单选题Eating Potatoes Gives Your Immune System a Boost Eating potatoes is not only good for bowel health, but also for the whole immune system, especially when they come in the form of a potato salad or eaten cold. In a study on an animal model, researchers in Spain found that pigs fed large quantities of raw potato starch (RPS) not only had a healthier bowel, but also decreased levels of white blood cells, such as leucocytes and lymphocytes in their blood. White blood cells are produced as a result of inflammation or disease, generally when the body is challenged. The general down-regulation of leucocytes observed by the Spanish researchers suggests an overall beneficial effect, a generally more healthy body. The reduction in leucocyte levels was about 15 percent. Lower lymphocyte levels are also indicative of reduced levels of inflammation, but the observed reduction in both lymphocyte density and lymphocyte apoptosis is surprising. In what was the longest study of its kind, pigs were fed RPS over 14 weeks to find out the effect of starch on bowel health. "The use of raw potato starch in this experiment is designed to simulate the effects of a diet high in resistant starch, "said study leader Jose Francisco Perez at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain. Humans do not eat raw potatoes, but they do eat a lot of foods that contain resistant starch, such as cold boiled potatoes, legumes, grains, green bananas, pasta and cereals. About 10 percent of the starch eaten by human is resistant starch--starch that is not digested in the small intestine and so is shunted into the large intestine where it ferments. Starch consumption is thought to reduce the risk of large bowel cancer and may also have an effect on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Immunology expert Lena Ohman, steam previously found that the overall lymphocyte levels do not vary for IBS patients, but that lymphocytes are transferred from the peripheral blood to the gut, which support the hypothesis of IBS being at least partially an inflammatory disorder. She says the decrease in lymphocytes observed by the Spanish is therefore interesting, and a diet of resistant starch may be worth trying in IBS patients. Ohman is currently at the Department of Internal Medicine, Goteborg University; Sweden. The study is published in the journal Chemistry and Industry, the magazine of the SCI.

单选题John is {{U}}eligible{{/U}} for this job. A. accepted B. recommended C. rejected D. elected

单选题The {{U}}command{{/U}} BU (Control B, -then U) underlines text.

单选题The new style of shoes appeal to those students.A. attractB. absorbC. abstractD. accept

单选题Medicine Award Kicks off Nobel Prize Announcements Two scientists who have won praise for research into the growth of cancer cells could be candidates for the Nobel Prize in medicine when the 2008 winners are presented on Monday, kicking off six days of Nobel announcements. Australian-born U. S. citizen Elizabeth Blackburn and American Carol Greider have already won a series of medical honors for their enzyme research and experts say they could be among the front-runners for a Nobel. Only seven women have won the medicine prize since the first Nobel Prizes were handed out in 1901. The last female winner was U. S. researcher Linda Buck in 2004, who shared the prize with Richard Axel. Among the pair's possible rivals are Frenchman Pierre Chambon and Americans Ronald Evans and Elwood Jensen, who opened up the field of studying proteins called nuclear hormone receptors. As usual, the award committee is giving no hints about who is in the running before presenting its decision in a news conference at Stockholm's Karolinska Institute. Alfred Nobel, the Swede who invented dynamite, established the prizes in his will in the categories of medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and peace. The economics prize is technically not a Nobel but a 1968 creation of Sweden's central bank. Nobel left few instructions on how to select winners, but medicine winners are typically awarded for a specific breakthrough rather than a body of research. Hans Jornvall, secretary of the medicine prize committee, said the 10 million kronor (US $1.3 million) prize encourages groundbreaking research but he did not think winning it was the primary goal for scientists. "Individual researchers probably don't look at themselves as potential Nobel Prize winners when they're at work," Jornvall told The Associated Press. "They get their kicks from their research and their interest in how life functions. " In 2006, Blackburn, of the University of California, San Francisco, and Greider, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, shared the Lasker prize for basic medical research with Jack Szostak of Harvard Medical School. Their work set the stage for research suggesting that cancer cells use telomerase to sustain their uncontrolled growth.

单选题Study Says Dogs Can Smell Cancer Dogs are known for their sense of smell. They can find missing people and things like bombs and illegal drugs. Now a study suggests that the animal known as man"s best friend can even find bladder(膀胱) cancer. Cancer cells are thought to produce chemicals with unusual odors(气味). Researchers think dogs have the ability to smell these odors, even in very small amounts, in urine(尿). The sense of smell in dogs is thousands of times better than in humans. The study follows reports of cases where, for example, a dog showed great interest in a growth on the leg of its owner. The mole (痣) was later found to be skin cancer. Carolyn Willis led a team of researchers at Amersham Hospital in England. They trained different kinds of dogs for the experiment. The study involved urine collected from bladder cancer patients, from people with other diseases and from healthy people. Each dog was tested eight times. In each test there were seven samples for the dogs to smell. The dog was supposed to signal the one from a bladder cancer patient by lying down next to it. Two cocker spaniels(短腿长毛垂耳小猎犬) were correct fifty-six percent of the time. But the scientists reported an average success rate of forty-one percent. As a group, the study found that the dogs chose the correct sample twenty-two out of fifty-four times. That is almost three times more often than would be expected by chance alone. The British Medical Journal published the research. In all, thirty-six bladder cancer patients and one hundred and eight other people took part. During training, all the dogs reportedly even identified a cancer in a person who had tested healthy before the study. Doctors found a growth on the person"s right kidney(肾). Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer worldwide. The International Agency for Research on Cancer says this disease kills more than one hundred thousand people each year. Doctors say cigarette smoking is the leading cause of bladder cancer.

单选题She always finds fault with everythingA. simplifiesB. criticizesC. evaluatesD. examines

单选题They are endeavoring to charge society as a whole.A. tryingB. workingC. doingD. making

单选题Prolonging Human Life Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of famine, infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, whereas if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illnesses than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often "go on welfare" if they have a serious illness. When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet this need, a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built. These are often profit-making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions are good, most of them are simply "dumping grounds" for the dying in which "care" is given by poorly paid, overworked, and underskilled personnel.

单选题Exercise Cuts Cancer Deaths in Men Men who exercise often are less likely to die from cancer than those who (51) , new research published in the British Journal of Cancer revealed yesterday. A team of scientists from the Karolin’s Institute in Sweden looked (52) the effect of physical activity and cancer risk in 40,708 men (53) between 45 and 79. The seven-year study found that men (54) walked or cycled for at least 30 minutes a day had a 34 percent lower risk of (55) from cancer than the men who did less exercise or nothing at all. (56) the period studied, 3,714 men developed cancer and 1,153 died from the disease. The researchers suggest that half an hour's walking (57) cycling a day increased survival among these men by 33 percent. The researchers surveyed men from two counties in central Sweden about their lifestyle and the amount of (58) activity they were usually doing. They then scored these responses and compared the results (59) data on cancer diagnosis and death officially recorded in a central cancer registry over a seven-year period. Lead author, Professor Alicja Wolk, said: "These results clearly show for the first time the effect that very simple and basic daily (60) such as walking or cycling has in reducing cancer death risk in middle—aged and elderly (61) ” Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK，said：“This study gives US a clear indication that men who exercise are less (62) to die from cancer, and that they are more likely to (63) the disease if they get it．It’S not entirely clear from this study what role exercise plays in preventing (64) in men，but we do know that a healthy lifestyle can prevent up to half of all cancers and (65) exercise forms a key part of this．”

单选题How to Be a Successful Businessperson Have you ever wondered why some people are successful in business and others are not? Here's a story about one successful businessperson. He started out washing dishes and today he owns 168 restaurants. Zubair Kazi was born in Bhatkal,a small town in southwest India. His dream was to be an airplane pilot,and when he was 16 years old,he learned to fly a small plane. At the age of 23 and with just a little money in his pocket,Mr. Kazi moved to the United States. He hoped to get a job in the airplane industry in California. Instead,he ended up working for a company that rented cars. While Mr. Kazi was working at the car rental(租赁的)company,he frequently ate at a nearby KFC restaurant. To save money on food, he decided to get a job with KFC. For two months, he worked as a cook's assistant. His job was to clean the kitchen and help the cook. "I didn't like it,"Mr,Kazi says, "but I always did the best I could. " One day, Mr. Kazi's two co-workers failed to come to work. That day, Mr. Kazi did the work of all three people in the kitchen. This really impressed the owners of the restaurant. A few months later, the owners needed a manager for a new restaurant. They gave the job to Mr. Kazi. He worked hard as the manager and soon the restaurant was making a profit. A few years later,Mr. Kazi heard about a restaurant that was losing money. The restaurant was dirty inside and the food was terrible. Mr. Kazi borrowed money from a bank and bought the restaurant. For the first six months,Mr. Kazi worked in the restaurant from 8 a. m. to 10 p. m. ,seven days a week. He and his wife cleaned up the restaurant,remodeled the front of the building,and improved the cooking. They also tried hard to please the customers. If someone had to wait more than ten minutes for their food,Mrs. Kazi gave them a free soda. Before long the restaurant was making a profit. A year later, Mr. Kazi sold his restaurant for a profit. With the money he earned, he bought three more restaurants that were losing money. Again, he cleaned them up, improved the food, and retrained the employees. Before long these restaurants were making a profit, too. Today Mr. Kaziowns 168 restaurants,but he isn't planning to stop there. He's looking for more poorly managed restaurants to buy. "I love it when I go to buy a restaurant and find it's a mess,"Mr. Kazi says. "The only way it can go is up. /

单选题The writer's attitude towards laughter is

单选题Natural Medicine Since earliest days, humans have used some kinds of medicines. We know this because humans have survived. Ancient treatments for injury and disease were successful enough to keep humans from dying out completely. They were successful long before the time of modem medicine. Before the time of doctors with white coats and shiny (发亮的) instruments. Before the time of big hospitals with strange and wonderful equipment. Many parts of the world still do not have university-educated doctors. Nor do they have expensive hospitals. Yet injuries are treated. And diseases are often cured, how? By ancient methods. By medicines that might seem mysterious, even magical (有魔力的). Traditional medicines are neither mysterious nor magical, however. Through the centuries, tribal (部落的) medicine men experimented with plants. They found many useful chemicals in the plants. And scientists believe many of these traditional medicines may provide the cure for some of today"s most serious diseases. Experts say almost 80% of the people in the world use plants for health care. These natural medicines arc used not just because people have no other form of treatment. They are used because people trust them. In developed areas, few people think about the source of the medicines they buy in a store. Yet many widely-used medicines are from ancient sources, especially plants. Some experts say more than 25% of modern medicines come, in one way or another, from nature. Scientists have long known that nature is really a chemical factory. All living things contain chemicals that help them survive. So scientists" interest in traditional medicine is not new. But it has become an urgent concern. This is because the earth"s supply of natural medicines may be dropping rapidly.

单选题U.S. Eats Too Much Salt People in the United States consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt, raising their risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, government health experts said on Thursday. They found nearly 70 percent of U.S. adults are in high-risk groups that would benefit from a lower-salt diet of no more than 1,500 mg per day, yet most consume close to 3,500 mg per day. "It"s important for people to eat less salt. People who adopt a heart-healthy eating pattern that includes a diet low in sodium and rich in potassium and calcium can improve their blood pressure," Dr. Darwin Labarthe of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement. "People need to know their recommended daily sodium limit and take action to reduce sodium intake," Labarthe said. The study in CDC"s weekly report on death and disease used national survey data to show that two out of three adults should be consuming no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day because they are black or over the age of 40—which are considered high-risk groups. Yet studies show most people in the United States eat 3,436 mg of sodium per day, according to a 2005—2006 CDC estimate. Most of the sodium eaten comes from packaged, processed and restaurant foods. The CDC said it will join other agencies in the Health and Human Services department in working with major food manufacturers and chain restaurants to reduce sodium levels in the food Supply. Nationwide, 16 million men and women have heart disease and 5.8 million are estimated to have had a stroke. Cutting salt consumption can reduce these risks, the CDC said.

单选题John Hanson helped draft instructions for Maryland's delegates to the Stamp Act Congress. A. clarify B. formulate C. revise D. contribute

单选题I expect that he will be able to cater for your particular needs.

单选题The thief was finally captured two miles away from the village.

单选题Germs(细菌)on Banknotes People in different countries use different types of money: yuan in China, pesos in Mexico, pounds in the United Kingdom, dollars in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. They may use different currencies, but these countries, and probably all countries, still have one thing in 1 : germs on the banknotes. Scientists have been studying the germs on money for well over 100 years. At the turn of the 20th 2 , some researchers began to suspect that germs living on money could spread disease. Most studies of germy money have looked at the germs on the currency 3 one country. In a new study, Frank Vriesekoop and other researchers compared the germ populations found on bills of different 4 . Vriesekoop is a microbiologist at the University of Ballarat in Australia. He led the study, which compared the germ populations found on money 5 from 10 nations. The scientists studied 1,280 banknotes in total; all came from places where people buy food, like supermarkets, street vendors and cafes, 6 those businesses often rely on cash. Overall, the Australian dollars hosted the fewest live bacteria—no more than 10 per square centimeter. Chinese yuan had the 7 —about 100 per square centimeter. Most of the germs on money probably would not cause harm. What we call "paper money" 8 isn"t made from paper. The U.S. dollar, for example, is printed on fabric that is mostly cotton. Different countries may use different 9 to print their money. Some of the currencies studied by Vriesekoop and his team, such as the American dollar, were made from cotton. Others were made from polymers. The three 10 with the lowest numbers of bacteria were all printed on polymers. They included the Australian dollar, the New Zealand dollar and some Mexican pesos. The 11 currencies were printed on fabric made mostly of cotton. Fewer germs lived on the polymer notes. This 12 suggests that germs have a harder time staying alive on polymer surfaces. Scientists need to do more studies to understand 13 germs live on money—and whether or not we need to be concerned. Vriesekoop is now starting a study that will 14 the amounts of time bacteria can stay alive on different types of bills. Whatever Vriesekoop finds, the fact remains: Paper money 15 germs. We should wash our hands after touching it; After all, you never know where your money"s been. Or what"s living on it.

单选题How to Read Books A number of recent books have reworked subjects, forms and writing techniques. Today's children read stories about divorce, death, drugs, air pollution, political extremism and violence. Relying on the magic of the illustrator, all kinds of books are being published. Before they know how to read, babies can play with books made of cloth or books made to take in the bath. Later on, they are given picture books that may be cubical(立方形的) or triangular, outsized or very small. They also like work-books which come with watercolours and paintbrushes, and comic books(漫画册) filled with details where they have to spot a figure hidden among thousands of others. Not that the traditional children's books are being neglected. There are still storybooks where the pages pop up(跳起) when they are opened, to make a forest or a castle. Among the latest ideas are interactive stories where readers choose the plot(情节) or ending they want, and books on CD, which are very popular in rich industrialized countries. The public has enthusiastically greeted the wealth of creativity displayed by publishers. "Previously, giving a child a book was often seen as improper," says Canadian author Marie-France Hebert. Her books, published by a French-language publisher, sell like not cakes in hundreds of thousands of copies. "There's real appetite for reading these days and I try to get across to children the passion for reading which is food for the mind and the passion for reading which is food for the mind and the heart, like a medicine or a vitamin. /

单选题Class sizes will increase under the new scheme .