Drinking eight cups or two litres of water a day is longstanding advice. But is there any scientific basis for it, asks Dr Chris van Tulleken.
You know those ads that remind us that even a small drop in hydration（水合作用） levels can massively affect performance so you need to keep hydrated with whatever brand of super drink they're selling?
They seem pretty scientific don't they? Man in white coat, athlete with electrodes attached and so on. And it's not a hard sell because drinking feels right - you're hot and sweating so surely replacing that fluid must be beneficial.
Well earlier this year sports scientists in Australia did an extraordinary experiment that had never been done before.This group wanted to find out what happened to performance after dehydration. So they took a group of cyclists and exercised them until they lost 3% of their total body weight in sweat.
Then their performance was assessed after rehydration with either 1) nothing, 2) enough water to bring them back to 2% dehydration or 3) after full rehydration.
So far nothing unusual, but the difference between this and almost every other study that's ever been done on hydration was that the cyclists were blind to how much water they got. The fluid was given intravenously without them knowing the volume.
This is vital because we all, and especially athletes, have such an intimate(密切的)psychological relationship with water consumption.
Remarkably, there was no performance difference between those that were fully rehydrated and those that got nothing. This study was part of a growing movement to "drink to thirst" which hopes to persuade athletes not to over hydrate with the potentially fatal consequence of diluting your sodium level, causing hyponatraemia.
Perhaps the result shouldn't be so surprising. Humans evolved doing intense exercise in extreme heat and dryness. We are able to tolerate losses in water relatively well whereas even slight over hydration can be far more dangerous. In simple terms, being too watery is as bad for you as being too concentrated.
小題1:What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．There is no scientific basis for drinking eight cups of water a day

B．People used to drink eight cups of water a day

C．An experiment about whether people should drink eight cups of water.

D．People shouldn’t believe longstanding advice.

小題2:what does the word“dehydration ”in paragragh 4 mean？

A．doing exercise	B．losing water
C．drinking water	D．having a rest

小題3:What is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A．Drinking too much water is bad for us

B．Sports scientists in Australia did an extraordinary experiment for the first time.

C．Those that were fully rehydrated and those that got nothing performed differently.

D．The cyclists didn’t know how much water they got.

小題4:What can we learn from the last paragragh?

A．Humans can bear losing water relatively well

B．It’s dangerous to drink water.

C．Athletes should drink more water than others.

D．This study was part of a growing movement to "drink to thirst".

小題5:what is Dr Chris van Tulleken’s attitude towards the. longstanding advice？

A．positive

B．doubtful

C．supportive

D．indifferent

Some kinds of mental skills naturally decrease as people get older. Yet research seems to show that some training can improve such skills. A recently published study also appears to demonstrate that the good effects of training can last for many years after that training has ended.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland wanted to learn how long memory and thinking skills would last in older people who trained to keep them. The people were part of the ten-year research project. They were taught methods meant to improve their memory, thinking and ability to perform everyday tasks.
More than 2,800 volunteered for the study called ACTIVE - short for Advanced (Cognitive) Training for Independent and Vital Elderly. Most studied when they were more than 70 years old.
The volunteers took one of several short training classes meant to help them keep their mental abilities. One class trained participants in skills including how to remember word lists. Another group trained in reasoning. A third group received help with speed-of-processing - speed of receiving and understanding information. A fourth group - the control group did not get any training.
Earlier results had established that the training helped the participants for up to five years. Now, lead study writer George Rebok says, the research showed most of the training remained effective a full ten years later.
Professor Rebok and his team found that the people trained in reasoning and speed-of-processing did better on tests than the control group.
"We are wondering whether those effects which endured over time would still be there ten years following the training, and in fact, that's exactly what we found."
The effect on memory, however, seemed not to last as long. Still, the old people in any of the three classes generally reported less difficulty in performing daily activities than the control group. The total training time for the older people was between 10 and 15 hours.
小題1:Which statement is true according to the text？

A．This kind of training can only have effect on people for a few years。

B．The people were trained during a period of ten years.

C．All the people who were studied were more than 70 years old.

D．The second group were trained how to remember word lists.

小題2:What can be inferred from the passage？

A．There were four groups being trained.

B．The old people trained can remember words better.

C．The second and third group improved their skills better than the first one.

D．The research showed that the effect of the training could absolutely last 10 years.

小題3:What’s the main idea of the fourth paragragh?

A．What was the meaning of the research?

B．How was the research conducted?

C．Why was the mental training effective?

D．How long did the research last?

小題4:What is the best title of the passage？

A．Mental Training Helped Elderly Stay Sharp for Years

B．How to improve our mental health

C．Four groups of old people were trained mentally.

D． The result of a ten-year research

When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could       tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he       in class.
When I took the first exam, I was       to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper,          English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained      . I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that       because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I          with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his      . One more test before the final exam. One more       to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time,       the meaning of the word “thorough”. But my       did no good and everything       as before.
The last hurdle(障礙) was the final. No matter what       I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the       goodbye. I stopped working hard. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even       myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have       with a test. A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne’s office. He       to be expecting me. “If I gave you the As you       , you wouldn’t continue to work as hard.” I stared at him,        that his analysis and strategy(策略) were correct. I had worked my head       , as I had never done before. I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I’ve always remembered Professor Jayne’s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.

小題1:	A．take B．discuss C．cover D．get

小題2:	A．sought B．presented C．exchanged D．obtained

小題3:	A．shocked B．worried C．scared D．anxious

小題4:	A．but B．so C．for D．or

小題5:	A．unchanged B．unpleasant C．unfriendly D．unmoved

小題6:	A．reflected B．meant C．improved D．affected

小題7:	A．quarreled B．reasoned C．bargained D．chatted

小題8:	A．attitude B．mind C．plan D．view

小題9:	A．choice B．step C．chance D．measure

小題10:

A．memorized B．considered C．accepted D．learned

小題11:

A．ambition B．confidence C．effort D．method

小題12:

A．stayed B．went C．worked D．changed

小題13:

A．grade B．answer C．lesson D．comment

小題14:

A．scholarship B．course C．degree D．subject

小題15:

A．helped B．favored C．treated D．relaxed

小題16:

A．fun B．luck C．problems D．tricks

小題17:

A．happened B．proved C．pretended D．seemed

小題18:

A．valued B．imagined C．expected D．welcomed

小題19:

A．remembering B．guessing C．supposing D．realizing

小題20:

A．out B．over C．on D．off

Going on holiday not only makes you feel good while you’re there, you also gain the health benefits for months, new research shows．
Jetting off to destinations such as the Maldives cuts your blood pressure, helps you sleep better and bounce back from stress, it found．The benefits last at least a fortnight longer than the vacation and can be felt for months in some cases where it is claimed．Experts say workers should always take their full holiday entitlement（權利）each year, but as many as one in three don’t．
The study compared key health markers in holidaymakers visiting Thailand, Peru or the Maldives, with people who stayed at home and continued working．The average blood pressure of those on holiday dropped by six percent while the workers saw their blood pressure rise by two percent over the same period．The sleep quality of holidaymakers improved by 17 percent while that of the non-holidaymakers deteriorated by 14 percent．
The study also found the ability of vacationers to recover from stress, known as the stress-resilience test improved by 29 percent．There was a 71 percent fall in stress resilience scores among workers．Tests showed a fall in blood glucose levels, reducing the risk of diabetes （糖尿�。�, trimmer waistlines and improved mood and energy levels, with the effects sustained for at least two weeks after returning home．
The Holiday Health Experiment was conducted by tour operator Kuoni and Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity．
小題1:According to the passage, how many people go on holiday?

A．Two thirds．	B．One third．
C．17 percent．	D．A quarter．

小題2:Which of the following can we infer from the passage?

A．The further you go, the better you get the benefits．

B．Most people like to stay at home during the holiday．

C．The result of the study is mostly based on the description from the people involved．

D．Holiday makers are more adaptable than non-holidaymakers．

小題3:The author intends to tell us that ________．

A．we have to go on holiday as much as possible

B．you’ll certainly get depressed if you don’t go on holiday

C．we had better go on holiday for the benefits of health

D．it is best to go to foreign countries like Maldives

小題4:The best title of the passage is ________．

A．A Holiday Health Experiment

B．Health Benefits from Holiday

C．Health Problems of Having Holiday

D．Key Health Markers in Holidaymakers

Eight in 10 Americans eat fast food at least once a month and half eat it every week according, to a Gallup Poll. Yet most people who eat fast food know it’s bad for them. So why do they keep eating it?
The answer is simple: the benefits of eating fast food outweigh the long-term implications for most people. However, once you read these reasons why all those trips to the drive through may be slowly killing you, you may just want to stop eating fast food after all.
1. Fast food makes you fat.
A 15-year study of over 3,000 people found that eating fast food is linked to weight gain and insulin resistance. In others words, fast food makes you fat and increases your risk of type 2 diabetes. You probably know this already. But here’s something you may not know.
2. Fast food is addictive.
The more you eat fast food, the more you crave it. One study found that fast food is “a potentially addictive substance that is most likely to create dependence in vulnerable populations.” If you eat fast food once a week or more, you may be addicted to it.
3. Fast food is affecting your kids.
According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Kids have an amazing ability to recall ads they’ve seen. Fast food marketers know this, and design ads accordingly. Research shows strong associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious foods and rates of childhood obesity.
4. Fast food “burgers” don’t have much burger in them.
One study found that most fast food burgers are composed of about 50 percent water and the actual meat content is only 2.1 to 14.8 percent. So what makes up the rest of it, you ask? Chemical fillers and preservatives, mostly. That’s why we see read horror stories about burgers that don’t go bad.
5. Even “healthy” fast food isn’t that healthy.
Fast food restaurants are catering to consumer demands to produce healthier options. The problem is, their definition of “healthy” is quite lax. One of the healthiest dishes at Burger King, the Garden Fresh Salad Chicken Caesar with TENDERGRILL Chicken and dressing, still has almost 500 calories and 28 grams of fat, and nearly a day’s worth of sodium.
6. Fast food is inhumane to animals.
Okay, this one may not be a reason why fast is killing you, but it’s still a compelling reason to stop eating fast food. 9 billion animals were slaughtered in the US alone in 2012 and much of that meat is for your fast food burgers and chicken sandwiches. Large factory farms resemble more of a “business” than a “farm.” Animals suffer in crowded spaces where they rarely have access to the outdoors or sunlight. They are pumped full of antibiotics to combat disease, which runs rampant in these conditions. Livestock is one of the biggest sources of pollution and environmental negligence, according to the UN.
7. Fast food sodas are loaded with sugar.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the cheap sweetener most fast food restaurants use in their sodas, desserts, and many other products. Princeton University researchers linked HFCS consumption to obesity in an animal study. Rats given HFCS gained more weight and body fat than those given table sugar.
小題1:How many factors are mentioned which can account for the reason why fast food is slowly killing you?

A．Seven.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

小題2:According to the text, we know that_____.

A．many people keep eating fast food because they know nothing about the harm which fast food will bring them

B．fast food plays a key role in children’s growth

C．eating fast food is connected to weight gain and insulin resistance.

D．many fast food restaurants are can offer a good and healthy meal to consumer

小題3:What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To help us make right decisions	B．To advise us to stop eating fast food
C．To tell us how to keep fit	D．To encourage us to be humane to animals

Last summer, when Amanda R of Anaheim Hills, California, was running on a cross-country course with her team, she blacked out. “I got really dizzy,” she says. “I was out for a few minutes.” At first, Amanda thought she was just tired and didn’t think she had a health problem. She did go to the emergency room, where she was fine after tests, but she fainted (昏厥) again several days later as she was talking with her coach. Another doctor guessed that Amanda had blacked out “because we were in heat so much with not enough water and not enough of the right kind of foods”.
Teens often don’t want to stop and take a break or don’t notice when they start to feel bad, doctors say. However, paying attention if you’re not feeling well is important, as Amanda learned.
As a result, Amanda has changed her habits. “I drink a lot more water,” she says. “And put more salt in my diet. I’m eating more balanced meals.” Amanda advises teen athletes to trust their coaches and speak up when they’re not feeling well. “And recognize the difference between when you’re tired and when there’s something really wrong.”
Some people － up to 3 percent of the population － sweat too much, even in cold weather. The condition, called hyperhidrosis (多汗), can affect many parts and it often runs in families － hands down from generation to generation. Too much sweating over the whole body could be a symptom of another medical condition. Doctors aren’t sure what causes hyperhidrosis, but using special medications or other treatments can help.
小題1:What caused the happening mentioned in the passage during Amanda’s running?

A．She couldn’t breathe in enough air in the race.

B．She didn’t eat anything before the race.

C．She had been running all summer without a rest.

D．She neither drank enough water nor ate enough of the right kind of foods.

小題2:What can we infer from Paragraph 4?

A．There is no need to worry when sweating too much, even in cold weather.

B．Hyperhidrosis may have a bad effect on your health.

C．Doctors have discovered why people get hyperhidrosis.

D．Hyperhidrosis is a serious disease and no treatment can help.

小題3:The purpose of writing this passage is to____________.

A．tell teens the proper ways to take exercise in summer.

B．tell teens not to run in hot summer.

C．tell teens to pay attention to hyperhidrosis in the summer exercise

D．tell teens how to keep healthy.

Doctors say obesity，also known as severe overweight，is a complex condition.A doctor may advise medical interventions(醫(yī)療干預) in addition to changes in behavior.But experts say the more successful weight­loss plans include a well­balanced diet and exercise.
People who want to avoid weight gain have to balance the number of calories they eat with the number of calories they use.To lose weight，you can reduce the number of calories you take in，or increase the number you use，or both.Experts at the National Institutes of Health say to lose weight，a person should do some moderate or intensive physical exercise most days of the week.This could include fast walking，sports or strength training.
A recent study looked at four of the most popular dieting plans in the United States.Researchers at Stanford University studied more than three hundred overweight women，mostly in their thirties or forties.Each woman went on one of the four plans：Atkins，The Zone，Ornish or LEARN.The women attended diet classes and received written information about the food plans.At the end of a year，the women on the Atkins diet had lost the most，more than four and a half kilograms on average.
Christopher Gardner led the study，reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He said the Atkins diet may be more successful because of its simple message to lower the intake of sugar.Also，he said the advice to increase protein in the diet leads to more satisfying meals.
But last week，another report suggested that only a small minority of people have long­term success in dieting.Researchers at the University of California found that most dieters regained their lost weight within five years.And often they gained back even more.But those who kept the weight off generally were the ones who exercised.
小題1:All the following is helpful to lose weight EXCEPT________.

A．a healthy diet	B．physical exercise
C．medical interventions	D．being polite to others

小題2:You are most likely to gain too much weight if________.

A．you eat the same number of calories as the number you use

B．you take in less calories than the number you use

C．you take in more calories than the number you use

D．you take exercise regularly on the weekdays

小題3:The third paragraph mainly tells us that________.

A．there are four popular dieting plans in the USA

B．the Atkins diet has the best effect on losing weight

C．lots of women attended diet classes every day

D．dieting plan is the most important

小題4:Which one of the following is NOT right according to this passage?

A．The change of your life habits can help you lose weight.

B．You’d better exercise once a week to lose some weight.

C．The Atkins diet may be good because of lowering the intake of sugar.

D．Some people gain weight back for their unhealthy diet.

小題5:Which one of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．Successful Weight­loss Plans	B．Four Popular Dieting Plans
C．What Is the Atkins Diet?	D．Few People Fail in Losing Weight

Computers can injure you. Most other injuries happen suddenly. For example, if you fall off a bike and break your arms, it happens very quickly. But computer injuries happen slowly.
You probably know how to ride a bike safely. Now learn to use a computer safely.
Your eyes--Too much light can injure your eyes, so never sit too close to a computer screen. Your eyes should be at least 50 centimeters (厘米) from the screen. Remember to look away from it sometimes. This gives your eyes a rest.
When you use a computer, the window should be on your left or your right. If it is behind you, the light will reflect (反射) on the screen. If the window is in front of you, the sun and the screen will both shine into your eyes.
Your hands--Hand injuries can happen because the hands are moved in the same way hundreds of times. If you use a keyboard for a long time, follow this rule: Stop sometimes and exercise your hands and fingers in different ways.
Your back--Some people sit for many hours in front of a computer. If you sit in the wrong way, you can injure your back and your neck. So you should sit with your back straight. The top part of the screen should be in front of your eyes. If you are sitting for a long time, get up every 30 minutes and exercise your arms, legs and neck.
Enjoy your computer, but use it safely.
小題1:How many kinds of computer injuries are mentioned in this passage?

A．One.

B．Two

C．Three.

D．Four.

小題2:A computer screen may injure your eyes if        .

A．you sit 60 centimeters away

B．you remember to look away

C．your eyes are too close to it

D．the window is on your left or right

小題3:Your eyes and hands will be safe if _________.

A．you work near a window

B．you often take rests from working

C．you use a keyboard for a long time

D．the window is behind you

小題4:Which sentence is NOT true according to this passage?

A．You should sit with your back straight while you work on a computer.

B．Staying in front of a computer too long may injure your eyes.

C．When you work on a computer, your hands almost move in the same way.

D．The writer thinks that computer is bad for your health.

小題5:What would be the best title for the text?

A．How to protect your eyes

B．How to protect your hands

C．How to use a computer safely

D．How to protect your back

Do you love holidays but hate the increase weight that follows? You are not alone.
But every day I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time .The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215.
With proper planning, though, it is possible to control your weight. The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much. You don't have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy. The following suggestions may be of some help to you.
Do not miss meals. Before yon leave home for a feast(宴會),have a small, low-fat snack(小吃). This may help to keep you from getting too excited before delicious foods. Begin with clear soup and fruit or vegetables. A large glass of water before you eat may help you feel full. Use a small plate; a large plate will encourage you to have more than enough.
Better not have high-fat foods. Dishes that look oily or creamy have much fat in them.
Choose lean meat(瘦肉 ).Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables.
If you have a sweet tooth, try mints (薄荷) and fruits. They don’t have fat content as cream and chocolate.
Don’t let exercise take a break during the holidays. A 20-minute walk after a meal can help burn off excess(過多的) calories.
小題1:Holidays are happy days with pleasure but they may ______

A．bring weight problems

B．bring you much trouble in your life

C．make you worried about your foods

D．make you hate delicious foods

小題2:In order to really enjoy your holidays without putting on weight, you'd better__

A．drink much water and have vegetables only

B．not eat the food in high fat

C．not accept invitations to feasts

D．turn away from delicious foods

小題3:According to the passage, ___ is a necessary part to stop you from putting on weight.

A．Vegetables

B．Water

C．calories of energy

D．physical exercise

小題4:Many people can't help putting on weight after the holidays because they _______ .

A．can't control themselves

B．go to too many feasts

C．enjoy delicious foods

D．can't help turning away from the foods

Studies show that laughter is something that makes you feel calm or relaxed for both physical and psychological wounds though it may seem futile to laugh in the face of pain and fear.
When Dan Rather interviewed comedian Bill Cosby just one week after his son, Ennis, was killed, Cosby said, “I think it is time for me to tell people that we have to laugh. You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, you can survive it.”
Call it a flashlight for dark times: laughter just seems to adjust attitude better than anything else. Inspirational speaker Steve Rizzo recalls a TV interview with an injured firefighter a few days after 9.11．The man had fallen more than 30 stories in one of the towers and had broken a leg. Everyone was crying, and the reporter asked, “How is it that you’ve come out of this alive?” He looked at her and without missing a beat, said, “Look, lady, I’m from New York and I’m a firefighter; that’ all you need to know.”
“Everyone laughed and though the laughter was only a couple of seconds,” says Rizzo. “Sometimes that’s all you need to catch your second breath. Laughter gives you that couple of seconds. You’re sending a message to your brain, and the message is: If you can still laugh even a little among the pain, you are going to be OK.”
Of course, there is a difference between laughing off a serious situation and laughing off the fear that results. The firefighter was doing the latter, states Rizzo, the author of Becoming a Humorous Being, and so should we. “If there is anything we have learnt from 9.11, it’s how precious life really is,” she says. “We have to send a message that our spirit won’t die. One important thing that unites us is our ability to laugh.”  
小題1:The writer uses the examples of the comedian and the firefighter to show             .

A．laughter is a good way to get rid of pain and fear

B．laughter is the best way to cure psychological wounds

C．it is your attitude that decides whether you can survive the pain or not

D．laughing off a serious situation is different from laughing off the fear that results

小題2:We can infer from the passage that Steve Rizzo is             .

A．a reporter

B．a soldier

C．a firefighter

D．a doctor

小題3:The underlined word futile in the first paragraph means          .

A．hopeless	B．useless
C．careless	D．worthless

小題4:From the passage, we can know that Americans are                .

A．really inspired after 9.11	B．hardly united after 9.11
C．nearly surprised by 9.11	D．greatly hurt by 9.11