题目内容

A “smart drug” taken by students to improve their performance really does work, scientists have found.

The drug modafinil(莫达非尼) is currently used to treat sleep disorder, but it is widely used off-label by students to help them revise for exams or focus on long essays.

Until now, there has been a lack of clear evidence over whether it can actually boost concentration and alertness. But a new analysis of the research revealed it does improve planning and decision making, flexibility, learning and memory, and even creativity.

The findings raise serious ethical(处方的,道德的) questions about whether modafinil should be “classified, tolerated or condemned”, scientists said.

Professor Guy Goodwin, President of the European College said: “It’s the first real example of a ‘smart drug’, which can genuinely help, for example, with exam preparation.”

Previous ethical discussions around smart drugs assumed major effects of the drugs before it was clear that there were any, he added.

He continued “If correct, the present update means the ethical debate is real: how should we classify, tolerate or condemn a drug that improves human performance?”[

A fifth of university students across the country claim to have taken smart drugs, according to surveys by student newspaper The Tab.

And the use of modafinil is most widespread at Oxford University, where a quarter of students have reported to have used it.

Over the years, universities have discussed how best to respond to the use of smart drugs, and some have suggested Olympic-style doping tests for students sitting exams.

Professor Goodwin said there should be a society-wide debate on how modafinil should be licenced and regulated, as well as what universities should do about its use.

He said: “Regulation has been and remains uncertain. We cannot know either if demand for modafinil in the same societies will actually be significant, whether society will be more accepting and how regulation will then be framed.”

1.Who are likely to turn to the “smart drug” modafinil?

A. Children who lack strength.

B. Students who have poor memory.

C. Old people who have poor sight.

D. Patients who have a heart disease.

2.Why does the writer refer to the students of Oxford University?

A. To show smart drugs enjoy popularity among college students.

B. To prove Oxford University students suffer from a heavy load.

C. To tell us smarts drugs use have spread to England.

D. To explain why Oxford University students are clever.

3.What is the topic of passage?

A. “Smart drugs” also have side effects.

B. Students are addicted to “smart drugs”.

C. A “Smart drug” raises ethical questions.

D. A more effective “smart drags” should be developed.

4.What does Professor Goodwin think of ‘smart drug’ modafinil?

A. Modafinil used as a ‘smart drug’ should be forbidden.

B. Regulation on modafinil remains to be discussed.

C. Our society should accept the use of modafinil.

D. Regulation on modafinil being used as a “smart drug” is necessary.

练习册系列答案
相关题目

As young students gain independence,they can take on science and engineering projects that require more special knowledge.The followings are the best educational toys for middle school students.

Terraforming Mars

The goal of the Terraforming Mars board game is to make the Red Planet fit of human habitation. Players, representing a person sent to the planet to warm it,create oceans and build up the oxygen levels,compete for victory points awarded for building cities or introducing animals.The goals are based on real science—for example,players must found greenhouse gas production to warm the planet.

Recommended ages: 12 and up

Price: $69.99

DIY Cell Phone Equipment

Are you kids begging you for the latest for the latest iPhone?Tell them to build up their own.DIY Cell Phone Equipment will teach young teens about the technology behind their beloved mobile equipment.Kids can turn this Phone equipment into a real working phone.

Recommended ages: 12 and up

Price: $58.99

OWI: 14-in-1 Solar Robot

Kids can experience 14 different robotic models with this solar robot.The robot can move on land and water,and there are two skill levels,which means more experienced builders will still be challenged.The robot is powered by the sun,so you don't have to buy batteries(电池).

Recommended ages: 12 to 15

Price: $24.99

Compound Microscope

Compound Microscope is great for home or classroom explorations.It helps kids get an eyeful of solid samples, such as insects,coins and plants.The microscope also comes with a microtome,dyes,test tubes,a handbook and cleaning tools.

Recommended ages: 12 and up

Price: $89.95

1.These toys may be the best birthday gifts to be sent to .

A. teenagers B. pupils

C. children younger than 12 D. babies

2.Which of the following toys offers information about the Red Planet?

A. OWI: 14-in-1 Solar Robot. B. DIY Cell Phone Equipment.

C. Terraforming Mars. D. Compound Microscope.

3.Compound Microscope will provide buyers the following things except .

A. test tubes B. a battery

C. cleaning tools D. a handbook

4.What can we learn from the text?

A. Mars has been suitable for humans to live on.

B. OWI: 14-in-1 Solar Robot is the most expensive toy.

C. DIY Cell Phone Equpment is the latest iPhone at present.

D. You needn't equip OWI: 14-in-1 Solar Robot with a battery.

How to change the world

You want to change the world, but you aren’t sure where to start. First, remember that changing the world can mean so many different things.

Understand what's wrong.

1.The world is such a big place, so you won't be able to change much if you don't understand what's going on out there. Try to learn about what is happening both home and abroad.

Know that change doesn't come overnight.

2.Try to live your values each day, even if you don't see much appreciable change on a day-to-day level. Work hard and don't give up.
Start small.

Find ways to make a difference every day. It may feel as though you are just one tiny part of a huge system. At first, you almost certainly will be. Be patient.3.. Try to put your activism into practice and make it a reality.

4.

Write letters to newspapers; post an article, video, or idea on the internet; wear a T-shirt. If you think that it is important and worthy of attention, try to raise awareness(意识) by telling as many people as you can.

Consider a career.

Think about which sort of job might put you in the best position to change the world. 5.There are a lot of ways to get paid for adding value to the world. Start researching to find jobs in fields that feel valuable.

A. Read the news.

B. Spread the word.

C. All things begin small

D. Remember that you don’t need to do it alone

E. You could be a teacher, a reporter, or something else.

F. There are other, less public ways to show your support!

G. Don’t expect to change the world with one big heroic act.

The Johnson family from England believe they are lucky to be alive after surviving an incredible incident off the coast of Australia. The Johnsons had been _______ that they might see some whales when they were_______ a yacht — a large expensive boat for a 10-day sailing _______ around the Whitsunday Islands. _______, they had no idea just how _______ their viewing would be. Two hours into their journey a nine-meter-long humpback whale_______ out of the ocean and crashed into their boat before returning to the water.

Mark Johnson, the eldest son, was sailing the yacht when he heard a loud noise. He_______ thought the yacht had hit a rock. However, when he looked up, he saw the whale _______ down the deck of the boat. He told the reporters, “ We were staring into its right eye. It was a very _______ moment. The eye was about the _______ of a dinner plate. It was huge.”

_______ for the Johnson family, no one was hurt, but the yacht suffered _____damage. The whale had ruined the pole and ropes which hold the _______and so the family was left _______ at sea, 10 miles from the shore. The_______ equipment was also damaged, but fortunately they had a cell phone and were able to call for help.

Why the whale jumped onto the yacht is a _______ ,but the family thinks that maybe the boat had not _______ sailed between the whale and its baby calf. Perhaps the whale was trying to_______ its calf when it jumped, hit the yacht by chance.

Whatever the reason, people are completely _______ that this incident happened. There is over 135 million square miles of ocean, so what are the _______ of a whale jumping onto a 30-foot-long yacht? The chance of something like this happening is small, but it just shows that life is full of surprises.

1.A. explained B. learned C. told D. taught

2.A. hiring B. running C. taking D. driving

3.A. competition B. game C. trail D. trip

4.A. Moreover B. Nevertheless C. Worthwhile D. However

5.A. wide B. close C. vivid D. tense

6.A. swam B. leapt C. slipped D. stretched

7.A. suddenly B. occasionally C. immediately D. accidentally

8.A. shooting B. jumping C. falling D. sliding

9.A. exciting B. surprising C. frightening D. astonishing

10.A. size B. sample C. range D. scale

11.A. Certainly B. Luckily C. Definitely D. Possibly

12.A. severe B. extreme C. actual D. special

13.A. boat B. beach C. sail D. journey

14.A. by all means B. in no time C. from then on D. with no way

15.A. radio B. craft C. edition D. compass

16.A. problem B. mystery C. suspect D. question

17.A. carefully B. surely C. deliberately D. simply

18.A. see B. touch C. tend D. reach

19.A. amazed B. worried C. interested D. touched

20.A. marvels B. chances C. predictions D. results

Spain Environmental Project

Full Description

Greenheart Travel? Casita Verde (Green House) is an incredible eco-center situated in a beautiful valley near the village of San Jose, Ibiza. This great Mediterranean island is renowned for its rich culture and incredible scenery. Casita Verde is considered an experiential eco-education center, and showcases the best practices for sustainable living and alternative energies. The center includes almost 14 acres of working farm land created to demonstrate ecological development powered by wind and sun energy.

How You Will Make a Difference:

—Maintain and improve the farm facilities

—Install an alternative energy system

—Promote environmental awareness among visitors

—Cook delicious, organic meals for visitors

—Learn farming that emphasizes the use of renewable natural resources and the enrichment of local ecosystem

Assist with Sunday community visit/meals

Dates: Flexible dates available

Duration: 1 to 12 weeks

Cost Details: fee includes: housing, fool, medical insurance, in-country staff support, pre-departure orienta-tion, in-country orientation, 24-hour emergency contact

A Great Opportunity for: Teens/Professionals

Skills Needed/Experience

Participants should have an active interest in environmental studies/ecology, and strong desire to contribute to the international effort to protect the environment. Those who are interested in it must have extensive hands-on conservation experience and be willing to live rustically(淳朴地)in an alternative community. Some knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not required.

1.What do we know about Casita Verde?

A. It covers about 14 acres in size.

B. It is powered by renewable resources.

C. It is the center of a beautiful valley.

D. It develops its unique culture.

2.What can you do in Casita Verde?

A. Teach visitors how to grow organic plants.

B. Help the local promote environmental awareness.

C. Prepare organic meals for visitors on Sunday.

D. Make research into an alternative energy system.

3.Who are the intended readers of the text?

A. Travelers. B. Famers.

C. Workers. D. Volunteers.

You open your eyes and mouth wide if you see a live rat in your bedroom but you wrinkle your nose and narrow your eyes if you see a dead one in the road. Why is that? Facial expressions are usually thought of as simple tools of communication. But in his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, Charles Darwin proposed that they may prepare us to react to different situations when he noticed that some expressions seemed to be used across cultures and even species. Now Joshua Susskind and his colleagues at the University of Toronto, Canada, have put that idea to the test.

Susskind’s team wondered whether the expressions of fear might improve how sensory (感官的) information is acquired and so sharpen senses. Conversely disgust (厌恶) might weaken the senses, sheltering us from unpleasant sights and smells.

The researchers asked volunteers to complete various tests while holding a fearful, disgusted or neutral expression. In one test, they had to identify when a spot entered their sight. In another they were required to shift their focus as quickly as possible between two targets on a computer screen. It was also measured how much air the volunteers breathed in while expressing fear and disgust.

In each case the wide-eyed faces let significantly more of the world in. Volunteers with wide-open eyes detected surrounding objects more quickly and performed side-to-side eye movements faster. They also took in more air with each breath without any extra effort. An MRI (核磁共振) scan showed the nasal cavity (鼻腔) was enlarged while volunteers held this expression, which could be linked with a greater ability to absorb smells.

“These changes confer the idea that fear, for example, is a posture towards sensory sharpening while disgust a posture towards sensory rejection,” says Susskind. His team is already at work on experiments to explore to what extent the brain can use this extra information to enhance performance.

1.Charles Darwin’s book proposed that facial expressions might _____.

A. act as a simple tool of communication

B. get people ready to the changes of circumstances

C. be difficult to understand in different cultures

D. equip people with the knowledge of other species

2.In Joshua Susskind’s research, the researchers _____.

A. wondered whether there existed other expressions of fear

B. wanted subjects to use facial expressions to complete tests

C. wanted to test how much air subjects breathed in normally

D. wondered whether expressions of disgust weakened our senses

3.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 means that _____.

A. wide-eyed expressions would help you understand the world better

B. facial expressions might result in faster eye movements

C. wide-eyed expressions would help people breathe in more air

D. facial expressions might help people notice more things around

4.In the last paragraph, what might be the new thinking of facial expressions?

A. They might tell the brain how to make use of the facial information.

B. They might explain why people consider fear as a posture towards sharper senses.

C. They might provide extra information to brains thus enhancing performance.

D. They might clarify the relationship between brain and environments.

B

Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said that they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.

How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.

“More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone,” says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers’ bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.

Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some manfen5 school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.

1.What is the new National Sleep Foundation survey on?

A. American kids’ sleeping habits. B. Teenagers’ sleep-related diseases.

C. Activities to prevent sleeplessness. D. Learning problems and lack of sleep.

2. How many hours of sleep do 11-year-olds need every day?

A. 7 hours. B. 8 hours. C. 10 hours. D. 18 hours.

3.Why do teenagers go to sleep late according to Carskadon?

A. They are affected by certain body chemicals.

B. They tend to do things that excite them.

C. They follow their parents’ examples.

D. They don’t need to go to school early.

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网