Say sorry to your wife---it may help her live longer, according to scientists.
“Sorry” may be the hardest word, but scientists say it could be one of the healthiest. Researchers have discovered that women who receive an apology for hurtful behavior suffer less stress and possible damage to their heart than those who don’t.
It is said that the heartbeat of a wronged woman returns to normal 20 percent quicker after a well-timed “sorry” than without it. But for men, their heartbeat takes longer to recover, according to the research.
The research was undertaken by American scientists using 29 men and 59  women whose diastolic blood pressure was measured throughout an experiment. Diastolic blood pressure
is a measure of pressure in the blood vessels( 血管 ) between heartbeats---if it is continuously high it can increase the chances of heart attacks.
The men and women were asked to undertake a difficult mathematical task. They were told they had five minutes to complete it but were disturbed after a minute and told rudely to carry out the task more quickly. They were disturbed twice more before five minutes had passed and told to speed up. Finally they were told, “ You’re obviously not good enough.” Two minutes later researchers said sorry to half of the men and women.
The researchers found that, on average, the women’s diastolic blood pressure dropped back to normal 20 percent---quicker if they received an apology from the researchers, while the men’s took 20 percent longer to return to normal. One of the researchers said, “Results indicates that the effects of apology and forgiveness on women are greater.”
【小题1】The term “sorry” is considered as one of the healthiest words because it _________.

Say sorry to your wife---it may help her live longer, according to scientists.
“Sorry” may be the hardest word, but scientists say it could be one of the healthiest. Researchers have discovered that women who receive an apology for hurtful behavior suffer less stress and possible damage to their heart than those who don’t.
It is said that the heartbeat of a wronged woman returns to normal 20 percent quicker after a well-timed “sorry” than without it. But for men, their heartbeat takes longer to recover, according to the research.
The research was undertaken by American scientists using 29 men and 59  women whose diastolic blood pressure was measured throughout an experiment. Diastolic blood pressure
is a measure of pressure in the blood vessels( 血管 ) between heartbeats---if it is continuously high it can increase the chances of heart attacks.
The men and women were asked to undertake a difficult mathematical task. They were told they had five minutes to complete it but were disturbed after a minute and told rudely to carry out the task more quickly. They were disturbed twice more before five minutes had passed and told to speed up. Finally they were told, “ You’re obviously not good enough.” Two minutes later researchers said sorry to half of the men and women.
The researchers found that, on average, the women’s diastolic blood pressure dropped back to normal 20 percent---quicker if they received an apology from the researchers, while the men’s took 20 percent longer to return to normal. One of the researchers said, “Results indicates that the effects of apology and forgiveness on women are greater.”

1. 1.

   The term “sorry” is considered as one of the healthiest words because it _________.

   1. A.
      is the most powerful
   2. B.
      can cure heart disease
   3. C.
      helps people forget hurtful behavior
   4. D.
      can reduce pressure and damage to the heart
2. 2.

   We can know from Paragraph 3 _________.

   1. A.
      women’s hearts beat faster than men’s
   2. B.
      women are quicker at making apologies
   3. C.
      men can forgive others’mistakes more easily than women
   4. D.
      men stay angry for a longer time than women after receiving an apology
3. 3.

   Which of the following is the RIGHT time order for events in the study?
   a. Half of them received apologies.
   b. They were disturbed a minute later.
   c. They were told that they weren’t good enough.
   d. They were asked to finish a math task in five minutes.
   e. They were disturbed two more times during the study.

   1. A.
      d-b-c-e-a
   2. B.
      d-c-b-a-e
   3. C.
      d-b-e-c-a
   4. D.
      d-c-b-e-a
4. 4.

   The research confirmed (证实) that _________.

   1. A.
      men are unwilling to apologize to others for their mistakes
   2. B.
      men’s chances of getting heart attacks are higher than women’s
   3. C.
      women can benefit more from receiving apologies than men
   4. D.
      people can also get healthy benefits from giving apologies

Women who want to succeed at work should resist the temptation to act like men, scientists have said. Studies show that ambitious women are often less likely to get ahead than those who show more female characteristics. However, if they try to adapt, promotion comes their way. The findings, which will let assertive (过分自信的) women down, suggest that the best way for a woman to succeed in a man’s world is to act like a lady.
Past research has shown that women with self-confidence and other characteristics linked with successful management can be put aside at work in favor of gentle types. It is thought that while such characteristics are highly praised in men, ambitious women are penalized for not being feminine enough. Instead of being seen as strong managers, ambitious women are in an unfavorable situation.
In one US study, researchers explored personal details from university students applying for a summer job at a bank. A women applicant who attempted to apply for special wages to pay her transport or living costs was three and a half times less likely to get a job offer than a similar male. In fact, this kind of woman was the least likely to get taken on.
The latest study set out to explore what women who are naturally assertive could do to get ahead in the workplace. Eighty young men and women completed surveys about their personality while studying in college. Around eight years later, the researchers got back in touch with them to find out how their careers were going. Some had been promoted five times, others just once or twice. The results showed that ambitious women who stick to their decisions had been promoted less than more feminine groups. But the ambitious women who made a conscious effort to not appear to be threatening by “self-controlling” their behavior had done better than those who had carried on ignoring others’ views.
【小题1】 What does the underlined word “penalized” mean in the second paragraph?

Women who want to succeed at work should resist the temptation to act like men, scientists have said. Studies show that ambitious women are often less likely to get ahead than those who show more female characteristics. However, if they try to adapt, promotion comes their way. The findings, which will let assertive (过分自信的) women down, suggest that the best way for a woman to succeed in a man’s world is to act like a lady.

   Past research has shown that women with self-confidence and other characteristics linked with successful management can be put aside at work in favor of gentle types. It is thought that while such characteristics are highly praised in men, ambitious women are penalized for not being feminine enough. Instead of being seen as strong managers, ambitious women are in an unfavorable situation.

   In one US study, researchers explored personal details from university students applying for a summer job at a bank. A women applicant who attempted to apply for special wages to pay her transport or living costs was three and a half times less likely to get a job offer than a similar male. In fact, this kind of woman was the least likely to get taken on.

   The latest study set out to explore what women who are naturally assertive could do to get ahead in the workplace. Eighty young men and women completed surveys about their personality while studying in college. Around eight years later, the researchers got back in touch with them to find out how their careers were going. Some had been promoted five times, others just once or twice. The results showed that ambitious women who stick to their decisions had been promoted less than more feminine groups. But the ambitious women who made a conscious effort to not appear to be threatening by “self-controlling” their behavior had done better than those who had carried on ignoring others’ views.

1. What does the underlined word “penalized” mean in the second paragraph?

   A. Treated badly                             B. Asked to leave

   C. Looked down upon                          D. Made sb. have a disadvantage

2.According to the passage, if an ambitious woman and a similar man both ask the company for an extra payment, ______.

   A. the woman is less likely to be accepted

   B. the woman will work harder if she gets the payment

   C. the man can make a good impression on the boss

   D. they can be both accepted if they use proper words

3.The ambitious women in the latest study ______.

   A. had been promoted only once or twice

   B. tried hard to be as successful as gentle types

   C. were more accepted at work after they controlled their behavior

   D. filled in the surveys after they graduated from college

4.What can we learn from the passage?

   A. Successful management is highly praised in women.

   B. Some women will be disappointed by the massage.

   C. Men acting like a lady are likely to be promoted at work.

   D. The latest study was aimed at how to become a successful boss.

5.What’s the main idea of the passage?

   A. How assertive women can control their behavior.

   B. Feminists can do better by controlling their behavior.

   C. Acting like a man won’t get women promoted at work.

   D. How the ambitious women can avoid acting like men.

“If you talk to the plants, they will grow faster and the effect is even better if you’re a woman.” Researchers at Royal Horticultural Society carried out an experiment to find that the voice of a woman gardener makes plants grow faster.
The experiment lasted a month and by the end of the study scientists managed to discover that tomato plants grew up two inches taller when women gardeners talked to them instead of male.
Sarah Darwin was the one making the plants registered the best growth. Her voice was the most “inspiring” for plants than those of nine other gardeners when reading a passage from The Origin of Species. The great-great-granddaughter of the famous botanist(植物学家) Charles Darwin found that her plant grew about two inches taller than the plant of the best male gardener.
Colin Crosbie, Garden Superintendent at RHS, said that the finding cannot yet be explained. He assumes that women have a greater range of pitch（音高） and tone（音调） which might have a certain effect on the sound waves that reach the plant. “Sound waves are an environmental effect just like rain or light ,”said Mr Grosbie.
The study began in April at RHS Garden Wisley in Survey. Scientists started with open auditions(听力) for the people who were asked to record passages from John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer's Night Dream and Darwin's The Origin of Species.
Afterwards researchers selected a number of different voices and played them to 10 tomato plants during a period of a month. Each plant had headphones（耳机） connected to it. Through the headphones the sound waves could hit the plants. It was discovered that plants that “listened” to female voices on average grew taller by an inch in comparison to plants that heard male voices.
Miss Darwin said, “I think it is an honor to have a voice that can make tomatoes grow, and especially fitting because for a number of years I have been studying wild tomatoes from the Galapagos Island at the Natural History Museum in London.”

1. 1.

   What does the passage talk about?

   1. A.
      Plants enjoy men’s voices than women’s
   2. B.
      A botanical experiment in a museum
   3. C.
      Voice’s influence on plant growing
   4. D.
      Strange phenomenon（现象） at Royal Horticultural Society
2. 2.

   What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 4 mean?

   1. A.
      Plants need sound as well as rain and light
   2. B.
      Sound is basic for the plant to grow
   3. C.
      Sound has a good effect as rain or light does
   4. D.
      Plants can’t live without sound, rain or light
3. 3.

   Sarah Darwin is most likely a (an)_____

   1. A.
      botanist
   2. B.
      gardener
   3. C.
      astronomer
   4. D.
      environmentalist
4. 4.

   What can we learn from the passage?

   1. A.
      The experiment ended in May
   2. B.
      Scientist can explain the findings clearly
   3. C.
      Plants enjoy listening to the passages from masterpieces
   4. D.
      The findings are of great importance to human beings