Question

Science can't explain the power of pets, but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure (血压) and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer.

Any owner will tell you how much joy a pet brings. For some, an animal provides more comfort than a husband or wife. A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress (紧张) levels and blood pressure in people— half of them pet owners —while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic (算术) or held a hand in ice water. Subjects(研究对象) completed the tasks alone, with a husband or wife, a close friend or with a pet. People with pets did it best. Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned most quickly to baseline heart rates. With pets in the room, people also made fewer math mistakes than when doing in front of other companions. It seems people feel more relaxed (放松) around pets, says Allen, who thinks it may be because pets don't judge.

A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have a effect on your eating habits. Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spent a year studying 36 fat people and their equally fat dogs on diet-and-exercise programs; a separate group of 56 people without pets were put on a diet program. On average, people lost about 11 pounds, or 5% of their body weight. Their dogs did even better, losing an average of 12 pounds, more that 15% of their body weight. Dogs owners didn’t lose any more weight than those without dogs but, as some researchers say, they got more exercise indeed.

1.What does the text mainly discuss?

A. What pets bring to their owners.

B. How pets help people calm down.

C. People's opinions of keeping pets.

D. Pet's value in medical research.

2. We learn from the text that a person with heart disease has a better chance of getting well if_________.

A. he has a pet companion

B. he has less stress of work

C. he often does mental arithmetic

D. he is taken care of by his family

3. According to Allen, why did the people do better with pets around when facing difficult tasks?

A. They have lower blood pressure.

B. They become more patient.

C. They are less nervous.

D. They are in higher spirits.

4.The research mentioned(提到) in the last paragraph reports that________.

A. people with dogs did more exercise

B. dogs lost the same weight as people did

C. dogs liked exercise much more than people did

D. people without dogs found the program unhelpful

Answer

1.A

2.A

3.C

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文就是关于养宠物的好处，科学不能解释宠物的力量，但很多研究都表明有了宠物的陪伴，可以帮我们降低血压和恢复心脏功能，并且减少我们的孤独感。宠物不仅能调节你的精神而且还能改善你的饮食习惯。

1.主旨大意题。根据首段，很多研究表明，宠物可以降低血压，提高、心脏病恢复的几率，减少孤独感和传播快乐。故选A。

2.细节理解题。文中有the company of pets can help lower blood pressure and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer.有宠物陪伴可以降低血压，提高、心脏病恢复的几率，减少孤独感和传播快乐。故选 A。

3.细节理解题。根据It seems people feel more relaxed around pets, 和宠物在一起人们感到更加的放松。故选C（他们更少焦虑）。

4.细节理解题。根据Dog owners didn't lose any more weight than those without dogs but, say researchers, got more exercise overall—mostly with their dogs—and found it worth doing. 虽然养狗的主人的体重没有多大变化，但是却比没有养狗的人得到更多的锻炼，因为和他们的狗在一起，他们认为很值得。故选A。

考点：新闻报道类短文阅读。