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阅读理解：第十九篇Prolonging Human Life Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of famine, infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, whereas if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often go on welfare if they have a serious illness. When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet this need, a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built. These are often profit-making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions arc good, most of them are simply dumping grounds for the dying in which care is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under-skilled personnel.词汇：dependency n.依赖性contemporary .现代的obligation n. 义务insurance n. 保险welfare n.福利senile dj. 衰老的grave dj. 严肃的convalescent dj.康复的sponsor v. 发起，资助institution n. 机构注释:1. Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population:延长人类生命的结果使得人口的数量有了增加。句中的 prolonging human life是动名词短语。由动名词短语作句子的主语时，句中动词必须用单数形式。如 : Collecting stamps is his hobby.2. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago:如果今天活着的很多人生于一百年以前，他们会死于各种儿童疾病。3. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time:因为有更多的人寿命更长，所以在任何一个特定的时间里的人也就更多。4. the dependency load: 抚养人口数量。5. In times of famine: 在饥荒年代6. go on welfare : 靠福利救济go on 有许多意思，其中的一个意思是依靠过活。例:Many people go on welfare when jobs become scarce.(工作难找时，许多人靠政府救济金过日子。)7. grave problems: 严重的问题8. convalescent hospitals: 康复医院;疗养院9. profit-making organizations: 赢利机构10. dumping grounds: 垃圾场练习:1. The writer believes that the population explosion results fromA an increase in birthrates.B the industrial development.C a decrease in death rates.D cultural advances.2. It can be inferred from the passage that in hunting and gathering culturesA it was a moral responsibility to keep old-aged people alive.B infants could be left dead in times of starvation.C parents had to impart the cultural wisdom of the tribe to their children.D death was considered to be freedom from hardships.3. According to the passage, which of the following statements about retired people in the United States is true?A Many of them have a very hard life.B They cannot live a decent life without enough bank savings.C They rely mainly on their children for financial support.D Most of them live with their children and therefore are well looked after.4. In Paragraph 3, the phrase this need refers toA the need to prolong the lives of old people.B the need to enrich the life of the retired people.C the need to build profit-making nursing homes.D the need to take care of a sick and weak person.5. Which of the following best describes the writers attitude toward most of the nursing homes, and convalescent hospitals?A Sympathetic.B Unfriendly.C Optimistic.D Critical.答案与题解 :1. C 第一段最后一句说： In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. 事实上，是由于死亡率的下降，而不是出生率的上升，导数了人口爆炸。因此，选项 C是正确答案。2. B 第二段第四句说： In times of famine, infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, whereas if the parents survived they could have another child. 在灾年，可能会容忍婴儿死亡，因为，如果他们的父母饿死了，他们也无法生存，而如果父母生存下来可重新生儿育女。因此，选项 B是正确的答案。3. A 第二段倒数第二句是这么说的：In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. (在美国，许多退休人员依靠社会保障金生活，其数额之小差不多使人穷困潦倒。)可以看出，在美国许多退休人员的生活是很艰难的。这正是选项A表达的意思，因而选项A是正确的答案。4. D 第三段第三句：Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. (当今，由于家庭中大多数人都出去工作或上学，家里常常没有人来照顾有病或虚弱的人。)this need 出现在下面这个短语中：To meet this need(为了满足这种需要)，它指句子前面的care for a sick or weak person。这正是选项D表达的意思。5. D文章昀后一句说 : most of them are simply dumping grounds for the dying in which care is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under-skilled personnel.大多数机构只不过是倾倒垂死的人的垃饭场，所谓的照顾都是由收入低、超量工作、技术水平低下的人员提供的。作者如此措辞显然是对大多数机构的强烈批评。因此，选项 D是正确答案。第十八篇Exercise Can Replace Insulin for Elderly Diabetics Most older people with so-called type H diabetes could stop taking insulin if they would do brisk exercise for 30 minutes just three times a week, according to new medical research results reported in the Copenhagen newspaper Berlingske Tidende on Monday. Results from tests conducted on diabetics at the Copenhagen Central Hospital Rigshospitalets Center for Muscle Research showed that physical exercise can boost the bodys ability to utilise insulin by 30 per cent, the newspaper reported. This is equal to1 the effect most elderly diabetics get from their insulin medication today，it said. 、 Researchers had a group of non-diabetic men and a group of men with type n, all more than 60 years of age, exercise on bicycles six times a week for three months. After the three months the doctors measured how much sugar the test subjects muscles could utilise as a measure for how well their insulin worked.2 Associate Professor3 Dr. Flemming Dela of the Muscle Research Center said the tests demonstrated that the exercising diabetics had just as high insulin utilisation as the healthy non?exercising persons. This means that the insulin works just as well for both groups. Physical exercise cannot cure people of diabetes,4 but it can eliminate almost all their symptoms. At the same time it can put off5 the point at which they have to begin taking insulin or perhaps completely avoid insulin treatment，” Dela was quoted as saying.6 Insulin isa hormone produced by the pancreas，controlling sugar in the body and used against diabetes. Dela said that to achieve the desired effect diabetics need only exercise to the point where they begin to work up7 a sweat, but that the activity has to be maintained since it wears off6 after five days without sufficient exercise. Most diabetics realise that they have to watch their diet while remaining unaware of the importance of exercise, Dela added. 词汇：insulin /丨insjulin/ n.胰岛素 diabetic /,dai9betik/ adj.(患）糖尿病的; .n.糖尿病患者diabetes /idaisbiitiiz/ n.糖尿病；多尿症 brisk /brisk/ adj.轻快的；活泼的，活跃的 Copenhagen /丨ksijpsn丨heigsn/ n.哥本哈根(丹麦首都） muscle /丨mAsl/ n.肌肉 utilise ( = utilize) /丨ju:tilaiz/ vt.利用，使用 medication /jmedikei/sn/ n.药物，药物治疗 subject /sAbdsikt/ n.实验对象 utilisation ( = utilization) /juitilaizei/on/n.利用，使用 saying /senq/ n. hormone /hoimsun/ n.激素 pancreas /paeqkriss/ n. JR(H) 注释：1. be equal to;等于2. as a measure for how well their insulin worked:作为测量他们的胰岛素工作状况如何的标志。 从语法上分析，how引起的从句是for这个介词的宾语从句。3. associate professor ：畐lj 教授4. . cannot cure people of diabetes:不能治好人们的糖尿病。cure sb. of sth.：给某人医治某 病。例如:liiis medicine should cure you of your cold.这药准能治好你的感冒。5. put off:推迟，延期6. Dela was quoted as saying:Dela的话像格言一样被人们所引用。注意谓语是被动语态。7. work up:逐步引起，激起8. wear off:逐渐消失 ，9. (be) unaware of sth.：不知道，没觉察练习：1. How could most elderly type II diabetics stop taking insulin? A By taking more salt than usual. B By taking less salt than usual.C By doing brisk exercise for half an hour at least three times a week. D By going climbing, swimming or boxing every day.2. Physical exercise may increase the body ability to utilise insulin by A 70 per cent. B 30 per cent.C 60 per cent. D only a few per cent.3. The subjects of the research tests conducted at the Copenhagen Central Hospital included A elderly non-diabetic men. B elderly type II diabetic men.C both sexes of all ages. D both A and B.4. To what a degree have diebetics to exercise in order to achieve the desired effect? A To the degree where they begin to sweat.B To the degree where they feel exhausted. C To the point when they feel thirsty. D To the point when they have to take insulin.5. According to Dela, among most diabetics the importance of exercise is the importance of watching their diet.A as poorly understood as B as well understood asC less understood than D better understood than答案与题解：1. C文章一开始就有此问题的明确答案。至于吃多少盐或者从事其他剧烈运动文章自始至 终都没有提到。2. B文章第二段说到，体育锻炼能将身体利用胰岛素的能力提高30%。3. D此题答案在文章第四段，实验对象既有n型糖尿病患者，也有健康人，而且都是60岁以 上的男人。4. A文章倒数第二段说到，体育锻炼只要达到出汗的程度就能起作用。5. C最后一段明确说到，大多数糖尿病患者知道必须注意饮食，但却并不知道体育锻炼的重要性。译文：老年糖尿病患者进行体育锻炼可以取代胰岛素治疗哥本哈根的贝林时报周一刊登了一则最tf医疗研究结果称，大多数n型老年糖尿病患者只 要每周坚持三轻快的体育锻炼，每次30分钟，都可以不用注射胰岛素。报道称，哥本哈根市中心医院Rigshospitalet肌肉研究中心对糖尿病人进行测试,结果显示体育 锻炼能将身体利用胰岛素的能力提高30%。据说，这一结果和大多数老年糖尿病患者每天接受胰岛素治疗的疗效相同。 研究人员挑选了一组非糖尿病患者,一组II型糖尿病患者，都是60岁以上的男性。这些被试者 每周骑自行车锻炼六次，并持续了三个月。三个月后，医生测量出被试者肌肉能够利用的血糖总量， 以此作为测量他们的胰岛素工作状况如何的标志。肌肉研究中心副教授弗莱明德拉医生称，实验结果显示，进行体育锻炼的糖尿病患者胰岛素 利用率和那些没有锻炼的健康人胰岛素利用率一样高。 、 ，“这就意味着，两组被试者的胰岛素都是正常工作的。体育锻炼不能治好患者的糖尿病，但是 能最大限度地消除患者症状。另外,即使患者不得不接受胰岛素治疗，体育锻炼也能尽量推迟这一 临界点，甚至有可能完全避免实施胰岛素治疗。”德拉医生的话像格言一样被人们所引用。 胰岛素是胰腺分泌的一种激素，可以控制体内血糖，预防糖尿病。德拉解释说，糖尿病患者只需锻炼到出汗的程度即可达到理想的效果。同时他还强调，这种锻 炼必须坚持，如果五天没有进行有效锻炼，效果就会消失。德拉还补充说,大多数糖尿病患者意识到他们必须控制饮食，却忽略了体育锻炼的重要性。第二十四篇Sleep Lets Brain File MemoriesTo sleep. Perchance to file? Findings published online this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences further support the theory that the brain organizes and stows memories formed during the day while the rest of the body is catching zzzs.Gyorgy Buzsaki of Rutgers University5 and his colleagues analyzed the brain waves of sleeping rats and mice. Specifically, they examined the electrical activity emanating from6 the somatosensory neocortex (an area that processes sensory information) and the hippocampus, which is a center for learning and memory. The scientists found that oscillations in brain waves from the two regions appear to be intertwined. So-called sleep spindles (bursts of activity from the neocortex) were followed tens of milliseconds later by beats in the hippocampus known as ripples. The team posits that this interplay between the two brain regions is a key step in memory consolidation. A second study, also published online this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, links age-associated memory decline to high glucose levels.Previous research had shown that individuals with diabetes suffer from increased memory problems. In the new work, Antonio Convit of New York University School of Medicine and his collaborators studied 30 people whose average age was 69 to investigate whether sugar levels, which tend to increase with age, affect memory in healthy people as well. The scientists administered11 recall tests, brain scans and glucose tolerance tests, which measure how quickly sugar is absorbed from the blood by the bodys tissues. Subjects with the poorest memory recollection, the team discovered, also displayed the poorest glucose tolerance. In addition, their brain scans showed more hippocampus shrinkage than those of subjects better able to absorb blood sugar. Our study suggests that this impairment12 may contribute to the memory deficits13 that occur as people age. Convit says. And it raises the intriguing possibility that improving glucose tolerance could reverse some age-associated problems in cognition.14 Exercise and weight control can help keep glucose levels in check15, so there may be one more reason to go to the gym.词汇：perchance p?t?:ns adv. 偶然；可能online ?nlain n. 在线的stow st?u vt. 贮藏，堆装emanate em?neitvi. 发源somatosensory ,s?um?t?sens?riadj. 体觉的neocortex ,ni:?uk?:teks n. 新（大脑）皮质oscillation ,?silei?n n. 振荡intertwine,int?twain v. 缠绕spindle spindl n. 纺锤体ripple ripl n. 波动，脉动diabetes ,dai?bi:ti:z n. 糖尿病recollection ,rek?lek?n n. 回忆shrinkage ?ri?kid? n. 收缩impairment imp?m?nt n. 损伤intrigue intri: n. 引起。兴趣（或好奇心）cognition k?ni?n n. 认识注释：1. file memories：归档并储存记忆。 file：意为 to put or keep (papers,etc. ) in useful order for storage or reference（把归档）。2. To sleep. Perchance to file? ：从莎士比亚笔下哈姆雷特的独白中的名句 To sleep: perchance to dream. 改编而来。3. the Proceedings: (科学文献、会议文献)汇编，常用复数形式。4. zzz：（拟声词）打鼾声5. Rutgers University：美国新泽西州立大学 (the State University of New Jersey)。6. emanating from：发源于。7. neocortex：新(大脑)皮质，尤指大的高等哺乳动物大脑中新生长的部分，也叫做 neopallium。neo-：前縀，意思是新的。8. thehippocampus：大脑侧面脑室壁上的隆起物，也称海马状突起，在泛记过程中起主要作用。9. tens of milliseconds：几十毫秒10. age-associated memory decline：与年龄相关的记忆衰退11. administer：实施12. this impairment：指上句中 hippocampus shrinkage.13. memory deficits：记忆衰退14. the intriguing possibility that improving glucose tolerance could reverse some age-associated problems in cognition：令人兴奋的可能性，即不断改善葡萄糖容许量可以完全改变对某些与年龄相关的认知问题。15. keep glucose levels in check：限制葡萄糖水平。 in check：在控制中，被阻止。练习：1. Which of the following statements is nearest in meaning to the sentence To sleep. Perchance to file? A Does brain arrange memories in useful order during sleep?B Does brain have memories when one is sleeping?C Does brain remember files after one falls asleep?D Does brain work on files in sleep?2. What is the result of the experiment with rats and mice carried out at Rutgers University?A The electrical activity is emanating from the somatosensory neocortex.B Oscillations in brain waves are from hippocampus.C Somatosensory neocortex and hippocampus work together in memory consolidation.D Somatosensory neocortex plays it primary role in memory consolidation.3. What is the relation of memory to glucose tolerance, as is indicated by a research mentioned in paragraph 4?A People with poor memory have high glucose tolerance.B People with good memory have low glucose tolerance.C Memory level has nothing to do with glucose tolerance.D The poorer the memory, the poorer glucose tolerance.4. In what way is memory related to hippocampus shrinkage?A There is no relation between memory and hippocampus shrinkage.B The more hippocampus shrinks, the poorer ones memory.C The more hippocampus shrinks, the better ones memory.D The less hippocampus shrinks, the poorer ones memory.5. According to the last paragraph, what is the ultimate reason for going to the gym?A To prevent hippocampus shrinkage.B To control weight.C To exercise.D To control glucose levels.答案与解释 :1. A文章第一段告诉我们，科学新发现进一步支持了一种理论，即，当人体进入睡眠状态时，大脑对在白天形成的记忆进行组织和储存。 To sleep. Perchance to file?见注释 1和注释 2。2. C 第二段告诉我们，科学家分析了老鼠的脑电波，尤其是从 somatosensory neocortex和 hippocampus两个区域发出的脑电波。该段是后两句指出，这两个大脑区域的活动是互相作用的。第二段并没有说 somatosensory neocortex或 hippocampus起主导作用。3. D 该段倒数第二句提供了答案。4. B 第四段的后一句中 their brain scans，指上句中的 subjects 5. D 锻炼身体和体重控制能保持葡萄糖水平，闲此，去健身房就有了另外一个理由。睡眠促使记忆归档存储睡觉，说不定就是在整理归类记忆？刊登在最近网上出版的国家科学院文献汇编上的新发现 进一步证明了这个理论：当人体的其他部分在鼾声中安眠时，人体大脑就在整理和储存着甶天形 成的记忆。类国新泽西州立大学的乔治? Buzsaki和他的同事们分析了睡眠中的老鼠和田鼠的脑电波。他 们特别研究了发源于学习记忆中心大脑知觉新皮层（处理知觉信息的区域）和海马状的电流 活动。科学家们发现，这两个区域的脑电波变化仿佛处于交织状态。而数十毫秒后海马状突起发 出的波动将紧跟茬所谓的睡眠纺锤体（新皮层上的种种活动）。这对科学家们假设这两个大脑区 域的互动是理解增强记忆的关键。接下来的研究，同样也是刊登在这周网上出版的国家科学院文献汇编中，是关于与年龄相关 的由于葡萄糖浓度过高引起的记忆衰退。之前的一项研究表明，患糖尿病的人一直受到记忆衰退的困扰。纽约大学医学院的安东尼? 康威特及其同琪在一项新的工程中研究了 30个平均年龄69岁的人，以调查是否血糖浓度，随着 年龄增长而増长，同样会影响健康人的记忆。科学家们实施了回忆测试、脑部扫描和葡萄糖耐S 测试，以便测狱出人体组织从血液中吸收糖分的速度。这组科学家发现，与最次的记忆相对的， 是最低的葡萄糖耐?：。此外，他们的脑部扫描也显示出海马状突起的缩小要比那些更容易从血液 中吸收糖分的人明显。“我们的研究表明，这种海马状突起的缩小对随着人类年龄增大而出现的记忆衰退有着不可 忽视的影响，硪威特指出，“这一发现大大提高了令人兴奋的可能性，即，不断改善葡萄糖耐诳 可以完全改变对某些与年龄相关的认知问题。身体锻炼和体重控制能限制葡萄糖浓度，由此，我们有了另外一个去健身房的理由。第二十六篇Obesity: the Scourge of the Western World Obesity is rapidly becoming a new scourge of the western world, delegates agreed at the 11th European Conference on the issue in Vienna Wednesday to Saturday. According to statements before the opening of the conferenceof 2,000 specialists from more than 50 countries1.2 billion people worldwide are overweight, and 250 million are obese. Professor Bernhard Ludvik of Vienna General Hospital said: “Obesity is a chronic illness. In Germany, 20 per cent of the people are already affected, but in Japan only one per cent. ” But he said that there was hope for sufferers thanks to the new scientific discoveries and medication. Professor Friedrich Hopichler of Salzberg said: “We are living in the new age (but) with the metabolism of a stone-age man.” “I have just been to the United States. It is really terrible. A pizza shop is springing up on every corner. We have been overrun by fast food and Coca-Cola-ization.” Many of the experts stressed that obesity was a potential killer. Hopichler said: “Eighty percent of all diabetics are obese, also fifty per cent of all patients with high blood pressure and fifty per cent with adipose tissue complaints. ” “Ten per cent more weight means thirteen per cent more risk of heart disease. Reducing ones weight by ten per cent leads to thirteen per cent lower blood pressure.” Another expert Hermann Toplak said that the state health services should improve their financing of preventive programs. “Though the health insurance pays for surgery (such as reducing the size of the stomach) when the body-mass index is more than 40. That is equivalent to a weight of 116 kilograms for a height of 1.70 meters. One should start earlier.” Ludvik said that prevention should begin in school. “Child obesity (fat deposits ) correlates with the time which children spend in front of TV sets.” The consequences were only apparent later on. No more than fifteen per cent of obese people lived to the average life expectancy for their population group.1. it is estimated that there are _ people suffering from obesity in the world. A. 250,000,000 B. 1,200,000,000 C. 1,450,000,000 D. 950,000,0002. It seems that the _ people are least affected by obesity among the developed countries and areas mentioned in the passage. A. European B. German C. American D. Japanese3. Which of the following is most often accompanied by obesity? A. high blood pressure. B. Fatty tissue complaints. C. Diabetes. D. Stomach-ache.4. What is the correlation between
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