Question

    It is generally accepted these days that reading a book will help you relieve stress. And it may actually make you a more thoughtful person as you learn to connect with the various characters. But there’s more. A new study discovered that reading more than 3.5 hours per week actually increased a person’s lifespan(寿命) by 23 percent-about 12 years for the people involved in the study.

The study was led by a group of researchers at Yale University. It looked at 3,635 people, both men and women but all older than 50.The researchers divided them into three categories: those who didn’t read books; those who read up to 3.5 hours a week; those who read more than 3.5 hours a week.

After the researchers adjusted for factors like education, health and income, the data showed that, on average, those who read about 3.5 hours a week were 17 percent less likely to die.

In addition, the study examined people who read newspapers and magazines and found that they were 11 percent less likely to die than non­readers, but only if they spent more than seven hours reading each week. That may be due to the different forms of these items. When people read newspapers or magazines, they tend to skim the material rather than read it fully. AvniBavishi, the study’s leader, said, “We believe people need to know, learn and understand more things when they are reading books, because they’re longer and there are more characters, more plots to follow, and more connections to make.”

From all of this, the authors concluded that, as with a healthy diet and exercise, books appear to promote a “significant survival advantage”.

Clearly, there is a need for more study. We’re certain that book lovers all around the world will be glad to provide the data needed to make further conclusions.

1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A.A few people think that reading can help them relax.

B.Reading can make a person more sensitive.

C.Reading can help a person to live a longer life.

D.Most people think that reading can help them to live a better life.

2.What can we learn about the people in the study from the text?

A.All of them were older than fifty.

B.Most of them were women readers.

C.More than half of them were college students.

D.They were divided into four groups by the researchers.

3.Generally speaking, those who read newspapers and magazines           than those who read books.

A.live longer B.are more likely to be positive

C.have a better ability to understand D.get fewer benefits in terms of the lifespan

4.In the last paragraph, the writer aims to         .

A.tell readers about the importance of reading

B.tell readers that the study needs more data

C.call on book lovers to provide more data for the study

D.encourage readers to make further conclusions by themselves

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.D

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。一项新的研究发现，每周阅读超过3.5小时实际上会使一个人的寿命增加23%——对于参与研究的人来说，大约是12年。文章说明了研究过程，以及研究结果还发现阅读报纸和杂志的人在寿命方面得到的好处比阅读书籍的人少。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段中A new study discovered that reading more than 3.5 hours per week actually increased a person’s lifespan(寿命) by 23 percent-about 12 years for the people involved in the study. (一项新的研究发现，每周阅读超过3.5小时实际上会使一个人的寿命增加23%——对于参与研究的人来说，大约是12年)可知阅读可以帮助一个人活得更久。故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段中It looked at 3,635 people, both men and women but all older than 50. (该研究调查了3635人，包括男性和女性，但年龄都在50岁以上)可知研究对象都超过了五十岁。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第三段中That may be due to the different forms of these items.When people read newspapers or magazines, they tend to skim the material rather than read it fully.(这可能是由于这些项目的不同形式。当人们阅读报纸或杂志时，他们倾向于浏览材料，而不是完全阅读。)以及We believe people need to know, learn and understand more things when they are reading books, because they’re longer and there are more characters, more plots to follow, and more connections to make. (我们认为，人们在读书的时候需要知道、学习和理解更多的东西，因为书更长，有更多的人物，更多的情节，更多的联系)可推断，一般来说，阅读报纸和杂志的人在寿命方面得到的好处比阅读书籍的人少。故选D。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中We’re certain that book lovers all around the world will be glad to provide the data needed to make further conclusions. (我们确信，全世界的图书爱好者将乐于为进一步结论提供所需的数据)可知在最后一段，作者旨在呼吁爱书人士为研究提供更多的数据。故选C。