Pessimistic，anxious and depressed people may have a higher risk of dementia (痴呆)，US researchers reported on Thursday.
A study of a group of 3,500 people showed that those who scored high for pessimism on a standardized personality test had a 30 percent increased risk of developing dementia 30 to 40 years later.
Those scoring very high on both anxiety and pessimism scales had a 40 percent higher risk，the study showed.
“There appears to be a doseresponse pattern.That is，the higher the scores，the higher the risk of dementia，”Dr Yonas Geda，a neuropsychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester，Minnesota who led the study，said in a statement.
Geda and his colleagues looked at the medical records of 3,500 men and women who lived near the clinic between 1962 and 1965.
They all took the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory，a standard personality and life experience test，Geda’s team told a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Miami.
In 2004，the team interviewed the participants or family members.
Those who scored higher for anxiety and pessimism on the test were more likely，as a group，to have developed dementia by 2004，including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular (血管的) dementia.
This did not mean a person who is pessimistic could assume he or she has a higher risk of developing dementia.
“One has to be cautious in interpreting a study like this，”Geda said.
“One cannot make a leap from group level data to the individual.Certainly the last thing you want to do is to say，‘Well，I am a pessimist；thus，I am doomed to develop dementia 20 or 30 years later，’because this may end up becoming a selffulfilling prophecy (预言)．”
And there is NOT any specific way to prevent dementia，although many studies have shown that a healthy diet，exercise，keeping active in other ways，doing puzzles and other activities lower the risk.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A．It is impossible for people to avoid dementia.
B．People who always have negative feelings may have a higher risk of getting dementia.
C．If we have a healthy diet，we would have no chance of getting dementia.
D．A person who is pessimistic has a higher risk of developing dementia.
2.According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE?
A．There are many ways to prevent dementia effectively.
B．A person who is pessimistic is sure to get dementia.
C．Those who lead a happy life will not get dementia when they are old.
D．Those who scored high for pessimism might have a higher risk of dementia.
3.Which of the following does NOT help reduce the risk of getting dementia according to the passage?
A．A healthy diet. B．Proper exercises.
C．Doing puzzles. D．Getting up early.
4.Which of the following words is not close to the meaning of the word “pessimistic”？
A．Cheerless. B．Optimistic.
C．Unhappy. D．Upset.
One day，while I was walking to work，I decided to bring some flowers that I had picked from my garden that morning.On the way，I ____ a stranger and presented the bunch to him with a smile card.____ by the sense of joy I felt from giving flowers to another person，and may be ____ his day，I wanted to do it again.
When I got to my office，I had the ____ of anonymously(匿名) leaving flowers around the workplace.The impersonal(无人情味的) ___ of the building where I work makes me ____.It just feels a little boring sometimes，____ it’s a nice building with great light.I __8__ lots of people might feel the same way，so why not put a little ___ there，and throw in an inspirational quote while I’m at it？____，who doesn’t like flowers?
So，for the past month，I’ve been ____ flowers in a little cup on the sink in the bathroom.Each week，I ____ the flowers and the quote.It always feels ____ for me to read quotes like Henry David Thoreau’s “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams，he will meet with a ____ unexpected in common hours.” and Gandhi’s “The fragrance(香味) always ____ on the hand that gives the rose.” If anything，I figured，it at least makes me ____ each time I visit the bathroom.
Then today，when I walked in，I noticed ____ flowers in the cup，and a quote that someone else had written！It ____，“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”—Gandhi.
This little act ____ me that，at the end of the day，we’re all just people with hearts ____ the various roles and different hats we may wear in the workplace.
I did a little dance and I am smiling wide for the rest of the day!
1.A.picked out B．came across
C．called up D．pointed at
2.A.Struck B．Informed
C．Surprised D．Honoured
3.A.calming B．determining
C．reflecting D．brightening
4.A.belief B．way
C．idea D．aim
5.A.design B．atmosphere
C．decoration D．regulation
6.A.uncomfortable B．impolite
C．impatient D．unconscious
7.A.when B．unless
C．because D．though
8.A.concluded B．considered
C．doubted D．expected
9.A.mystery B．adventure
C．beauty D．courage
10.A.More or less B．After all
C．At most D．In no case
11.A.growing B．watering
C．putting D．arranging
12.A.count B．check C．clean D．change
13.A.refreshing B．interesting
C．satisfying D．puzzling
14.A.prize B．truth
C．success D．miracle
15.A.holds B．attaches
C．remains D．focuses
16.A.strong B．happy
C．excited D．shocked
17.A.good B．new C．small D．special
18.A.printed B．asked
C．replied D．said
19.A.introduces B．warns
C．suggests D．reminds
20.A.regardless of B．in terms of
C．in addition to D．instead of
Mom was right！If you say thank you，for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness，you’ll feel happy.
Gratitude(感谢)，says Robert A．Emmons，a professor of psychology at the University of California，is an important element of happiness.In his recent book，Thanks！，Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom’s point.In acknowledging and developing this muchignored expression of thankfulness，he explains how people have benefited—even improved their health.
As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement，he admits gratitude may be difficult to express.He advises you to begin by admitting that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder.Second，recognize that the source of life’s goodness is more than just you.That source may be your mom，a friend，partner，child，colleague at work or play，or any combination of these.
Gratitude is always otherdirected，notes Emmons.You can be pleased or angry with yourself and feel guilty about doing something wrong，but you can never be grateful to or for yourself.
Expressing gratitude shouldn’t be a reaction；it should be a state of mind.To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than you need is easy.To feel grateful in time of crisis—anger，hatred and bitterness—is easier.Also，too many people are aware of life’s blessings only after these are lost.The voices expressing gratitude from his studies of individuals are many.
It’s crisis and chaos—danger，disease，disability and death—that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others.Yet it’s the way each of us begins life and ends it.It’s too bad that so many people waste those decades in between labouring under the illusion(幻觉) they are selfsufficient，says Emmons.
To enable and embrace gratitude，Emmons encourages the readers of Thanks! to keep a gratitude diary.He even provides easytofollow directions on how to practise and develop gratitude.
I’m not a reader or advocate of selfhelp books，but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients(接受者)．The chance discovery led me to this book.
Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving，receiving and repaying.So I’ll pay attention to her professional advice and say：Thank you，professor Emmons.
1. What is the text mainly discussed?
A．There are many ways of being thankful.
B．Gratitude is important to happiness.
C．Mom is great for her being thankful.
D．Being thankful will keep you fit.
2. The author mentions Robert A．Emmons’book Thanks! in order to prove that ________.
A．Professor Emmons supports mom’s study on psychology
B．mom is as great a psychologist as Professor Emmons
C．Professor Emmons is a famous psychologist
D．mom is right about her viewpoint on gratitude
3. It will be easier for you to feel grateful when ______.
A．you live a comfortable life
B．you receive gifts on your birthday
C．you get help during your hard times
D．you are congratulated on your success
4.What is the opinion of Professor Emmons?
A．It is enough to thank others orally.
B．Whether you are thankful is always up to you.
C．Remember to be thankful anytime and anywhere.
D．It is easier to be thankful for yourself than for others.
Businesses are witnessing a difficult time，which has in turn produced influence on consumers’ desire to go green.However，shoppers are still laying stress on environmental concerns.
Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago，while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy.
This may help to influence how shops store goods on their shelves.And the companies should still make efforts to become more environmentally friendly.Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible companies，with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a company’s environmental reputation was not good enough.
Harry Morrison，chief executive(主管)of the Carbon Trust，sympathizes：“I understand this situation where survival is very important now.But from environmental considerations，the clock is ticking—we don’t have much time.In addition，cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a mediumterm benefit for the brand.”
Larger companies have an extra motivation to look at reducing their carbon footprint，as new rules next year will require businesses to buy carbon allowances to make up for their emissions(排放)．Those that have taken early action will have a head start.More than two thirds of consumers are not clear about which companies are environmentally responsible.This suggests that firms that are able to relay clearly their message to the public will be in a pole position to attract shoppers.
The Carbon Trust believes that it can help by informing customers about the good work companies are doing.“When companies are granted(授予) the standard，they can use a logo(标识) in all their marketing which makes it clear that they are working towards cutting emissions，” Mr.Morrison said. (2010·福建，C)
1.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A．Businesses are finding ways to send their message to the shoppers.
B．Companies will soon get information about cutting carbon emissions.
C．Firms are making efforts to encourage customers to keep goods at home.
D．Firms are urged to cut carbon emissions by shoppers’ environmental awareness.
2.The underlined word “inform” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”．
A．affect B．change C．disturb D．reject
3.According to Harry Morrison，businesses ________.
A．will benefit from cutting carbon emissions
B．should buy carbon allowances for shoppers
C．are required to make up for their carbon emissions
D．have encouraged shoppers to take their custom elsewhere
4.We can learn from the passage that businesses will________.
A．have a strong desire to reduce costs
B．use the same logo in their marketing
C．gain advantages by taking early action
D．attract more shoppers by storing goods
Rocky Lyons was five years old when his mother，Kelly，was driving along the country road with him.He was asleep on the front seat of their truck，with his feet resting on her lap.As his mom drove carefully down the winding country road，she turned onto a narrow bridge.The truck hit a rock and slid off the road.She attempted to bring it back up onto the road by pressing hard on the gas pedal(踏板) and turning the steering wheel(方向盘) to the left.But Rocky’s foot got caught between her leg and the steering wheel and she lost control of the truck.
The truck fell into a 20foot ravine(峡谷)．When it hit bottom，Rocky woke up.“What happened，Mama？” he asked.“Our wheels are pointing toward the sky.”
Kelly was seriously wounded and blinded by blood.“I’ll get you out，Mama，”announced Rocky，who had surprisingly escaped injury.He climbed out from under Kelly，slid through the open window and tried to yank his mother out.But she didn’t move.
“Just let me sleep，” begged Kelly，who was out of consciousness.Rocky insisted，“Mom，you can’t go to sleep.”
Rocky managed to push Kelly out of the truck and told her he’d climb up to the road and stop a car to get help.Fearing that no one would be able to see her little boy in the dark，Kelly refused to let him go alone.Instead they slowly moved up to the road.The pain was so great that Kelly wanted to give up，but Rocky wouldn’t let her.
Rocky kept repeating the inspirational phrase，“I know you can，I know you can.”When they finally reached the road，Rocky broke into tears seeing his mother’s torn face clearly for the first time.Waving his arms and shouting, “Please stop！” the boy stopped a truck.His mother was sent to hospital.
It took 8 hours to rebuild Kelly’s face.She looks quite different today—“I used to have a straight long nose，thin lips and high cheekbones；now I’ve got a flat cheeks and much bigger lips”—but she has few scars and has recovered from her injuries.
Rocky’s heroics were big news.Everyone was surprised at this little boy’s power.“It’s not like I wanted it to happen，” the boy explained.“I just did what anyone would have done.” “If it weren’t for Rocky，I’d have died，” said his mother.
1.According to the text，Rocky and Kelly ________.
A．were lost on a country road
B．were involved in a truck accident
C．had limited time to find their way
D．knew little of what happened to them
2.When he woke up，Rocky ________.
A．found the truck was turned over
B．found his mother had fallen asleep
C．was stuck against the door of the truck
D．was frightened by his mother’s blood
3.The underlined word “yank” in Paragraph 3 most probably means “________”．
A．pull B．drive
C．follow D．carry
4.What is the best title for the text?
A．A Boy and His Mother
B．How to Behave Well?
C．Nothing Is Lost
D．I Think You Can
There was once a man who met with a shipwreck(船只失事) and landed on a deserted island.Every day he prayed，____ someone could pass and rescue him，but to his ____，no one ever came.
Months went by and this man learned to ___ food and firewood from the island and stored them in a hut(棚屋) that he constructed，which helped him ____ on the deserted island.One day when he ____ his hut after hunting for food，____，he saw his hut was on fire，along with everything else he had!
All of his ____ were going up in smoke！The only thing ____ was the clothes on his back.At first he was ___，frozen there and then he was filled with ____！He threw a fist into the air and began yelling, “How unfair！How could this ____ to me？I’ve been praying every day for months but now everything that I have is on fire！”
Later the man grew so ____ that he fell on his hands and knees weeping heavily when he happened to look up and ____ a ship coming in his direction.The man was ____.As they were heading back to civilization，the man asked the captain, “How were you able to ____ me？” The captain ____，“We were voyaging across the ocean when a cloud of ____ going up caught our attention.We ____ to go check it out and that’s when we found you！”
In life we will always be ___ with challenges，problems，and disasters.Always keep in mind that a disaster can sometimes be good ____ in disguise(掩盖)．
1.A.realizing B．imagining
C．hoping D．doubting
2.A.excitement B．disappointment
C．amazement D．embarrassment
3.A.collect B．receive
C．order D．share
4.A.survive B．suffer
C．adapt D．develop
5.A.visited B．put up
C．returned to D．passed
6.A.naturally B．unexpectedly
C．instead D．anyway
7.A.preparations B．preferences
C．feelings D．possessions
8.A.left B．valued
C．lost D．moved
9.A.touched B．shocked
C．bored D．confused
10.A.anger B．pain
C．fear D．shame
11.A.open B．object
C．happen D．appeal
12.A.unreasonable B．tired
C．weak D．desperate
13.A.spotted B．sought
C．caught D．searched
14.A.rescued B．protected
C．rewarded D．welcomed
15.A.trust B．keep C．seize D．find
16.A.declared B．explained
C．analysed D．added
17.A.light B．smoke C．water D．sound
18.A.forgot B．continued
C．pretended D．decided
19.A.supplied B．satisfied
C．faced D．equipped
20.A.experience B．luck
C．information D．progress
