Question

Many of us have had this experience: we lie down in a bed other than our own, perhaps at a friend’s house or in a hotel room, and find it difficult to fall asleep. Is it because the bed is uncomfortable? Maybe, but perhaps there can be other reasons.

According to a new study published in Current Biology, a significant reason is what the scientists call “first night effect”. They believe that one side of the brain acts as a “night watch” to warn us about potential (潜在的) dangers. It forces us to stay awake on the first night in a new environment.

For the study, 35 young volunteers were told to sleep in a lab for several days. Meanwhile, researchers watched their brain activities.

According to the researchers, on their first night, the left brains were more active than the right brains and people had a hard time sleeping. However, left-brain activity reduced as days went by, falling even to the point of complete calm. In this process, the volunteers got an increasingly better sleep experience.

The findings suggest that the different rhythms (节奏) of the sides of the brain influence our sleep. When the two sides work differently, the balance between them is broken. Thus, the brain can’t relax and is sensitive to anything strange in the surroundings, just as it is in the daytime.

“At some level, the brain is continuing to analyze(分析) things, even though you don’t realize the analysis,” US professor Jerome Siegel told Smithsonian Magazine. “If something unusual happens – if a door opens or you hear a key in a lock – you can be alert (警惕的).”

More surprisingly, this situation is similar to the way some animals sleep. Whales, dolphins, and many birds can sleep with half of their brain while the other half stays awake.

If you have ever had what you think is “first night effect”, researchers suggest that you bring your own pillow or sleep in a room similar to your bedroom next time you sleep away from home.

1.can’t you get to sleep?
Introduction	    People can’t fall asleep2.when staying in a new environment.
Reason	    One side of the brain stays awake to warn us about potential (潜在的) dangers.
Process and findings of the3.	    Researchers told some  4. to sleep in a lab to watch their brain activities.     Too many left-brain activities 5.the bad sleep experience on the first night.     Their left brains became 6.active as time went by and became calm gradually.
Explanations to findings	    Whether you can have a good sleep 7.on the balance between the two sides of the brain.     You yourself don’t realize it,8.your brain doesn’t stop analyzing things.     It’s surprising to find out that the way humans sleep is just9. some animals do.
10.	    Take a pillow or live in a similar room when staying in a new place.

Answer

1.why

2.easily

3.study/research

4.volunteers

5.caused

6.less

7.depends

8.but

9.like\as

10.Advice/ Suggestion(s)/ Tips

【解析】

本文解释了我们到了一个新的地方睡不着的原因是因为“首夜效应”，并通过研究发现大脑活动影响人们在新环境中的睡眠。

1.句意：为什么你不能入睡？

根据Is it because the bed is uncomfortable? Maybe, but perhaps there can be other reasons，可知，整篇文章介绍了为什么到一个新的地方是无法入睡的，所以空格处用疑问词why。故答案为why。

2.句意：当人们待在一个新环境时不容易入睡。

空格处是修饰动词fall，所以用副词。根据Many of us have had this experience…and find it difficult to fall asleep，可知，空格处用difficult的反义词easy。easy是形容词，对应的副词是easily。故答案为easily。

3.句意：研究的过程和结果。

空格前the是定冠词，后接名词。根据文章的第二段到第五段，都是在描述调查研究的过程和结果，可知，空格处表示“研究”，所以空格处填study/research。故答案为study/research。

4.句意：研究员让一些志愿者睡在实验室里，观察他们的大脑活动。

some后接可数名词复数或不可数名词。根据For the study, 35 young volunteers were told to sleep in a lab for several days，可知，空格处填volunteers。故答案为volunteers。

5.句意：过多的左脑活动导致了第一个晚上的睡眠不好。

空格前activities是主语，空格处缺谓语动词。根据According to the researchers, on their first night, the left brains were more active than the right brains and people had a hard time sleeping，可知，第一晚上睡眠不好是由于左脑太活跃而引起的，所以空格处填谓语动词cause。是在讲述过去发生的动作，所以用一般过去时caused。故答案为caused。

6.句意：随着时间的推移，他们的左脑变得不那么活跃，并逐渐地平静下来。

根据However, left-brain activity reduced as days went by, falling even to the point of complete calm，可知，随着时间的推移，跟之前相比，左脑没有那么活跃，所以空格处填little的比较级less。故答案为less。

7.句意：你是否能睡个好觉取决于大脑两边的平衡。

根据The findings suggest that the different rhythms of the sides of the brain influence our sleep. When the two sides work differently, the balance between them is broken，可知，结果表明，睡眠质量取决于大脑两边是否平衡。固定搭配 depend on表示“取决于”。从句Whether you can have a good sleep作主语时，谓语动词要用三单形式。故答案为depends on。

8.句意：你自己没有意识到，但是你的大脑没有停止过分析。

空格前有逗号，且两句中各有谓语动词，所以空格处填连词。根据At some level, the brain is continuing to analyze things, even though you don’t realize the analysis，可知，尽管你没有意识到，但是你的大脑是没有停止分析的，所以空格处填转折连词but。故答案为but。

9.句意：令人惊讶的是人类睡觉的方式跟一些动物很相似。

根据More surprisingly, this situation is similar to the way some animals sleep，固定搭配be similar to 表示“与……相似”。所以空格处用介词like表示“像……”。故答案为like。

10.句意：建议是当待在一个新的地方时，可以带上自己的枕头或住在一个相似的房间里。

根据If you have ever had what you think is “first night effect”, researchers suggest that you bring your own pillow or sleep in a room similar to your bedroom next time you sleep away from home，可知，带上自己的枕头或者是睡在跟自己的卧室相似的房间里，这是专家的建议。所以空格处填Suggestion(s)/Advice/Tips。