A.He hurt his knee. | B.He played football. | C.He did his homework. |
2 . On July 28, I retired from my position. After teaching for many years, I looked forward to kayaking (划独木舟) with my grandsons, seeing friends and traveling for leisure with my husband. But my body had other plans for me. A broken spine (脊椎) in my back took me down a path that upended my plans.
I have long had back pain. However, I pushed through the pain to do my work, which worsened my condition. Doctors urged an operation when increased disability meant I could not sit, stand or walk for a long time. But I wanted to see whether physical therapy (治疗) could create an easier option.
Indeed, hard work with a great physical therapist has let me improve my mobility, sitting and standing. But X-rays told a different story. My spine was unstable and bending. After careful consideration and a second opinion from another professional, I agreed to surgery yet in the near term. Needless to say, the past months have been tough and the way ahead will be even tougher. Kayaking with my grandsons in the peacefulness of the lake is all out of reach, for now.
When I met my physical therapist for the first time, I was a mess. He listened to me outline my history with tears and then calmly said, “You have to make friends with your body.” I have repeated that line to myself daily and worked to embrace my body. I have focused on gratitude. I’m grateful that I do not have a fatal disease. I’m grateful that the body I have remains alert to the world, loved by family and friends. I’m grateful that I am still myself.
I don’t know exactly how the future will play out. The surgeon assures me that I should be able to get in my kayak by summer. But I may have to make friends with a different body, one that is mine regardless of the shape.
1. Why did the author’s condition become worse?A.She disliked physical therapy. |
B.She hurt her back when kayaking. |
C.She still worked despite back pain. |
D.She was unwilling to have an operation. |
A.She forgot to kayak with her grandsons. |
B.She decided to accept an operation right away. |
C.She completely recovered after physical therapy. |
D.She asked another doctor for advice on the operation. |
A.Her wish to enjoy retirement life. |
B.Her physical therapist’s advice. |
C.Her worsening physical condition. |
D.Her love for her family and friends. |
A.Learning to accept my body |
B.Enjoying my retirement life |
C.Fighting against my back pain |
D.Being grateful for what I have |
3 . “Tooth loss and gum disease, which is inflammation (发炎) of the tissue around the teeth that can cause shrinkage (萎缩) of the gums and loosening of the teeth, are very common, so evaluating a potential link with brain diseases is incredibly important. Our study found that these conditions may play a role in the health of the brain area that controls thinking and memory, giving people another reason to take better care of their teeth,” said study author Satoshi Yamaguchi, Ph.D. of Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.
The study involved 172 people with an average age of 67 who did not have memory problems at the beginning of the study. Researchers found that the number of teeth and amount of gum disease was linked to changes in the left hippocampus of the brain. For people with mild gum disease, having fewer teeth was associated with a faster rate of brain shrinkage, which was the same for people with severe gum disease having more teeth. After adjusting for age, researchers found that for people with mild gum disease, the increase in the rate of brain shrinkage due to one less tooth was equal to nearly one year of brain aging. By contrast, for people with severe gum disease, the increase in brain shrinkage due to one more tooth was equal to 1.3 years of brain aging.
“These results highlight the importance of preserving the health of the teeth and not just maintaining the teeth,” Yamaguchi said. Though the study does not prove that gum disease or tooth loss causes diseases like Alzheimer’s, it only shows an association. Yamaguchi added, “Future studies are needed with larger groups of people.” The current experiment involved only a small group of people in one region of Japan, and that too from one particular region of the world.
1. What does Satoshi Yamaguchi’s research focus on?A.The reason for gum disease. |
B.The influence of brain shrinkage. |
C.The advances in memory improvement. |
D.The link between dental health and brain. |
A.Supporting evidence for the research results. |
B.Basic theories and results of a previous research. |
C.A further explanation of the research methods. |
D.The detailed procedures of the scientific research. |
A.Treat a brain problem with replacing teeth. |
B.Frequently visit the dentists to maintain teeth. |
C.Protect gums and teeth in their original good state. |
D.Pull out one of their unique teeth as a study object. |
A.The application in related fields. |
B.The further research in wider range. |
C.The difficulties of making the previous studies. |
D.The suggestions for preventing teeth disease. |
A.Making the wearer feel tired. |
B.Gradually weakening an adult’s eyes. |
C.The loss of vision in children. |
D.Permanent change of the eye structure. |
A.Working hard. | B.Wearing sunglasses. |
C.Watching TV in poor light. | D.Reading in bed. |
A.Ways of choosing eye glasses. |
B.Suggestions of eyesight protection. |
C.Untruths of eye glasses and eyesight. |
D.Proven facts of the benefits of eye glasses. |
5 . If there was an app on your phone that claimed to improve your memory, would you be willing to try it? It’s hard to resist the idea of having a better memory. After all, our memories are delicate and can be affected by various factors such as diseases, injuries, mental health conditions, and aging.
In response to this perceived need, the brain training industry has grown rapidly, offering a wide range of accessible and affordable mental exercises through smartphone and tablet apps. Many researchers have found evidence suggesting that well-designed exercises can improve mental abilities and even lead to better scores on IQ tests. They compare the brain to muscles, suggesting that targeted repetition of memory exercises can strengthen and condition our memory processes, similar to how athletes engage in strength and conditioning by repeatedly exercising specific muscle groups.
In contrast to everyday activities like reading a detailed article or solving a complex puzzle, memory training apps are specifically designed to provide a more challenging workout for the brain. These apps typically involve tasks that require tracking a large number of objects while being distracted by a secondary task, such as mental calculations or exploring a game’s landscape. If this brain training proves effective, it could be beneficial for individuals with brain-related disabilities or those recovering from conditions like cancer.
Critics, though, argue that while the concept is appealing, the overall evidence fails to demonstrate significant improvement in core brain processes. Additionally, despite the claims made by many apps and brain training companies, scientists have yet to identify the key factors that make an intervention truly effective or determine the best approaches to address the diverse needs of individuals seeking help.
While the question is still open to debate, there is evidence suggesting that short-term working memory training can benefit high-functioning individuals, such as college students. However, it’s important to note that brain training, like diet and exercise, is unlikely to have identical effects on every individual.
1. In what way is the brain similar to muscles according to many researchers?A.In testing results. | B.In work processes. |
C.In bodily functions. | D.In training methods. |
A.Detailed. | B.Effective. | C.Demanding. | D.Complicated. |
A.Legal claims. | B.Proven effects. | C.Tailored services. | D.Appealing concepts. |
A.Can our memory be improved? |
B.Does brain training actually work? |
C.What have scientists found about memory? |
D.What does the brain training industry bring? |
1. Who is the woman probably talking to?
A.Her doctor. |
B.Her golf teacher. |
C.Her good friend. |
A.In two weeks. |
B.In three weeks. |
C.In three months. |
A.His leg. |
B.His back. |
C.His shoulder. |
LEGO has been around forever and is still a favorite toy for children of all
David Aguilar, a 19-year-old from Spain,
Now,
It’s so refreshing to see such a clever young man who tries to help others in similar situations
8 . In English it’s common to say, “I know this town like the back of my hand!” While we may know our towns really well, how well do we actually know our hands?
Matthew Longo and his team from University College London studied the left hands of 100 people. With their hands placed palms down under a board, Longo’s team gave the instruction to point to their knuckles (指关节) and fingertips with a marker pen. How did they do? Not that well.
In the experiment, according to Longo, “people think their hands are wider than they actually are.”
“It is connected to our sense of position,” explained Longo. Humans know where different parts of our bodies are, even if we can’t see them. It tells us whether a joint (关节) is straight or not.
A.More nerves, larger a body part seems. |
B.Let’s see how our humans know our body parts. |
C.It’s essential to the sizes and shapes of our body. |
D.Maybe not quite as well as we think, said a scientific study. |
E.The same can happen with body parts having a lot of nerves. |
F.They also thought their fingers were shorter than their true lengths. |
G.Our brains know the body sizes and shapes from the maps they make for themselves. |
9 . The tooth is the hardest part of your body. Your teeth help you in many ways. For example, they can help you talk. They can also help you have a great smile. And the most important job of your teeth is to chew (咀嚼) your food. But do you know how your teeth grow?
When you are born, you don’t have any teeth. About 8 months later, small teeth begin to appear one by one. These teeth are called baby teeth. They are also called milk -teeth. You won’t have baby teeth forever. They usually begin to fall out when a child is about 6 years old. Then, permanent (永久的) teeth begin to appear. These teeth are larger and more powerful. Most people will have 28 permanent teeth by the time they are 12 years old.
For some people, four more permanent teeth arrive by their 25th. birthday. They are called wisdom teeth (智齿). But these teeth don’t make you smart! Sometimes they bring you pain. If a wisdom tooth brings you too much pain, you should go to a dentist (牙医) and have it pulled out.
1. Which part of your body is the hardest?A.The nose. | B.The tooth. | C.The leg. | D.The hand. |
A.to prepare food. | B.to cook food | C.to chew food | D.to protect food |
A.Baby teeth. | B.Adult teeth. | C.False teeth. | D.Big teeth. |
A.Go to a dentist and have it brushed. | B.Go to a dentist and have it pulled out. |
C.Go to a dentist and have it cleaned. | D.Go to a dentist and have it examined. |
10 . The eyes are the windows of the soul (心灵). Having a pair of bright, clear eyes is very important, so we should protect our eyes throughout our lives.
Don’t read while lying down or walking. Relax after every hour of reading. Keep a distance from the TV set when you watch TV and give your eyes a rest every 30 minutes. Don’t stare at (盯看) the sun or try to read in the darkness.
Get your eyes checked often.
Not many people have this habit, but it is necessary. If you feel that there is something wrong with your eyes, get them checked quickly.
Rest your eyes whenever you can.
You can close your eyes for a few seconds or look into the distance for one or two minutes. A small break will relax your eyes.
Besides, be careful when you choose your glasses.
A.Develop good habits of using eyes. |
B.It also helps to protect you from getting eye problems. |
C.Make sure you get enough sleep every night. |
D.Glasses that aren’t suitable for you could bring you trouble. |
E.Even if you’re wearing sunglasses, never look directly at the sun. |
F.Eye problem can be found and treated early with regular checks. |
G.Drink green tea every day as a way to protect your eyes against eye problems. |