Fear may be felt in the heart as well as in the head, according to a study that has found a link between the cycles of a beating heart and the chance of someone feeling fear.
Tests on healthy volunteers found that they were more likely to feel a sense of fear at the moment when their hearts are contracting(收缩) and pumping blood around their bodies, compared with the point when the heartbeat is relaxed. Scientists say the results suggest that the heart is able to influence how the brain responds to a fearful event, depending on which point it is at in its regular cycle of contraction and relaxation.
Sarah Garfinkel at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School said: "Our study shows for the first time that the way in which we deal with fear is different depending on when we see fearful pictures in relation to our heart."
The study tested 20 healthy volunteers on their reactions to fear as they were shown pictures of fearful faces. Dr Garfinkel said, "The study showed that fearful faces are better noticed when the heart is pumping than when it is relaxed. Thus our hearts can also affect what we see and what we don't see - and guide whether we see fear."
To further understand this relationship, the scientists also used a brain scanner(扫描仪) to show how the brain influences the way the heart changes a person's feeling of fear. “We have found an important mechanism by which the heart and brain ‘speak’to each other to change our feelings and reduce fear," Dr Garfinkel said.
"We hope that by increasing our understanding about how fear is dealt with and ways that it could be reduced, we may be able to develop more successful treatments for anxiety disorders, and also for those for those who may be suffering from serious stress disorder."What is the finding of the study?
| A．One's heart affects how he feels fear. |
| B．fear is a result of one's relaxed heartbeat. |
| C．fear has something to do with one's health. |
| D．Ones fast heartbeats are likely to cause fear. |
The study was carried out by analyzing _______.
| A．volunteers' heartbeats when they saw terrible pictures |
| B．the time volunteers saw fearful pictures and their health conditions |
| C．volunteers' reactions to horrible pictures and data from their brain scans |
| D．different pictures shown to volunteers and their heart-brain communication |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to "mechanism" in Paragraph 6?
| A．Order. | B．system. | C．machine. | D．treatment. |
This study may contribute to _______.
| A．treating anxiety and stress better |
| B．explaining the cycle of fear and anxiety |
| C．finding the sky to the heart-brain communication |
| D．understanding different fears in our hearts and heads |
Computer technology is still developing rapidly. The computer of the future will continue to increase in value and performance while decreasing in cost. It will become smaller, but faster and more powerful.
It is possible to make some guesses about what the future of the computer will look like, based upon the types of technologies that are being developed now. A lot of progress has already been made in some of these new technologies, but some are still in their earliest stages and may not be ready for use for years. Two of the most interesting areas of computing that are currently being developed are quantum computing (量子计算) and nanotechnology (纳米技术).
Quantum computing is one possibility for the future of the computer that could make computers run far faster than even the quickest computers do today. Quantum computers could be able to do what modern supercomputers are unable to do by using transistors that are able to take on many states at the same time.
Nanotechnology could also change the face of computing, by creating computers that could be very powerful, though they are tiny in size. These computers could be incorporated (并入) into everyday objects, including electrical appliances (电器), clothes and even the human body. We will be able to use computers in new and unimaginable ways. They will become a part of our lives rather than simply being a box that is used only for specific purposes, such as work.
Quantum computing and nanotechnology will be able to play new roles, which will make us live greener lives, as well as enjoy better health and happier lives.Which of the following can NOT describe the computer of the future properly?
| A．Much smaller. |
| B．Much faster. |
| C．More powerful. |
| D．Less valuable. |
According to the text, quantum computing _____.
| A．has been put in use so far |
| B．can make computers run by themselves |
| C．can reduce the cost of computers |
| D．will work by using transistors |
We can learn from the text that nanotechnology will _____.
| A．create much smaller computers |
| B．be used in electrical appliances and clothing |
| C．change the structure of computers |
| D．make computers just serve specific purposes |
The text is mainly about _____.
| A．what nanotechnology is |
| B．what quantum computing is |
| C．what the future of the computer is |
| D．what future computers can bring us |
In the United States, many low income (低收入) parents cannot afford to buy enough food for their children. A program called Kids Café is helping some of these children by providing free nutritious (有营养的) snacks and meals during after-school programs.
At a community (社区) center in Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C., children make a snack as part of their afterschool program. “The snack is very healthy for your body, but the main thing is that it tastes really, really good,” Keith Clements tells them. He runs the Kids Café program.
The children are between the ages of 5 and 11 and are from several local schools. About half have parents from Ethiopia. Many of the children eat their traditional food at home. Kids Café, with food offered free by a food bank, gives them an opportunity to try different types of food.
“It’s good,” says one girl. But Rebecca Nance, whose parents are from the US, is not so sure. “The taste is weird.” Her mother, Daffany Nance has two children in the program. She’s glad her kids are getting nutritious food. “Even in my house we don’t have much junk food,” she says, “so it’s very important that it’s healthy and continues to help them grow better.”
The charity (慈善机构), Feeding America, started the national Kids Café program in 1993. The charity says more than 16 million children in the United States do not have enough healthy food to eat.
Kids Café became part of the afterschool program at this community center five years ago. Lori McFail heads the afterschool program. She says some children do not eat good evening meals because their parents work late or cannot afford healthy food. She hopes the children will make full use of what they’ve learned about nutrition in their lives.What is the purpose of starting Kids Café?
| A．To provide poor children with nutritious food. |
| B．To raise money for some poor children. |
| C．To develop the afterschool program. |
| D．To help poor children learn new skills. |
The underlined word “weird” is the closest in meaning to _____.
| A．delicious | B．unusual |
| C．terrible | D．strong |
What can we learn about Daffany Nance?
| A．She is from Ethiopia and has two children. |
| B．She cared little about her children’s diet before. |
| C．She believes the program is good for her children. |
| D．She hopes more types of food can be offered for free. |
Who leads the afterschool program?
| A．Lori McFail. |
| B．Keith Clements. |
| C．Feeding America. |
| D．A community center in Virginia. |
Steve Sparks was a young successful lawyer when a bruise （挫伤） on one of the legs of his 3-year-old daughter changed his life. The bruise led to a doctor’s visit. The doctor said his daughter was suffering from leukemia (白血病).
Steve said that in a moment his life changed from what restaurant he was going to take his clients (客户) to lunch to whether his daughter Katie was ever going to see her fourth birthday.
For three years Katie received a lot of treatment at the Nemours Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and with the help of wonderful doctors, kind nurses, whom Steve and his wife Michelle called heroes, Katie’s leukemia was cured (治愈).
Forever changed by the experience and encouraged by the heroes at Nemours who saved his daughter’s life, Steve felt he couldn’t go back to business as usual. He felt there was something else he was meant to do and that something else led him to join the Nemours Foundation（基金会）at the age of 28. The job change came with a 65% pay cut from what he was making as a lawyer, but Steve thought he was right and it was more important to help those who need help. Steve is glad to have made such a choice.
Katie is now a healthy 20-year-old college student and Steve is one of the leaders of the Nemours Foundation. In three weeks Steve will have a party for Katie’s 21st birthday, and give big thanks to the Nemours by riding his bicycle from Nemours in Jack-sonville, Florida to Wilmington, Delaware. He’ll ride 900 miles in 9 days and raise $100,000 for the Nemours Foundation with the hope of saving more children’s lives.From the text we can learn that _____.
| A．Steve hated being a lawyer |
| B．Katie’s bruise caused leukemia |
| C．Katie suffered from leukemia at four |
| D．Steve had ever doubted whether Katie could survive |
What did Steve and his wife think of the doctors and nurses?
| A．They were unfriendly. |
| B．They were great. |
| C．They were inexperienced. |
| D．They were clever. |
Which of the following is TRUE about Steve’s becoming a member of the Nemours Foundation?
| A．He felt sorry about his decision. |
| B．He didn’t get even half the pay he used to. |
| C．His daughter gave him much encouragement. |
| D．He was advised to do so by the doctors. |
Steve will ride 900 miles in 9 days to _____.
| A．show he is strong enough |
| B．celebrate his daughter’s birthday |
| C．raise money to save more children’s lives |
| D．advise people to do more exercise |
It was very cold and I had been watching a homeless man make himself comfortable in a “shelter” on the river bank. His “shelter” was a tarpaulin (油布) tied to rocks to keep the wind from blowing it away. He had been living there for over a month. I never saw him with warm clothing or food. I knew what I wanted to do.
When I told my parents what I wanted to do they were alarmed. They said I could be putting myself at risk, taking a box to a homeless person at night! But I knew, in my deep heart, that I would be safe.
I got a box. My parents watched as I added warm gloves, a heavy blanket ... into the box until it was full! Then, I put a Christmas card on top. It said, “Even though we hardly know each other, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas!” I put ten one-dollar bills inside it as well.
My father insisted he went there with me as it was 10 pm on Christmas Eve. I said he could drive me but he had to stay in the car. He agreed.
I took the box and walked towards his “house”. I called, “Sir, I have a Christmas box for you!”
“Go away!” he shouted.
“Sir,” I repeated.
“Go away!” he shouted.
“Why?” I asked him.
He walked over and I expected to see an angry face. Instead I saw two of the most beautiful, gentle, blue eyes I have ever seen.
“Merry Christmas!” I said.
“Why are you doing this?” he asked.
“Because you matter to me,” I said. With that I gave him the box.
Tears came to his eyes and he thanked me. I got back to the car and watched him carry the box like it was filled with gold. I didn’t want to embarrass (使困窘) him by watching him any more so Dad and I left.The underlined word “alarmed” can best be replaced by _____.
| A．pleased | B．worried |
| C．disappointed | D．surprised |
Why did the author ask his father to stay in the car?
| A．Because he wanted to prove he was brave. |
| B．Because he believed the homeless man was bad. |
| C．Because he wanted to protect his father from being hurt. |
| D．Because he didn’t want the homeless man to feel bad. |
When the homeless man saw the author first, he was _____.
| A．quite angry | B．very excited |
| C．quite puzzled | D．very curious |
The author’s purpose in writing the text is to tell readers that _____.
| A．it is easier said than done |
| B．poverty is the mother of health |
| C．where there is a will, there is a way |
| D．a willing helper does not wait until he is asked |
D
The valley known as Sleepy Hollow hides from the world in the high hills of New York State. There are many stories told about the valley, but the story that people believe most is about a man who rides a horse at night. The story says the man died many years ago during the American Revolutionary War. His head was shot off. Every night he rises from his burial place, jumps on his horse and rides through the valley looking for his lost head.
Near Sleepy Hollow is a village called Tarry Town. The village had a small school, where there was a teacher named Ichabod Crane which was a good name for him because he was tall and thin like a crane.
Ichabod didn’t make much money as a teacher. To pay for his food he earned extra money by teaching young people to sing. Every Sunday after church Ichabod taught singing.
Among the ladies Ichabod taught was one Katrina Van Tassel, who was the only daughter of a rich Dutch farmer, a girl in bloom much like a round red rosy apple. Ichabod had a soft and foolish heart for the ladies and soon found himself interested in Miss Van Tassel.
However, there were many problems blocking the road to Katrina’s heart. One was a strong young man named Brom Van Brunt, who was a hero to all the young ladies. His shoulders were big. His back was wide. He always won the horse races in Tarry Town and earned many prizes. Such was the enemy Ichabod had to defeat for Katrina’s heart.
Stronger and wiser men would not have tried, but Ichabod had a plan. He couldn’t fight with his enemy in the open, so he did it silently and secretly. He made many visits to Katrina’s farm and made her think he was helping her to sing better.
Time passed and the town’s people thought Ichabod was winning. Brom’s horse wasn’t seen at Katrina’s house on Sunday nights anymore.
One day in autumn, Ichabod was asked to go to a big party at Katrina’s home. He dressed himself in his best clothes. A farmer loaned him an old horse for the long trip to the party.
The house was filled with farmers, their wives, daughters and sons. Brom Van Brunt rode to the party on his fastest horse called Daredevil. All the young ladies smiled happily when they saw him. Soon music filled the rooms and everyone began to dance and sing.
Ichabod was happy dancing with Katrina as Brom looked at them with a jealous heart.
Ichabod seemed very happy until he said goodnight to Katrina. Was she ending their romance? He left feeling very sad. Had Katrina been seeing Ichabod just to make Brom Van Brunt jealous so he would marry her?
Well, Ichabod began his long ride home on the hills that surrounded Tarry Town. He began to whistle as he came close to the tree where a man was killed years ago by rebels.
There, in the dark woods on the side of the river, where the bushes grew low, stood an ugly thing, big and black. It didn’t move but seemed ready to jump like a giant monster.
Ichabod’s hair stood straight up. It was too late to run, and in fear of it, he did the only thing he could. His shaking voice asking “Who are you?” broke the silent valley.
The thing didn’t answer. Ichabod asked again. Still no answer. Ichabod’s old horse began to move forward. The black thing began to move along the side of Ichabod’s horse in the dark. For a moment the moon shone down and to Ichabod’s horror he saw it was a horse with a rider whose head was not on his body. It was in front of the rider, resting on the horse.
“Only if I can get there first, I am safe,” thought Ichabod, kicking his horse. He looked back to see if the headless man had stopped. He saw the man pick up his head and throw it with powerful force. The head hit Ichabod in the face and knocked him off his horse to the dirt below.
People found Ichabod’s horse the next day peacefully eating grass. They could not find Ichabod. The only other thing they found was lying near Ichabod’s hat. It was the broken pieces of a round orange pumpkin.
People talked about Ichabod for many weeks. Much later an old farmer returned from a visit to New York City. He said he was sure he saw Ichabod there. He thought Ichabod silently left Sleepy Hollow because he had lost Katrina.
As for Katrina, her mother and father gave her a big wedding when she married Brom Van Brunt. Many people who went to the wedding saw that Brom smiled whenever Ichabod’s name was spoken. And they wondered why he laughed out loud when anyone talked about the broken orange pumpkin found lying near Ichabod’s old dusty hat.What tone did the author use to describe Ichabod?
| A．Appreciative. | B．Sympathetic. |
| C．Ironic. | D．Scolding. |
What does the underlined part in Paragraph 6 mean?
| A．Ichabod did the foolish thing. |
| B．Ichabod was a wise man. |
| C．Ichabod made a careful plan. |
| D．Ichabod should try harder. |
What probably happened to Ichabod in the end?
| A．He was killed in Sleepy Hollow. |
| B．He left Sleepy Hollow in shame. |
| C．He lived a good life in another place. |
| D．He was missing for no reason. |
Why were broken pieces of a round orange pumpkin found near Ichabod’s hat?
| A．Ichabod carried a pumpkin with him. |
| B．Pumpkins were grown in Sleepy Hollow. |
| C．Brom had made use of the pumpkin. |
| D．Someone had dropped a pumpkin there. |
Which of the following can be used to describe Brom?
| A．Clever but cruel. | B．Rude and greedy. |
| C．Brave but selfish. | D．Generous and kind. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Horrible stories about Sleepy Hollow. |
| B．The love of a village teacher. |
| C．A horse rider without head. |
| D．The competition between two men for a woman. |
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