Question

【题目】

Psychologists(心理学家) are interested in the reasons why some people like taking part in risky sports.

When they studied people who were learning to jump from a plane with a parachute, they found that the parachutists’ bodies produced large amounts of two hormones(激素), adrenaline(肾上腺素) and noradrenaline(去甲肾上腺素), just before they made their jump. These hormones help to prepare us for any sudden activity. Adrenaline increases the heart beat and provides more sugar for the muscles(肌肉), while noradrenaline makes us react(反应) more quickly. However, noradrenaline also supplies energy to a part of the brain which controls feelings of pleasure. A feeling of pleasure caused by this hormone makes certain people want to take part in dangerous sports.

Another possible reason is the level of excitement in part of the brain. According to some psychologists, the brain tries to manage a certain level of excitement. They believe that people who have a low level of excitement look for new experiences in order to fire themselves with excitement, but people who usually have a high level of excitement try to avoid risks in order not to become overexcited. If the psychologists are right, people with a low excitement level are the ones who enjoy taking part in dangerous sports and activities.

It is thought that people with low levels of excitement have a slower-reacting nervous system than people with higher levels. So it may be possible to find out your level of excitement by testing your nervous system. A quick way of doing this is to put some lemon juice on your tongue(舌头). If you produce a lot of saliva(唾液), your nervous system has been affected(影响) by the lemon and so you probably have a high level of excitement; if you produce little saliva, you probably have a low excitement level. If you have a low level, you might enjoy taking part in risky sports. However, this does not mean that you have to try parachuting!

【1】Did the parachutists’ bodies produce large amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline before they made their jump?

_________________________

【2】What does adrenaline increase and provide?

_________________________

【3】Why do people with a high level of excitement try to avoid risks?

_________________________

【4】How can people find out their level of excitement?

_________________________

【5】Who may enjoy taking part in risky activities?

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Answer 1

【答案】

【1】Yes.

【2】Adrenaline increases the heart beat and provides more sugar for the muscles.

【3】In order not to become overexcited.

【4】By testing their nervous system.

【5】People with a low excitement level. / People who produce more noradrenaline. / People who produce little saliva when putting lemon juice on their tongues.

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文，从科学的角度解释了为什么有些人喜欢参加冒险运动。

【1】题意：跳伞者的身体在跳伞前是否会产生大量肾上腺素和去甲肾上腺素？

根据原文When they studied people who were learning to jump from a plane with a parachute, they found that the parachutists’ bodies produced large amounts of two hormones(激素), adrenaline(肾上腺素) and noradrenaline(去甲肾上腺素), just before they made their jump可知，跳伞者的身体在跳伞前会产生大量肾上腺素和去甲肾上腺素。故答案为Yes.

【2】题意：肾上腺素会增加和提供什么？

根据原文Adrenaline increases the heart beat and provides more sugar for the muscles可知，肾上腺素会增加心跳，并为肌肉提供更多的糖。故答案为Adrenaline increases the heart beat and provides more sugar for the muscles.

【3】题意：为什么兴奋程度高的人会试图避免冒险？

根据原文people who usually have a high level of excitement try to avoid risks in order not to become overexcited可知，兴奋程度高的人会尽量避免冒险，以避免变得过于兴奋。故答案为In order not to become overexcited.

【4】题意：人们如何才能了解自己的兴奋程度？

根据原文So it may be possible to find out your level of excitement by testing your nervous system可知，可以通过测试神经系统来了解一个人的兴奋程度。故答案为By testing their nervous system.

【5】题意：谁可能喜欢参加冒险运动？

根据原文noradrenaline also supplies energy to a part of the brain which controls feelings of pleasure. A feeling of pleasure caused by this hormone makes certain people want to take part in dangerous sports可知，去甲肾上腺素也会为大脑控制愉悦感的部分提供能量，这种激素引起的快感使某些人想参加危险的运动。根据原文people with a low excitement level are the ones who enjoy taking part in dangerous sports and activities可知，大脑兴奋程度低的人通常就是那些喜欢参加危险运动和活动的人。根据原文If you produce a lot of saliva(唾液), your nervous system has been affected(影响) by the lemon and so you probably have a high level of excitement; if you produce little saliva, you probably have a low excitement level可知，如果在柠檬的刺激下分泌的唾液很少，说明一个人大脑兴奋程度低，而大脑兴奋程度低的人通常就是那些喜欢参加危险运动和活动的人。总结一下可得下列三类人可能喜欢参加冒险运动：①产生更多去甲肾上腺素的人；②大脑兴奋程度低的人；③当把柠檬汁放在舌头上时很少分泌唾液的人。故答案为People with a low excitement level. / People who produce more noradrenaline. / People who produce little saliva when putting lemon juice on their tongues.