Everyone may all have the experience of feeling anxious and stressed when having a rough day or having some troubles. Different people may choose different ways to deal with it, and for most people a break for a 10-minute walk may be quite useful.
Anyway, here is another way around: to get a piece of chewing gum, and chew it. According to a Swinburne University of Technology study, gum-chewing has been found to “relieve anxiety, improve alertness(機敏性) and reduce stress among individuals in a laboratory setting.”
Some may argue that a laboratory is not the same as an office. But check out the conditions of the study: individuals were monitored while performing “a group of ‘multi-tasking’ activities.” Doesn’t it sound like the situation in the office?
Here’s a summary of some of the study’s findings:
Gum chewers showed a reduction in anxiety as compared to non-gum chewers by nearly 17 percent during mild stress and nearly 10 percent in appropriate stress.
Gum chewers showed improvement in alertness over non-gum chewers by nearly 19 percent during mild stress and 8 percent in moderate stress.
Improved Performance: Chewing gum resulted in a big improvement in overall performance on multi-tasking activities.
Although these aren’t major improvements, every little bit works and chewing a piece of gum is a lot quicker and easier than slipping outside for a 10-minute walk. So, how does gum work this magic? In part it does so by lowering the level of cortisol(皮質(zhì)醇)—a steroid(類固醇) hormone that is released in response to stress in your system.
A few words of advice before you reach for the gum: don’t crack your gum, and be sure to chew it with your mouth closed. In fact, I’d say keep the gum out of meetings, because it really looks impolite to others around you.
小題1:From the study in the text we know that_________________.
A．gum chewers may lack alertness
B．gum chewers tend to be less stressed
C．gum chewers can finish many jobs perfectly
D．gum chewers can reduce their anxiety and anger easily
小題2:How does gum work to reduce stress according to the text?
A．It works by improving alertness.
B．It works by allowing a 10-minute walk.
C．It works by reducing one’s level of cortisol.
D．It works by being chewed in a laboratory setting.
小題3:Which one may the author probably agree with?
A．People should chew gum with their mouths closed in a meeting.
B．It is impolite to chew gum in a meeting with people around you.
C．People can crack gum freely when meeting friends.
D．People should be careful when chewing gum at home.
小題4:What does the text mainly talk about?
A．How to chew gum.B．How to relieve stress.
C．Why people love chewing gum.D．Chewing gum can relieve stress.

小題1:B
小題2:C
小題3:B
小題4:D

試題分析 本文是說明文。每個人都有感覺壓力的時候，減壓有很多方法，現(xiàn)在流行咀嚼口香糖，以及引發(fā)的一些問題。
小題1:B 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)對全文的理解，口香糖可以用來減少壓力。故選B項。
小題2:C 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段So, how does gum work this magic? In part it does so by lowering the level of cortisol(皮質(zhì)醇)—a steroid(類固醇) hormone that is released in response to stress in your system.得出應選 C項。
小題3:B 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)最后一段don’t crack your gum, and be sure to chew it with your mouth closed. In fact, I’d say keep the gum out of meetings, because it really looks impolite to others around you.，應選 B項。用排除法來做此類的題。
小題4:D 主旨大意。本文主要講吃口香糖可以減輕壓力，故選 D項。
練習冊系列答案
相關(guān)習題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A few degrees can make a big difference when it comes to food storage. Foods can go bad if they get too warm. But for many of the world’s poor, finding a good way to keep food cool is difficult. Refrigerators are costly and they need electricity.
Yet spoiled food not only creates health risks but also economic losses. Farmers lose money when they have to throw away products that they cannot sell quickly.
But in nineteen ninety-five a teacher in northern Nigeria named Mohammed Bah Abba found a solution. He developed the “Pot-in-Pot Preservation/Cooling System.” It uses two round containers made of clay. A smaller pot is placed inside a larger one. The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand. The inner pot can be filled with fruit, vegetables or drinks. A wet cloth covers the whole cooling system.
Food stored in the smaller pot is kept from spoiling through a simple evaporation(蒸發(fā)) process. Water in the sand between the two pots evaporates through the surface of the larger pot, where drier outside air is moving.
The evaporation process creates a drop in temperature of several degrees. This cools the inner pot and helps keep food safe from harmful bacteria. Some foods can be kept fresh this way for several weeks.
People throughout Nigeria began using the invention. And it became popular with farmers in other African countries. Mohammed Bah Abba personally financed the first five thousand pot-in-pot systems for his own community and five villages nearby.
In two thousand, the Rolex Watch Company of Switzerland honored him with the Rolex Award for Enterprise. This award recognizes people trying to develop projects aimed at improving human knowledge and well-being. A committee considers projects in science and medicine, technology, exploration and discovery, the environment and cultural history. Winners receive financial assistance to help develop and extend their projects.
小題1:Which is the best title of the passage?
A．A Few Degrees can Make a Big Difference for Storage
B． A Cool Way to Keep Food from Spoiling
C． Spoiled Food Creates Health Risks and Economic Losses
D． The Evaporation Process Creates a Drop in Temperature
小題2:What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?
A．the structure of the invention
B．the usage of the invention
C．the cost of the invention
D．the inspiration of the invention
小題3:What is it that essentially keeps the food in the container from spoiling?
A．the wet cloth covering the cooling system.
B．the moving drier air outside the container
C．the wet sand between the containers
D．a(chǎn) drop in temperature by evaporation
小題4:According to the passage, where can we possibly see the invention?
A．rich and advanced families
B．scientific experiment laboratory
C．poor and underdeveloped area
D．supermarket needing to store goods
小題5:We can know from the passage that Mohammed Bah Abba ____________.
A．invented the controversial cooling system
B．financed the systems in all communities
C．received financial assistance for his invention
D．invented more complicated cooling system later

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Mark and his brother Jason both were looking at the shining new computer enviously, Jason was determined not to go against their father’s wishes but Mark was more adventurous than his brother. He loved experimenting and his aim was to become a scientist like his father.
“Dad will be really mad if he finds out you’ve been playing with his new computer.” Jason said, “He told us not to touch it.”
“He won’t find out,” Mark said. “I’ll just have a quick look and shut it down.”
Mark had been scolded before for touching his father’s equipment. But his curiosity was difficult to control and this new computer really puzzled him.
It was a strange-looking machine — one his dad had brought home from the laboratory where he worked. “It’s an experimental model,” his father had explained, “so don’t touch it under any circumstances.” But his father’s warning only served to make Mark more curious. Without any further thought, Mark turned on the power switch. The computer burst into life and seconds later, the screen turned into colors, shifting and changing and then two big white words appeared in the centre of the screen: “SPACE TRANSPORTER.” “Yes!” Mark cried excitedly, “It’s a computer game. I knew it! Dad’s only been pretending to work. He’s really been playing games instead.” A new message appeared on the screen: “ENTER NAMES
VOYAGER 1:…
VOYAGER 2:…”
Mark’s fingers flew across the keyboard as he typed in both of their names.
“INPUT ACCEPTED. START TRANSPORT PROGRAM. AUTO-RETRIEVE INITIATED (自動回收程序已啟動).”
The screen turned even brighter and a noise suddenly rose in volume.
“I think we’d better shut it off, Mark,” Jason yelled, reaching for the power switch. He was really frightened.
But his hand never reached the switch. A single beam of dazzling white light burst out of the computer screen, wrapping the boys in its glow(光芒) , until they themselves seemed to be glowing. Then it died down just as suddenly as it had burst into life. And the boys were no longer there. On the screen, the letters changed.
“TRANSPORT SUCCESSFUL. DESTINATION (目的地)：MARS. RETRIEVE DATE: 2025.”
小題1:Why did Mark touch the computer against his father’s warning?
A．He wanted to take a voyage. B．He wanted to practice his skill.
C．He was so much attracted by it.D．He was eager to do an experiment.
小題2:Where did the boys’ father most likely work?
A．In an electronic factory.
B．In a computer company.
C．In a scientific research center.
D．In an information processing center.
小題3: Mark thought “SPACE TRANSPORTER” on the screen was the name of______.
A．a(chǎn) computer gameB．a(chǎn) company website
C．a(chǎn) software producer D．a(chǎn)n astronomy
小題4:Why did Jason want to shut off the computer?
A．He was afraid of being scolded.
B．He didn’t like the loud noise and light.
C．He didn’t want to play games any more.
D．He was afraid something dangerous might happen.
小題5: What happened to the boys at the end of the story? 
A．Theywereblownintotheair.
B．Theyweresenttoanotherplanet.
C．Theywerehiddeninthestronglight.
D．Theywerecarriedawaytoanothercountry.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Not long ago, many people believed that babies only wanted food and to be kept warm and dry. Some people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old.
Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is a federal government agency. Its goal is to determine which experiences can influence healthy development in people.
Researchers at the institute note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other people.
The researchers say this ability to learn exists in a baby even before birth. They say newborn babies can recognize and understand sounds they heard while they were still developing inside their mothers.
Another study has suggested that low birth weight babies with no evidence of disability may be more likely than other children to have physical and mental problems.
American researchers studied almost five hundred boys and girls. They were born in, or admitted to, one of three hospitals in New Jersey between 1984 and 1987. At birth, each child weighed fewer than two thousand grams.
The boys and girls had an average age of sixteen at the time of the study. They were asked to complete intelligence and motor skill tests in their homes. Their test results were compared with those of other children their age.
小題1:According to the passage, some people used to think that babies began to learn _________.
A．on their first day of lifeB．even before they were born
C．before five or six months oldD．a(chǎn)t or after five or six months old
小題2:Babies learn to connect and communicate with other people through_____________.
A．smilesB．criesC．facial expressionsD．body language
小題3:The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development tries to find out ________.
A．what affects people’s healthy development
B．what influences babies’ learning ability
C．how to cure some children’s health problems
D．how to develop children’s learning ability
小題4:What will be mentioned in the following passage?
A．The evaluation method of the tests.
B．The cause of low birth weight babies.
C．The result of the intelligence and motor skill tests.
D．The evidence proving babies began to learn before birth.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy．After all, you probably sing when you are happy．
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy．However they sing most of the time for a very different reason．Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory．
Do you know what a “territory” is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims (聲稱) as its own．Only he and his family are welcome there． No other families of the same species are welcome．Your house is your territory where only your family and friends are welcome．If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout．Probably this would be enough to frighten him away．
If so, you have actually frightened the stranger away without having to fight him．A bird does the same thing．But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting (筑巢) season．So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not．This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away．
小題1:Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually ______．
A．a(chǎn)n expression of happinessB．a(chǎn) way of warning
C．a(chǎn)n expression of angerD．a(chǎn) way of greeting
小題2:What is a bird’s “territory”?
A．A place where families of other species are not accepted.
B．A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice．
C．An area for which birds fight against each other．
D．An area which a bird considers to be its own．
小題3:Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?
A．Because they want to invite more friends．
B．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away．
C．Because they want to find outsiders around．
D．Because their singing helps get rid of their fears．
小題4:How does the writer explain birds’ singing?
A．By comparing birds with human beings．
B．By reporting experiment results．
C．By describing birds’ daily life．
D．By telling a bird’s story．

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

BEIJING—As China scrambles to respond to the choking smog that has blanketed Beijing in recent weeks, authorities in several major cities are experimenting with carbon trading platforms. The schemes are one effort to get control over greenhouse gases in an economy still hungry for cheap energy.
It has been a persistent concern in recent years, but the spiking pollution levels in January are sparking a public outcry.
Emissions from coal-fired electricity plants and busy factories are part of the problem that officials hope to get control over through carbon trading platforms. Seven cities are expected to open carbon markets later this year, including Tianjin.
“The government has decided to start with programs because the carbon trading is something new to China,” said David Tang, secretary of the board of the Tianjin Carbon Exchange. “So we want to have a number of programs to explore the use of the market.” said Tang.
China wants to launch a national carbon trading program by 2016. If it is successful, analysts say, the program would be one of the largest in the world and would help the country meet its target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent within seven years.
The platforms allow companies to earn credits for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, which can then be traded. If it works, it would encourage for-profit businesses to invest in green technology.
As public concern builds pressure for the government to find a solution, Wu Changhua, greater China director of the Climate Group, says there is a broad shift under way in how Chinese weigh their quality of life.
China has long put economic growth ahead of environmental concerns, making it the world’s biggest polluter. Carbon trading supporters hope that the markets could be one way to curb pollution and keep the economy growing.
小題1:Which of the following is TRUE about carbon trading platforms?
A．They are used to trade various resources.
B．They caused the choking smog in China.
C．They have been in existence for many years in China.
D．The choking smog may promote their development.
小題2:The underlined word in Paragraph 1 means “ ______”.
A．to make blanketB．to cover somethingC．to make something emptyD．to be like a blanket
小題3:Tang’s attitude towards carbon markets is ______.
A．unknownB．indifferentC．optimisticD．pessimistic
小題4:What can we infer from the passage?
A．China will have built a national carbon trading program by 2016.
B．Chinese have lived a life of high quality in all aspects.
C．The markets could slow the development of economy.
D．Standards of life will be changed in China.
小題5:What's the main idea of this passage?
A．The choking smoke in China.B．The urge for carbon trading platforms.
C．Greenhouse gases.D．The world’s biggest polluter.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around, when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.
I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady with a warm smile. She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old.”
"Why are you in college at such a young age?" I asked. She replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of kids and then retire(退休) and travel..." 
I knew she was joking. I was curious what might have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.
"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. 
We became friends. Every day we would talk nonstop after class. I was always interested in listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. And Rose easily made friends wherever she went.
At the end of the term we invited Rose to make a little speech. She cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. I’ve learned a few secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.”
“There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.
“Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do……"
小題1:When the writer and Rose first met, they began their talk in a_______ way.
A．seriousB．politeC．formalD．humorous
小題2:Which of the following has the similar meaning to the underlined word “motivated” in the fourth paragraph?
A．encouragedB．persuadedC．taughtD．forced
小題3:Rose went to college in order to _______.
A．meet a rich husbandB．make new friends
C．get a college education D．get a better job
小題4:The writer considered Roses as a “time machine” because__________.
A．she always came to class on time.
B．she make friends easily at college.
C．she knew the difference between growing older and growing up
D．she enjoyed a long life and had lots of wisdom and experience.
小題5:From this passage we know Rose believed_________.
A．“The early bird catches the worm”
B．“It is never too late to learn”
C．“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bushes”
D．“One false step will make a great difference.”

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Diet Coke, diet Pepsi, diet pills, no-fat diet, vegetable diet… We are surrounded by the word “diet” everywhere we look and listen. We have so easily been attracted by the promise and potential of diet products that we have stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us. We are paying for products that harm us psychologically and physically.
Diet products weaken us psychologically. On one level, we are not allowing our brain to admit that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight, but in controlling the consumption of fatty, high-calorie（卡）, unhealthy foods. Diet products allow us to jump over the thinking stage and go straight for the counter instead. All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word “diet” in food brands.
On another level, diet products have greater psychological effects. Every time we have a zero-calorie drink, we are telling ourselves without our awareness that we don’t have to work to get results. Diet products make people believe that gain comes without pain, and that life can be without resistance and struggle.
The danger of diet products lies not only in the psychological effects they have on us, but also in the physical harm that they cause. Diet foods can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are preventing our bodies from having basic nutrients(營養(yǎng)成分). Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie only because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonder products. Diet products may not be nutritional, and the chemical that go into diet products are potentially dangerous.
Now that we are aware of the effects that diet products have on us, it is time to seriously think about buying them. Losing weight lies in the power of minds, not in the power of chemicals. Once we realize this, we will be much better able to resist diet products, and therefore prevent the psychological harm that comes from using them.
小題1:The first paragraph mainly tells us _____.
A．diet products can bring out people’s potential
B．people have difficulty in choosing diet products
C．diet products are misleading people
D．people are fed up with diet products
小題2:One psychological effect of diet products is that people tend to ____.
A．resist a variety of diet foods
B．hesitate before they enjoy diet foods
C．pay attention to their own eating habits
D．watch their weight rather than their diet
小題3:The purpose of writing this passage is _________.
A．to warn people of the side effect of diet products
B．to tell people how to lose weight
C．to advise people to eat diet products
D．to introduce some diet products
小題4: Which of the following shows the structure（結(jié)構(gòu)） of the passage?

CP: Central Point      P: Point       Sp: Sub-point(次要點)   C: Conclusion

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Bicycle lights may not exactly be a problem that needs solving, but the following can be said about most of them ---- they’re easily stolen if left on an unattended bike. People riding at dusk can forget to turn them on, and those same people can forget to turn them off when they reach their destination. Well, the makers of the Blink/ Steady Bike Light have set out to address all of those shortcomings.
The waterproof(防水的) Blink/ Steady is so far only available as a tail light, although a head light is on the way. It’s fixed onto the bike’s seat post. A built- in photosensor(感光器) tells when it’s become dark enough for the light to be required, and allows it to come on once you begin the riding. According to the producers, it isn’t fooled by things such as headlights or streetlights. The light also contains an accelerometer, also known as a motion sensor, which can tell when the bike is in motion.
Between the two sensors, this means the light will come on only once it’s dark enough, and the bike is moving. Even when stopped at red lights, the small movements of the rider will reportedly be enough to keep the light activated---- it’ll go out after 30 seconds of complete inactivity. While this does mean that the two sensors are continuously powered up, they go into a very low---- power sleep pattern when the bike is sitting, unused.
Light is provided by two5- watt LEDs, seeable over a range of 180 degrees. And power comes from two AAA batteries, which provided up to 200 hours of continuous run time. The designers and engineers behind the Blink/ Steady are now raising money for its commercial production. About US $95 will get you one if they become available.
小題1:The first paragraph is mainly to mean that______.
A．bicycle lights are worth a research
B．bicycle lights are not a problem at all
C．bicycle lights are easy to deal with
D．bicycle lights are difficult to turn off
小題2:According to the text, the Blink/Steady Bike Light is sensitive to______.
A．the weatherB．streetlightsC．headlightsD．natural light
小題3:Why is there an accelerometer in the Blink/ Steady Bike Light?
A．To protect the bike against water.
B．To tell if the bike is moving.
C．To make the bike easy to ride.
D．To judge the speed of the bike.
小題4:What can be inferred about the Blink/ Steady Bike Light?
A．It will be turned off immediately if the bike stops.
B．The traffic lights have no effect on the light.
C．It won’t use any power if the bike is unused.
D．It must meet two requirements if it comes on.

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案