Question

    When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, yes, and drink all of them. Then you're ready for an adventure.

Researchers from the University of Sussex in England say they have found for the first time experimental evidence that sour tastes lead to more risk-taking behaviour in a paper published on 7 June, 2019.

In the study, 168 volunteers from the UK and Vietnam were given a 20ml solution representing one of the five main taste groups: bitter, salty, sour, sweet and umami. The tasters then took part in a computerized test that measures risk-taking: they got paid to blow up a digital balloon. The more air in the balloon, the more money they could get; they could cash out whenever they wanted. But if the balloon popped or exploded? Bye  bye , potential winnings.

When the researchers studied the performance of the volunteers, they found the people who'd tasted sour were much more likely to keep pumping up the balloon compared with people who'd gotten a taste of the other solutions. On average, sour tasters were 39% more likely to push the balloon to its limits than sweet tasters, 20.50% more than bitter, 16.03% more than salty and 40.29% more than umami.

This finding makes a degree of sense—without taking risks, we don't learn anything new. And it is obvious that people with disorders such as anxiety and depression are unwilling to take risks. So, the researchers argue, if you have these disorders, maybe adding more sour foods into your diet could help keep that aversion in check. Then you'd be more likely to take chances, like talking to a stranger, and that will lead to self-improvement.

1.Where does this passage most probably come from?

A.A travel guide. B.A novel.

C.A magazine. D.A poster.

2.What can we learn about the volunteers?

A.They came from the University of Sussex in England.

B.They got one taste drink after they filled up a balloon.

C.Those who blew up a digital balloon got more money.

D.Sour tasters were likely to push the balloon to its limits.

3.This finding may be more helpful to the people who              .

A.are in a negative mood

B.like to drink lemonade

C.joined in the experiment

D.like talking to strangers

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A.Good Tastes Encourage Adventures.

B.Sour Tastes Make You Risk-taking.

C.Lemonade Does Good to Health.

D.Sour Foods Keep You Happy.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.B

【解析】

本文是说明文。有研究证据表明，酸味会导致更多的冒险行为。饮食中添加更多的酸味食物对有焦虑和抑郁等不良情绪的人会有帮助。

1.

推理判断题。文章是关于“sour tastes lead to more risk-taking behaviour”这一研究发现，内容是关于科学研究的，因此可能是出自于杂志。故选C项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第四段中“the people who'd tasted sour were much more likely to keep pumping up the balloon … On average, sour tasters were 39% more likely to push the balloon to its limits than sweet tasters, 20.50% more than bitter, 16.03% more than salty and 40.29% more than umami.（尝到酸味的志愿者比尝到其他溶液的人更有可能继续给气球吹气。平均而言，酸味的品尝者比甜味的品尝者多39%的可能把气球推向极限，比苦味品尝者多20.50%，比咸味品尝者的多16.03%，比鲜味的品尝者多40.29%。）”可知，志愿者中酸味的品尝者更可能会把气球吹到极限。故选D项。

3.

推理判断题。第五段中提到“people with disorders such as anxiety and depression are unwilling to take risks.…if you have these disorders, maybe adding more sour foods into your diet could help keep that aversion in check. Then you'd be more likely to take chances, like talking to a stranger, and that will lead to self-improvement.（患有焦虑和抑郁等疾病的人不愿意冒险。……如果你有这些问题，也许在你的饮食中添加更多的酸味食物可以帮助控制这种厌恶情绪。这样你就更有可能去冒险，比如和陌生人说话，这将有助于你自我完善。）”由此可以推断，这个发现对于那些有负面情绪的人，如患有焦虑和抑郁等疾病的人会有帮助，有助于他们控制自己的不良情绪。故选A项。

4.

主旨大意题。通读全文，文章第二段提出有实验证据表明“sour tastes lead to more risk-taking behaviour（酸味会导致更多的冒险行为）”；文章第三、四段是说明通过吹气球的实验表明，酸味的品尝者比其他味道的品尝者更有可能把气球吹到极限；第五段说明通过这一发现可知，饮食中添加更多的酸味食物对于有焦虑或抑郁等情绪的人很有帮助。因此文章的标题应是“酸味让你去冒险”。故选B项。