Question

People who smoke could lose around one third of their everyday memory, researchers say.

A study by a team at the University of Northumbria has shown that smokers lose more of their memory when compared to non-smokers. And the research also found that those who kicked the habit saw their ability to recollect information restored to almost the same level as non-smokers.

The study involved more than seventy 18-to 25-year-old volunteers and included a tour of the university’s campus. Those who took part were asked to recall(回忆；回想)small details, such as music acts listed to play at the students’ union and tasks completed at various points---known as a real-world memory test.

Smokers performed badly, remembering just 59 percent of tasks. But those who had given up smoking remembered 74 percent and those who had never smoked recalled 81 percent of tasks.

Dr. Tom Heffernan, who leads Northumbria University’s Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research Group, said the findings would be useful in anti-smoking campaigns. He said, “Given that there are up to 10 million smokers in the UK and as many as 45 million in America, it’s important to understand the effects that smoking has on everyday cognitive function.”

This is the first time that a study has set out to examine whether giving up smoking has an effect on memory. We already know that giving up smoking has huge health benefits to the body, but this study also shows how stopping smoking can bring a series of benefits to cognitive function. The research will now investigate the effects of second-hand smoking on memory, while Dr. Heffernan will look into third-hand smoking, such as toxins (毒素) left on curtains and furniture.

1.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. The Effects That Smoking Has on Health

B. New Research on Third-Hand Smoking

C. Smokers Have Much Worse Everyday Memory

D. Anti-Smoking Campaigns Are Active Around the World

2.The underlined words, “kicked the habit”, in the second paragraph can be replaced by “___________”.

A. giving up smoking                B. smoked at times

C. smoked regularly                 D. hated smoking

3.What was the real-world memory test like?

A. It needed young volunteers to complete some tasks.

B. It was about making a tour of the university’s campus.

C. It needed volunteers to act at the students’ union.

D. It involved a tour and a process of recalling some details.

4.We can learn from the passage that ___________.

A. America has twice as many smokers as the UK

B. the research findings will help anti-smoking campaigns

C. the effects of second-hand smoking on memory have been found by the study

D. those who have stopped smoking have as good a memory as non-smokers

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.D

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：研究人员称，吸烟者会丧失约三分之一的日常记忆，这些研究发现将有助于反吸烟活动的开展。

1.C主旨大意题。根据文章第一句People who smoke could lose around one third of their everyday memory, researchers say. 研究人员称，吸烟者会丧失约三分之一的日常记忆。可知C项符合题意。

2.A词义猜测题。根据第二段第二句And the research also found that those who kicked the habit saw their ability to recollect information restored to almost the same level as non-smokers.研究还发现，那些戒烟者发现自己回忆信息的能力恢复到了和不吸烟者相近的水平。recollect information restored是关键词，可知划线此的意思是：放弃吸烟。故选A。

3.D细节理解题。根据第三段The study involved more than seventy 18-to 25-year-old volunteers and included a tour of the university’s campus. Those who took part were asked to recall(回忆；回想)small details, such as music acts listed to play at the students’ union and tasks completed at various points---known as a real-world memory test. 参与该研究的是70多名18到25岁的青年，他们在该大学校园中游览了一番。研究人员请那些参与者回忆一些细节，如学生会演出的音乐剧目和在不同时间和地点完成的任务，这就是所谓的“真实世界记忆测试”。故选D。

4.B推理判断题。根据第五段第一句Dr. Tom Heffernan, who leads Northumbria University’s Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research Group, said the findings would be useful in anti-smoking campaigns 诺森比亚大学的毒品和酒精共同研究小组的领头人汤姆•赫夫南博士说这些研究发现将有助于反吸烟活动的开展。

【名师点拨】

猜测词义题解题技巧。做这种类型的题，要根据词、词组、句子所在的语境来判断其意义。因此熟练掌握一些猜词技巧是做好这类题的关键。我们要特别注意熟词生义，切不可脱离语境想当然。在句子或段落中，我们可以利用熟悉的词语，根据语言环境所表示的关系推断生词词义。比如第46小题，A词义猜测题。根据第二段第二句And the research also found that those who kicked the habit saw their ability to recollect information restored to almost the same level as non-smokers.研究还发现，那些戒烟者发现自己回忆信息的能力恢复到了和不吸烟者相近的水平。recollect information restored是关键词，可知划线此的意思是：放弃吸烟。故选A。

考点：考查健康类阅读