Question

There is an English saying that “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter can really improve people’s health.

Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their hearts, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works on several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.

Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effects of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated（忍耐）the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.

As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.

1.According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?

A. Laughter is good for health

B. Laughter can make you become old quickly

C. Laughter helps to reduce pain.

D. Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body.

2.The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means_____.

A. delays    B. prevents

C. increases    D. reduces

3.Why do some doctors hold laughter clinics?

A. Because they want to earn more money.

B. Because they think they will help the patients recover from illnesses.

C. Because they want to improve their patients’ condition.

D. Because they want their patients to practice how to laugh

4.According to the author, we should__________.

A. laugh as much as possible    B. watch more funny films

C. smile all the time    D. spend more time in laughter clinics

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.A

【解析】文章由一句谚语“笑是最好的药”开始，讲述了现在的研究试验发现笑确实能改善人们的健康，然后讲了这个理论的原因和这个实验过程，告诉人们要多笑一笑。

1.细节理解题。从文章第一句的There is an English saying that “Laughter is the best medicine.”可知笑是最好的药，所以B不对，故选B。

2.词意猜测题。根据文中第二段最后一句话“ The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain which diminish both stress and pain.”由diminish 前的 it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain可知，laughter有益处，所以推测后文应该是减轻压力和疼痛，故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据末段的some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh可知，故选C。

4.主旨大意题。从文章第一段的Laughter is the best medicine即笑是最好的药，可知作者认为我们应该尽可能的多笑，故选A。