1 . The World Health Organization (WHO) recently addressed loneliness as a pressing health threat and called for countries and organizations to make social connections a priority.
Loneliness is a state of mind marked by feelings of isolation despite wanting social connections. So, people who are lonely usually experience the emotional pain of not being connected with others. Isolation, on the other hand, is voluntary. People who enjoy spending time by themselves continue to maintain positive social relationships that they can return to when they want connection.
Social isolation impacts the health and well-being of all age groups across the world. According to the WHO, one in four old people experience social isolation. Among adolescents, between 5 and 15 percent experience loneliness, but the numbers are likely to be underestimations, said the organization.
In terms of teenagers, social disconnection can lead to poorer education outcomes since young people who have experienced loneliness in high school are more likely to drop out of university.
Lack of social connection carries a risk of early death equivalent (与……相等的) to other better-known risk factors such as smoking, obesity and air pollution, or potentially even greater. Loneliness has a far-reaching impact comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, according to a 2017 study.
Previous studies have shown that loneliness has been linked to anxiety and depression and can increase the risk of heart disease by 30 percent. A 2015 study looked at the immune systems of its participants who were identified as lonely. It showed that they tend to have more inflammation (炎症) and less immunity, which can be a result of feeling stressed due to loneliness.
To tackle this crisis, the WHO launched the Commission on Social Connection, which held its first leadership meeting from Dec.6 to 8 to outline solutions to build social connections at scale.
1. What do we know about people experiencing loneliness from the passage?A.They prefer isolation over social interaction. |
B.They feel lacking in social connection. |
C.They feel other people isolate them on purpose. |
D.They struggle to maintain social relationships. |
A.It is harder for older people to get rid of it. |
B.Teenagers are most influenced by it. |
C.The effects of it on adults are often underestimated. |
D.People can suffer from it regardless of their age. |
A.By quoting lonely people. |
B.By asking the readers some questions. |
C.By citing previous studies. |
D.By comparing it with other diseases. |
A.To raise awareness about loneliness. |
B.To give advice on how to prevent social isolation. |
C.To stress the need for mental health evaluations. |
D.To warn people of diseases related to loneliness. |
A.His doctor. | B.His mother. | C.His teacher. |
A.Get dressed. | B.Stay in bed. | C.Go for a walk. |
4 . As I write this, a Bob Seger song is stuck in my head. It’s been playing on repeat ever since I heard it in a movie. I hated it a lot when it first came out years ago, and I still really hate it now. Why, oh why, does an earworm happen? This phenomenon, known as an earworm, is both fascinating and annoying. Earworms are a type of auditory imagery, where we perceive a tone without actually hearing it. When a familiar song is heard and suddenly stopped, some areas of the brain become overly activated in expectation of hearing the rest of the song, and then it fills in the missing pieces.
Anyone can experience earworms, but certain personality characteristics, like openness to experience, may increase their frequency. You may have seen a popular TikTok recently of a guy saying earworms aren’t normal but are instead symptoms of ADHD (多动症) or OCD (强迫症). That’s generally not the case. “It is entirely normal to experience earworms: Over 90% of participants in large-scale surveys report having had earworms at least once a week, and they are not a symptom of any other underlying mental condition,” says Jakubowski. Interestingly, earworms aren’t all bad. Research indicates that they can enhance our ability to recall past events, as the repetitive nature of the song strengthens our memory.
There are several strategies to get rid of earworms. Listening to the entire song can help resolve the unfinished loop. Alternatively, distracting yourself with another melody or engaging in activities that require focus can also be effective. Chewing gum or eating something crunchy may interrupt the song playing in your head. Despite these strategies, sometimes the best approach is to simply accept the presence of the earworm and let it fade away naturally. In my case, trying to actively rid myself of the song only made it more persistent. It seems patience is key when dealing with these stubborn musical guests in our minds.
1. What is an earworm?A.A type of insect that affects hearing. | B.A song that gets stuck in your head. |
C.A medical condition related to the ears. | D.An element missing in a song. |
A.They cannot be controlled or stopped. | B.They indicate underlying illness. |
C.They only occur in certain individuals. | D.They are normal phenomena. |
A.To enhance memory recall of earlier incidents. |
B.To increase musical creativity and imagination. |
C.To expand openness to new experiences. |
D.To improve focus and concentration. |
A.Concerned and worried. | B.Scientific but negative. |
C.Annoyed but accepting. | D.Excited and fascinated. |
5 . The Carter Center said recently that only 13 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide last year. That is a major drop from 3.5 million cases of infected people in 1986, in which year the Atlanta-based Carter Center joined the World Health Organization( WHO) in the fight against Guinea worm disease. The center said the remaining infection occurred in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Six human cases were reported in Chad, five in South Sudan, one in Ethiopia and one in the Central African Republic. And the Central African Republic case remains under investigation.
Guinea worm disease is a disease that affects poor communities in distant parts of Africa and Asia where people do not have safe water to drink. People who drink unclean water can get parasites (寄生虫) that can grow up to 1 meter. The worm grows in people for up to a year before painfully coming out, often through the feet or other sensitive parts of the body.
The WHO says there is neither a drug treatment for Guinea worm disease nor a vaccine to prevent it. But it can be prevented by training people to filter (过滤) and drink clean water.
Guinea worm disease could be the second human disease to be ended after smallpox, according to the Carter Center. Adam Weiss, a director of a program to fight against the disease, says that eradicating the disease finally could be difficult, for the populations where Guinea worm disease still exists often face insecurity, including conflict, which can prevent workers and volunteers from going house to house to offer support.
Weiss warns, “If support for these communities slows or stops, there’s no question that you’re going to see a sudden increase in Guinea worm.” However, he adds, “We’re continuing to make progress — even if it is not as fast as we all want it to be, that progress continues.”
1. What do we know about Guinea worm disease from the text?A.It’s still a big problem worldwide. | B.It was first found in the year 1986. |
C.It has been well controlled in the past years. | D.It once existed in most countries worldwide. |
A.He can be in great pain within a few days. | B.He will end up becoming very sensitive. |
C.He will mainly suffer stomachaches. | D.He may suffer a lot in the end. |
A.By having a vaccine to prevent it. | B.By ensuring drinking water is clean. |
C.By receiving a good drug treatment. | D.By avoiding getting into unclean water. |
A.Completely ending. | B.Carefully studying. |
C.Exactly knowing. | D.Suddenly changing. |
People may find it unbelievable that two hundred years ago people did not link illness to environmental problems.
A.She went crazy. | B.She had a car accident. | C.She was killed last Friday. |
1. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A.Classmates. | B.Colleagues. | C.Neighbours. |
A.For about three days. | B.For almost one week. | C.For more than one week. |
A.A runny nose. | B.Sneezing. | C.Not eating or drinking. |
A.She made fish soup for the cat. |
B.She fed the cat some medicine. |
C.She took the cat to a pet doctor. |
1. What is wrong with the woman?
A.She has a cough. | B.She has a headache. | C.She has a fever. |
A.One day. | B.Two days. | C.Three days. |
A.Friends. |
B.Brother and sister. |
C.Doctor and patient. |