Pinocchio may be just a children’s story, but Spanish scientists at the University of Granada recently investigated the so-called “Pinocchio effect” and found that our noses don’t grow longer when we tell a lie, but actually get a little bit smaller.
Dr. Gómez Milán and his team developed a lie detector test that used thermal (热成像的) cameras to tell if people were lying, and found that whenever participants in their research were being untruthful, the temperature of their nose dropped up to 1.2℃, while the temperature of their forehead increased up to 1.5℃. They also found that drop in temperature at nose level actually caused it to become slightly smaller, although the difference could not be seen by the human eye. “One has to think in order to lie, which raises the temperature of the forehead,” Dr. Gómez Milán explained the findings. “At the same time we feel anxious, which lowers the temperature of the nose.”
For this study, researchers asked a number of 60 students to perform various tasks while being scanned by thermal cameras. One of these tasks involved making a 3-to-4-minute call to their parents, partners or friends and telling an important lie. Participants had to make up the lie themselves during the call, and the thermal cameras picked up this “opposite Pinocchio effect” caused by the changes in temperature in the nose and forehead.
Interestingly, the thermal lie detector picked up the temperature difference in 80 percent of test participants, which is a better rate of success than that of any modern lie detector used by the police. “With this method we have increased accuracy and reduce the chances of ‘false positives’, something that is frequent with other methods,” said Dr. Gómez Milán, who added that police could one day combine other lie detection technology with their technology to achieve better results.
1. Why did the temperature of the participants’ foreheads go up during the test?| A．They felt ashamed. | B．They had to think hard. |
| C．They were scared. | D．They got embarrassed. |
| A．The nose becomes smaller. | B．The nose gets longer. |
| C．The temperature gets higher. | D．The temperature remains the same. |
| A．The thermal lie detector may assist the police. |
| B．The thermal lie detector has proven a popular one. |
| C．Researchers conducted the study by interviewing. |
| D．Researchers designed different lies for participants. |
| A．Will Lie Detectors Tell the Truth? | B．Will Thermal Technology Be Reliable? |
| C．Will Lying Make Your Nose Longer? | D．Will Lying Make Your Temperature Rise? |
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【推荐1】The Best Way to Nap
A study published in the journal Heart found a link between healthy napping (打盹) and a lowered risk of heart disease. The American Psychological Association points out that naps can improve memory, learning capacity and mood. Sara Med nick, PhD, a neuroscience at the University of California explains that when you fall asleep, your body moves through stages that each play a role in health. Ideal napping times are based around this four-stage cycle.
Stage 1 | the “dozing off” (打瞌睡) period |
Stage 2 | muscles, heart rate and brain activity slow down |
Stage 3 | deep, restorative sleep |
Stage 4 | REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when brain activity increases and you’re most likely to dream |
The 20-minute nap | Between 20 and 30 minutes is one napping sweet spot, according to Mednick, who explains that you get enough Stage 2 sleep to switch your body and mind into full relaxation mode, aiding with memory. |
The 60-minute nap | Stage 3 sleep is a time for your body to repair tissue, strengthen the immune (免疫) system and recharge energy stores. But waking up during this phase can make you feel uncomfortable and sleepy, Med nick says. Most people start to move out of Stage 3 after around 60 minutes, which makes it a good time to set your alarm. |
The 90-minute nap | A complete sleep cycle is about an hour and a half, and napping for a full cycle can have big benefits. But naps longer than 90 minutes can disturb nighttime sleep and might even weaken memory. |
Not a regular napper? That’s OK. “Everyone needs to rest, but not everyone necessarily needs to nap,” says Med nick.
1. During which phase may you have a dream?| A．Stage 1. | B．Stage 2. | C．Stage 3. | D．Stage 4. |
| A．A quarter. | B．One hour. | C．Half an hour. | D．One and a half hours. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Education. | C．Lifestyle. | D．Health. |
【推荐2】I love my gas stove. There’s nothing quite like cooking over that beautiful blue flame. But in recent years environmentalists have been warning that gas stoves are bad for the climate and not so great for our health, either. Two new studies have heightened health worries about harmful gases in our kitchens. Is the evidence sufficient to change our cooking habits? For me, the answer is yes.
Broadly speaking, there are two categories of concerning emissions related to gas stoves. First, there is the unburned natural gas, which is more than 90 percent methane. More than three quarters of methane that escapes from a stove leaks into kitchens when it is not in use, most likely through improper pipe fittings. Methane is not poisonous, but it is a powerful greenhouse gas. With 40 million gas stoves across our country, it is estimated that the heat-trapping potential of the methane they send out annually can roughly be compared to the carbon dioxide released by half a million gas-powered cars.
Second, there are the pollutants created by combustion when a burner is on, most notably nitrogen oxides, which can cause discomfort and pain in the lungs. In a matter of minutes, families who do not use their exhaust hoods and who have small, poorly ventilated kitchens can go over the Environmental Protection Agency’s outdoor exposure limit for nitrogen dioxide. Even short exposures to much nitrogen dioxide can worsen symptoms in people with respiratory conditions. And there is enough evidence that long-term exposure raises the risk of developing asthma.
What is the average home cook to make of all this? They might take a cue from Michanowicz, who bought a plug-in countertop induction stove and does much of his cooking on that $100 item. Jackson, for his part, is putting his money where his research is: “I’m replacing a perfectly good gas stove” with an induction stove. Several U.S. cities are curtailing the use of natural gas in new construction.
As for me, I’m making some changes. I’ve switched to an electric kettle for boiling water, and despite its annoying noise, I now use the exhaust hood over my stove. And weather permitting, I’ll open a window.
1. What does the author want to show by mentioning two new studies?| A．She might well get out of her cooking habits. |
| B．Health worries are proved by the two studies. |
| C．It’s not for her to judge despite sufficient evidence. |
| D．She will continue to cook with her beloved gas stove. |
| A．Methane can test the destructive power of greenhouse gas. |
| B．Most methane will leak into kitchens when a stove is not in use. |
| C．The leakage of methane into kitchens is possibly through imperfect pipe fittings. |
| D．The heat-trapping potential of methane is equal to the carbon dioxide released by cars. |
| A．Guaranteeing. | B．Limiting. | C．Increasing. | D．Embracing. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
【推荐3】The human tendency to gravitate towards people that are similar to them starts early. In school-age children, the behavior called homophily, or "love of the same" often has to do with how others dress or act. Adults tend to form groups based on professions or personalities. However, forming cliques (小集团) and shutting out those who are "different" is not just a human characteristic. South Africa's Cape baboons (狒狒) show similar tendencies too!
A team of researchers followed the same two troops of baboons for several months. What they noticed was that like humans, baboons rarely left their original groups. To prove if their observations were correct, the researchers conducted an experiment.
They began by placing some foods that the baboons had never seen before on the edge of paths the animals frequently crossed. The researchers recorded the time it took a baboon to get close enough to examine the new foods and the time for ones that had the courage to taste them. Sure enough, the most curious and daring baboons all belonged to the same group. What did surprise the scientists was that the baboons with similar personalities hung out together, regardless of whether they were male or female.
The researchers say this behavior is not a good sign for the animals, because the daring and curious baboons are also good problem solvers. The scientists worry that if the baboons share new problem-solving skills with only their group, it leaves the rest of the species vulnerable to any environmental changes or enemies.
Unfortunately, baboons are not the only animals that form cliques. In another study, the scientists divided 80 fish into two groups. After about three weeks，the fish were rearranged into smaller groups of ten. The researchers observed that many of the fish that had spent time together in the original two groups seemed to seek each other out. What was even more interesting is that once they re-grouped，they were able to find the hidden food much faster. This led the researchers to think that like humans, the fish tended to share their secrets with their best "friends".
1. What can be used to replace the underlined word "gravitate" in Paragraph 1?| A．Lose respect. | B．Feel attracted. |
| C．Move smoothly. | D．Behave naturally. |
| A．Baboons associate with similar others. |
| B．Male baboons tend to be in the same group. |
| C．Cautious baboons are good at finding new foods. |
| D．Female baboons are usually braver than male baboons. |
| A．To show they are different from baboons. |
| B．To introduce human-like behavior in fish. |
| C．To prove other animals form groups as well. |
| D．To explain how they get on with each other. |
【推荐1】In the dead of winter, we don’t typically think about spending time outdoors, but according to many physicians we should. The sun is our greatest source of a vitamin that is essential for good health — vitamin D.
This important nutrient (营养素) strengthens bones and teeth and is linked to the prevention of heart disease, cancer and many other life-threatening diseases.
The recommended daily requirement is 400-600 IU. In summer, people with dark brown eyes and darker skin convert sunlight from just 15 minutes outside without sunscreen into adequate amounts of vitamin D.
Even during winter, just a 10-minute walk midday can keep the body’s vitamin D at healthy levels. During brief winter walks, we receive the greatest benefits when we wear no sunscreen and expose as much skin to the sun as
possible.
Vitamin D can also be obtained from foods. Salmon is one of the best sources of the vitamin. Egg yolks, cheese, mushrooms and beef liver contain smaller quantities of it.
To attract consumers, food companies add vitamin D to some of their milk products. The practice of putting the vitamin into milk began in the 1930s. At that time, many children were suffering from rickets, an illness that is caused by a vitamin D deficiency (不足). It made the children’s bones soft and weak. Adding Vitamin D to milk helped to solve the problem, and it has been available ever since.
For people who still need more vitamin D, there is another option: take vitamin D supplements. These products are widely sold in stores. However, anyone considering taking supplements should consult a physician first.
1. What is the main purpose of this article?| A．To note risks associated with a nutrient. |
| B．To analyze a nutrient’s composition. |
| C．To introduce a valuable nutrient. |
| D．To explain how a nutrient was discovered |
| A．They aren’t able to meet their deadlines. |
| B．They often don’t dress warmly enough. |
| C．They generally tend to remain indoors. |
| D．They leave lots of work for others to do. |
| A．Washing it with harsh cleaners. |
| B．Scratching it to relieve an itch. |
| C．Allowing it to become extremely dry. |
| D．Covering it with protective lotion. |
| A．As a revolutionary drug. | B．As a health problem. |
| C．As an economical treatment. | D．As a mental disorder. |
【推荐2】Do you want a job in the holidays Just go for it. First, you need to know what kind of job is suitable for your age and interest.
If you’re 13 to 15.
It seems that you can’t work almost anywhere, but you’re probably allowed to clean your neighbors’ cars or walk their dogs.
There is no lowest wage for children under 16. By law, you can’t work more than 35 hours each week during school holidays. And you can’t work before 7 am or after 7 pm.
If you’re 16 or 17.
The lowest wage for 16-17 years old teenagers should no be less than seven dollars per hour. You can’t work in a pub or bar, but you can work in many other places. By law, you can’t work more than 40 hours each week.
What jobs are out there?
Obviously your choices are limited by the fact that you can work during school holidays,but the following situations are fine. At Christmas, most shops are short of hands, so you may find something to do there. In the summer, there’s always fruit picking. It can be pretty hard work, but it pays really well.
If you’re mad about football, you could work in a sports shop or help out at a local football club. No matter how much you are paid, you are doing what you like.
1. In the school holidays, 14-year-old kids ________.| A．can’t go to work at night | B．can work anywhere they want |
| C．are not allowed to work alone | D．can work as long as 14 hours a day |
| A．7 dollars | B．14 dollars | C．21 dollars | D．17 dollars |
| A．better than other jobs | B．more attractive to girls |
| C．not right for children | D．tiring but pays well |
【推荐3】Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, St. PauPs Cathedral, the London Eye — these are just a few examples of the best of London. If you ever have a chance to tour London, the following are some hotels well worth having a try.
The Savoy
Perfectly located for the shops of Covent Garden and the cinemas of Leicester Square, the Savoy was Marilyn Monroe's London hotel of choice. Book one of the hotel's 267 luxury rooms and fully enjoy either elegant Edwardian design or sleek Art Deco design.
The Savoy, 2 Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R OEZ, UK; 44 20 7836 4343
Charlotte Street Hotel
Situated in London5 s media neighborhood, this former dental hospital now contains 52 individually designed rooms, with huge, comfortable beds and oak bathrooms, and some rooms have luxuriously high ceilings.
Charlotte Street Hotel, 15-17 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, London WIT 1RJ, UK; 44 20 7806 2000
The Arosfa
This reasonably priced townhouse hotel was once the Bloomsbury home of artist John Everett Millais. Ifs close to the British Museum and the shops of Oxford Street. Wi-Fi is available, and full English breakfast is included. The Arosfa has only 15 rooms, so book early.
The Arosfa, 83 Gower St, Fitzrovia, London WC1E 6HJ, UK; 44 20 7636 2115
The Hoxton
The Hoxton is a hit with budget travelers. In the middle of the capitalJ s most active nightlife area, it could not be better located for the party crowd. The Hoxton has been a big hit since it opened in 2006. The hotePs 210 rooms have wood floors, large mirrors and industrial details.
The Hoxton, Shoreditch, 81 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3HU England; 44 20 7550 1000
1. What does The Savoy have to attract guests?| A．Movie theaters. | B．Fine designs. |
| C．Art galleries. | D．English breakfast. |
| A．The Savoy. | B．Charlotte Street Hotel. |
| C．The Arosfa. | D．The Hoxton. |
| A．Shoppers. | B．Celebrities. |
| C．Budget agents. | D．Party lovers. |
