達(dá)到理想的效果。同時他還強調(diào)，這種鍛 煉必須堅持，如果五天沒有進(jìn)行有效鍛煉，效果就會消失。德拉還補充說,大多數(shù)糖尿病患者意識到他們必須控制飲食，卻忽略了體育鍛煉的重要性。第二十四篇Sleep Lets Brain File MemoriesTo sleep. Perchance to file? Findings published online this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences further support the theory that the brain organizes and stows memories formed during the day while the rest of the body is catching zzzs.Gyorgy Buzsaki of Rutgers University5 and his colleagues analyzed the brain waves of sleeping rats and mice. Specifically, they examined the electrical activity emanating from6 the somatosensory neocortex (an area that processes sensory information) and the hippocampus, which is a center for learning and memory. The scientists found that oscillations in brain waves from the two regions appear to be intertwined. So-called sleep spindles (bursts of activity from the neocortex) were followed tens of milliseconds later by beats in the hippocampus known as ripples. The team posits that this interplay between the two brain regions is a key step in memory consolidation. A second study, also published online this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, links age-associated memory decline to high glucose levels.Previous research had shown that individuals with diabetes suffer from increased memory problems. In the new work, Antonio Convit of New York University School of Medicine and his collaborators studied 30 people whose average age was 69 to investigate whether sugar levels, which tend to increase with age, affect memory in healthy people as well. The scientists administered11 recall tests, brain scans and glucose tolerance tests, which measure how quickly sugar is absorbed from the blood by the bodys tissues. Subjects with the poorest memory recollection, the team discovered, also displayed the poorest glucose tolerance. In addition, their brain scans showed more hippocampus shrinkage than those of subjects better able to absorb blood sugar. "Our study suggests that this impairment12 may contribute to the memory deficits13 that occur as people age." Convit says. "And it raises the intriguing possibility that improving glucose tolerance could reverse some age-associated problems in cognition.14" Exercise and weight control can help keep glucose levels in check15, so there may be one more reason to go to the gym.詞匯：perchance p?t?:ns adv. 偶然；可能online ?nlain n. 在線的stow st?u vt. 貯藏，堆裝emanate em?neitvi. 發(fā)源somatosensory ,s?um?t?sens?riadj. 體覺的neocortex ,ni:?uk?:teks n. 新（大腦）皮質(zhì)oscillation ,?silei?n n. 振蕩intertwine,int?twain v. 纏繞spindle spindl n. 紡錘體ripple ripl n. 波動，脈動diabetes ,dai?bi:ti:z n. 糖尿病recollection ,rek?lek?n n. 回憶shrinkage ?ri?kid? n. 收縮impairment imp?m?nt n. 損傷intrigue intri: n. 引起。興趣（或好奇心）cognition k?ni?n n. 認(rèn)識注釋：1. file memories：歸檔并儲存記憶。 file：意為 "to put or keep (papers,etc. ) in useful order for storage or reference"（把歸檔）。2. To sleep. Perchance to file? ：從莎士比亞筆下哈姆雷特的獨白中的名句" To sleep: perchance to dream. "改編而來。3. the Proceedings: (科學(xué)文獻(xiàn)、會議文獻(xiàn))匯編，常用復(fù)數(shù)形式。4. zzz：（擬聲詞）打鼾聲5. Rutgers University：美國新澤西州立大學(xué) (the State University of New Jersey)。6. emanating from：發(fā)源于。7. neocortex：新(大腦)皮質(zhì)，尤指大的高等哺乳動物大腦中新生長的部分，也叫做 neopallium。neo-：前縀，意思是"新的"。8. thehippocampus：大腦側(cè)面腦室壁上的隆起物，也稱"海馬狀突起"，在泛記過程中起主要作用。9. tens of milliseconds：幾十毫秒10. age-associated memory decline：與年齡相關(guān)的記憶衰退11. administer：實施12. this impairment：指上句中 hippocampus shrinkage.13. memory deficits：記憶衰退14. the intriguing possibility that improving glucose tolerance could reverse some age-associated problems in cognition：令人興奮的可能性，即不斷改善葡萄糖容許量可以完全改變對某些與年齡相關(guān)的認(rèn)知問題。15. keep glucose levels in check：限制葡萄糖水平。 in check：在控制中，被阻止。練習(xí)：1. Which of the following statements is nearest in meaning to the sentence "To sleep. Perchance to file?"? A Does brain arrange memories in useful order during sleep?B Does brain have memories when one is sleeping?C Does brain remember files after one falls asleep?D Does brain work on files in sleep?2. What is the result of the experiment with rats and mice carried out at Rutgers University?A The electrical activity is emanating from the somatosensory neocortex.B Oscillations in brain waves are from hippocampus.C Somatosensory neocortex and hippocampus work together in memory consolidation.D Somatosensory neocortex plays it primary role in memory consolidation.3. What is the relation of memory to glucose tolerance, as is indicated by a research mentioned in paragraph 4?A People with poor memory have high glucose tolerance.B People with good memory have low glucose tolerance.C Memory level has nothing to do with glucose tolerance.D The poorer the memory, the poorer glucose tolerance.4. In what way is memory related to hippocampus shrinkage?A There is no relation between memory and hippocampus shrinkage.B The more hippocampus shrinks, the poorer ones memory.C The more hippocampus shrinks, the better ones memory.D The less hippocampus shrinks, the poorer ones memory.5. According to the last paragraph, what is the ultimate reason for going to the gym?A To prevent hippocampus shrinkage.B To control weight.C To exercise.D To control glucose levels.答案與解釋 :1. A文章第一段告訴我們，科學(xué)新發(fā)現(xiàn)進(jìn)一步支持了一種理論，即，當(dāng)人體進(jìn)入睡眠狀態(tài)時，大腦對在白天形成的記憶進(jìn)行組織和儲存。 To sleep. Perchance to file?見注釋 1和注釋 2。2. C 第二段告訴我們，科學(xué)家分析了老鼠的腦電波，尤其是從 somatosensory neocortex和 hippocampus兩個區(qū)域發(fā)出的腦電波。該段是后兩句指出，這兩個大腦區(qū)域的活動是互相作用的。第二段并沒有說 somatosensory neocortex或 hippocampus起主導(dǎo)作用。3. D 該段倒數(shù)第二句提供了答案。4. B 第四段的后一句中 their brain scans，指上句中的 subjects 5. D 鍛煉身體和體重控制能保持葡萄糖水平，閑此，去健身房就有了另外一個理由。睡眠促使記憶歸檔存儲睡覺，說不定就是在整理歸類記憶？刊登在最近網(wǎng)上出版的國家科學(xué)院文獻(xiàn)匯編上的新發(fā)現(xiàn) 進(jìn)一步證明了這個理論：當(dāng)人體的其他部分在鼾聲中安眠時，人體大腦就在整理和儲存著甶天形 成的記憶。類國新澤西州立大學(xué)的喬治? Buzsaki和他的同事們分析了睡眠中的老鼠和田鼠的腦電波。他 們特別研究了發(fā)源于學(xué)習(xí)記憶中心大腦知覺新皮層（處理知覺信息的區(qū)域）和海馬狀的電流 活動?？茖W(xué)家們發(fā)現(xiàn)，這兩個區(qū)域的腦電波變化仿佛處于交織狀態(tài)。而數(shù)十毫秒后海馬狀突起發(fā) 出的波動將緊跟茬所謂的睡眠紡錘體（新皮層上的種種活動）。這對科學(xué)家們假設(shè)這兩個大腦區(qū) 域的互動是理解增強記憶的關(guān)鍵。接下來的研究，同樣也是刊登在這周網(wǎng)上出版的國家科學(xué)院文獻(xiàn)匯編中，是關(guān)于與年齡相關(guān) 的由于葡萄糖濃度過高引起的記憶衰退。之前的一項研究表明，患糖尿病的人一直受到記憶衰退的困擾。紐約大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)院的安東尼? 康威特及其同琪在一項新的工程中研究了 30個平均年齡69歲的人，以調(diào)查是否血糖濃度，隨著 年齡增長而増長，同樣會影響健康人的記憶?？茖W(xué)家們實施了回憶測試、腦部掃描和葡萄糖耐S 測試，以便測獄出人體組織從血液中吸收糖分的速度。這組科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)，與最次的記憶相對的， 是最低的葡萄糖耐?：。此外，他們的腦部掃描也顯示出海馬狀突起的縮小要比那些更容易從血液 中吸收糖分的人明顯?！拔覀兊难芯勘砻?，這種海馬狀突起的縮小對隨著人類年齡增大而出現(xiàn)的記憶衰退有著不可 忽視的影響"，硪威特指出，“這一發(fā)現(xiàn)大大提高了令人興奮的可能性，即，不斷改善葡萄糖耐誑 可以完全改變對某些與年齡相關(guān)的認(rèn)知問題。"身體鍛煉和體重控制能限制葡萄糖濃度，由此，我們有了另外一個去健身房的理由。第二十六篇Obesity: the Scourge of the Western World Obesity is rapidly becoming a new scourge of the western world, delegates agreed at the 11th European Conference on the issue in Vienna Wednesday to Saturday. According to statements before the opening of the conferenceof 2,000 specialists from more than 50 countries1.2 billion people worldwide are overweight, and 250 million are obese. Professor Bernhard Ludvik of Vienna General Hospital said: “Obesity is a chronic illness. In Germany, 20 per cent of the people are already affected, but in Japan only one per cent. ” But he said that there was hope for sufferers thanks to the new scientific discoveries and medication. Professor Friedrich Hopichler of Salzberg said: “We are living in the new age (but) with the metabolism of a stone-age man.” “I have just been to the United States. It is really terrible. A pizza shop is springing up on every corner. We have been overrun by fast food and Coca-Cola-ization.” Many of the experts stressed that obesity was a potential killer. Hopichler said: “Eighty percent of all diabetics are obese, also fifty per cent of all patients with high blood pressure and fifty per cent with adipose tissue complaints. ” “Ten per cent more weight means thirteen per cent more risk of heart disease. Reducing ones weight by ten per cent leads to thirteen per cent lower blood pressure.” Another expert Hermann Toplak said that the state health services should improve their financing of preventive programs. “Though the health insurance pays for surgery (such as reducing the size of the stomach) when the body-mass index is more than 40. That is equivalent to a weight of 116 kilograms for a height of 1.70 meters. One should start earlier.” Ludvik said that prevention should begin in school. “Child obesity (fat deposits ) correlates with the time which children spend in front of TV sets.” The consequences were only apparent later on. No more than fifteen per cent of obese people lived to the average life expectancy for their population group.1. it is estimated that there are _ people suffering from obesity in the world. A. 250,000,000 B. 1,200,000,000 C. 1,450,000,000 D. 950,000,0002. It seems that the _ people are least affected by obesity among the developed countries and areas mentioned in the passage. A. European B. German C. American D. Japanese3. Which of the following is most often accompanied by obesity? A. high blood pressure. B. Fatty tissue complaints. C. Diabetes. D. Stomach-ache.4. What is the correlation between