A newly-published study has shown that loneliness can spread from one person to another, like a disease.
Researchers used information from the Framingham Study, which began in 1948. The Framingham Study gathers information about physical and mental health, personal behavior and diet. At first, the study involved about 5,000 people in the American state of Massachusetts. Now, more than 12,000 individuals are taking part.
Information from the Framingham Study showed earlier that happiness can spread from person to person. So can behaviors like littering and the ability to stop smoking.
University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo led the recent study. He and other researchers attempted to show how often people felt lonely. They found that the feeling of loneliness spread through social groups.
Having a social connection with a lonely person increased the chances that another individual would feel lonely. In fact, a friend of a lonely person was 52% more likely to develop feelings of loneliness. A friend of that person was 25% more likely. The researchers say this shows that a person could indirectly be affected by someone’s loneliness.
The effect was strongest among friends. Neighbors were the second most affected group. The effect was weaker on husbands and wives, and brothers and sisters. The researchers also found that loneliness spread more easily among women than men.
The New York Times newspaper reports that, on average, people experience feelings of loneliness about 48 days a year. It also found that every additional friend can decrease loneliness by about five percent, or two and a half fewer lonely days.
Loneliness has been linked to health problems like depression and sleeping difficulties. The researchers believe that knowing the causes of loneliness could help in reducing it.
The study suggests that people can take steps to stop the spread of loneliness. They can do this by helping individuals they know who may be experiencing loneliness. The result can be helpful to the whole social group.
1. What is true about the Framingham Study?
A. It was only conducted in 1948. B. It involves more than 12,000 participants.
C. It was led by John Cacioppo D. It showed that any behavior could spread.
2. From the passage, we can learn that .
A. the habit of littering doesn’t spread
B. a lonely person won’t have friends
C. everyone may be affected by others’ loneliness
D. lonely people don’t know the cause of their loneliness
3. Which statement about the spread of loneliness is true?
A. The spreading effect was the second strongest among friends.
B. No spreading effect was found on husbands and wives.
C. Women are more likely to be affected than men.
D. Brothers are more easily affected than neighbors.
4. If you make 10 more friends in a year, the days of your feeling loneliness will be reduced by .
A. 48 days B. 25 days C. 20 days D. 15 days
5.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Actions should be taken to help lonely people. B. People feel lonely for many reasons.
C. Ways to fight against loneliness. D. Lonely people can affect others.
When a dirty and untidy orange cat showed up in the prison yard，I was one of the first to go out there and pet it．I hadn’t touched a cat or a dog in over 20 years．I spent at least 20 minutes，knelt down behind the kitchen as the cat rolled around，relaxed．What he was expressing outwardly, I was feeling inwardly．It was an amazing bit of grace to feel him under my hand and note that I was reaching a life or another creature with something as simple as my care．
Over the next few days，there were other prisoners responding to the cat．Every yard period，a group of prisoners gathered there．They stood around talking and taking turns petting the cat．These were guys you wouldn’t usually find talking to each other．Several times I saw an officer in the group，not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners．Bowls of milk and water appeared along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of the dustbin to keep the birds from getting it．
The cat was obviously homeless and in pretty bad shape．People said that the cat came to the right place．He's getting treated like a king．This was true．but as I watched I was also thinking about what the cat was doing for us．There was a lot of talk about what's wrong with prisons in America．We need more programs．We need more psychologists or treatment of various kinds．Some may even talk about making prisons more kind．But I think what we really need is a chance to practise our own kindness．Not receive it，but give it．After more than two decades here，I know kindness is not a value that's encouraged．It's often seen as a weakness．
Instead，the culture encourages keeping your head down，minding your own business，and never letting yourself be weak．
The cat did my heart good to see the effect he had on me and the men here．By simply saying，”I need some help here”，he did something important for us．He needed us．And we needed to be needed．I believe we all do．
1.From the passage，we can learn that the author was ．
A．an animal protector B．the cat owner C．a prison officer D．a prisoner
2.Which of the following statements is true?
A．The cat was dirty because it was kept in prison．
B．The officer in the prison enjoyed petting the cat．
C．The prisoners prepared food for both the cat and birds．
D．The author realized the importance of practising kindness．
3.We can infer from the third paragraph that ．
A．showing love to others can make prisoners strong
B．the American prison culture will be improved
C．the author is not content with the prison culture
D．caring for others is encouraged in American prisons
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A．Caring Makes Us Human． B．Prison Culture is Important．
C．Animals Need Care． D．Everyone Needs to be Cared for．
5.In Paragraph 2，the author mentioned that “Several times I saw an officer in the group，not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners．”to ．
A．show us the officer and prisoners get along well with each other
B．show us the American prison culture does need improvement
C．show us the officer and prisoners all like cat
D．show us the American prison culture is great
完形填空(共20小题；每小题l分，满分20分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A，B，C，D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑．
Last night I was driving from Harrisburg to Lewisburg, a 36 of about eighty miles. It was late and I was in a hurry. However, if anyone asked me how fast I was 37 ,I’d say I was not over-speeding. Several times I got 38 behind a slow-moving truck on a narrow road, and I was holding my fists tightly with 39 .
At one point along an open highway, I 40 a crossroad with a traffic light. I was alone on the road by now, but as I 41 the light, it turned red and I braked to a stop. I looked left, right and behind me. Nothing. Not a car, no suggestion of headlights, but there I sat, waiting for the light to 42 , the only human being for at least a mile in any 43 .
I started 44 why I refused to run the light. I was not afraid of being 45 , because there was obviously no policeman around, and there certainly would have been no 46 in going through it.
Much later that night, after I 47 a group of my friends in Lewisburg and climbed into bed near midnight, the question of why I’d stopped for that light 48 me, I think I stopped because it’s part of a contract(合同) we all have with each other. It’s not only the 49 , but it’s an arrangement we have, and we trust each other to 50 it: we don’t go through red lights. Like most of us, I’m more likely to be 51 from doing something bad by the social convention that 52 it than by any law against it.
It’s amazing that we ever 53 each other to do the right thing, isn’t it? And we do, too, Trust is our 54 preference.
I was so 55 of myself for stopping for the red light that night.
1. A. flight B. distance C. road D. length
2.A. thinking B. driving C. complaining D. running
3. A. stopped B. changed C. stuck D. lost
4.A. horror B. strength C. understanding D. impatience
5. A. ran off B. came to C. passed by D. left behind
6.A. passed B. watched C. approached D. found
7. A. stop B. change C. turn D. die
8.A. way B. side C. city D. direction
9. A. wondering B. suspecting C. struggling D. regretting
10.A. abused B. fined C. injured D. killed
11. A. danger B. sign C. time D. record
12. A. met with B. got over C. got rid of D. called back
13. A. turned out to B. came back to C. referred to D. occurred to
14. A. virtue B. suggestion C. law D. order
15. A. honor B. solve C. break D. judge
16.A. stopped B. protected C. rejected D. frightened
17. A. speaks of B. stands by C. takes in D. disapproves of
18. A. suspect B. trust C. teach D. care
19.A. only B. first C. lucky D. living
20. A. sorry B. doubtful C. sure D. proud
—You couldn’t have chosen any gift better for me.
—
A．Oh, don’t you like it. B．That’s all right.
C．I’m glad you like it so much. D．You’ve a gift for music, don’t you?
—You see how thin Ann is!
—She gain some weight but she too little.
A．would; eats B．will; eats C．would; ate D．will; ate
The incomes of skilled workers went up. , unskilled workers saw their earnings fall.
A．Moreover B．Therefore C．Meanwhile D．Otherwise
