A
There is an English saying,“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 really can 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 heart,blood pressure,breathing and muscles.It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercises.It increases blood pressure,the heart beating and breathing.It also works 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 effect 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(忍受) the pain for the longest time was the groups which listened to a funny program.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.
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(有益的) effects similar to those who are caused by laughter.
1.The main idea of the passage is .
A.laughter and physical exercises have similar effects
B.smile can produce the same effects as laughter
C.pain can be reduced by laughter
D.laughter is the best medicine
答案:D
解析:主旨大意题。根据文章内容,特别是第一段中的“ThereisanEnglishsaying:‘Laughteristhebestmedicine.’”可知,本文介绍的是微笑是最好的良药,故D项正确。
2.The underlined word “diminish” is similar to .
A.test B.stop C.reduce D.increase
答案:C
解析:词义猜测题。根据画线词前的“Thereasonwhylaughtercanreducepainseemstobethatithelpstoproduceakindofchemicalsinthebrainwhich...”可知,微笑能够减轻痛苦的原因是它能够帮助阻碍大脑中产生一种减轻压力和痛苦的化学物质,由此可知画线词词义为“减轻、减少”,故C项正确。
3.Doctors hold laughter clinics .
A.to give better condition to their patients
B.in order to improve patients’ health
C.to make patients smile all the time
D.to prove smile and laughter have the same effect
答案:B
解析:细节理解题。根据最后一段中的“Asaresultofthesediscoveries,somedoctorsintheUnitedStatesnowholdlaughterclinics,inwhichtheyhelptoimprovetheirpatients’conditionbyencouragingthemtolaugh.”可知,一些医生开微笑诊所是为了通过鼓励人们微笑从而改善他们的健康,故B项正确。
