People born in winter are more likely to suffer mental health disorders, according to a recent study carried out by researchers at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.
Researchers raised baby mice from birth to weaning (斷奶) in either “summer” light cycles of 16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark or “winter” cycles of 8 hours of light and 16 hours of dark. A third group experienced 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark a day.
Then half the winter mice stayed in a winter cycle, while half switched to a summer schedule. The summer mice were similarly split. The mice raised in equal periods of light and dark were split into three groups, one of which stayed on the 12­hour schedule, one of which joined the winter group, and one of which joined the summer group.
After 28 days, it turns out the summer­born mice behaved the same whether they stayed on the summer cycle or switched to winter. But among the winter­born mice, those stayed in winter kept their previous schedule, while those that switched to summer stayed active for an extra hour and a half, which indicates that mice born and weaned in a winter light cycle showed dramatic disruptions in their biological clocks.
The finding is the first of its kind in mammals, and it could explain why people born in winter are at higher risk for mental health disorders including bipolar depression, schizophrenia and seasonal affective disorder.
“We know that the biological clock regulates mood in humans，”said study researcher McMahon. “If the mechanism (機(jī)制) similar to the one that we found in mice operates in humans, then it could not only have an effect on a number of behavioral disorders, but also have a more general effect on personality.”
【小題1】How many groups of mice are there finally in all in the experiment?

A．Four.

B．Five.

C．Six.

D．Seven.

【小題2】What's the main idea of the text?

A．The biological clock regulates mood in humans.

B．People born in winter are at higher risk for physical health disorders.

C．Being born in winter has a negative effect on people's mental health.

D．The length of light will influence the behavior of the mice.

【小題3】The underlined word “split”(Paragraph 3) can be replaced by ________.

A．ended

B．torn

C．hit

D．divided

【小題4】Who is the appropriate reader of the passage?

A．A job­hunter.	B．A student in the university.
C．A newly­married couple.	D．An experienced dentist.

Is crying good therapy? Experts say yes. Having a good weep at the weekend is becoming more popular among office workers in China.
“I need to cry to let my feeling out,” said 22-year-old Guo Meng, a smart-looking young woman. “I remember one day when I got home I felt so down but I had no one to talk to, so I just curled up(蜷縮) with my teddy bear and cried myself to sleep,” Guo said. The next day, she said, she felt much better and life seemed not so bad after all.
Because crying is taken as a sign of weakness, people make a great show of being strong and not displaying emotion. Psychologists and medical practitioners agree that crying is beneficial for mental health but people still regard it as a sign of failure and bottle up their feelings. A famous Chinese author once said to cry is normal, and even brave. Those who display their emotions can deal with their troubles bravely after the tears dry, while those who soldier on let problems fester（惡化）.
In the Chaoyang district of Beijing, there is a special place for people to cry their sadness out. It is called “Cry Bar”. On the door of each of its “cry rooms” there is a saying encouraging people to let the tears flow freely.
“Crying is a kind of therapy, but it needs some direction,” said Milulu, a psychologist.
“People should realize the point of crying is to relieve pressure, but some of the young people who come to the Cry Bar simply sit and weep. The purpose of crying is to make it easier to improve your life after the tears dry, not to get lost in bad memories.”
Crying is only one way of relieving pressure, and we need to face problems squarely and solve them once the tears have dried, said Mululu.
【小題1】Crying _____ made Guo Meng feel better.

A．with some friend	B．a(chǎn)ll the night with a toy
C．during her sleep	D．in bed before sleep

【小題2】According to the third paragraph, people usually make great efforts to_____.

A．get rid of their sadness	B．bottle up their feelings
C．a(chǎn)ct on psychologists’ advice	D．face their troubles bravely

【小題3】What should the customers do at the Cry Bar?

A．Think of every sad experience they’ve had and cry

B．Keep crying as loudly as long as possible.

C．Satisfy any desire to cry and weep until it is gone.

D．Hold back their tears until they can’t help but cry.

【小題4】From the text, we can learn that crying ____.

A．is to relieve pressure	B．must help to solve problems
C．means facing problems squarely	D．can’t weaken sad feelings.

A new study has found evidence of aggressive (攻擊性的) behavior in children who drink four or more servings of soft drinks every day. Information for the study came from the mothers of 3,000 5-year-olds. Researchers asked the women to keep a record of how many servings of soft drinks their children drank over a two-month period. They were also asked to complete a checklist of their children’s behavior.
The researchers have found that 43 percent of the children drink at least one daily serving of soda, and 4 percent of the youngsters have even four or more sodas to drink every day.
Shakira Suglia, a famous expert, says they’ve found that children who drink the most soda are more than twice as likely as those who drink no soda to show signs of aggression.
“For the children who consume four or more soft drinks per day, we see more withdrawn behaviors, which make them hard to get along well with others.”
The aggressive behaviors include destroying possessions belonging to others, taking part in fights and physically attacking people.
The researchers have determined the link after considering factors like the child’s age and sex. They have also considered other possible influence, such as whether the boys and girls are eating sweets or giving fruit drinks on a normal day. In addition, the researchers have examined parenting styles and other social conditions that may be taking place in the home.
Researches are trying to find why young children who drink a lot of soda have behavior problems. An ingredient often found in soft drinks is caffeine, which helps to make people feel energetic. Doctor Suglia suggests that caffeine could cause the 5-year-olds to be more aggressive. Earlier studies of adults have found the highest sugar levels in those who carry weapons (武器) and show signs of negative social behavior.
【小題1】What section of a newspaper is the passage probably taken from?

A．Scientific Technology	B．Science Fictions
C．Social News	D．Health Report

【小題2】The underlined word “withdrawn” in paragraph 4 can probably be replaced by the word ______.

A．backward

B．unsocial

C．generous

D．friendly

【小題3】Researchers studied the following aspects of the children except ______.

A．a(chǎn)ge

B．sex

C．games

D．parents

【小題4】According to the research, which of the following is right?

A．Mothers were asked to keep a record of how many servings of soft drinks their children drank over a three-month period.

B．4 percent of the youngsters have even four or fewer sodas to drink every day.

C．Children who drink no soda show fewer aggressive behaviors.

D．Children with the highest sugar levels tend to carry weapons and show signs of negative social behavior.

【小題5】After a further study on ingredients in soda, Shakira Suglia implies that the direct cause of the aggressive behaviors may be ______.

A．soft drinks	B．a(chǎn)ttention problems
C．caffeine	D．social conditions

The World Health Organization says there has been a sharp increase in the number of over-weight children in developing countries. In African countries, the WHO says the number of over-weight or obese children is twice as high as it was 20 years ago. Around the world, about 43 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2013.
Overweight and obese children are more likely to become overweight and obese adults. The condition can generate serious health problems like heart diseases.
Francesco Branca is the director of the WHO Department of Nutrition for Health and Development. He says urban lifestyle makes people eat processed food more often ,which has a high sugar ,fat and salt content. He also says people are gaining weight because of their lack of activities. They travel in cars or other vehicles more than on foot.
The WHO experts say to lower obesity rates is especially complex in countries that also deal with high rates of infectious(感染性的) diseases.
The WHO has some basic solutions for individuals and countries. The organization says you should lower your intake of fat, sugar, salt and processed food and eat more fruits,' vegetables and increase physical activity. The WHO says these actions are especially important for children.
And WHO expert Branca says mothers should breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of life, if possible. More importantly, governments should consider providing vitamins for children and educational campaigns about problems linked to obesity would also help. In his view, government policies should deal with how food is marketed to children and food producers must balance quality and taste with the dangers of sugar, fat and salt. "Reducing the number of overweight children will not be easy. The goal is difficult to meet even in wealthy countries. " he adds.
【小題1】What is the main idea of Paragraph l?

A．Children in developing countries generally weigh too much.

B．Overweight children in developing countries have increased greatly.

C．The number of overweight children in the world has doubled.

D．The World Health Organization has increased greatly.

【小題2】According to Branca , people are becoming overweight because of their changes in _______

A．lifestyles	B．transportation
C．physical condition	D．school educational .

【小題3】Which of the following word can best replace the underlined word in Paragraph 2?

A．cure

B．prevent

C．worsen

D．cause

【小題4】According to WHO, which of the following is true?

A．Poor nutrition is often related to children obesity.

B．To lower infectious disease rates is more complex than to lower obesity rates.

C．Eating less sugar and more vegetables helps lower obesity rates.

D．Increasing physical activity is most effective to lower obesity rates.

【小題5】What can we learn from the last Paragraph?

A．Babies breastfed aren't likely to become overweight.

B．Governments should play a necessary role in fighting obesity.

C．Food producers should be stopped from marketing, food to children.

D．The number of overweight children decreases easily in wealthy countries.

Beijing, April 2----Starting from this year, the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau will begin to promote a home medical service. With this service a medical team which is made up of a doctor, a nurse and a medical health worker will be sent to some communities in the city. They will set up a medical filing recorder for every resident in community and publicize their contact information to them. If people in the community feel sick, they can consult their community doctor first. If community doctors cannot treat their illness, they will then be transferred to large hospitals. Liang Wan, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, made the statement last Friday .
In addition ,the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau will set up some funds to train home medical service workers for families whose members suffer either from high blood pressure, diabetes,cerebral apoplexy , or coronary heart disease . The home medical service workers will remind patients to take pills on time and lead the patients to follow some health tips in their daily life. They will also learn some practical knowledge to save patients in case of an emergency .
The work will first begin in the medical service room in the 25 community centers and spread to all communities in Beijing. The disease prevention and control centers at various counties and districts in Beijing will be responsible for teaching community doctors and giving home medical service lectures, or advice . These workers will not be able to work until they pass related examination and obtain the work certificates. It is expected that by the end of this year, there will be 10000 home medical service workers in Beijing .
【小題1】Where does a person go to see first if he gets sick according to the passage ?

A．The community clinics.	B．Large hospital .
C．Private clinic .	D．Small hospital .

【小題2】Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The medical team which is made up of a doctor, a nurse and a medical health worker will set up a medical filing record for every resident.

B．The home medical service workers not only give some healthy suggestions to the patients, but also learn practical knowledge about first aid.

C．Some funds will be provided by Beijing Municipal Health Bureau for home medical service training.

D．The government aims to offer the home medical service for free.

【小題3】If you want to work as a home medical worker, you need to _____________.

A．receive the training about medical service.

B．pass related examinations.

C．obtain the work certificates.

D．All the above.

【小題4】What can we learn from the passage?

A．All communities in Beijing have started home medical service.

B．People in Beijing will not easily get ill.

C．Medical service in Beijing will be promoted greatly in the future.

D．The other cities in China should learn from Beijing.

A recent study suggests that teens’ relationship with parents, friends and teachers may have a lot to do with why they don’t get a good night’s sleep.
David Maume, a sociologist and sleep researcher, analyzed federal health data, which interviewed 974 teenagers when they were 12, and then again at 15. He found that family dynamics (動(dòng)態(tài)) have much to do with how well kids sleep. Teens, who had warm relations with their parents and felt like they could talk to them or their parents were supportive of them, tended to sleep better. However, families that were going through a divorce or a remarriage tended to affect teens’ sleep.
And problems at school also affected teens’ sleep. Feeling safe at school and having good relations with teachers tended to promote better sleep. As did good relationships with friends. Kids who took part in sports or other positive social activities or shared similar academic goals with their friends were also more likely to get a good night’s sleep.
These add up to what makes lots of sense: a general feeling of well-being helps teens sleep. If we’re happy and contented, we’re much more likely to sleep better than if we’re sad and anxious.
Now, of course, teens can hardly resist being drawn to their computers and social networking. Maume also found that when parents were strict not only about bedtime, but also about limiting technology, kids slept better. It’s a finding that seems obvious, but parents really do matter when it comes to health habits of their teenagers.
Clearly, teenagers aren’t getting 9 to 10 hours a night, which puts them at risk for all the consequences of lack of sleep, including poor academic performance, colds and stress.
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Teens’ sleep is linked to their relationship with people around them.

B．Lack of adequate sleep puts teens at risk of many bad consequences.

C．Modern technology has something to do with teens’ sleep problems.

D．It is necessary for teens to join in sports and positive social activities.

【小題2】According to Maume’s analysis, who will probably have a poor night’s sleep?

A．Teens who feel like talking with their parents.

B．Teens who have friends sharing their dreams.

C．Teens who feel contented about themselves.

D．Teens who lack a sense of security at school.

【小題3】 Para 5 functions as              .

A．a(chǎn) comparison

B．a(chǎn)n introduction

C．a(chǎn) conclusion

D．a(chǎn)n addition

【小題4】 Parents are supposed to               when their kids are growing up.

A．continue their broken marriage

B．a(chǎn)llow children to decide when to sleep

C．limit teens’ using new technology

D．force teens to have 10 hours’ sleep daily

Britons Learn to Forgive
LEEDS, England—A Leeds University psychology(心理學(xué)) professor is teaching a course to help dozens of Britons forgive their enemies.
“The hatred (仇恨) we hold within us is a cancer,” Professor Ken Hart said, adding that holding in anger can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
More than 70 people have become members in Hart’s first 20-week workshop in London—a course he says is the first of its kind in the world.
These are people who are sick and tired of living with a memory. They realize their bitterness is a poison they think they can pour out, but they end up drinking it themselves, said Canadian-born Hart.
The students meet in groups of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop with an adviser every fortnight.
The course ending in July, is expected to get rid of the cancer of hate in these people. “People have lots of negative attitudes towards forgiveness,” he said. “People confuse（混淆） forgiveness with forgetting. Forgiveness means changing from a negative attitude to a positive one.” Hart and his team have created instructions to provide the training needed.
“The main idea is to give you guidelines on how to look at various kinds of angers and how they affect you, and how to change your attitudes towards the person you are angry with, ”said Norman Claringbull, a senior expert on the forgiveness project.
Hart said he believes forgiveness is a skill that can be taught, as these people “want to get free of the past”.
【小題1】From this passage we know that      .

A．high blood pressure and heart disease are caused by hatred

B．high blood pressure can only be cured by psychology professors

C．without hatred, people will have less trouble connected with blood and heart

D．people who suffer from blood pressure and heart disease must have many enemies

【小題2】In Hart’s first 20-week workshop, people there can      .

A．meet their enemies

B．change their minds

C．enjoy the professor’s speech

D．learn how to quarrel with others

【小題3】If you are a member in Hart’s workshop, you’ll      .

A．pay much money to Hart

B．go to the workshop every night

C．a(chǎn)ttend a gathering every fortnight

D．pour out everything stored in your mind

【小題4】The author wrote this passage in order to      .

A．persuade us to go to Hart’s workshop

B．tell us the news about Hart’s workshop

C．tell us how to run a workshop like Hart’s

D．help us to look at various kinds of angers

Air pollution is a leading cause of cancer and classified among Group 1,or top, human carcinogens (致癌物質(zhì)), said the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer agency, on Oct 17,2013.
The most widely used system for classifying carcinogens comes from the IARC, which places them into five groups. Group 1 carcinogens definitely cause cancer in humans. Group 2A is probably carcinogenic to humans, Group 2B is possibly carcinogenic, the carcinogenicity of Group 3 in humans is unclassifiable, and Group 4 is probably not carcinogenic to humans. Only a little more than 100 are classified as Group 1 cancer-causing substances, including ultraviolet radiation and tobacco smoke.
“Our task was to evaluate the air everyone breathes rather than focus on specific air pollutants,” the lARC's Dana Loomis said in a statement. “The results from the reviewed studies point in the same direction: the risk of developing lung cancer is significantly increased in people exposed to air pollution.”
In 2010, lung cancer resulting from air pollution killed 223,000 people worldwide, and there was also convincing evidence that it increases the risk of bladder (膀腕) cancer, according to the IARC.
Air pollution is already known to raise risks for a wide range of illnesses, including respiratory and heart diseases.
Air pollution is global, although the levels of it vary over space and time.
Loomis said people in Asia, eastern North America, some places in Central America and Mexico, as well as North Africa have relatively high exposure. Developing countries with large populations and booming manufacturing sectors, such as China, are particularly at risk.
Many cities in China, such as Beijing, frequently see smog. This week, Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province, became the first Chinese city to officially suspend classes due to serious smog
Many developed countries face similar problems, although to a lesser degree than most developing nations. In Europe, levels of many pollutants have fallen. But between 91 and 96 percent of Europeans living in cities are exposed to levels of PM2.5—tiny particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers—that are higher than the WHO safety limits, says a report published by the European Environment Agency on Oct 15.
Although both the composition and levels of air pollution can vary dramatically from one location to the other, the 1ARC said its conclusions apply to all regions of the world.
“Given the scale of the exposure affecting people worldwide, this report should send a strong signal to the international community to take action without further delay,” said Christopher Wild, director of the IARC.
【小題1】What might be the best title of the passage?

A．Signals of air pollution

B．Safety limits of air pollution

C．Air pollution, cancer risk

D．Air pollution, smog risk

【小題2】What’s the main task of IARC?

A．To focus on cancer-causing substances.

B．To evaluate the air quality.

C．To study the developing risk of cancer.

D．To send signals to the international community.

【小題3】Why should the international community take action without further delay?

A．The composition and levels of air pollution vary from place to place.

B．More and more people in developing countries are exposed to air pollution.

C．Developed countries face air pollution, the level of which is higher than the safety limits.

D．A large number of people worldwide are exposed to air pollution.

The weather is getting hotter. You are thirsty playing basketball or riding home from school. A cold drink may be just the thing. But be careful what you are drinking. Something that looks cool may not be good for your health. There are plenty of “energy drinks” on the market. Most of them have beautiful colors and cool names. The lists on them tell you they are helpful to your health. Sounds great!
But after a careful check you may find that most energy drinks have lots of caffeine(咖啡堿)in them. These drinks are especially aimed at young people, students, busy people and sports players. Makers sometimes say their drinks make you better at sports and can keep you awake. But be careful not to drink too much. Caffeine makes your heart beat fast. Because of this, the International Olympic Committee(IOC) has limited(限制) its use. Caffeine in most energy drinks is at least as strong as that in a cup of coffee or tea. Possible health dangers have something to do with energy drinks. Just one box of energy drink can make you nervous, have difficulty sleeping and can even cause heart problems. Scientists say that teenagers should be discouraged from taking drinks with a lot of caffeine in them.
【小題1】Many people like drinking energy drinks because of the following EXCEPT that ______.

A．they have beautiful colors and cool names

B．they have lots of caffeine

C．they can keep them awake and better at sports

D．they are said to be helpful to health

【小題2】The underlined word “discouraged” can be replaced(替換) with ______.

A．encouraged

B．stopped

C．helped

D．disliked

【小題3】From the passage we can know that ______.

A．a(chǎn)dvertisements are important in getting people to buy energy drinks

B．energy drinks are helpful to teenagers’ study

C．sports players need to drink a lot of energy drinks

D．energy drinks are especially aimed at teenagers

【小題4】Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? ______

A．What’s the Use of Energy Drinks?

B．Who Can Drink Energy Drinks?

C．What’s that in Energy Drinks?

D．Why Can’t We Buy Energy Drinks?

Recently a study, led by Pedro Hallal of the Federal University, suggests that nearly a third of adults, 31%, are not getting enough exercise. That rates of exercise have declined is hardly a new discovery. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, technology and economic growth have helped to create a world in which taking exercise is more and more an option rather than a necessity. But only recently have enough good data been collected from enough places to carry out the sort of analysis Dr Hallal and his colleagues have engaged in.
There are common themes in different places. Unsurprisingly, people in rich countries are less active than those in poor ones, and old people are less active than young ones. Less obviously, women tend to exercise less than men—34% are inactive, compared with 28% of men. But there are exceptions. The women of Croatia, Finland, Iraq and Luxembourg, for example, move more than their male countrymen.
Malta wins the race for most slothful country, with 72% of adults getting too little exercise, and Swaziland and Saudi Arabia are in close behind, with 69%. In Bangladesh, just 5% of adults fail to exercise enough. Surprisingly, six Americans in ten are active enough according to Dr Hallal’s study, compared with fewer than four in ten British.
These high rates of inactivity are worrying. Human beings seem to have evolved(進(jìn)化) to benefit from exercise while deliberately avoiding it whenever they can. In a state of nature it would be impossible to live a life that did not provide enough of it. But that is no longer the case. Actually lack of enough activity these days has nearly the same effect on life span(壽命) as smoking.
【小題1】We may learn from Paragraph 1 that_________.

A．the decline of exercise rates is newly discovered

B．the study suggests 31% of female adults get too little exercise

C．the good enough data has been collected from only one country

D．the industrial revolution has changed the way people live to some degree

【小題2】According to the study, women of Luxembourg_________. 

A．have little time to exercise

B．hate to get regular exercise

C．take more exercise to lose weight

D．exercise more than men in their country

【小題3】The underlined word “slothful” in Paragraph 3 most probably means_________.

A．powerful

B．rich

C．lazy

D．unpopular

【小題4】What can be the best title for the text?

A．Worldwide Lack of Enough Exercise

B．New Health Discovery

C．Evolvement of Human Beings

D．Benefits of Taking Exercise