You have a backache; your legs are painful after a basketball match—what better than a relaxing massage (按摩)?
Scientists now say they have figured out the reason why a massage brings comfort. They say a massage changes how some of your proteins (蛋白质) act.This makes your muscles less inflamed (发炎的), according to the Los Angeles Times.
The leader of the study, Professor Mark Tarnopolsky at McMaster University, Canada, chose several healthy young men for the experiment.He asked them to do very tiring exercise. Then he looked at how the cells changed in their legs.After this, the men were given a massage on only one leg and Tarnopolsky recorded any cell changes again.
Tarnopolsky and his team found that massaging made the inflammation caused by exercise get better because it weakened the activity of a protein called NFkB.
Scientists also noticed that massaging helped cells recover from exercise damage.When muscles were being massaged, the amount of another protein called PGClalpha increased. This kind of protein can stimulate (促进) the growth of a tiny part inside cells called mitochondria (线粒体)．
People used to think that massaging eases pain by clearing away the lactic acid (乳酸) which built up after exercise. However, Tarnopolsky and his team didn't see any changes to lactic acid.
Thomas Birk is a professor at Wayne State University, US. He said that the study was the first he had seen to analyze massage in such depth. He said they wanted to start research 10 years ago, but technology was not yet good enough.
One day massages could be used to treat injuries and muscle disease. They may even be able to replace some antiinflammatory medicines, said Birk. But, he said, more research is needed for masseurs (按摩师) to figure out the best massages for different diseases.
1.What is the article mainly about?
A. A new way to massage.
B. The best way to relax after doing sports.
C. New research into massages.
D. The advantages of a massage.
2.How can a massage bring comfort according to the article?
A. It weakens the activity of the protein NFkB.
B. It helps protein recover from exercise damage.
C. It can clear away the mitochondria in muscles.
D. It can prevent inflammation in muscles.
3.What does the underlined word “eases” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?
A. makes easier B. reduces
C. puts up with D. stops
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. It was believed that massages cleared away lactic acid.
B. Research into massages started 10 years ago.
C. Massages are used to treat muscle diseases in hospitals.
D. Massages will reduce the amount of protein PGClalpha.
Since people first launched rockets into space in the 1950s, we have been leaving behind all sorts of things. Some of them, like the camera, were lost by astronauts while they did work outside their spacecraft. But much of the space junk is made up of little pieces of things that were once bigger objects, until they struck each other and broke apart.
Some things we send into space fall back toward Earth and burn up in the atmosphere. But larger pieces sometimes survive the extreme heat and hit the ground or the ocean at great speeds. So there is always concern that something may fall from the sky and do some harm.
But space junk falling on roofs is not the biggest worry. Scientists are concerned about the “Kessler” problem. Imagine what happens when an empty rocket strikes another while orbiting the earth. Two big things become many smaller things. They then hit other things. The pieces get smaller and smaller until they form a cloud of junk that blocks the path of future space vehicles.
Marco Castronuovo, an Italian Space Agency researcher, says launching a satellite into space that would get very close to some of the larger pieces of space junk. The satellite would connect a small rocket to the useless object. When the rocket explodes, it pushes the junk into a lower and slower orbit, nearer the Earth. After a time, the junk burns up in the atmosphere. Mr.Castronuovo has proposed using a number of small satellites with robotic arms. One arm would catch the space junk, and another arm would connect the rocket. He imagines that each satellite could jump from one large piece of junk to another. He thinks this method could destroy about ten large objects each year.
Scientists have been concerned about space junk for many years. Right now, the costs of the cleanup have been too great. Mr.Castronuovo says his system could be put in place for a much more reasonable amount of money. So what can be done to clean up the space around our planet?
1.We can learn from the text that much of the space junk ________.
A. was left by the astronauts on purpose
B. is mainly made up of broken spaceship
C. is usually made of small pieces of things
D. burns up before it reaches the atmosphere
2.Now scientists are most worried that space junk will ________.
A. harm the future space vehicles
B. do some harm to the atmosphere
C. fall on people's house roofs
D. destroy the habitat of wildlife
3.It implies in the last but one paragraph that ________.
A. clearing up the space will actually cost little
B. small rockets also do harm to the atmosphere
C. only robots can clear up the space completely
D. it is still difficult for us to clear up the space
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. Space junk threatens earth's orbital environment.
B. Scientists use different methods to clear up space junk.
C. Spacecrafts will meet with a lot of space junk in the future.
D. Marco comes up with many methods to deal with space junk.
The best kept secret in San Diego is waiting to offer you a delightful getaway—without leaving town.
Less than three years ago, the Parisi Hotel was just an office building above the shops on the corner of Prospect Street. Now, that valuable space is an intimate luxury hotel with several rooms overlooking the ocean. You'll be amazed when you enter from the corner and ascend the curving staircase to the secondfloor lobby. It will take you into a different world.
What will you find when you enter the large contemporary lobby is a hand some and peaceful space that was designed with a hint of Tuscany in its modern Mediterranean style. The lobby has a large fire place with comfortable sofas in warm neutral colors surrounding it. You'll feel relaxed just sitting there—with its skylight overhead letting in the morning sun. All the rooms are more like suites (套间), with large comfortable beds, beautiful baths and stylish customdesigned furnishings and art throughout.
The Parisi Hotel is the perfect place for seniors because it's quiet and restful—with only 20 rooms. You won't find many hotels like this in the center of a tourist town.
The shops are all around you. Likewise for some of the city's best restaurants, you will never have to take your car out of the garage during your stay. And, by the way, the underground parking lot at the Parisi Hotel is free for hotel guests.
Once you stay at this little gem (珍品), you'll want to return again and again. I know we do. It's a perfect place for seniors.
Rates for standard suites begin at $ 275. You can call the hotel for reservation at (858)4541513. The Parisi Hotel is located at 1111 Prospect St. right across from La Valencia.
1.What does the underlined word “ascend” in Para.2 mean?
A. Find. B. Change.
C. Use. D. Climb.
2.When you enter the lobby, you will find that ________.
A. it is decorated with Mediterranean furniture
B. the walls are painted in bright colors
C. a large fireplace is burning all the time
D. sunlight comes through the window in the roof
3.The Parisi Hotel is perfect for old people because ________.
A. all the rooms are like suites with beautiful ocean view
B. it can give them the sense of peace
C. it is convenient for them to go shopping
D. it has stylish customdesigned furnishings and art throughout
4.According to the passage，________.
A. the price of the suites in the Parisi Hotel varies
B. the Parisi Hotel has furniture specially designed for old people
C. the Parisi Hotel is located in a secret place in San Diego
D. you must make a reservation before entering the hotel
A little girl lived in a simple and poor house on a hill. Usually she ______ play in the small garden. She could see over the garden fence and across the valley a wonderful house with shining golden windows high on another hill.______ she loved her parents and her family, she desired to live in such a house and ______all day about how wonderful and exciting ______must feel to live there.
At the age when she gained some ______ skill and sensibility (识别力), she ______ her mother for a bike ride ______ the garden. Her mother finally allowed her to go，______ her keeping close to the house and not ______ too far. The day was beautiful. The little girl knew______ where she was heading! ______ the hill and across the valley, she rode to the ______ of the golden house.
______ she got off her bike and put it against the gate post, she focused on the path______to the house and then on the house itself.She was very disappointed when she ______ that all the windows were ______ and rather dirty.
So ______and heartbroken, she didn't go any further. She ______， and all of a sudden she saw an amazing ______. There on the other side of the valley was a little house and its windows were golden. Looking at her little home, she______ that she had been living in her golden house filled with love and care. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her house.
1.A. might B. should C. would D. must
2.A. Unless B. Although C. Since D. But
3.A. dreamed B. worried C. asked D. shouted
4.A. this B. that C. it D. which
5.A. different B. scientific C. musical D. basic
6.A. begged B. blamed C. invited D. paid
7.A. inside B. outside C. through D. along
8.A. insisting on B. relying on C. arguing about D. wondering about
9.A. traveling B. running C. riding D. walking
10.A. madly B. rapidly C. exactly D. possibly
11.A. Over B. Down C. Around D. Beside
12.A. windows B. steps C. center D. gate
13.A. Until B. As C. While D. Because
14.A. getting B. introducing C. leading D. moving
15.A. felt B. learned C. concluded D. found
16.A. transparent B. bright C. plain D. wide
17.A. anxious B. angry C. serious D. sad
18.A. turned around B. cheered up C. settled down D. dropped in
19.A. hill B. valley C. background D. sight
20.A. imagined B. decided C. realized D. guessed
—He tried to explain it to me but I just couldn't understand.Do you?
—________.
A. Not likely B. Not certainly
C. Not really D. Not cleverly
I thought I could continue to work here, but________I shall have to look for another job.
A. in fact B. as it is
C. as usual D. as is the case
