The poorer mental function seen among alcoholics,many of whom also regularly smoke cigarettes,may be partly due to the long term effects of nicotine(尼古丁),new research suggests.

“People who are also smokers are at a much higher risk,” Dr.Jennifer  M.Glass of the University of Michigan's Addiction Research Center said. In her study,“Cigarette smoking has a bad effect on IQ and thinking,” she said.

This finding may seem counterintuitive(违反直觉的),since many smokers show that they feel quicker and focused after smoking. Indeed,research shows that improved mental functioning is one of the immediate effects of nicotine exposure. Chronic(慢性的)smokinghoweveris known to have the opposite effect. Studies show that up to 87 percent of alcoholics smoke cigarettes.

Yet,few studies have looked into cigarette smoking as a factor that might explain the cognitive(认知的)lack reported among alcoholics. To search for that association,Glass and her colleagues examined brain function among 172 men from the same area,including 103 men who abused alcohol. The team found that men with higher scores on the lifetime alcohol problems scale(LAPS)and those who reported a higher number of pack years of smoking both had lower IQ scores.

Upon further research,the researchers found that smoking also appeared to be independently associated  with weaker word and space reasoning.

Thus,though smoking did not account for all of the decreased mental functioning observed among the alcohol abusers,it did seem to account for some of the effects,the report indicates.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A.Cigarette smoking contributes to decreased IQ and thinking.

B.Alcohol abuse is to blame for the poorer mental function.

C.Most of the alcoholics are also heavy smokers.

D.Non-smokers mostly have higher IQ scores.

2.The underline sentence “Chronic smoking, however, is known to have opposite effect” in paragraph 3  suggests:

A.Chronic smoking can improve mental functioning.

B.Chronic smoking has an immediate influence on mental functioning.

C.Chronic smoking has side effect on mental functioning improvement.

D.Chronic smokers feel quicker and focused after smoking.

3.From the passage we can learn that .

A.cigarette smoking is not related to reasoning

B.nicotine exposure can improve mental functioning temporarily

C.the long term effects of nicotine cause alcoholics

D.men with lower scores on the LAPS have lower IQ scores

4.It can be inferred from the passage that .

A.many alcoholics suffer a great deal from smoking

B.giving up smoking is significantly challenging for the alcoholics

C.alcoholics who do not smoke much have higher IQ scores

D.other factors can cause the poorer mental functioning besides smoking

5.The purpose of this passage is .

A.to warn us of the bad effects of smoking on IQ and thinking

B.to tell us why people are addicted to smoking

C.to give us some advice on how to improve IQ and reasoning

D.to compare the bad effects of alcohol and cigarette

 

Why do people drink too much, eat too much, smoke cigarettes or take drugs? What’s to blame for all the bad behavior? Most people would say that, while these self-destructive acts can have many root causes, they all have one obvious thing in common: they are all examples of failures of self-control, lacking the will power to resist them.

According to a recent study, however, if you really think about it, something about that simple answer doesn’t quite make sense. In fact, it turns out that sometimes it’s having will power that really gets you into trouble.

Think back to the time you took your very first sip of beer. Disgusting, wasn’t it? When my father gave me my first taste of beer as a teenager, I wondered why anyone would voluntarily drink it. And smoking? No one enjoys their first cigarette — it tastes awful. So even though smoking, and drinking alcohol or coffee, can become temptation(attraction) you need will power to resist, they never, ever start out that way.

Just getting past those first horrible experiences actually requires a lot of self-control. Ironically (讽刺的是), only those who can control themselves well, rather than give in to them, can ever come to someday develop a “taste” for Budweiser beer, Marlboro cigarettes, or dark-roasted Starbucks coffee. We do it for social acceptance. We force ourselves to consume alcohol, cigarettes, coffee and even illegal drugs, in order to seem experienced, grown-up, and cool.

These bad habits aren’t self-control failures — far from it. They are voluntary choices, and they are in fact self-control successes. Self-control is simply a tool to be put to some use, helpful or harmful. To live happy and productive lives, we need to develop not only our self-control, but also the wisdom to make good decisions about when and where to apply it.

1.What do most people think causes bad behavior?

A.Being forced by others.

B.Not having enough will power.

C.Enjoying their first experiences.

D.Following the examples of their friends.

2.The author mentions his experience in the third paragraph to prove ____.

A.will power helps develop bad habits sometimes

B.drinking beer is harmful to the health of teenagers

C.self-control should be developed when one is young

D.everyone can be challenged by different temptations

3.In the last paragraph, the author stresses(强调) that ____.

A.without self-control, no one can succeed

B.bad habits don’t always lead to bad results

C.applying self-control correctly is important

D.people can develop wisdom from bad behavior

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A.My First Sip of Beer

B.Do You Have Will Power ?

C.Will Power Benefits Us

D.Dark Side of Self-control

 

As you grow older, you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions—like whether to cut class or try cigarettes. Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure.

Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone’s reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.

Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.

It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.

You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don’t cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won’t do these things either, even if other kids do.

If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust. Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two.

1.For whom is the passage most probably written?

A.Students.

B.Parents.

C.Teachers.

D.Doctors.

2.In the last three paragraphs, the author mainly_____.

A.explains why friendship is so important

B.gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure

C.discusses how peers influence us

D.shows how to make more good friends

3.Which of following may help handle peer pressure?

A.Spending more time with classmates.

B.Taking up more relaxing hobbies.

C.Choosing friends with no bad habits.

D.Helping others who are in trouble.

4.What is the topic of the passage?

A.Friendship.

B.Making decisions

C.Self-confidence

D.Peer pressure

 

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