As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. Laughing is like a super drug for your health that can lift your mood, lessen pain, and protect you from the
Journalist, author and professor Norman Cousins was
Since then, research has continuously confirmed the effectiveness of laughter in relieving pain
2 . When I was 10 years old, my friend Sydney suffered from a brain cancer. Sydney fought against it, but the cancer did not
After her death, I felt sad and discouraged. I decided to turn these
Over the
I’ve been shocked by the
The effort we have made has
Pink Polka Dots has inspired me to be an activist. My experience has taught me that with passion and dedication, it is possible to make a
| A．respond | B．contribute | C．adapt | D．appeal |
| A．positive | B．attractive | C．alternative | D．negative |
| A．sought | B．left | C．founded | D．heard |
| A．patient | B．doctor | C．hospital | D．cure |
| A．weeks | B．days | C．years | D．months |
| A．raised | B．cost | C．took | D．rose |
| A．took on | B．turned out | C．brought in | D．came across |
| A．private | B．little | C．secret | D．public |
| A．scholarship | B．award | C．food | D．gift |
| A．study | B．concern | C．family | D．community |
| A．rarely | B．probably | C．hardly | D．truly |
| A．artistic | B．scientific | C．classic | D．athletic |
| A．know | B．ignore | C．remove | D．protect |
| A．finding | B．creation | C．invitation | D．conclusion |
| A．record | B．promise | C．living | D．difference |
3 . Scientists developed vaccines (疫苗)against a new disease in less than 12 months. And yet，18 months after the first of these vaccines, against COVID-19, were put on the market, just 15% of people in developing countries have been fully vaccinated. Such unfairness costs lives and uncovers a long-standing problem that some countries have been forced to depend on others for life-saving science and technology. It is unacceptable, for example, that in Africa, a continent of 54 independent countries and 1.2 billion people, 99% of vaccines are from other countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO)is searching for a way to get vaccines to more people more easily.Last year, the WHO started a program called the mRNA vaccine technology center. The goal of the program is to develop and produce mRNA vaccines and treatments(for COVID-19 and other diseases) in developing countries from the technology used in developed countries highly successful COVID-19 vaccines.
More importantly，the cooperation (合作)between universities and companies based in developing countries is needed to realize the goal. On July 8th,the USA National Institutes of Health, where much of the research on mRNA vaccines was carried out, joined this program to help build vaccine technology centers in developing countries.
Besides the necessity of fairness, outbreaks would end sooner if every country could depend on its own defence. As Larry Brilliant，a scientist of the US National Institutes of Health who helps wipe out smallpox(天花)，told Nature，“Fairness is often thought of as a burden(负担)，but it is a strategic need in the battle against COVID-19.”
1. Why does the author mention Africa in paragraph 1?| A．To lead in the topic. |
| B．To show the unfairness in vaccines. |
| C．To stress the importance of vaccines. |
| D．To say thanks to the help from developed countries. |
| A．To make more people in developing countries get vaccines. |
| B．To build up a center to attract experts in developing vaccines |
| C．To get the technology used in successful COVID-19 vaccines, |
| D．To strengthen the cooperation between universities and companies. |
| A．Fairness is a burden, so it is not necessary. |
| B．We’ll win the battle sooner if every country has its defence. |
| C．Fairness is necessary because it can stop COVID-19 from breaking out. |
| D．Wiping out smallpox is a strategic need in the battle against COVID-19. |
| A．Why fairness is necessary? |
| B．How did WHO start the program? |
| C．How did scientists develop vaccines? |
| D．Why is a vaccine center for developing countries a must? |
4 . Reasons why you should learn first aid
A first-aid course only takes a matter of hours to complete but supplies you with all of the knowledge you require to handle an emergency.
Having the ability to help family and friends in need. When a member of your family or a friend injures himself or herself, there’s nothing worse than feeling helpless. In your first-aid training, you can learn how to treat a variety of medical conditions and injuries. This means that when someone is in need, you will know exactly what to do.
Earning the respect of your fellow colleagues.
Gaining new responsibilities. Your role as a first-aider is very important especially in high-risk working environments where employees are operating heavy machines or working at a great height.
| A．But that’s not all |
| B．Getting more confidence |
| C．You will be the go-to person in times of need |
| D．Having the pride you will feel if you help save someone |
| E．We all know that accidents happen, but we cannot predict the future |
| F．Your knowledge of first aid will increase their chance of making a quick recovery |
| G．Stepping in to help your colleagues will have a greater effect than you might expect |
5 . Some women with severe anorexia (厌食症) have returned to a healthy weight and feel less anxious after having electrical devices implanted into their brains, which is based on a small study. But more research is needed.
About one in five people with anorexia die of the illness and there is a lack of effective treatments. Imaging studies suggest that certain brain circuits (回路) may underlie the fear of gaining weight and compulsion (强迫) to self-starve.
Bomin Sun at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China and his colleagues wondered whether they could harm these circuits by electrically affecting a part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens (伏隔核). This brain region helps us to learn from experience, but in people with anorexia it seems to form abnormal connections with other brain regions.
The team took in 28 women with at least a three-year history of anorexia who hadn’t improved following standard treatment. The women had an average body mass index (BMD) of 13; a BMI of less than 18.5 is considered underweight. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. The researchers surgically implanted electrodes (电极) into the nucleus accumbens on women’s brains. They connected the electrodes by wires to a battery, to continuously affect the nucleus accumbens.
Over the next two years, the average BMI of the participants increased to 18 and almost half regained a BMI of 18.5 or above. They also reported feeling less anxious.
“This is a very promising result,” says Philip Mosley, a research from Australia. But the study didn’t include a placebo (安慰剂) group for comparison, meaning it isn’t possible to rule out that the participants’ improvement was simply because they expected the treatment to work, says Mosley.
Mosley and his colleagues are about to start a trial of the same treatment in which they will control for the placebo effect. Brain surgery may seem like an extreme treatment, but for people with severe anorexia, it may be better than the alternative, which is often death, says Mosley.
1. What’s the normal body mass index (BMI)?| A．13. | B．Less than 18.5. |
| C．Between 18.5 and 24.9. | D．Between 25 and 29.9. |
| A．By changing the brain circuits. | B．By reducing fear of gaining weight. |
| C．By putting electrodes into the brain. | D．By strengthening the nucleus accumbens. |
| A．To apply for wider use. | B．To find better treatment. |
| C．To rule out the placebo effect. | D．To correct the first treatment. |
| A．It is very successful and effective. |
| B．It will be applied to people with anorexia soon. |
| C．It is only adopted by people with severe anorexia. |
| D．It is an extreme treatment and needs improvement. |
6 . Norwood, a junior High School student, was driving three friends home in St. Petersburg, when another driver crashed into her from her left and made her car hit the tree. The impact jammed shut the driver’s side door, so Norwood climbed out the front window. Two of her friends managed to get out of the car unharmed, but her 16-year-old friend Zarria didn’t. She run back to the car only to find Zarria was just sitting there reactionless.
A lot of people started to gather around to see what was happening. Norwood started yelling, “Back up, back up, she needs space.” Norwood pulled Zarria out of the back seat, avoiding broken glass from the window. “That’s when I checked her pulse on her neck. I put my head against her chest, and I didn’t really hear nothing. So that’s when I just started doing CPR on her.” Norwood told the reporter. After the 30 compressions and two rescue breaths, Zarria regained consciousness. Ambulance quickly arrived and rushed her to the hospital to receive medical help.
When Miller, Norwood’s high school teacher, learned that Norwood saved a friend just one day after completing CPR training, she was at a loss of words and so proud. Norwood participates in the school’s Athletic Lifestyle Management Academy (ALMA). The program prepares students for various careers in health science. “We do vital signs and they learn how to take blood pressure and check pulse.” Miller introduced. And another one of the skills learned is CPR. “There are two components, a hands-on skills component where they have to demonstrate that they’re able to do CPR well, and then there’s a written test component, showing that they remember that knowledge.”
Thanks to Norwood’s quick thinking, Zarria is recovering well. She also isn’t surprised by her friend’s actions. “She will always help any way she can, so I wasn’t really shocked about that.”
1. What happened to Norwood and her friends on their way home?| A．They lost their way. | B．They suffered a car accident. |
| C．They crashed into another car. | D．They were stuck in a traffic jam. |
| A．To give her first aid. | B．To ask people for help. |
| C．To call ambulance at once. | D．To send her to hospital immediately. |
| A．It normally lasts for one day. |
| B．It is for medical students only. |
| C．It focuses on both theory and practice. |
| D．It trains students to live a healthy lifestyle. |
| A．Considerate and flexible. | B．Kind and ambitious. |
| C．Hardworking and clever. | D．Brave and calm. |
7 . Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body works. You've probably heard that drugs are bad for you, but what does that mean and why are they bad?
Medicines Are Legal Drugs
Illegal Drugs
When people talk about a "drug problem", they usually mean abusing legal drugs or using illegal drugs, such as cocaine（冰毒）and heroin to get “high”.
Illegal drugs aren't good for anyone, but they are particularly bad for a kid or teen whose body is still growing。 Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important organs. Cocaine, for instance, can cause a heart attack - even in a kid or teen. While using drugs, people are also less able to do well in school, sports, and other activities. It's often harder to think clearly and make good decisions.
Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?
Sometimes kids and teens try drugs to fit in with a group of friends.
| A．Why Are Illegal Drugs Dangerous? |
| B．Are Illegal Drugs Dangerous for People? |
| C．Drugs don’t solve problems, of course. |
| D．Or they might be curious or just bored. |
| E．When you are not feeling well or right, |
| F．If you've ever been sick and had to take medicine, |
| G．People can do dangerous things when they use drugs. |
8 . Scientists from Imperial College London have found that using virtual reality(VR)headsets can reduce sensitivity to pain, by immersing(沉浸)people in icy Arctic scenery. In a study published in Pain Reports, a team from Imperial used VR video to reduce people’s sensitivity to ongoing pain and sharp shooting pain.
According to the researchers, the findings add to the growing evidence for the potential of VR technology to help patients with long-term pain. Beyond the distracting effect, they think VR may actually cause the body’s own inbuilt pain-fighting systems to start working.
Dr Sam Hughes, the first author on the paper, said "Our work suggests that VR may be getting involved in processes in the key parts of our inbuilt pain-fighting systems and are helpful in regulating the spread of increased sensitivity to pain.
To test their theory, researchers applied a cream containing capsaicin(辣椒素)-the chemical that makes your mouth bum-to 15 healthy volunteers. The capsaicin makes the skin more sensitive to painful stimuli(刺激)like a very small electric shock.
In the first trial, participants were then asked to rate the pain caused by the capsaicin cream on a scale of 0-100 (from 'no pain' to 'worst pain possible' )while either watching a VR scene of Arctic exploration through a headset, or looking at a still image of an Arctic scene on a monitor. Under the same conditions, they were also asked to say when a stimulus applied directly to the skin area is considered as painful.
The team found that ongoing pain was reduced following VR immersion, and that sensitivity to painful stimuli was also reduced. However, the same effect was not seen in people who looked at still images of the polar environment.
They explain that while the findings made at the beginning are encouraging, the study is limited by the small number of healthy participants, without long-term pain. However, the researchers believe VR could hold a bright future to treat patients with long-term pain who have poor inbuilt pain fighting systems.
1. How can VR possibly help long-term pain sufferers?| A．By making their pain-fighting systems function. |
| B．By drawing their attention to fighting pain. |
| C．By controlling the spread of pain sensitivity. |
| D．By slowing down their brains' reaction to pain. |
| A．Making a capsaicin cream. |
| B．Putting on virtual reality headsets. |
| C．Applying capsaicin cream to the skin. |
| D．Looking at pictures on a computer screen. |
| A．Still images helped to ease people's pain. |
| B．VR immersion was the key factor in pain reduction. |
| C．Healthy people were less sensitive to VR than pain sufferers. |
| D．Capsaicin cream brought people more pain than electronic stimulus. |
| A．The team feels confident about future VR treatment. |
| B．The researchers will work on the side effect of VR. |
| C．VR treatment can be applied in other medical fields. |
| D．The trial only has an effect on short-term pain patients. |
9 . How to Do basic first Aid
Basic first aid refers to a temporary form of help given to someone who has been injured or has got sick due to choking, a heart attack, drugs or other medical emergencies.
Care for the person who has just gone through serious damage, including both physical treatment and emotional support.
Perform 30 chest compressions (心肺复苏) and two rescue breaths as part of CPR.
Make sure the person is warm as you wait for medical help. Remove some of your own clothing, such as your coat or jacket, and use it as a cover until medical help arrives. However, if the person has a heatstroke (中暑), do not cover him or keep him warm.
| A．Instead, try to cool him |
| B．Remember to stay calm |
| C．Perform first aid immediately |
| D．Here are some tips for first aid |
| E．It is important to take the correct chest compressions |
| F．In the center of the chest, put your two hands together first |
| G．If a person is in a state similar to sleep, he may need checking for breath |
10 . Heart disease is one of the major killers in the world today. Many who suffer from it must have heart transplants (移植). However, it’s difficult to get a suitable heart donation, and even if a patient survives the wait, his or her body often rejects (排斥) the heart.
But there is now new hope for sufferers of heart disease. According to a study published in the journal Advanced Science, researchers from Israel’s Tel Aviv University printed a 3D human heart on April 15.
“This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart,” professor Tal Dvir told CNN.
Unlike the previous 3D-printed heart structure, the new heart is complete with cells, blood vessels (血管), chambers (心室) and other structures a heart needs to function normally. But scientists still have more to figure out before the 3D-printed heart can be fitted into the body. For one thing, the experimental heart is only the size of a thumb (拇指). And, although it can contract (收缩) like a muscle, it cannot pump out blood like a real one. At present, the heart prototype (样品) is like a tiny airplane that has all of the right parts, but can’t fly.
However, the development is still regarded as a major breakthrough in medicine.
In the experiment, the researchers turned human fat tissue (脂肪组织) into human heart tissue with stem cell (干细胞) technology. The tissue was then turned into “bio-ink” for a 3D printer to ensure that tissue in the heart came from the patients themselves. So ideally, if it were to be placed in the body of someone in need of a transplant, there would be less risk of organ rejection.
“Patients will no longer have to wait for transplants or take medications to prevent their rejection,” researchers told USA Today. “Instead, the needed heart will be printed, fully personalized (个性化的) for every patient.”
But the scientists think that 3D printing can be used to create other human organs. They foresee a time when the 3D printing of organs will be an everyday medical practice.
“Maybe, in 10 years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world and these procedures will be conducted routinely,” Dvir said.
1. Why is the 3D-printed heart important?| A．It will be used on a patient. |
| B．It is the first 3D-printed heart. |
| C．It will replace a heart donation. |
| D．It has a complete heart structure. |
| A．They cost too much. | B．They are too small. |
| C．They can’t contract. | D．They are hard to produce. |
| A．It would be made with stem cell technology. |
| B．It would be made from human fat tissue. |
| C．It would come from a patient’s body. |
| D．It would be printed according to the patient’s condition. |
| A．Confident. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
