Question

    Not all bad emotions (情感) are necessarily bad. In fact, they can direct your behaviour in useful ways. If you’re stuck in traffic, anger with the situation might motivate you to find an alternative route (线路), which will then relieve your stress. But anger is less useful if you’re in the same situation, but stuck on a motorway with no option to alter directions.

Emotions have physiological effects, such as raising the level of cortisol in your bloodstream, which can affect your health. Indeed, a new study, published in Psychology and Aging, shows that high levels of anger are associated with poor health in older people.

The Canadian study did the study on 226 adults aged 59-93. They took blood samples to assess levels of chronic (慢性的) low-grade inflammation (炎症) and asked the participants to report any age-related chronic illnesses they might have. The participants also completed a short questionnaire about the level of anger or sadness they experienced in three typical days over a one-week period.

For the analysis, the researchers considered whether age could affect the results. They found that higher levels of anger were associated with inflammation and ill health in the oldest participants (aged 80 and above), but not the youngest ones (59-79 years). Sadness was not associated with inflammation or ill health in either age group.

The study is cross-sectional, meaning that it assessed a group of people at a single point in time. To get a fuller understanding of the relationship between bad emotions and health, we need studies that follow participants for a period of time — so-called prospective observation studies. Future studies should also take into account other factors that might relate, such as other emotions, stress and personality.

Although this new research shows a link between emotion and health in older age, we do not know whether anger causes inflammation and illness or whether health problems make people angrier.

1.What does the underlined word “alter” in paragraph 1 mean?

A.Change. B.Control.

C.Measure. D.Operate.

2.Why were participants taken blood samples?

A.To analyze their levels of health.

B.To fill in the form of questionnaires.

C.To know the levels of some inflammation.

D.To compare the change of anger in three days.

3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A.Anger is the greatest danger to health.

B.The influence of anger on illness is unclear.

C.People in poor health are easy to get angry.

D.Evidence is needed to prove the effect of health.

4.What can be a suitable title for the text?

A.Adjusting Our Emotions Is Necessary

B.Bad Emotions Affect People’s Feelings

C.New Conclusions Make People Amazed

D.Anger Is Linked to Illness in Old Age

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。研究表明，不是所有的负面情绪都是糟糕的，然而就老年人来说，愤怒有时会影响健康。

1.词义猜测题。根据前句If you’re stuck in traffic, anger with the situation might motivate you to find an alternative route (线路), which will then relieve your stress.(如果你被困在交通堵塞中，对这种情况的愤怒可能会促使你去寻找另一条路线，这将会减轻你的压力)提到对处境的怒火会激发我们找替代路线。再根据划线词所在句意“但是如果你处于同一处境，卡在高速公路没有其他的办法________路线时，愤怒就不会那么有用了”可知alter应该意为：寻找替代路线，更换，划线词与Change意思一致。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段中的They took blood samples to assess levels of chronic (慢性的) low-grade inflammation (炎症) and asked the participants to report any age-related chronic illnesses they might have.可知，他们采集了血样来评估慢性低度炎症的程度，并要求参与者报告他们可能患有的任何与年龄有关的慢性疾病。由此可知，抽取血样是为了了解某种炎症的程度。故选C。

3.推理判断题。根据最后一段Although this new research shows a link between emotion and health in older age, we do not know whether anger causes inflammation and illness or whether health problems make people angrier.可知，尽管这项新研究显示了情绪与老年健康之间的联系，但我们不知道愤怒是否会导致炎症和疾病，还是健康问题会让人更加愤怒。由此可知，愤怒对疾病的影响到目前还是不确定的。故选B。

4.主旨大意题。本文主要介绍了愤怒与老年人的疾病有关，如实验结果的由来、实施过程等，故D选项Anger Is Linked to Illness in Old Age(愤怒与年老时的疾病有关)适合作本文的标题。故选D。