Dogs can be trained to use their sense of smell to recognize illegal drugs and explosives. So Mark Ruefenacht wondered if the animals could also recognize changes in the blood sugar level of people with diabetes（糖尿病）.
Ruefenacht has had the disease for much of his life. In 1999, he almost died while training a young dog to be a guide dog for the blind. Without any warning, his blood sugar suddenly dropped to a dangerously low level. Luckily, his dog stayed with him, and tried to keep him awake. Finally, he was able to get his blood sugar up. This made him wonder if dogs could be trained to identify the chemical changes that happen during an attack, and then inform their owners.
To train the animals, Ruefenacht uses bottles containing swabs of sweat from a diabetic with low blood sugar, and containers of other smells, such as peanut butter, dog food, or plants. The dogs are given a treat when they choose the correct jar.
This “sweat jar” method for training diabetes detection dogs has been approved scientifically.
The next step is to teach the dog to alert the owner. The dogs are trained to use subtle（细微的）signs at first. However, if those signals are ignored, the animals then put their paws on the owner’s legs or shoulders. They learn to lick and put their nose in the owner’s face, and make noises. If none of these methods work, the dogs are then trained to find someone else to help.
Ruefenacht says the dogs can often detect blood sugar dropping long before electronic systems send a warning sound.
His group, Dogs4Diabetics, has placed more than 100 dogs with diabetics. The group hopes to expand the program — training people’s “most loyal friend” to save lives and help diabetics around the world.
1. What inspired Ruefenacht to train dogs to detect blood sugar dropping?| A．His own near-death experience. |
| B．The success in training guide dogs for the blind. |
| C．Dogs’ loyalty to their owners. |
| D．Dogs’ ability to get blood sugar up. |
| A．He rewarded the dogs if they made the correct choice. |
| B．He tested the swabs of sweat from a diabetic with low blood sugar. |
| C．He proved the “sweat jar” method in a scientific way. |
| D．He first trained the dogs to know about blood sugar. |
| A．The process of training the dogs. |
| B．The ways for dogs to inform their owners of blood sugar dropping. |
| C．The methods dogs learn to identify low blood sugar. |
| D．The result of the training. |
| A．Training dogs to help diabetics has been expanded around the world. |
| B．Dogs are far more advanced in detecting blood sugar dropping than electronic systems. |
| C．Dogs do make a big difference in many fields to help human beings. |
| D．Dogs can detect blood sugar dropping by tasting sweat from a diabetic. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】More than 90 percent of global trade today is carried out through ships — about 53,000 business ships trading internationally. That number seems to increase quickly. A 2019 study, led by researchers at McGill University in Canada, has predicted (预测) an increase in ocean traffic of anything between 240 and 1209 percent by 2050. In preparation for this increase, scientists and engineers around the world are dealing with the difficult question of how to navigate (航行) more safely.
On the west coast of the US, one such group has a single target-whales. The region is home to not only busy international ports but also the rich feeding grounds of blue, humpback and fin whales. As a result of crossovers, ship strikes are thought to be one of the leading causes of death for whale populations.
Dr Briana Abrahms, a research ecologist at NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center, is developing an app that will allow managers and ship members to be alarmed to the possible location of blue whales. It is based on the group’s new model which predicts whale movements based on the oceanographic conditions. “Ocean conditions can change on a daily basis,” Abrahms explains. “We know what conditions the whales like, so every single day we can look at where those conditions are and predict where the whales will go.”
Of course, knowing where the whales are is hardly effective if captains ignore the information. Abrahms admits that voluntary slow-down plans for large ships on the east coast of the US (slower ships being less likely to kill whales) have seen low levels of obedience (遵守). Her hope is that more accurate data will encourage owners and managers to respond. “Part of the reason we think for the low obedience is that there isn’t much confidence among the shipping industry. If you say ‘slow down between July and November’, the shipping industry doesn’t believe that there is actually a whale there. By making it more accurate in predicting whales, we’re hoping our app will help,” Abrahms said.
1. Why does the author mention the 2019 study in Paragraph 1?| A．To tell the importance of shipping industry. |
| B．To show the fast increase in global trade. |
| C．To predict ocean traffic in the following years. |
| D．To explain the necessity of ensuring sailing safety. |
| A．Counting the number of whales. |
| B．Telling possible locations of whales. |
| C．Predicting the consequence of ship strikes. |
| D．Forecasting the oceanographic condition. |
| A．Critical. | B．Positive. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Ways to avoid crossovers between ships and whales. |
| B．Methods of predicting severe weather. |
| C．Importance of rescuing wildlife in the sea. |
| D．Challenges of keeping a correct voyage. |
【推荐2】It was the day before Thanksgiving and Kaleb Benham, a 24-year-old strong man, was wandering around outside his home in Northern California. His 90-pound dog, Buddy, was playing around nearby, doing what dogs usually do. Only this time, Buddy was getting into a whole lot of trouble.
The sound that no one wants to hear alone in the woods caught Benham’s attention. It was the deep roar of a black bear. Benham drove around to see the beast, which weighed around 350 pounds, some 100 feet away. In a second, the bear grabbed(猛然抓取) Buddy’s head and started pulling him away.
Benham ran after them. “Honestly,” he told CBS13 in Sacramento, “the only thing I could think of was ‘save my baby’.” Rushing, he lowered his shoulder and crashed into the bear. But it only seized Buddy tightly. Benham’s heart jumped. He shouted and threw a stone at the bear. Nothing. He found out his can of hair spray(喷雾). He tried firing it immediately at the bear. A bright red cloud enveloped it, and the bear dropped the dog and ran off into the woods.
Buddy was in bad shape. He lay there almost out of breath and his face was terribly broken. “My first thought was that I was going to lose him,” Benham said. He picked up Buddy, put him into his car, and sped off to a nearby veterinarian (兽医). Buddy’s operation took nearly four hours.
This was the second time Benham had rescued Buddy, says CBS13. The first was from a shelter a few years ago. “If it was your kid, what would you do?” he asked. Nodding toward Buddy, he added, “That’s my kid.”
1. What do we know about Buddy?| A．Buddy weighed around 350 pounds. | B．Buddy fought with dogs in the street. |
| C．Buddy played with a bear in the forest. | D．Buddy got attacked by a bear in the woods. |
| A．By crashing into the bear himself. | B．By throwing a stone at the bear’s eyes. |
| C．By beating the bear’s heart angrily. | D．By driving away the bear with a spray. |
| A．Benham rescued Buddy for the first time. |
| B．Benham was interviewed by a mass media. |
| C．Benham found Buddy caused a lot of trouble. |
| D．Benham realized Buddy wasn’t in great danger. |
| A．Caring and friendly. | B．Honest and kind-hearted. |
| C．Brave and quick-minded. | D．Generous and determined. |
【推荐3】More than two thirds of the world's polar bears will be wiped out by 2050, according to a shocking new study. By then, scientists say, global warming will have melted 42 percent of the Arctic sea ice. By 2100, only a very few of these important creatures will be left.
The report has been produced by the US Geological Survey. The scientists have publicized their findings in the hope of influencing US Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who has been asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.
Polar bears depend on floating sea ice as a platform for hunting seals, which are their main food. Without enough ice, polar bears would be forced to go onto the land, where they are poorly skilled hunters, and would be unlikely to adapt to the life on the land in time. Experts say few little bears would survive and the stress could make many females unable to get pregnant.
The team of American and Canadian scientists spent six months studying bears, on the ground, from spotter planes and in the lab, using computer models. Some team members fear the result is even worse for the bears than what their report says. They say the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere in the world and much faster than their computer had been forecasting. Satellite observations have showed that the ice has decreased to an alltime low.
However, not everyone in the scientific community believes that global warming is happening on such an alarming scale. Another investigation has found that polar bears are still being hunted by wealthy “sportsmen” who want their skins and heads. At least ten international companies offer bearhunting trips.
1. What do we know about Dirk Kempthorne according to the passage?| A．He is an animal scientist. |
| B．He is a protector of animals working for the US government. |
| C．He was asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list. |
| D．He offered to put polar bears on the endangered species list. |
| A．Because polar bears can't catch enough food without ice. |
| B．Because polar bears eat ice when they feel thirsty. |
| C．Because polar bears will be easily found by hunters without ice. |
| D．Because most female bears are used to giving birth under ice. |
| A．Global warming makes the whole world different. |
| B．Human beings are responsible for the endangered species. |
| C．Most of the polar bears will be wiped out by the end of this century. |
| D．Scientists have found that most animals in the Arctic will die out by the end of this century. |
【推荐1】When I was three years old, I couldn’t speak. It was a strange reality that none of the doctors I visited could understand.
One day, I was shadowing (跟随) my mother. She found herself looking in a mirror, and through it our eyes met. She began to speak to me through the reflection, and I slowly began to mimic (模仿) her mouth’s movements until I formed a word.
It turned out I’m deaf in my left ear, and have a slight problem in my right. Being hard of hearing has been difficult, but I’ve never lived in a state of self-hating sorrow. Imagine being able to shut out all sound as you lay your head down to sleep by simply rolling over onto one side. That’s my reality when I sleep on my “good ear”, and it makes me feel like a superhero sometimes.
People call my deaf side my “bad ear”, but when I wear my hearing aid, I have access to a range of features that some other deaf people don’t. In cinemas, for example, with one click of a button I can enjoy a whole film as though it were whispered to me from the mouths of the actors.
Owning a hearing aid hasn’t always felt good, however. On the first day I got my aid, when I was eight, I took it to school for show-and-tell. As I explained how it worked to my classmates, a boy yelled out, “Aren’t those for old men?” At that moment, I felt different. It took a long time for me to get over that sense of being so unlike my peers.
But it’s not just school kids who can make us deaf and hard-of-hearing people feel like burdens. Every video on social media that lacks subtitles (字幕), for example, means an entire community of deaf people is unable to enjoy it. Completely deaf people are excluded from enjoying many movies too, as subtitles in cinemas are almost impossible to find.
And with hearing aids costing around $2,500 each, it can be hard for many people to afford to be able to listen to the things that others take for granted. As for me, I can listen to music, enjoy films, and catch conversations—I’m lucky. I’m deaf, but I can still hear everything. I’ve been blessed with wonderful life experiences, and I am human. And when it comes to sleeping, I’m even superhuman.
1. How does the author view his hearing difficulty?| A．It’s a disaster and causes him a lot of trouble. |
| B．It gave him a chance to experience something special. |
| C．It made him feel embarrassed in front of his classmates. |
| D．It helped him to live in his own world without being interrupted. |
| A．He was born deaf. |
| B．He is optimistic and helpful. |
| C．His family and classmates have supported him a lot. |
| D．The hearing aid brings much convenience to his daily life. |
| A．To give advice on life to disabled people. |
| B．To show how difficult life is for disabled people. |
| C．To share his experience of treating a disadvantage with gratitude. |
| D．To show the convenience a hearing aid could bring. |
【推荐2】Kyle Cassidy and three other members of the Annenberg Running Group were stretching on the grounds of the University of Pennsylvania, waiting for a few latecomers. The Penn colleagues and other community members meet three days a week for a roughly 30-minute jog and an occasional lecture. That's right― during some runs, one of them delivers a talk. Topics range from the brain to Bitcoin.
But on this day last January, it would not be their normal run. The first clue that something was off was the man who sprinted past them. "Running at an amazing pace," Cassidy told Runner's World admiringly. Cassidy discovered why the sprinter was so fleet of foot when another man ran by, yelling, “Help! He took my phone and laptop!"
At that, the group did what running clubs do: They ran, trailing the suspect down the streets of Philadelphia until he ducked into a construction site. The runners split up. Cassidy ran around to the far side of the site to cut the thief off while the others wandered the neighborhood hoping he had dumped the loot （赃物）in a backyard.
No luck. So they decided to ask residents whether they'd seen the guy. When they knocked on the door of one row house, they were in for a surprise. Unknown to them, he had already emerged from the construction site—and was hiding behind a bush by that very house. As the owner opened the door, the suspect darted out from behind the bush ... and right into the arms of campus police, who'd joined the chase shortly behind the runners.
The members of this running group are not hard-core athletes. But they do understand the benefit of a little exercise. ''Running is typically a useless sport where you turn fat cells into heat," Cassidy told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "But occasionally it can be useful, and here was one of those opportunities."
1. Why do the group members gather together?| A．To do some stretching. | B．To have a regular run. |
| C．To deliver a lecture. | D．To cover some topics. |
| A．Dashed. | B．Pushed. |
| C．Jumped. | D．Escaped. |
| A．the assistance of the runners | B．the owner of the row house |
| C．the campus police on patrol | D．the joint efforts of the people |
| A．Athletic and generous. | B．Courageous and ambitious. |
| C．Helpful and humorous. | D．Thoughtful and demanding. |
【推荐3】At 71 years old, Kathrine Virginia Switzer has run 40 marathons (马拉松赛跑) in her life — and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Switzer first came to the public eye in 1967, when she was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. Back then, she had to use her initials (姓名的首字母), K.V., instead of her first name to sign up because women weren’t allowed to enter. When people realized what Switzer had done, a race manager tried physically pushing her off during the run. But she managed to keep on, finishing in four hours and twenty minutes.
In 2017, Switzer entered again at age 70. She finished in 4:44:31. Two years before the race, Switzer had her plan. She wanted to work out a training plan. “It was important for me not to get injured during that two-year period or get ill,” she says.
In her 20s, Switzer would work out twice a day, and run a marathon distance once a week. She says looking back, that was probably too intense (强烈的), and she cut back for her 2017 Boston run. She ran every other day, doing strength or core training on the opposite days. This gave her body the chance to recover (恢复) between workouts.
The Boston Marathon wasn’t the only thing on Switzer’s bucket list. She also won the New York City Marathon in 1974. Back then the whole race was in Central Park, though, and she’d love to take on the new route.
The marathoner says people talk about seniors the way they talked about women 50 years ago, thinking they’re too weak to be athletes. “Seniors have been changing ideas about what abilities and limits are really about,” she says. “They are full of optimism (乐观). These people are looking forward to getting older. ”
To anyone who think they’re too old to get fit, Switzer says just working up the courage to take that first walk or jump in the pool is the hardest part. If you’re nervous, ask a friend to come along so you can move on together and feel less worried, she says.
1. What happened to Switzer in the 1967 Boston Marathon?| A．She was pushed over and got badly injured. |
| B．She signed up for the race using her first name. |
| C．She became known for taking first place in the run. |
| D．She continued with the race after being asked to stop. |
| A．Doing exercise every other day. |
| B．Working out at the proper intensity. |
| C．Running a marathon distance once a week. |
| D．Doing two months’ hard training before the race. |
| A．They are open to new ideas. |
| B．They are a bit afraid of getting older. |
| C．They are hopeful and still able to do sports. |
| D．They soon become weak and should place their health first. |
| A．Doing it with a friend. | B．Avoiding hard exercise. |
| C．Asking a coach for help. | D．Caring little about looks. |
【推荐1】For many of us, summertime means road trips to the beach or mountains, or at the very least some additional dust on the outside of our vehicle. The extra dirt leads us to do one of two things: wash our car in the driveway or head to the car wash. But which choice is better for the environment?
The main concerns with either choice are the amount of fresh water used and the types of chemicals used to get rid of the dirt. Both of these concerns can be closely monitored when washing the car at home, says Katy Gresh, spokeswoman for the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. She advises car owners to keep a set amount of water in a container for the entire wash. “You don’t want to leave the water running or use more than you need for the job,” she says. But even following this piece of advice comes with an environmental risk: Washing your car in the driveway gets the dirty water into drains (下水道).
“Drains are not made for treating waste.” says John Schombert, executive director of 3 Rivers Wet Weather. Even when car owners use natural soaps to wash their car, Schombert says they are probably ineffective in breaking down grease(油脂)anyway.
The commercial car wash knows full well the rules regarding wastewater in drains. According to the International Carwash Association (ICA), professional car washes must use special water treatment systems. These processes not only keep the dirty water out of drains and regular water treatment systems, but also work to reduce water usage at commercial facilities.
As experts point out, cleaning our car at home can use 100 gallons of water. Compare that to self-service car washes, which allow you to use only about 17 or 18 gallons of water. And most full-service car washes average about 30 to 45 gallons of water per vehicle.
1. What does Katy suggest people do about washing cars?| A．Use soft toothbrushes. | B．Save treated water. |
| C．Put aside some water. | D．Avoid using chemicals. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Favorable. | C．Indifferent. | D．Objective. |
| A．Rules of handling wastewater. | B．Advantages of professional car washes. |
| C．Processes of getting rid of dirty water. | D．Drawbacks of water treatment systems. |
| A．The full-service car washes. | B．Car washing in the driveway. |
| C．The self-service car washes. | D．Car washing using natural soaps. |
【推荐2】Chichen Itza is an ancient site sitting in Yucatan State, Mexico, in Central America. This site has been listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chichen Itza was an extremely important religious site for 1,000 years for the ancient Maya people. The Maya civilization began before 2000 BC and lasted until 1697 when Spain took away their last remaining city. The Maya people lived in southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western parts of Honduras and EI Salvador.
From around 600 to 1050 AD, in Chichen Itza, people were able to buy things that were difficult to find. This was thanks to its port, Isla Cerritos, which allowed the city to trade through water. In the 10th century, it became the capital of the area from central Yucatan to the north coast.
The ancient city of Chichen Itza was well planned in design. The pyramids and temples were built in groups, with paved walkways in between. People have found over 80 of these walkways all over the site. The main building groups are the Great North Platform, the Old Chichen, plus the Ossario and Central Groups.
At the center of the site is a castle in a pyramid shape. In Spanish, it's called EI Castilo, which means the castle. But its real name is the Temple of Kukulkan and it actually sits on top of a much older temple. On the 20th of March and the 22nd of September, the sun's rays create a strange shadow across the Temple of Kukulkan. It looks just like a snake slithering down the pyramid staircase. And in fact, the temple is named after the Maya feathered snake god, Kukulkan.
1. What can we learn about the Maya civilization from the text?| A．Its development totally depended on Chichen Itza. |
| B．Its ancient site was mainly in eastern Mexico. |
| C．It lasted for 1,000 years. |
| D．It was put to an end by Spain. |
| A．It was a trade center. | B．It was partly destroyed. |
| C．It took control of Yucatan State. | D．It attracted many foreigners. |
| A．is a palace built by the Spanish | B．sits under an older temple |
| C．is a temple to honor God Kukulkan | D．draw people's attention for its walkways |
| A．Economy. | B．Science. | C．Culture. | D．Art. |
| A．To encourage us to visit Chichen Itza. | B．To talk about some pyramids in Mexico. |
| C．To let us lean about the ancient Maya people. | D．To introduce some basic facts about Chichen Itza. |
【推荐3】When I was about 5 years old, I experienced my very first random act of kindness. I was sitting at the roadside one evening, crying alone for some reason when suddenly, a boy came up to me and gave me a plastic rose, I remember the moment when I took the rose from his hand; I was smiling from ear to ear, whispering “I want to be like him” to myself as I watched him walking away.
From then on, I made it as my life mission to do random acts of kindness whenever I can. I was very determined to make other people smile. That was the only reason why I joined my school’s Red Crescent Society and became a volunteer. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks in the same way as I did. Whenever I do something nice to others, people around me will start to judge my actions. Often I will just keep quiet and ignore what they say, but every once in a while, they do drive me up the wall.
These people like to complain about how humans nowadays are lacking of humanities and compassion. However, when they actually see somebody doing a good deed in front of them, they start to question and criticize that person’s honesty. Perhaps it is the increasing crime rate and the never-ending rat race that caused them to be so suspicious to nice strangers. In other words, people nowadays have lost sight of the real meaning of kindness and just let it go unnoticed. That is why I think random acts of kindness are really important. These selfless acts are not only capable of bringing joy to the receivers but also to the givers. Because of this, I want to help spread the idea of these random acts to the whole world. I want to show the people how the little things they give could make a big difference in someone else’s life.
1. What was the influence of the boy’s rose on the author?| A．It made the author feel ashamed. | B．The author decided to follow suit. |
| C．The author said a lot to the boy. | D．It gave the author strength and hope. |
| A．To be a volunteer. | B．To live a happy life. |
| C．To make others smile. | D．To have a good time. |
| A．Make me very angry. | B．Bring difficulty to me. |
| C．Force me to climb the wall. | D．Force me to the dead corner. |
【推荐1】It's surprising how much simple movements of the body can affect the way we think. Using expansive gestures with open arms makes us feel more powerful, crossing your arms makes you more determined and lying down can bring more insights(领悟).
So if moving the body can have these effects, what about the clothes we wear? We're all well aware of how dressing up in different ways can make us feel more attractive, sporty or professional, depending on the clothes we wear, but can the clothes actually change cognitive (认知的)performance or is it just a feeling?
Adam and Galinsky tested the effect of simply wearing a white lab coat on people's powers of attention. The idea is that white coats are associated with scientists, who are in turn thought to have close attention to detail.
What they found was that people wearing white coats performed better than those who weren't. Indeed, they made only half as many errors as those wearing their own clothes on the StroopTest(one way of measuring attention). The researchers call the effect ''enclothed cognition'', suggesting that all manner of different clothes probably affect our cognition in many different ways.
This opens the way for all sorts of clothes-based experiments. Is the writer who wears a fedora more creative? Is the psychologist wearing little round glasses and smoking a cigar more insightful? Does a chef's hat make the resultant food taste better?
From now on I will only be editing articles for PsyBlog while wearing a white coat to help keep the typing error count low. Hopefully you will be doing your part by reading PsyBlog in a cap and gown(学位服).
1. Adam and Galinsky's experiment tested the effect of clothes on their wearers'___________.| A．insights | B．attention | C．movements | D．appearance |
| A．Humorous. | B．Academic. |
| C．Formal. | D．Hopeful. |
| A．Body movements change the way people think. |
| B．How people dress has an influence on their feelings. |
| C．People doing different jobs should wear different clothes. |
| D．What people wear can affect their cognitive performance. |
【推荐2】One of the most important things that has happened to me occurred long before I was aware of it. As the story goes, I was three days old and Mom was singing “The Name Game” song to me: “Christine Bo-Bean.” By day four, I was given a new name —Christine-Bo-Bean, or just Bo-Bee to my mother.
Now, I am Bo to her and close friends. Although I have been Bo to my mother all my life, I recently discovered that my true name is not on my birth certificate; it’s the name that is as unique and memorable as I am.
People usually know me as Christine. They still see me as a quiet, bookish child. They don’t know who I am now. My most recent hopes, fears, goals, dreams and opinions escape their notice; it is easier to think of me as I was. In their minds, they have a box labeled “Christine” in which I fit neatly, and as Christine, I was content with the perfect packaging.
Those who call me Bo or Bo-Bee really know me. They remember who I was and realize I have changed. The Bo I am is ever-changing, ever-growing and ever-learning.
When I was Christine, I was quiet, and easily scared. I feared groups, meeting new people and sharing my opinions. I was more comfortable with a book than my best friend. As Christine, I thought everyone was better than I was.
As Bo, I still love my books, but I want to discuss them. As Bo, my dream is to live where I can experience new things and meet new people. I dream about being alone on a stage lit by a single spotlight; I have that confidence now. I am equal to those I once saw as better than me.
I can’t always be Bo. Sometimes exposing myself is still scary and I feel too nervous; I want to hide in those old boxes. Mostly, however, I am ready for the world. So, just call me Bo.
1. When was the author given a nickname?| A．When she was three years old. |
| B．On the fourth day after she was born. |
| C．Seven days after she was born. |
| D．When she received the old “Christine” box. |
| A．They think the author is active and crazy. |
| B．They care about the author’s most recent feelings. |
| C．They don’t realize the author has changed. |
| D．They don’t know the author has changed her name. |
| A．She showed no interest in reading. |
| B．She took pleasure in finding new things. |
| C．She loved reading and sharing books with friends. |
| D．She lacked confidence and preferred to be alone. |
| A．Bo—the True Name |
| B．A Unique Name |
| C．Remember the Past |
| D．The Meaning of Nickname |
【推荐3】There are over one million superstitions, and most people believe at least one or two of them. Many people are superstitious about numbers. They think that there are lucky numbers and unlucky numbers. The number 13 is often considered unlucky. In some parts of the world, buildings have no 13th floor and streets have no houses with the number 13.In Japan “4” is considered unlucky because in Japanese the word “four” is pronounced the same as the word “death”. The Japanese never give gifts of four knives, four napkins, or four of anything.
What are the lucky numbers? Seven is a lucky number in many places, and “8” is considered a lucky number in Japan and China. In China, businesses often open on August 8, and many couples register to get married at eight past eight on August 8. Superstitions about numbers are so widespread that some people called numerologists make a living by giving advice about numbers. In 1937, when the Toyoda Family of Japan wanted to form a car company, they asked a numerologist if “Toyoda” would be a good name for the company. The numerologist said it would not be. He explained that “Toyota” would be a better name for the company. The family took his advice. As a result, millions of people drive “Toyotas” and not “Toyodas.”
There are many other kinds of superstitions. There are superstitions about eating, sleeping, sneezing and itching. There are superstitions about animals and holidays and horseshoes.
There are even superstitions about superstitions. Those superstitions tell people how to reverse bad luck. When the Japanese bump (撞) heads, they immediately bump heads again.
According to a Japanese superstition, the first bump means their parents will die, but the second bump “erases” the first bump. To reverse bad luck in general, people turn around three times, turn their pocket inside out, or put their hats on backwards.
1. It can be inferred that superstition about numbers are ________.| A．popular all over the world |
| B．accepted by many people in the world |
| C．valuable to businessmen |
| D．dangerous to common people |
| A．cause to go in the opposite direction |
| B．bump heads again |
| C．prevent their parents from dying |
| D．make sth. worse |
| A．mad |
| B．angry |
| C．superstitious |
| D．foolish |
| A．To persuade us to believe superstitions. |
| B．To warn us not to believe superstitions. |
| C．To show us some facts about superstitions. |
| D．To show us the magic power of superstitions. |
