大学英语课程阅读(四)

成都理工大学外国语学院

〈大学英语精品课程:四级阅读补充材料〉

(CET-4ReadingComprehensionSupplementaryMaterials)

Directions:Thereare30readingpassagesinthispart.Eachpassageisfollowedbysomequestionsor

unfinishedstatements.ForeachofthemtherearefoursuggestedanswersmarkedA,B,CandD.Choose

thebestanswertoeachquestion.

Passage1

Exchangeaglancewithsomeone,thenlookaway.Doyourealizethatyouhavemadeastatement?

Holdtheglanceforasecondlonger,andyouhavemadeadifferentstatement.Holditfor3seconds,

andthemeaninghaschangedagain.Foreverysocialsituation,thereisapermissibletimethatyou

canholdaperson'sgazewithoutbeingintimate,rude,oraggressive.Ifyouareonanelevator,

whatgaze-timeareyoupermitted?Toanswerthisquestion,considerwhatyoutypicallydo.You

verylikelygiveotherpassengersaquickglancetosizethemup(打量)andtoassurethemthatyou

meannothreat.Sincebeingclosetoanotherpersonsignalsthepossibilityofinteraction.Youneed

toemitasignaltellingothersyouwanttobeleftalone.Soyoucutoffeyecontact,whatsociologist

ErringGoffman(1963)callsHadimmingofthelights."Youlookdownatthefloor,attheindicator

lights,anywherebutintoanotherpassenger'seyes.Shouldyoubreaktheruleagainststaringata

strangeronanelevator,youwillmaketheotherpersonexceedinglyuncomfortable,andyouare

likelytofeelabitstrangeyourself.

Ifyouholdeyecontactformorethan3seconds,whatareyoutellinganotherperson?Much

dependsonthepersonandthesituation.Forinstance,amanandawomancommunicateinterestin

thismanner.Theytypicallygazeateachotherforabout3secondsatatime,thendroptheireyes

downfor3seconds,beforelettingtheireyesmeetagain.Butifonemangivesanothermana

3-second-plusstare,hesignals,*'lknowyou","1aminterestedinyou,"or"YoulookpeculiarandI

amcuriousaboutyou."Thistypeofstareoftenproduceshostilefeelings.

1.Itcanbeinferredfromthefirstparagraphthat___.

A)everyglancehasitssignificance

B)staringatapersonisanexpressionofinterest

C)agazelongerthan3secondsisunacceptable

D)aglanceconveysmoremeaningthanwords

2.Ifyouwanttobeleftaloneonanelevator,thebestthingtodois__.

A)tolookintoanotherpassengerseyes

B)toavoideyecontactwithotherpassengers

C)tosignalyouarenotathreattoanyone

D)tokeepadistancefromotherpassengers

3.By"adimmingofthelights"(Line13,Para.l)ErvingGoffmanmeans__.

A)closingone'seyes

B)turningoffthelights

C)ceasingtoglanceatothers

D)reducinggaze-timetotheminimum

4.Ifoneislookedatbyastrangerfortoolong,hetendstofeel__.

A)depressed

B)uneasy

C)curious

D)amused

5.Thepassagemainlydiscusses__.

A)thelimitationsofeyecontact

B)theexchangeofideasthrougheyecontact

C)properbehaviorinsituations

D)theroleofeyecontactininterpersonalcommunication.

Passage2

GeraldoRiveraiswellknownforhiscompassionateinvestigativereportsonWABC-TV

EyewitnessNews.Hehasdoneexposes(揭露性报道)ofNewYorkCity'swelfarehotels,the

over-pricingofprescriptiondrugs,anddrugabuse.In1971,hereceivedtheAssociatedPress

BroadcasteroftheYearawardfortheprogramDrugCrisisinEastHarlem.Hereceivedtheaward

againin1972fortheprogramMigrants,DirtCheap.

HismostfamousexposehoweverwasdoneonthehorribleconditionsatStatenIsland's

WillowbrookStateSchool.Itistheworld'slargestinstitutionforthementallydisabled.His

investigationbeganwhenheandhiscameracrewgainedaccesstooneofthebuildings.Geraldo's

emotionallychargedreportsexposedtheunsanitary(不卫生的)conditionsandneglectful,often

abusive,treatmentofthepatients.Hecriedoverwhathediscovered,andhemadehisviewerscry,too.

Theprogramscreatedapublicpleaforreform,andchangesweremade.GovernorNelsonRockefeller

ofNewYorkrestored$20milliontotheschoofsslashedbudget.Theprograms—Willowbrook

earnedhimtheScripps-HowardAward,anEmmy(埃米金像奖),andtheRobertF.Kennedy

JournalismAward.

GeraldoRiverahascontinuedworkingforthementallydisabled.HefoundedOne-to-One,acharity

(慈善机构)thatprovidessmallgrouphomesforthecareofthementallydisabledinthecommunity.

HehostshugeoutdoorfestivalsforthementallydisabledinNewYorkCity'sCentralPark.Healso

wroteabookaboutsomeofthecourageouspeoplehehasmetasaninvestigativejournalist.Itis

calledASpecialKindofCourage.Ashehimselfsays,44Imakenopretense(矫饰)ofobjectivity.But

I'mnotjustinthebusinessofmakingpeoplecry.I'minthebusinessofchange.

6.GeraldoRiveraisworkingasa（n）.

A.newsreporterforanewspaperinNewYork

B.investigativereporterforaspecialTVprogram

C.investigativeofficeroftheNewYorkgovernment

D.philanthropist（慈善家）forthewelfareofthementallydisabled

7.HowmanyawardsdidRiverareceiveforhiswork?

A.Two

B.Three

C.Four

D.Five

8.Rivera'sinvestigationandexposeontheconditionsatWillowbrookStateSchoolledto.

A.thepublicconcernandrequestforchanges

B.theimprovementoftheconditionsthere

C.aconsiderableincreaseintheschoofsbudget

D.alloftheabove

9.Theterm"One-to-One”inthe3rdparagraphrefersto.

A.anorganizationinthecommunitythathelpstakebettercareofthementallydisabled

B.adevicethathelpsmentallydisabledbehavethemselves

C.anorganizationthatprovideshomesforthementallydisabled

D.ahospitalthathelpscurethementallydisabled

10.Theauthorsuggestsinthispassagethat____.

A.Riverahasalwaysbeenobjectiveinreportingwhathefinds

B.Riveranevertriestoconcealhisowncompassioninhisreporting

C.Riverahaschangedpeople'sviewsonthedisabled

D.Rivera'sworkandeffortshavegreatlyimprovedtheconditionsofthedisabledinNew

York.

Passage3

Intheolddays,childrenwerefamiliarwithbirthanddeathaspartoflife.Thisisperhapsthefirst

generationofAmericanyoungsters（年轻人）whohaveneverbeenclosebyduringthebirthofababy

andhaveneverexperiencedthedeathofafamilymember.

Nowadayswhenpeoplegrowold,weoftensendthemtonursinghomes.Whentheygetsick,we

transferthemtoahospital,wherechildrenareforbiddentovisitterminallyillpatients-evenwhen

thosepatientsaretheirparents.Thisdeprives（剥夺）thedyingpatientofsignificantfamilymembers

duringthelastfewdaysofhislifeanditdeprivesthechildrenofanexperienceofdeath,whichisan

importantlearningexperience.

SomeofmycolleaguesandIonceinterviewedandfollowedapproximately500terminallyiii

patientsinordertofindoutwhattheycouldteachusandhowwecouldbeofmorebenefit,notjustto

thembuttothemembersoftheirfamiliesaswell.Weweremostimpressedbythefactthateven

thosepatientswhowerenottoldoftheirseriousillnesswerequiteawareofitspotentialoutcome.

Itisimportantforfamilymembers,anddoctorsandnursestounderstandthesepatients'

communicationsinordertotrulyunderstandtheirneeds,fears,andfantasies(幻想).Mostofour

patientswelcomedanotherhumanbeingwithwhomtheycouldtalkopenly,honestly,andfrankly

abouttheirtrouble.Manyofthemsharedwithustheirtremendousneedtobeinformed,tobekept

up-to-dateontheirmedicalconditionandtobetoldwhentheendwasnear:Wefoundoutthat

patientswhohadbeendealtwithopenlyandfranklywerebetterabletocopewiththeapproachof

deathandfinallytoreachatruestageofacceptancepriortodeath.

11.TheeldersofcontemporaryAmericans__.

A)wereoftenabsentwhenafamilymemberwasbomordying

B)werequiteunfamiliarwithbirthanddeath

C)usuallywitnessedthebirthordeathofafamilymember

D)hadoftenexperiencedthefearofdeathaspartoflife

12.ChildreninAmericatodayaredeniedthechance__.

A)tolearnhowtofacedeath

B)tovisitdyingpatients

C)toattendtopatients

D)tohaveaccesstoahospital

13.Fivehundredcriticallyillpatientswereinvestigatedwiththemainpurposeof__.

A)observinghowtheyreactedtothecrisisofdeath

B)helpingthemandtheirfamiliesovercomethefearofdeath

C)findingouttheirattitudetowardstheapproachofdeath

D)learninghowtobesthelpthemandtheirfamilies

14.Theneedofadyingpatientforcompanyshows__.

A)hisdesireforcommunicationwithotherpeople

B)hisfearofapproachingdeath

C)hispessimisticattitudetowardshiscondition

D)hisreluctancetopartwithhisfamily

15.Itmaybeconcludedfromthepassagethat__.

A)dyingpatientsareafraidofbeingtoldoftheapproachofdeath

B)mostdoctorsandnursesunderstandwhatdyingpatientsneed

C)dyingpatientsshouldbetruthfullyinformedoftheircondition

D)mostpatientsareunabletoacceptdeathuntilitisobviouslyinevitable

Passage4

Theoldestandsimplestmethod,then,ofdescribingdifferencesinpersonalitywastoclassify

peopleaccordingtotypes.SuchasystemiscalledaTypology.

AfamousexampleofthismethodwassetforthinGreeceabouttheyear400B.C.Aphysician

namedHippocratestheorizedthattherewerefourfluids,orhumors,inthebody.Correspondingto

eachhumor,hebelieved,thereexistedadefinitetypeofpersonality.

Thefourhumorswereblood,yellowbile（胆汁）,blackbile,andphlegm（黏液）.Apersonin

whomallfourhumorswereinperfectbalancehadaharmonious（和谐的）personality.Ifaperson

hadtoomuchblood,hewascalledsanguine,orcheerfulandoptimistic.Someonewithtoomuch

yellowbilewascholeric,orirritableandeasilyangered.Toomuchblackbilemadeaperson

melancholy,ordepressedandpessimistic.Anoversupplyofphlegmcausedahumanbeingtobe

phlegmatic,orslowandunfeeling.ScientistshavelongsincediscardedHippocrates,fluidtheory.

Butthenamesofthehumors,correspondingtothesetemperaments（气质），havesurvivedandare

stilluseful,tosomeextent,indescribingpersonality.

Otherfeaturesofpeople,suchastheirfacesandphysiques,havealsobeenusedtoclassify

personality.Today,however,personalitytheoriesandclassificationsmayalsoincludefactorssuch

asheredity,theenvironment,intelligence,andemotionalneeds.Psychology,biology,andsociology

areinvolvedinthesetheories.Becauseofthecomplexityofhumanpersonality,present-daytheories

areoftenverydifferentfromoneanother.Psychologistsvaryintheirideasaboutwhatismost

importantindeterminingpersonality.

16.Thispassagefocuseson_______.

A.thehistoryofthesystemoftypology

B.importantfactorsindeterminingpersonality

C.personalitytheoryandclassification

D.importantfeaturesofhumanbeings

17.AccordingtoHippocrates'fluidtheory,apersonwithaperfectbalanceofallthefourhumors

inhim.

A.washumorousandgoodatsinging

B.hadapleasantandagreeabletemperament

C.wouldalwaysbecheerfulandoptimistic

D.seldomquarreledoffoughtwithothers

18.WhichofthefollowingisNOTtrue?

A.peoplewithtoomuchyellowbilewereeasilyangered

B.thenamesofthefourfluidsarestillusedtoday

C.peoplewithanoversupplyofbloodwouldeasilygetexcited

D.manyfeaturesofhumanbeingshavebeenusedtoclassifypersonality

19.Modernpersonalitytheoriesandclassifications.

A.areoftenverydifferentbecausepersonalityitselfisrathercomplicated

B.involvepsychology,biology,andsociology

C.arebasedonlyonheredity,theenvironment,intelligence,andemotionalneeds

D.alloftheabove

20.Intheforth-comingparagraphs,theauthorismostprobablygoingtotalkabout.

A.somenewinterpretationsoftheHisppocrates,fluidtheory

B.differentopinionsofpsychologistsaboutthefactorsindeterminingpersonality

C.variousdefinitionsoftypologygivenbydifferentpsychologists

D.thecomparisonbetweenpresent-daypersonalitytheoriesandancientpersonalitytheories

Passage5

Spaceisadangerousplace,notonlybecauseofmeteors(流星)butalsobecauseofraysfrom

thesunandotherstars.Theatmosphereagainactsasourprotectiveblanketonearth.Lightgets

through,andthisisessentialforplantstomakethefoodwhichweeat.Heat,too,makesour

environmentendurable.Variouskindsofrayscomethroughtheairfromouterspace,butenormous

quantitiesofradiationfromthesunarescreenedoff.Assoonasmenleavetheatmospheretheyare

exposedtothisradiationbuttheirspacesuitsorthewallsoftheirspacecraft,iftheyareinside,do

preventalotofradiationdamage.

Radiationisthegreatestknowndangertoexplorersinspace.Theunitofradiationiscalled

“rem”.Scientistshavereasontothinkthatamancanputupwithfarmoreradiationthan0.1rem

withoutbeingdamaged;thefigureof60remshasbeenagreedon.Thetroubleisthatitisextremely

difficulttobesureaboutradiationdamage-apersonmayfeelperfectlywell,butthecellsofhisor

hersexorgansmaybedamaged,andthiswillnotbediscovereduntilthebirthofdeformed(畸形的)

childrenorevengrandchildren.

MissionsoftheApolloflightshavehadtocrossbeltsofhighradiationand,duringtheoutwardand

returnjourneys,theApollocrewaccumulatedalargeamountofrems.Sofar,nodangerousamounts

ofradiationhavebeenreported,buttheApollomissionshavebeenquiteshort.Wesimplydonot

knowyethowmenaregoingtogetonwhentheyspendweeksandmonthsoutsidetheprotectionof

theatmosphere,workinginaspacelaboratory.Drugsmighthelptodecreasethedamagedoneby

radiation,butnoreallyeffectiveoneshavebeenfoundsofar.

21.Accordingtothefirstparagraph,theatmosphereisessentialtomaninthat__.

A)itprotectshimagainsttheharmfulraysfromspace

B)itprovidessufficientlightforplantgrowth

C)itsuppliestheheatnecessaryforhumansurvival

D)itscreensoffthefallingmeteors

22.Weknowfromthepassagethat__.

A)exposuretoeventinyamountsofradiationisfatal

B)theeffectofexposuretoradiationisslowincoming

C)radiationisavoidableinspaceexploration

D)astronautsinspacesuitsneedn'tworryaboutradiationdamage

23.TheharmradiationhasdonetotheApollocrewmembers__.

A)isinsignificant

B)seemsoverestimated

C)isenormous

D)remainsunknown

24.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethat__.

A)theApollomissionwasverysuccessful

B)protectionfromspaceradiationisnoeasyjob

C)astronautswillhavedeformedchildrenorgrandchildren

D)radiationisnotathreattowell-protectedspaceexplorers

25.Thebesttitleforthispassagewouldbe__.

A)TheAtmosphereandOurEnvironment

B)ResearchonRadiation

C)EffectsofSpaceRadiation

D)ImportanceofProtectionAgainstRadiation

Passage6

AlthoughtheUnitedKingdomcoversonlyasmallareaoftheearth'ssurface,itrepresentspeople

ofmanydifferentoriginsandcultures.YetallofthemareBritishindeed,itwouldbedifficulttofind

anyoneinmodernBritainwhocouldsaywithcertaintythathisancestorshadnotcometotheBritish

Islesfromsomewhereelse.Who,then,aretoday'sBritainsandwhatkindofpeoplearethey?

ThehistoryofhumansettlementinBritaingoesbacktotheStoneAgehuntersandgathererswho

arrivedfromtheEuropeancontinentabout10,000yearsago.Thepeopleswhofollowedthemwere

settledagriculturalistswhokeptdomesticanimalsandknewhowtomakesimplepottery.Around

2000BCtheseStoneAgepeoplestartedtoerecthugestonemonuments,orhenges,possiblyfor

religiouspurposes.WorkonthehengescontinuedintotheBronzeAge,untilabout1500BC.The

mostimposingandmysteriousoftheseancientmonumentsisStonehenge,onwindsweptSalisbury

plaininsouthwestEngland.

Easycommunicationbetweentheislandsandthecontinentalmainlandmusthaveexistedand,

fromearliesttimes,thisencouragedmigration.BytheendoftheBronzeAge,around700BC,Celtic

peoplehadarrivedfromnorth-westernEuropebringingwiththemarevolutionarynewskill:

ironworking.CeltscontinuedtocomeandsettleinBritainforabout500yearsand,bythetimethe

Romansfirstlandedin55BC,theCelticculturewaswellestablished.Theearliestwrittenrecordsof

Britain'sinhabitantscomefromtheRomanswhoeventuallyconqueredthevariousCeltickingdoms

thenflourishinginEngland,WalesandtheScottishLow-lands.

26.Inthispassagetheauthorintendstotelltheoriginof___.

A.theBritish

B.theCelts

C.theEnglish

D.theRomans

27.Fromthepassageweknowthat.

A.everyoneinBritaincamefromtheBritishIsles

B.almosteveryonecametotheBritishIslesfromsomewhereelse

C.almosteveryoneinBritainhadhisorherfamilyoriginfromtheBritishIsles

D.almosteveryBritishcitizenhadhisorherfamilyoriginfromsomewhereelse

28.Accordingtothepassage,theearliestinhabitantsinBritainwere_____.

A.theearliestagriculturalists

B.Celts

C.StoneAgehuntersandgatherers

D.Romans

29.Thanksto_____wecanlearnabouttheearliestinhabitantsinBritain.

A.Celtsfromnorth-westernEurope

B.StonehengeonSalisburyplain

C.Thewell-establishedCelticculture

D.TheRomansoccupyingtheCelticKingdomsinBritain

30.AccordingtothepassagewhichofthefollowingisNOTtrue?

A.TherewerealreadyreligiousactivitiesinancientBritain.

B.CommunicationbetweentheBritishislandsandthecontinentalmainlandwasconvenientin

theearliesttimes.

C.ThereweremanyCelticKingdomsinBritainwhentheRomanscamein55BC.

D.TherewereblacksmithsinBritainbefore700BC.

Passage7

Theconceptof"environment"iscertainlydifficultandmayevenbemisunderstood;butwe

havenohandysubstitute.Itseemssimpleenoughtodistinguishbetweentheorganismandthe

surroundingenvironmentandtoseparateforcesactingonanorganismintothosethatareinternal

andbiologicalandthosethatareexternalandenvironmental.Butinactualpracticethissystem

breaksdowninmanyways,becausetheorganismandtheenvironmentareconstantlyinteractingso

thattheenvironmentismodifiedbytheorganismandviceversa（反之亦然）.

Inthecaseofmen,thedifficultieswiththeenvironmentalconceptareevenmorecomplicated

becausewehavetodealwithmanasananimalandwithmenasabearer（持有者）ofculture.Ifwe

lookatmanasananimalandtrytoanalyzetheenvironmentalforcesthatareactingontheorganism,

wefindthatwehavetodealwiththingslikeclimate,soil,plants,andsuch-likefactorscommonto

allbiologicalsituations;butwealsofind,always,veryimportantenvironmentalinfluencesthatwe

canonlyclassas“cultural”,which

modifythephysicalandbiologicalfactors.Butmen,asweknowhim,isalwaysabearerofculture;

andifwestudyhumanculture,wefindthatit,inturn,ismodifiedbytheenvironmentalfactorsof

climateandgeography.Wethuseasilygetintogreatdifficultiesfromthenecessityofviewing

culture,atonemoment,asapartofthemanand,atanothermoment,asapartoftheenvironment.

31.Whichofthefollowingwordscanbestdescribethepopularunderstandingof"environment”as

theauthorseesit?

A)Elaborate.

B)Prejudiced.

C)Faultless.

D)Oversimplified.

32.Accordingtotheauthortheconceptof"environment"isdifficulttoexplainbecause_.

A)itdoesn'tdistinguishbetweentheorganismandtheenvironment

B)itinvolvesbothinternalandexternalforces

C)theorganismandtheenvironmentinfluenceeachother

D)therelationshipbetweentheorganismandtheenvironmentisunclear

33.Inanalyzingtheenvironmentalforcesactingonmantheauthorsuggeststhat_.

A)biologicalfactorsarelessimportanttotheorganismthanculturalfactorstoman

B)manandotheranimalsaremodifiedequallybytheenvironmentalforces

C)manismodifiedbytheculturalenvironmentaswellasbythenaturalenvironment

D)physicalandbiologicalfactorsexertmoreinfluenceonotherorganismsthanonman

34.Asforculture,theauthorpointsoutthat_.

A)itdevelopssidebysidewithenvironmentalfactors

B)itisalsoaffectedbyenvironmentalfactors

C)itisgenerallyacceptedtobepartoftheenvironment

D)itisaproductofman'sbiologicalinstincts

35.Inthispassage,theauthorisprimarilyconcernedwith_.

A)theinterpretationoftheterm"environment0

B)thediscussiononorganismsandbiologicalenvironment

C)thecomparisonbetweeninternalandexternalfactorsinfluencingman

D)theevaluationofman'sinfluenceonculture

Passage8

Togetherwithearthquakes,volcanoesarephenomenawhichbothdelightandterrifythehumanmindat

thesametime.Someofthemostbeautifulmountainsintheworld,admiredbyallwhoseethem,arevolcanoes.

Ontheotherhand,volcanoeshavethroughouthistorycausedgreatdestruction.Thetermvolcanoisassociated

withtheislandofVulcanojustnorthofSicily.Inclassicaltimes,thiswasthoughttobethehomeofthegod

Vulcan—thegodofdestruction.Volcanoeshavealwaysbeenobjectsofmystery,andthisistruetodayeven

despitetheadvancesofscience.

Avolcanoisakindofchimney,or“vent"whichgoesdowntoaliquiddeepinsidetheearth,called

“magma”.Threetypesofmaterialcomeoutofthevent:ahotliquidcalledlava,piecesofrock,andgreat

quantitiesofgas.Thelavaandrockoftencollectroundtheventandformwhatisknownasthevolcano'scone.

Volcaniceruptionsvarybetweentwoextremes.Inone,thelavacomesquietlytothesurfaceandflowsawayas

ariver,causinglittledamageexcepttoobjectsdirectlyinitspath.Ontheotherextremegreatexplosionsoccur,

frequentlyblowingawaytheconeandcausinggreatdamage.Thegreatmajorityoftheworld'svolcanoesare

intermediatebetweenthesetwoextremes.

Thereareseveralwaysofclassifyingvolcanoes.Thisisusuallydoneaccordingtothetypeofventorthe

natureoftheexplosion.Accordingtothislatterclassification,themostexplosivetypeofvolcanoisthePelean

type,namedaftertheeruptionofMountPeleeintheLesserAntibesin1902.Thecharacteristicfeatureofthis

typeistheso-called“glowingcloud^^.Thisisagreatcloudofredlavathrownfromthevolcanoathighspeed.

36.Volcanoes.

A.delightpeopleratherthanterrifythem

B.eitherdelightpeopleorterrifythem

C.neitherdelightpeoplenorterrifythem

D.delightpeopleand,ontheotherhand,terrifythem

37.Thefirstparagraphimpliesthatinclassicaltimes.

A.therewerealotofvolcaniceruptionsontheislandofVulcano

B.VulcanlivedontheislandofVulcano

C.theislandofVulcanolay,andstillliestoday,justnorthofSicily

D.therewerealotofvolcaniceruptionsontheislandofSicily

38.Thewordvent(Para.2,Line1)means.

A.somethinglikeachimneyinthevolcano

B.magmadeepinsidetheearth

C.thevolcano'scone

D.lava,rock,andgas

39.Accordingtothispassage,mostoftheworld'svolcaniceruptions.

A.areextremelydestructive

B.causelittledamage

C.areneitherextremelydestructivenorextremelynondestructive

D.areeitherextremelydestructiveorextremelynondestructive

40.Accordingto,thePeleantypeisthemostexplosivetypeofVolcano.

A.thetypeofvent

B.thenatureoftheexplosion

C.thecolouroflava

D.the“glowingcloud^^

Passage9

Ifyouwanttostayyoung,sitdownandhaveagoodthink.Thisistheresearchfindingofa

teamofJapanesedoctors,whosaythatmostofourbrainsarenotgettingenoughexercise—andasa

result,weareageingunnecessarilysoon.

ProfessorTaijuMatsuzawawantedtofindoutwhyotherwisehealthyfarmersinnorthernJapan

appearedtobelosingtheirabilitytothinkandreasonatarelativelyearlyage,andhowtheprocess

ofageingcouldbesloweddown.

WithateamofcolleaguesatTokyoNationalUniversity,hesetaboutmeasuringbrainvolumes

ofathousandpeopleofdifferentagesandvaryingoccupations.

Computertechnologyenabledtheresearcherstoobtainprecisemeasurementsofthevolumeof

thefrontandsidesectionsofthebrain,whichrelatetointellect(智能)andemotion,anddetermine

thehumancharacter.(Therearsectionofthebrain,whichcontrolsfunctionslikeeatingand

breathing,doesnotcontractwithage,andonecancontinuewithoutintellectualoremotional

faculties.)

Contractionoffrontandsideparts-ascellsdieoff—wasobservedinsomesubjectsintheir

thirties,butitwasstillnotevidentinsomesixty-andseventy-yearolds.

Matsuzawaconcludedfromhisteststhatthereissimpleremedytothecontractionnormally

associatedwithage—usingthehead.

Thefindingsshowingeneraltermsthatcontractionofthebrainbeginssoonerinpeopleinthe

countrythaninthetowns.Thoseleastatrisk,saysMatsuzawa,arelawyers,followedbyuniversity

professorsanddoctors.Whitecollarworkersdoingroutineworkingovernmentofficesare,however,

aslikelytohaveshrinkingbrainsasthefarmworker,busdriverandshopassistant.

Matsuzawa'sfindingsshowthatthinkingcanpreventthebrainfromshrinking.Bloodmust

circulateproperlyintheheadtosupplythefreshoxygenthebraincellsneed."Thebestwayto

maintaingoodbloodcirculationisthroughusingthebrain,Mhesays,“Thinkhardandengagein

conversation.Don'trelyonpocketcalculators.'1

41.Theteamofdoctorswantedtofindout__.

A)whycertainpeopleagesoonerthanothers

B)howtomakepeoplelivelonger

C)thesizeofcertainpeople'sbrains

D)whichpeoplearemoreintelligent

42.Onwhataretheirresearchfindingsbased?

A)Asurveyoffarmersin