Our bodies are wonderfully skillful at maintaining balance. When the temperature jumps, we sweat to cool down. When our blood pressure falls, our hearts pound to compensate. As it turns out, though, our natural state is not a steady one. Researchers are finding that everything from blood pressure to brain function varies rhythmically with the cycles of sun, moon and seasons. And their insights are yielding new strategies for keeping away such common killers as heart disease and cancer. Only one doctor in 20 has a good knowledge of the growing field of "chronotherapeutics"(历史治疗术), the strategic use of time(chronos)in medicine. But according to a new American Medical Association poll, three out of four are eager to change that. "The field is exploding," says Michael Smolensky, "Doctors used to look at us like ' What spaceship did you guys get off?' Now they're thirsty to know more. " In medical school, most doctors learn that people with chronic conditions should take their medicine at steady rates. "It's a terrible way to treat disease," says Dr. Richard Martin. For example, asthmatics(气喘患者)are most likely to suffer during the night. Yet most patients strive to keep a constant level of medicine in their blood day and night, whether by breathing in on an inhaler(吸入器)four times a day or taking a pill each morning and evening. In recent studies, researchers have found that a large mid-afternoon dose of a bronchodilator(支气管扩张剂)can be as safe as several small doses, and better for preventing nighttime attacks. If the night belongs to asthma, the dawn belongs to high blood pressure and heart disease. Heart attacks are twice as common at 9 a. m. as at 11 p. m. Part of the reason is that our blood pressure falls predictably at night, then peaks as we start to work for the day. "Doctors know that", says Dr. Henry Black of Chicago's Medical Center, "but until now, we haven't been able to do anything about it. " Most blood-pressure drugs provide 18 to 20 hours of relief. But because they're taken in the morning, they're least effective when most needed. "You take your pill at 7 and it's working by 9," says Dr. William White of the University of Connecticut Health Center, "but by that time you've gone through the worst four hours of the day with no protection. " Bedtime dosing would prevent that lapse, but it would also push blood pressure to dangerously low levels during the night.
单选题
According to the passage, how do human bodies maintain balance?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】解析：文章第一段中指出“Our bodies are wonderfully skillful at maintaining balance．When the temperature jumps，we sweat to cool down．When our blood pressure falls，our hearts pound to compensate．”可见，我们的身体具有自我调节功能，A项符合文章的意思，自身可以根据身体的状况及时地调整自己。出汗只是降低体温而没说能提高体温，所以B项不对。血压下降时，心脏才会加快跳动以补充血液，所以C项也不对。所以本题的正确答案为A。
单选题
Researchers are finding that .
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】解析：文章第一段“Researchers are finding that everything from blood pressure to brain function varies rhythmically with the cycles of sun，moon and seasons．”研究人员正在查明：从血压到脑功能等所有东西都随着太阳、月亮和季节的循环而有节奏地变化。可见，研究人员正在探究的问题是人体的功能与自然循环的关系。C项符合文章的意思。所以本题的正确答案为C。
单选题
According to the author, it is best for asthmatics to take their medicines______.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】解析：文章第二段中间讲到哮喘患者最有可能在夜间犯病，后面讲到“In recent studies，researchers have found that a large mid-afternoon dose of a bronchodilator can be as safe as several small doses，and better for preventing nighttime attacks．”从这句话我们可以看出，作者认为，哮喘患者最好在下午到傍晚的中间时期服药，D项的“在午后中期”也就是这个意思，符合作者的观点。第二段第一句“In medical school，most doctors learn that people with chronic conditions should take their medicine at steady rates．”在医学院，大多数医生知道，慢性病人应该有规律地服药，显然这不是作者的观点，所以A项不对。每天早晚各吃一次药是大多数病人的习惯做法，不是作者的观点，所以B项也不对；当病发作时一般是在晚上，而这个时候是不吃药的，因此C项也不对。所以本题的正确答案应该为D。
单选题
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】解析：本题中要求选出不对的说法，可以用排除法。文章第一段中提到“Only one doctor in 20 has a good knowledge of the growing field of‘chronotherapeutics’，the strategic use of time(chronos)in medicine．But according to a new American Medical Association poll，three out of four are eager to change that．”从这句话我们可以看出现在医生对“历时治疗法”的了解要比以前多。医学上时间的战略性应用也引起了更多人的关注。可见，A项和D项正确，所以可以排除A、D。C项的内容在文章第一段中提到，“他们的领悟正在形成探究防范像心脏病和癌症这样的普遍的杀手的新策略”，所以C项也可以排除。因此本题的正确答案为B。
单选题
The suggested title for this passage might be______.