Question

As an English saying goes, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.

Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.

Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated (忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.

As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.

1.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?  

A．Laughter can make people breathe deeper

B．Laughter can make you become old quickly.

C．Laughter helps to reduce pain.

D．Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body.

2.The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means “_________”.  

A．delays            B．prevents          C．increases          D．reduces

3.Why do doctors hold laughter clinics? 

A．Because they want to earn more money.

B．Because they think they will help the patients recover from illnesses.

C．Because they want to improve their patients’ health.

D．Because they want their patients to laugh more.

4.According to the author, we should __________ in our life. 

A．laugh as much as possible                 B．watch more funny films

C．smile all the time                        D．spend time in the laughter clinics

5.What would be the best title for this passage?  

A．Both laughter and physical exercise are good for health.

B．Laughter clinics can help patients improve their condition.

C．Laughter can reduce the effect of pain.

D．Laughter is the best medicine.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.A

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要讲述的就是笑的巨大作用，笑是最好的药，对我们的身体有很好的作用，建议我们要多笑。

1.B 细节题。根据文章2,3段Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body.

It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper;

可知ACD三项都是笑的好处，只有B项文章没有提及。故B正确。

2.D 推理题。根据文章第三段Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body.

The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.可知笑能够减轻我们的疼痛感，故该词为减少的意思，故D项正确。

3.C 细节题。根据文章最后一段1,2行As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh.可知C项正确。

4.A 推理题。根据文章内容可知笑对我们有很多的好处，那么我们为什么不多笑笑呢？所以在生活中我们要尽可能地多笑。故A正确。

5.D 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述的就是笑的巨大作用，笑是最好的药，对我们的身体有很好的作用，故D正确、

考点：考查健康类短文阅读