The researchers say a person loses two months for every kilogram overweight they are — and seven years for smoking a packet of cigarettes a day.
Unusually, a team from the University of Edinburgh found their answers by researching differences in people’s genetic code or DNA. Finally they thought they would show new ways of helping us to live longer.
The group used the DNA of more than 600,000 people who are taking part in a natural experiment. If someone smokes, drinks, drops out of school and is overweight, it can be difficult to find out the impact of one specific unhealthy behavior.
Instead, the researchers turned to the natural experiment. Some people carry mutations（变异） in their DNA that increase appetite or make them more likely to put on weight, so researchers were able to compare those programmed to eat more with those who were not. The research team also found specific mutations in human DNA that could change lifespans（寿命）.
·Mutations is a gene that is involved in running the immune system（免疫系统） could add seven months of life on average.
·People with a mutation that increased levels of bad cholesterol knocked eight months off lifespans.
·A rare mutation in a gene — APOE — related to dementia reduced lifespans by 11 months.
·And one that made smoking more attractive cut lives by five months.
Dr Joshi says that while genes do influence lifespans, you’ve got even more influence through the choices you make. Dr Joshi said, “We hope to discover genes affecting lifespans to give us new information about ageing and construct treatment for ageing.”
There are also some disease mutations that clearly affect lifespans and bring destructive effect for people, such as the Huntington’s gene. People with Huntington’s even die in their 20s.
However, in order to follow people until the end of their lives, many of the people studied were born before 1940.
1.What is difficult for the researchers to find out?
A.The differences in people’s DNA.
B.The reasons why people put on weight very easily.
C.The results of many natural and massive experiments.
D.One bad behavior’s effect on people with many bad behaviors.
2.Which of the following mutations affects lifespans most greatly?
A.One related to controlling the immune system.
B.One increasing unhealthy cholesterol.
C.One called APOE involved in dementia.
D.One making smoking more attractive.
3.What’s the meaning of Dr Joshi’s study?
A.To help stop mutations.
B.To find diseases earlier.
C.To make people live longer.
D.To reduce the effects of genes.
4.Why did researchers mainly study people born before 1940?
A.To follow them until they die.
B.To teach them to lose weight.
C.To show they are more important.
D.To make them live happier.
Music has always been related to exercising. Most of us listen to our favourite music while jogging in the park or while working out in the gym, but we never think of it as more than just an accompaniment (伴奏) to our exercise. But recent scientific research has shown that using the “right” music while you are exercising can do you a whole lot of good: from creating a feeling of positivity to calming any anxious feeling.
Research on the effects of music during exercise has been done for years. In 1911, an American researcher, Leonard Ayres, found that cyclists rode faster while listening to music than they did in the silence.
This happens because listening to music can drown out (淹没) our brain’s cries of tiredness. As our body realizes we’re tired and wants to stop exercising, it sends signals to the brain to stop for a break. Listening to music competes for our brain’s attention, and can help us to overcome those signals of tiredness, though this is mostly beneficial for moderate- and low- intensity (中低强度的) exercise. During high- intensity exercise, music isn’t as powerful as pulling our brain’s attention away from the pain of the workout.
Not only can we manage to exercise longer and harder when we listen to music, but it can actually help us to use our energy more efficiently. A 2015 study showed that cyclists who listened to music required 7% less oxygen to do the same work than those who cycled in the silence did. In the same way exercising makes us happier, so it’s not surprising that music adds significantly to our workout success.
What have you noticed about how music affects you? Next time when you take exercise, select the right music to accompany you. You will find yourself in a more different mood than ever.
1.Why do some people listen to music while exercising?
A.They are fond of enjoying music.
B.They know music helps do exercise.
C.They find music is an accompaniment.
D.They give too much consideration to it.
2.What can you do when you want to stop exercising?
A.To try to listen to the music you like.
B.To stop for a rest immediately.
C.To tell yourself never to do that.
D.To send a signal to your brain.
3.What can be inferred from the fourth paragraph?
A.Listening to music can help produce more energy.
B.The cyclists love listening to music more than others.
C.People should take listening to music seriously while exercising.
D.Significant music can benefit high-intensity exercise.
One billion teenagers and young adults around the world risk losing their hearing by listening to loud music, according to the World Health Organization. The U. N. agency is asking young people to turn down the volume（音量） to prevent great damage to their hearing.
Many people believe the sound being louder is better if they are listening to rock and roll. But experiencing really loud music, even really good music, can have a serious effect on the hearing.
Studies in middle- and high-income countries show nearly 50 percent of teenagers and young adults aged 12 to 35 listen to unsafe levels of sound. They are listening on their personal audio devices as well as at concerts, nightclubs and other entertainment places.
But what is an unsafe level of sound?
The WHO says there can be many kinds of unsafe levels of sound. It depends on how loud the sound is and how long you listen to it. Unsafe levels of sound can mean noise levels of 85 decibels（分贝） for eight hours a day or 100 decibels for just 15 minutes.
Doctors say there are simple measures to protect people from unsafe sound levels. Young people who wear earplugs（耳塞） during concerts can enjoy music at 90 decibels as much as they can at 110 decibels. But they admit that earplugs may not look very cool. A common sense suggestion is to turn down the volume on their personal audio devices. The WHO also advises young people to limit their use of such devices to less than one hour a day. It reminds people to use their technology to stay safe. Smartphone apps can help t monitor safe listening levels.
The U. N. agency estimates 360 million people suffer hearing loss linked to many causes, including noise, genetic conditions, infectious diseases and aging. It notes half of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable.
1.What’s the purpose of the passage?
A.To advise good music.
B.To advise people to wear carplugs.
C.To give tips on how to enjoy loud music.
D.To remind people to prevent hearing loss.
2.The underlined words “unsafe levels of sound” can refer to ______.
A.how loud the sound is
B.how long you listen to the music
C.loud music at 90 decibels
D.noise at 100 decibels for 150 minutes
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A.One billion young people risk hearing loss from loud music.
B.Smartphones can do harm to people’s hearing.
C.Don’t wear earplugs during concerts.
D.Louder music is good music.
4.What’s the main idea of the last but one paragraph?
A.There are many factors that cause hearing loss.
B.Some measures to protect people’s hearing.
C.Not all cases of hearing loss are avoidable.
D.The reason why people wear earplugs during concerts.
短文改错
Hello, Peter. I'm very grateful for your concern about my coming exam. To tell you the truth, I have been busy prepare for the exam recently. Some classmates are feeling really nervous clue to the exam, but I don't take it so serious. I always learn in a relaxing mood and I'm making a great progress. Now that I had tried my best, it doesn't matter much to me which the result is.
In my opinion, we should keep a good balance among our study, rest or exercise. I believe we can be successful if we prepare for the exam by a proper way.
I'd appreciate if you could give me some good advices.
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项We spend so much time waiting to be loved, hoping love will find us, and looking for that special love．Unfortunately, that’s not usually how life works．To be loved, you should love and respect yourself as much as you do others．In order to love someone, you should love yourself．●Stop comparing(比较) yourself to others．1.We all have different gifts．When you compare yourself to others for what they have, whether it is a car, a house, or a job, it makes you feel bad about yourself．Really be grateful about everything you have．Gratitude（感恩）keeps your heart open to love．●Practice receiving love．To truly love is to be able to receive it．When someone loves you, does some kind deeds（事情）to you, or says kind words, accept it．2.Know that you are worthy of love．It is important to accept a gift of love by others．You give yourself a chance to learn more about yourself that you are lovable．3.● 4.Write about your experiences, good and bad．When you write down good experiences, allow yourself to feel those feelings．When you remember bad experiences, allow yourself to feel self-compassion．Compassion is not self-pity, but rather willingness to accept one's own pain and regret．●Stop trying to be perfect．Stop blaming yourself for being less than perfect．5.Just follow all the steps above and don't let anyone's expectations of you put any pressure on you．
A. Keep a diary． |
B. Love others． |
C. Do not feel sorry about it． |
D. Always do your best, but not reaching perfection(完美) is not a failure． |
E. Allow yourself to accept the love that has come to you． |
F. You give someone a joy of giving by loving you． |
G. Everyone on the earth is unique(独一无二的)． |
Britons are well known for the amount of tea that they drink. The average person in the UK consumes around 1.9 kg of tea yearly. That’s around 876 cups of tea. Tea is drunk by all sections of society. But tea is not native to Britain. Most tea is grown in India and China. So, how did it become an important part of British culture?
Tea arrived in London in the 1600s. At this time, British ships were exploring (探索) the world and came across the drink in China. It was not long before green tea was available to buy. However, this was only available to the richer sections of society.
At the beginning of the 1700s, the amount of tea arriving in Britain increased gradually. Black tea arrived at this time. At first people drank this tea exactly as it was in China. They soon discovered that it mixed really well with a little milk and sugar, giving the drink a special British characteristic (特色).
In the 1800s tea was still a product enjoyed only by people with money. At this time they began to have “afternoon tea”. This involves drinking tea with a snack around 4 pm to avoid feeling hungry between lunch and dinner. It is a tradition that is still going today but has become less popular in recent times.
In the late 1800s, the price of tea decreased sharply as more tea began to arrive on ships from India and China. It was no longer a drink just for rich people. Tearooms — shops where you could buy and drink tea — started to appear across the country. People enjoyed drinking tea and socialising (交际) in these places. At the start of the 20th century, Britons began to make tea in their homes whenever they felt like it. Kettles became necessary in every kitchen.
1.How does the passage mainly develop?
A. By providing examples. B. By making comparisons.
C. By following the order of time. D. By following the order of importance.
2.According to the passage, what is the British characteristic of tea?
A. Green tea. B. Black tea.
C. Tea with a little milk and sugar. D. Afternoon tea with a snack.
3.The underlined word “decreased” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “________”.
A. went up B. took off
C. fell off D. came out
4.When was tea a necessity for ordinary people in Britain?
A. In the 1600s. B. In the 1800s.
C. In the late 1800s. D. At the start of the 20th century.
