We all know that the normal human daily cycle of activity is of some 7-8 hours' sleep alternating(交替) with some 16-17 hours' wakefulness and that the sleep normally coincides with the hours of darkness. Our present concern is with how easily and to what extent this cycle can be modified.
The question is no mere academic one. The ease, for example, with which people can change from working in the day to working at night is a question of growing importance in industry where automation calls for round-the-clock working of machines. It normally takes from five days to one week for a person to adapt to a reversed（颠倒的） routine of sleep and wakefulness, sleeping during the day and working at night. Unfortunately, it is often the case in industry that shifts(轮班) are changed every week; a person may work from 12 midnight to 8 a.m. one week, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the next, and 4 p.m. to 12 midnight the third and so on. This means that no sooner has he got used to one routine than he has to change to another, so that much of his time is spent neither working nor sleeping very efficiently.
The only real solution appears to be to hand over the night shift to a number of permanent night workers. An interesting study of the domestic life and health of night-shift workers was carried out by Brown in 1957. She found a high incidence (发生率) of disturbed sleep and other disorders among those on alternating day and night shifts, but no abnormal occurrence of these phenomena among those on permanent night work.
This latter system then appears to be the best long-term policy, but meanwhile something may be done to relieve the pressure of alternate day and night work by selecting those people who can adapt most quickly to the changes of routine. One way of knowing when a person has adapted is by measuring his body temperature. People occupied in normal daytime work will have a high temperature during the hours of wakefulness and a low one at night; when they change to night work the pattern will only gradually go back to match the new routine and the speed with which it does so parallels, broadly speaking, the adaptation of the body as a whole, particularly in terms of performance. Therefore, by taking body temperature at two-hour intervals(间隔时间) throughout the period of wakefulness, it can be seen how quickly a person can adapt to a reversed routine, and this could be used as a basis for selection. So far, however, such a form of selection does not seem to have been applied in practice.The main problem of the round-the-clock working system lies in .
| A．the inconveniences brought about to the workers by the introduction of automation |
| B．the disturbance of the daily life cycle of workers who have to change shifts too frequently |
| C．the fact that people working at night are often less effective |
| D．the fact that it is difficult to find a number of good night workers |
The best solution for implementing the 24-hour working system seems to be .
| A．to change shifts at longer intervals. |
| B．to have longer shifts |
| C．to arrange for some people to work on night shifts only |
| D．to create better living conditions for night workers |
It is possible to find out if a person has adapted to the changes of routine by measuring his body temperature because .
| A．body temperature is higher when the cycle of sleep and wakefulness alternates |
| B．body temperature changes when he changes to night shift or back |
| C．the temperature reverses when the routine is changed |
| D．people have higher temperatures when they are working efficiently |
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
| A．Body temperature may serve as an indication of a worker's performance. |
| B．The selection of a number of permanent night shift workers has proved to be the best solution to problems of the round-the- clock working system. |
| C．Taking body temperature at regular intervals can show how a person adapts to the changes of routine. |
| D．Disturbed sleep occurs less frequently among those on permanent night or day shifts. |
It’s the dieting fashion that is sweeping the world, and encourages fasting (禁食) for two days of the week. But does it work?
People are starving themselves to lose weight, with a dieting trend known as the “fast diet” growing in popularity.
The method is also known as the 5:2 diet, and consists of eating normally for five days of a week and cutting calories to about 25 percent of normal intake during other two days. Men consume just 600 calories on the two fast days, while women are limited to 500 calories.
Notably, the two fasting days should not be back-to-back. The dieter should have at least one normal eating day in between.
In the best-selling book The Fast Diet: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Live Longer with the Simple Secret of Intermittent (断断续续的) Fasting by Dr. Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, the two authors claim that the 5:2 diet not only promotes weight loss, but also benefits health, offering protection from disease, improved cognitive (认知的) function and increased lifespan.
The diet originated in the United Kingdom and became popular in the United States. Now, it is gaining popularity among the Chinese middle-class.
Zhong Minghui, who is 178 cm tall and used to weigh 100 kilograms, finds fasting effective in weight control. He works in the sales department of a trade company and used to drink and eat a lot after work. After sticking to the fasting diet for five months, he managed to lose about 20 kilograms.
“Actually I did not exactly rely on the 5:2 diet to lose weight. My fasting was more extreme. I almost completely cut off my supper every day and only ate some fruit. I also used an app to calculate the calories in the food I ate and was cautious of not eating any high-calorie food. I did about an hour’s aerobic exercise (有氧运动) every day. Fasting is definitely effective, but I think sports also help,” he says.
“I do not really believe that fasting is the magical cure-all (灵丹妙药), but my high blood sugar has improved,” he adds.
The US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that although there is evidence that intermittent fasting diets may help prevent chronic disease, more research is needed.
Han Ting, a clinic nutritionist of Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, says that people who suffer diabetes (糖尿病) or eating disorders, pregnant women, kids, teens and frail seniors should not try fasting. She recommends a regular low-calorie diet, which is safer and less risky for health. When on a fasting diet, on the weekly fasting days, Han recommends low-fat, low-sugar, and low-protein food, such as vegetables, yogurt, non-fat milk, shellfish and fruits with high dietary fiber (食用纤维).What does the underlined word “back-to-back” in paragraph 4 mean?
| A．Continuous. | B．Different. |
| C．Vegetarian. | D．Fatty. |
What can we infer from what Zhong Minghui said in paragraph 8?
| A．He strictly relied on the 5:2 diet to lose weight. |
| B．He used an app to calculate how much sport he played. |
| C．Fasting and sports helped him a lot when he lost weight. |
| D．In order to lose weight he used to do gymnastic exercise. |
What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．Han thinks people who suffer diabetes should try a fasting diet. |
| B．A clinic nutritionist says that it’s safer to have a low-calorie diet. |
| C．Han Ting recommends that everyone should have a fasting diet. |
| D．Hang Ting says only a fasting diet can help people keep healthy. |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．Fast diet | B．How to stay thin |
| C．Eating to stay healthy | D．The magical cure-all |
More than 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed across the globe each day, and it’s likely that many taste bitter.
Now, a new study suggests that coffee fans can make their drink taste sweeter by simply changing the colour of their cups.
Scientists claim that blue and glass mugs, which are popular in some coffee shops, can reduce coffee’s bitterness, without any need for sugar, and that coffee drunk from white cups tastes the bitterest.
To prove their claims, the researchers invited 36 volunteers and used three different colored cups -- blue, white and transparent glass -- to do an experiment.
In the experiment, coffee consumed from the white cup was found to taste less sweet when compared to the other two colored cups, while the blue cup made the coffee taste the sweetest.
The scientists believe that the colour brown may be associated with coffee’s bitterness because coffee in a white cup appears the brownest and tastes the bitterest.
“Our study clearly shows that the colour of a coffee cup does influence the perceived (感受到的) taste and flavor of coffee,” said Dr George Doorn of Federation University Australia, “but the potential effects may be different between a one-time purchase and a return customer.”
“Anyhow, the effect of the colour of the cup on the flavor of the coffee suggests that café owners, baristas (咖啡师), as well as coffee cup manufacturers should carefully consider the colour of their cups, ” he added.
However, the idea that colour can alter the taste of food and drink is not new.
A study published last year revealed that red, strawberry-flavored mousse (慕斯蛋糕) served on a white plate was rated as 10 percent sweeter and 15 percent more flavorous than the same food presented on a black plate.
What color of the cup can best reduce coffee’s bitterness without adding sugar?
| A．Blue. | B．Brown. |
| C．White. | D．Transparent. |
The scientists used ________ to do the experiment to prove their claims.
① different brands of coffee
② different colored coffee cups
③ several volunteers
④ several manufactures
| A．① ② | B．② ③ | C．② ④ | D．③ ④ |
Why does coffee in white cups taste the least sweet?
| A．Because white cups are not as beautiful as other cups. |
| B．Because white cups are better used to serve cakes. |
| C．Because white cups reduce the sugar in them. |
| D．Because white cups make coffee appear the brownest. |
According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Black plates increase the sweetness of food and drink. |
| B．Strawberry-flavored mousse is 10 percent sweeter than coffee. |
| C．People consume more than 2.5 billion cups of coffee across the globe every year. |
| D．People can make coffee taste sweeter by changing the color of their coffee cups. |
On the eve of our daughters’ weddings, I gave both of them what I considered to be excellent marital advice: never leave your husband unsupervised (无人监督的) with pruning shears (修枝剪).
If only I had taken my own advice. I recently let my guard down. Thirty-some years of marriage can do that to a woman. Give a man pruning shears and electric trimmers (电动修剪器) and he will give new meaning to “armed and dangerous.”
One day earlier this year, my husband said that the crab apple tree was dead.
“Why do you think it is dead?” I asked.
“Look at it. There’s not a leaf on it.”
“There’s not a leaf on anything. It’s March,” I said.
“It looked sick last fall and with this bitter winter we had, I’m convinced it’s dead.”
The truth is he’s never liked the crab apple. Sure, it has beautiful blooms in the spring, but then it gets a disease, the leaves curl, and it drops those little apples that sit on the driveway.
Each passing week he pronounced the tree dead. Eventually I began to believe him. Though he agreed it would be a regrettable loss, there was a twinkle in his eye. He armed himself a couple of weeks ago and began trimming. A branch here, a branch there, a small limb, then a large limb. I watched and then decided to check the wood on some of the branches closer to the trunk. I broke one off and saw green.
The crab apple was not dead. It just hadn’t had time to leaf out. The tree was now falling to one side, but it was not dead. I would have told him so, but he had moved on to a maple. Once the man starts, he can’t stop. One trim leads to another.
“Please, stop!” I called.
He smiled and nodded, but he couldn’t hear because he had started the hedge (树篱) trimmers and was getting ready to fix a line of hedges.
Zip (飕飕声), zip, zip.
“What do you think?” he shouted.
“It’s supposed to be a privacy hedge; now all that will be private are our ankles.”
He started the trimmers again. “Stop!” I called, “Come back!”
“Why?” he shouted.
“You’re in the neighbor’s yard.”By saying “if only I had taken my own advice.” the author means that _____.
| A．she should have kept a closer watch on her husband |
| B．she feels regretful about her marriage after many years |
| C．she didn’t follow her own advice about pruning shears |
| D．she shouldn’t have given that marital advice to her daughters |
We can learn from the article that the author’s husband ______.
| A．has a great talent for gardening |
| B．had never used pruning shears before |
| C．mistook their crab apple tree for a maple tree |
| D．nearly ruined their neighbor’s garden |
What does the article mainly talk about?
| A．Why husbands shouldn’t be left to trim trees alone. |
| B．Why the author’s husband insisted on trimming their crab apple tree. |
| C．How the author has survived her “thirty-some” years of marriage. |
| D．How the author’s husband killed their crab apple tree. |
What is the tone of the article?
| A．Anxious. | B．Humorous. |
| C．Serious. | D．Critical. |
2015, the time has come for more creative China tours to be made, Shanghai Disney opens, more high-speed rail options. Insisting on high-quality services, we are proud to present our ever best-selling China tour packages, tour themes and the next popular destinations. Check out the optional activities and information making our Smart Travelers’ trips outstanding.
China Highlights’ most popular private tour. Our private guide, driver and car are available all times. You take the trip, we take the stress.
Day 1-2 In Beijing
Take a break on your arrival. Enjoy local people’s morning exercise at the Temple of Heaven before visiting the Great Wall, and then have a lifetime experience of visiting the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall on Day 2.
Day 3-4 In Xi’an
Still in Beijing in the daytime of Day 3. Visit the Forbidden City and the Tian’anmen Square to feel royal life in ancient China. After that pay a visit to hutongs which give full flavor of authentic experience. Catch a flight at night to Xi’an. Private guide and driver escort you to visit the highlights of Xi’an on Day 4.
Day 5-7 In Guilin/Yangshuo
Continue to see Xi’an and have more interacts with the local. Visiting a family in Xi’an and learning how to make different shapes of dumplings give you an unforgettable time. Take a plane at night and arrive at Guilin on Day 5. Get on board to enjoy essence of Guilin, the Li River cruise to Yangshuo. Cycle to villages and meet friendly local people and learn more about Chinese agriculture.
Day 8-10 In Shanghai
Private transfer from Yangshuo to Guilin airport. Shanghai guide and driver are waiting for you with smiling faces. Highlights of the city on Day 9 show you the future of China as the end of the trip. You have free time on the last day before taking an international flight.
Just let us know your travel style! We will then adapt this tour and create a unique quote based on your individual needs. For more information, please click here: http://www.chinahighlights.com/tour/.How many night flights will the tourists take during this trip?
| A．One. | B．Two. |
| C．Three. | D．None. |
If a tourist is interested in Chinese food, which place will impress him/her most?
| A．Beijing. | B．Guilin. |
| C． Xi’an. | D．Shanghai. |
Where can you find this passage?
| A．In the newspaper. | B．In a report. |
| C．In a textbook | D．On the Internet. |
Its well known that our human memory can fail us. People can be forgetful, and they can sometimes also remember things incorrectly, with damaging consequences in the classroom, courtroom, and other areas of life. Now, researchers show for the first time that bumblebees(大黄蜂) can be unreliable witnesses too.
Bumblebees are rather clever animals, which explains why Chittka has been studying learning and memory in the insects for the last 20 years.
Most times when people have studied memory in animals, errors in performance have been taken to mean that the animals failed to learn the task or perhaps learned it and then forgot. But what if animals can experience a more interesting type of memory failure?
To find out, Chittka first trained bumblebees to expect a reward when visiting a yellow artificial flower followed by one with black-and-white rings. During subsequent tests, bees were given a choice between three types of flowers. Two were the types they’d seen in the training before. The third had yellow-and-white rings, representing a mixed-up version of the other two. Minutes after the training, the bees showed a clear preference for the flower that recently rewarded them.
One or three days later, however, something very different happened when the bumblebees’ memory was put to the test. At first, the bees showed the same preference displayed in the earlier tests, but as the time went on, they began selecting the flower with yellow rings, even though they’d never actually seen that one in training before.
Chittka says that insects make similar errors in the conjunction (结合) of long-term memories as humans do. The ability to extract (提取) common features between different events in the environment might come at the expense of remembering every detail correctly. In bees, with their limited brain capacity (容量), the pressure to store main features of several objects rather than each individual object might be much greater, compared with humans.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Human memory can fail sometimes. |
| B．Bumblebees make false memories too. |
| C．Humans are not as clever as bumblebees. |
| D．Bumblebees have extraordinary memory. |
Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word subsequent?
| A．scientific | B．accurate |
| C．following | D．exceptional |
What does the test mentioned in Paragraph 4 tell us?
| A．Short-term memories serve the bees well. |
| B．The yellow artificial flower appeals to the bees. |
| C．Bumblebees like the flowers with yellow-and-white rings. |
| D．Bees have remarkable abilities to distinguish colors. |
We can infer from the passage that ______.
| A．Chittka thinks that bumblebees failed to remember the color of the flowers |
| B．Researchers have learned that bumblebees are unreliable animals |
| C．There exist no similarities between the memory errors in humans and bees. |
| D．It is less challenging for humans than bees to store main features of several objects. |
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