Not all think laughter is the best medicine, but it seems to help.So scientists carried on a new study of diabetes (糖尿病) patients who were given a good dose of humor for a year to prove it.
Researchers divide 20 high-risk diabetic patients into two groups.Both groups were given standard diabetes medicine.Group L viewed 30 minutes of humor of their choice, while Group C, the control group, did not.This went on for a year of treatments.
By two months into the study, the patients in the laughter group had lower level of the hormones epinephrine (肾上腺素), considered to cause stress, which is known to be deadly.After the 12 months, HDL cholesterol rises 26 percent in Group L but only 3 percent in Group C.In another measure, C-reactive proteins, a maker of heart disease, drop 66 percent in the laughter group but only 26 percent in the control group.
“The best doctors believe that there is a physical good brought about by the positive emotion, happy laughter,” said study leader Lee Berk of Loma Linda University.And other research has found that humor makes us more hopeful.Still, more study is needed, Berk said.The research by Berk found that humor can bring about similar changes in body chemistry, which was proved in the new study.The research result will be presented this month at the meeting in the US.Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine shows that laughter causes the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, increasing blood flow in a way thought to be healthy.
“Lifestyle choices have an important effect on health and these are choices which we and patients should pay attention to, rather than prevention and treatment,” Berk said in a statement this week.
【小题1】Why did the scientists carry on the new research?
| A.To find out if laughter was good to health. |
| B.To discover the best medicine to cure diabetes. |
| C.Because the number of diabetic patients is the largest in the world. |
| D.Because diabetic patients need more laughter than other patients. |
| A.C-reactive proteins increase 66 percent in Group C |
| B.the level of the hormones epinephrine stays the same in both groups |
| C.the level of the hormones epinephrine has dropped |
| D.C-reactive proteins reduced 66 percent in Group L |
| A.something bad to our health | B.something good to our health |
| C.a kind of wonderful medicine | D.a kind of dangerous disease |
| A.Blood is made thick by laughter. | B.Laughter makes blood vessels thin. |
| C.Laughter increases blood pressure. | D.Laughter makes blood flow fast. |
| A.choose lifestyles carefully | B.change our lifestyles |
| C.prevent our lifestyles in advance | D.pay less attention to the positive emotion |
Have you ever been in a situation, where you felt uneasy because of something you think you may have forgotten to do or perhaps a feeling that you annoyed someone whom you wanted to get along with really well. If you have experienced such feelings and worse on a regular basis, then you most probably are a victim of anxiety attacks.
All of us, to some extent, have experienced anxiety at different levels. There are somethings you may know about anxiety, and some things that you may not be familiar with. So in order to be prepared for your unexpected feeling of anxiety, you need to get to know what anxiety is before it escalates into a panic attack.
Anxiety is simply the feeling of discomfort, uneasiness or fear of what may eventually happen resulting from an imagined, or a real threatening condition. On the extreme end panic attacks can occur due to heightened(增加) feelings of anxiety.
There are two main symptoms(症状) during an anxiety / panic attack and these are physical and emotional symptoms. Physical symptoms include difficulty in breathing, shaking, direct feeling of heat, rapid heartbeat and tiredness while emotional symptoms deal with worrying, depression, fear, and lack of focus.
In spite of the negative impression we have for anxiety, it is not dangerous in any way whatever. The feeling of anxiety is not bad, in fact it’s more of a defensive feeling which protects us from possible danger by engaging a response within us in fight or fight situations. So it’s not the “bad guy”, you just have to learn how to control it. Panic attacks, however, are far more dangerous and should be a concern to your health. Panic can sometimes result in blurred (模糊不清的) vision, difficulty in breathing due to a tight chest. The best way to different anxiety from any serious illness is to ask a medical expert for advice on a regular basis.
【小题1】According to the passage, a panic attack is _______________.
| A.as serious as an anxiety attack | B.not so serious as an anxiety attack |
| C.resulted from an anxiety attack | D.resulted in an anxiety attack |
| A.happens suddenly | B.becomes more serious |
| C.mixes things together | D.connects something with |
| A.he doesn’t want to have anything to eat |
| B.he has trouble in hearing and vision |
| C.he is always worried about others |
| D.he can’t pay attention to what he does |
| A.an anxiety attack does good to us | B.an anxiety attack does no harm to us |
| C.an anxiety attack is a serious illness | D.an anxiety attack is very dangerous |
| A.Symptoms of Anxiety Attacks | B.Ways of Getting Rid of Anxiety |
| C.Harm Caused by Anxiety | D.Getting to know Anxiety |
The meal you eat after exercising matters! No matter what time of day you exercise, the key is to follow the exercise up with meals that supply enough nutrition. For the best results, eat within thirty to sixty minutes after exercising, when the muscles are at the best time to take in nutrients.
Here are some ideas for meals after exercising.
Home-made sports-recovery drink
Mix banana, milk, and yogurt to make a fresh and satisfying sports-recovery drink. Dairy products like milk and yogurt work double duty, providing both protein and carbohydrates (碳水化合物). A cup of coffee, on the other hand, is a poor choice.
Protein-packed sandwich
You can't go wrong with a sandwich after exercising-it's got everything in a hand-held package. Sandwiches provide the salt you need to replace what you have lost by sweating, while the tomatoes in them supply plenty of Vitamin C. Try using whole-wheat bread to give yourself more fiber. The cheese and fresh vegetables in sandwiches are also great for helping tired muscles recover.
Power breakfast
An egg sandwich is a perfect post-exercise breakfast. There's protein in both the yolk (蛋黄) and the white of the egg. This recipe increases your protein intake while keeping calories and fat under control. Eggs also contain zinc (锌), which helps protect against disease.
Plant-based protein
Beans are an amazing source of plant-based protein and carbohydrates. Make a large bowl of bean salad in the beginning of a week, and you'll have a great post-exercise meal that's ready whenever you need it
【小题1】Why does the author advise eating a protein-packed sandwich after exercising?
| A.It helps increase the protein in your body. |
| B.It has plenty of fat and calories |
| C.The things in it help you recover. |
| D.It is an amazing source of carbohydrates. |
| A.Eat cheese and fresh vegetables. |
| B.Drink as much milk and yogurt as possible. |
| C.Eat whole-wheat bread instead of a sandwich. |
| D.Eat and drink as soon as possible. |
| A.It's the best time for muscles to take in nutrients within 30 to 60 minutes after exercising. |
| B.It's best for you to have an egg sandwich after exercising. |
| C.A cup of coffee will help you recover after exercising. |
| D.Bean salad is another great meal for post-exercising. |
| A.The healthy eating habits of athletes. | B.The best time for exercising. |
| C.How to warm up before exercising. | D.What to eat after exercising. |
SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.
"Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of p
assive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medica![]()
l Center.
"Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke."
Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer.
Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as qui
ckly as their peers.
Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 p
ercent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke.
"Th
ough doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15.The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said.
"There are more young smokers than before.You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street.Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center.
"Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents.If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop
a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said.
Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers.Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco.
【小题1】What is the main idea of the passage?
| A.About half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke. |
| B.Experts are calling for more protection for youngsters from smoking. |
| C.More and more youngsters are picking up the habit of smoking. |
| D.Smoking does great harm to the health of the youngsters. |
| A.Children of non-smoking mothers. | B.Children of non-smoking fathers. |
| C.Children of heavy smokers. | D.Children from some |
| A.Cancer. | B.Behavioral problems. | C.Sore throats. | D.Coughs. |
| A.complete | B.simple | C.great | D.bad |
| A.About 80% of the children in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center smoke heavily. |
| B.About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in |
| C.About 540 million people are heavy smokers in China. |
| D.Children aged between 13 to 18 are more likely addicted to smoking. |
There is a joke among flu researchers: “If you've seen one flu season, you've seen one flu season.” The joke is about the unpredictable nature of the flu virus. Every year it looks different, and every strain (类型) follows its own pattern — it's the reason why new strains like H1N1 are extremely difficult to predict.
Dr. Michael Osterholm is a former adviser to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “I know less about influenza today than I did 10 years ago,” he says in a joking way. “Every stone we've turned over, we get more questions.”
The flu rectums every season and the world experiences terrible pandemics (全国或全世界范围流行的疾病), but researchers still do not understand why some strains infect people and others do not; they are not entirely sure about how the flu is transmitted; nor do they understand why some patients become seriously ill while others develop mild symptoms (症状). As a result, when a new strain shows up — like H1N1 — they often have little information to fall back on, and the lessons of previous pandemics are only somewhat helpful. While researchers are still putting together a complete picture of H1N1, for example, its most striking difference with the seasonal flu is that the elder1y are not the most vulnerable (易受攻击的) population.
Influenza's unpredictable nature makes it a moving target for researchers, says researcher Allison Aiello at the University of Michigan. “Even if we had complete seasonal flu data from the past, it wouldn't be much helpful for a new strain of influenza,” she explains.
Whi1e researchers are frustrated by the holes in their knowledge, they say, however, that the pub1ic--health community is generally doing a very good job responding to H1N1 with seasonal flu data that do exist. Studying influenza, says Osterholm, is “like looking through the windows of a house you can't get into because the door is locked.” Gathering the data researchers do have is like “looking through the windows to get a pretty good picture of what the inside looks like.”
One thing researchers do know for sure: the best way for people to protect against H1N1 is to get the vaccine once it becomes available to them.
【小题1】What do we learn about H1N1 from the passage?
| A.In fact it is not a kind of influenza virus. |
| B.It is quite possible to predict it in theory. |
| C.Old people are more likely to contract it than kids. |
| D.Receiving vaccines will be effective to protect against it. |
| A.rely on | B.pass on | C.col1ect | D.exchange |
| A.It is useless to study them. |
| B.It is still necessary to study them. |
| C.They are misleading most of the time. |
| D.They are much more helpful than expected. |
| A.Outbreaks of the flu | B.Symptoms of the flu |
| C.Mysteries of the flu | D.Risks of the flu |
American farmers are raising five percent more goats for meat these days.
Goat meat is high in protein(蛋白质)and lower in unhealthy fat than many other meats.Even so,the industry is small compared to chicken,beef and pork. But immigration has brought more of a taste for goat to America from all over the world.
Experts from the University of Illinois offer some questions for people to consider if they are thinking about raising goats.
First of all,do you understand that there always has to be someone to care for the goats?
◆How much land do you have available? And how good is it? Poor ground may support two to four goats on half a hectare.Better grassland can support six to eight. If goats and cattle share the land,two goats can be added for each cow. The goats will eat weeds and other plants that cattle do not like.
◆Do you have buildings for the number of female goats you plan to keep during winter? An open,cold,dry barn is better than a closed,warm barn where the air is wet.
◆Do you have the equipment to clean barns(畜棚) and to harvest hay(草料) to feed your goats? Or will you get someone else to do it,or buy the hay?
The experts say a profitable business in goat meat may take three to five years to establish.And, of course, there are no guarantees .
【小题1】On which section of a newspaper will this passage appear?
| A.International Affairs | B.Entertainment |
| C.Agriculture | D.Culture |
| A.Goat meat is healthy food. |
| B.Immigrants bring different tastes. |
| C.The industry still leaves room for profit. |
| D.Raising goats is challenging. |
| A.32 cows and 64 goats. | B.32 cows and 32 goats. |
| C.16 cows and 32 goats. | D.8 cows and 16 goats. |
| A.You can make sure money. |
| B.You had better be cautious and patient. |
| C.Goats are hardly possible to raise. |
| D.Goat meat still needs to be recognized. |
American society is not nap (午睡)friendly . In fact , says David Dings , sleep specialist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine , “There’s even a prohibition (禁止) against admitting we need sleep”. Nobody wants to be caught napping or found asleep at work . To quote a proverb : “Some sleep five hours , nature requires seven , laziness nine and wickedness(淘气的) eleven.”
The way not to fall asleep at work is to take naps when you need them . “We have to totally change our attitude toward napping ,” says Dr. William Dement of Stanford University , the godfather of sleep research .
Last year a national commission led by Dement identified(发现) an “American sleep debt” which one member said was as important as the national debt . The commission was concerned about the dangers of sleepiness : people causing industrial accidents or falling asleep while driving . This may be why we have a new sleep policy in the White House . According to recent reports , President Clinton is trying to take a half---hour snooze (瞌睡) every afternoon .
About 60 percent of American adults nap when given the opportunity . We seem to have “a mid afternoon quiet phase ,” also called “a secondary sleep gate .” Sleeping 15 minutes to two hours in the early afternoon can reduce stress and make us refreshed . Clearly , we were born to nap .
We superstars of snooze don’t nap to replace lost shut--eye or to prepare for a night shift . Rather , we “snack” on sleep ,whenever , wherever and at whatever time we feel like it . I myself have napped in buses , cars , planes and on boats ; on floors and beds ;and in libraries , offices and museums .
【小题1】The research done by the Dement Commission shows that Americans .
| A.don’t like to take naps |
| B.are terribly worried about their national debt |
| C.think that lack of enough sleep causes many accidents |
| D.have caused many industrial and traffic accidents |
- warn us of the wickedness of napping
C. discuss the side effects of napping
D. convince the reader of the necessity of napping
【小题3】The “American sleep debt”(Line 1 , Para .3) is the result of .
- the traditional misconception the Americans have about sleep
- the new sleep policy of the Clinton Administration
- the rapid development of American industry
- the Americans’ worry about the danger of sleepiness
- preferable to have a sound sleep before a night shift
- good practice to eat something light before we go to bed
- essential (基本的) to make up for lost sleep
- natural to take a nap whenever we feel the need for it
I know what you’re thinking : pizza? For breakfast? But the truth is that you can have last night’s leftovers in the a. m. if you want to.
I know lots of women who skip breakfast , and they have a ton of different excuses for doing it . Some say they don’t have time. others think they’re “saving” calories, still others just don’t like breakfast food .
But the bottom li
ne is that eating in the morning is very important when you’re trying to lose weight. “Eating just about anything from 300 to 400 calories would be better than nothing at all,” says Katherine Brooking , R , D , who developed the super-easy eating plan for this year’s “SELF CHALLENGE”. And even pizza can be healthy if it’s loaded with vegetables, and you stick to one small piece.
Breakfast is one meal I never miss, and the same goes for most weight loss success stories. Research shows that eating breakfast keeps you from overeating later in the day. Researchers at
the University of Southem California found that breakfast s
kippers have a bigger chance of gaining weight than those who regularly have a morning meal.
So eat something in the morning, anything. I know plenty of friends who end up having no breakfast altogether, and have just coffee or orange juice. I say, try heating up last night’s leftovers-it may sound crazy, but if it works for you, do it! I find if I tell myself, “You can always eat it tomorrow,” I put away the leftovers instead of eating more that night. Try it…you may save yourself some pre-bedtime calories. And watch your body gain the fat-burning effects.
【小题1】The word “leftovers” in Paragraph 1 probably means__________.
| A.things left undone | B.food remaining after a meal |
| C.meals made of vegetables | D.pizza topped with fruit |
| A.Working women usually have breakfast in a hurry. |
| B.There are some easy ways of cooking a meal. |
| C.Many people have wrong ideas about breakfast. |
| D.Eating vegetables helps save energy. |
| A.eat something for breakfast | B.put away the leftovers instead of eating more. |
| C.heat up leftovers for breakfast | D.eat calorie-controlled food |
| A.who go to work early | B.who stay up late |
| C.who want to lose weight | D.who eat before sleep |