Elderly adults who regularly drink green tea may stay more agile (敏捷的)and independent than their peers over time, according to a Japanese study that covered thousands of people.

Green tea contains antioxidant chemicals (抗氧化化学物质)that may help stop the cell damage that can lead to disease. Researchers have been studying green tea's effect on everything from cholesteroK胆固醇)to the risk of certain cancers, with mixed results so far.

They found those who drank the most green tea were the least likely to develop "functional disability", or problems with daily activities or basic needs, such as dressing or bathing.

Specifically, almost 13 per cent of adults who drank less than a cup of green tea per day became functionally disabled, compared with just over 7 per cent of people who drank at least five cups a day.

The study did not prove that green tea alone kept people agile as they grew older. Green tea lovers gener?ally had healthier diets, including more fish, vegetables and fruit, as well as more education, lower smoking rates , fewer heart attacks and strokes , and greater mental sharpness. They also tended to be more socially active and have more friends and family to rely on. But even with those factors accounted for, green tea itself was tied to a lower disability risk, the researchers said.

People who drank at least five cups a day were one third less likely to develop disabilities than those who had less than a cup per day. Those people who averaged three or four cups a day had a 25 per cent lower risk.

Although it's not clear how green tea might offer a buffer(缓冲物)against disabilities, lead researcher Yasutake Tomata did note that one recent study found green tea extracts(提取物)seem to increase leg muscle strength in older women.

While green tea and its extracts are considered safe in small amounts, they do contain caffeine and small amounts of vitamin K, which means it could affect drugs that prevent blood clotting (凝结成块). 

1.  What does the underlined word "peers" mean in the first paragraph?

A.    People of the same age.

B.    Brothers.

C.    Fathers.

D.    People living in the same neighbourhood.

2.    What does the fifth paragraph mainly tell us?

A.    Why green tea lovers can keep agile.

B.    How the study was proved.

C.    What healthier diets include.

D.    How to lower the disability risk.

3.    What has the researcher Yasutake Tomata discovered?

A.    Those who drank green tea can't develop "func?tional disability".

B.    Green tea alone kept people agile as they grew older.

C.    Green tea extracts seem to increase leg muscle strength in older women.

D.    How green tea might offer a buffer against disabilities.

4.    From the passage we can infer that .

A.    vitamin K is contained in caffeine

B.    vitamin K has an influence on some drugs

C.    vitamin K is bad for our health

D.    vitamin K is good for our blood

B

Have you ever been laughed at by others? Being laughed at is a common fear. But a study found that this fear is not the same around the world. It dif?fers from culture to culture.

People in Finland were the least likely to believe that people laughing in their presence were making fun of them. Less than ten per cent of Finns in the study said they would think that, compared to eighty per cent of people in Thailand.

Some people in the study said they felt unsure of themselves in social situ?ations but hid their feelings of insecurity(不安全).Others said they avoided social situations where they had been laughed at before. The study found that people in Turkmenistan and Cambodia were more likely to be in the first group. They would hide their feelings of insecurity if they were around other people's laughter. But people in Iraq, Egypt and Jordan were more likely to try to avoid such situations if they felt they had been laughed at before.

Shy people often avoid situations that would force them into close contact with other people. They worry that something they say or do will make other people laugh at them. But some people worry much more than others. They may have gelotophobia. Gelos is a Greek word. It means laughter. Phobia means fear. This fear of laughter can be truly sad for those who live with it. It can affect how they lead their lives.

In the study, a team from the University of Zurich led more than ninety researchers from around the world. They wanted to understand the difference between normal shyness and true gelotophobia. Another purpose of the study was to compare the levels of fear of being laughed at in different cultures. The researchers surveyed more than twenty-two thousand people in forty-two dif?ferent languages. The findings appeared in the scientific journal Humour.

6.The author asked a question in the first paragraph in order to____________________ .

A. show his/her doubt                     B.  introduce the topic

C.  ask for the answer                    D.  entertain readers

7. Paragraph 3 mainly tells us______________ .

  A.     people in different cultures show different fears of being laughed at

B.     people in Egypt think people laughing at them are making fun of them

C.     people always try to avoid situations where they may be looked down on

D.     many people usually try to hide their feelings when being laughed at in strange places

8. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

  A.     People in Thailand like making fun of others.

B.     People in Iraq, Egypt and Cambodia often avoided people's laughter.

C.     The study found that people of Finland always made other people laugh.

D.     Some people hid their feelings of insecurity if they felt unsure of themselves.

9.According to the passage, shy people often________________ .

  A.     live their life with great fear

B.     fear that they may hurt others

C.     worry much more than others

D.     avoid getting in touch with others

10. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A. The results of the study.                B.  The introduction to the study.

C. The influence of the study.               D.  The importance of the study.

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