As if you needed another reason to hate the gym, it now turns out that exercise can exhaust not only your muscles, but also your eyes. Fear not, however, for coffee can perk them right up again
. During vigorous exercise, our muscles tire as they run out of fuel and build up waste products. Muscle performance can also be affected by a phenomenon called "central fatigue," in which an imbalance in the body's chemical messengers prevents the central nervous system from directing muscle movements effectively. It was not known, however, whether central fatigue might also affect motor systems not directly involved in the exercise itself—such as those that move the eyes. To find out, researchers gave 11 volunteers a carbohydrate solution either with a moderate dose of caffeine—which is known to stimulate the central nervous system—or as a placebo without, during 3 hours of cycling. After exercising, the scientists tested the cyclists with eye-tracking cameras to see how well their brains could still control their visual system. The team found that exercise reduced the speed of rapid eye movements by about 8%, preventing their ability to capture new visual information. The caffeine—the equivalent of two strong cups of coffee—was sufficient to counteract this effect, with some cyclists even displaying increased eye movement speeds, the team reports today in Scientific Reports. So it might be a good idea to get someone else to drive you home after that marathon.
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.
Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
The method for making beer has changed over time. Hops (啤酒花), for example, which give many a modern beer its bitter flavor, are a- 26 recent addition to the beverage. This was mentioned in reference to brewing in the ninth century. Now, researchers have found a--- 27 ingredient in residue (残留物) from 5000-year-old beer brewing equipment. While excavating two pits at a site in the central plains of China, scientists discovered fragments from pots and ve__ . The different shapes of the containers 28they were used to brew, filter, and store beer. They --may be ancient “beer-making tools,” and the earliest 29evidence of beer brewing in China, the researchers reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. To 30that hypothesis, the team examined the yellowish, dried 31 inside the vessels. The majority of the grains, about 80%, were from cereal crops like barley (大麦), and about 10% were bits of roots, 32 lily, would have made the beer sweeter, the scientists say. Barley was an unexpected find: the crop was domesticated in Western Eurasia and didn’t become a 33food in central China until about 2000 years ago, according to the researchers. Based on that timing, they indicate barley may have 34in the region not as food, but as35material for beer brewing.
段落匹配:[46]Shoppers in the UK are spending less money on toilet paper to save money,
段落匹配:
[46]Shoppers in the UK are spending less money on toilet paper to save money,research has shown.
Penny-pinchingUK consumers choose cheaper products from discounters such as Aldi and Lidlrather than luxury alternatives.
This has wiped6% off the value of the soft tissue paper market in the UK. It has shrunk from£1.19 billion in2011 to£1.12billion in 2015, according to a new report from market research company Mintel. [47] Furthermore, the future of the market looks far fromrosy, with sales expected to fall further to £1.11 billion in 2016.
In the lastyear alone, despite an increase in the UK population and a subsequent rise inthe number of households, sales of toilet paper fell by 2%, with the averagehousehold reducing their toilet roll spending from £43 in 2014 to £41 in 2015.
Overall, almostthree in five people say they try to limit their usage of paper — includingfacial tissue and kitchen roll — to save money. “Strength, softness andthickness remain the leading indicators of toilet paper quality, with just asmall proportion of consumers preferring more luxurious alternatives, such asthose with flower patterns or perfume,” said Mintel analyst Jack Duckett. [48]“These extra features are deemed unnecessary by themajority of shoppers, which probably reflects how these types of products aretypically more expensive than regular toilet paper, even when on special offer.”
[49]Whileconsumers are spending less on toilet paper, they remain fussy—in theory atleast —when it comes to paper quality. Top ofBritons’ toilet paper wish list is softness (57%) followed by strength (45%)and thickness (36%).
[50]Onein 10 buyers rank toilet rolls made from recycled paper among their topconsiderations, highlighting how overall the environment is much less of aconsideration for shoppers than product quality. In a challengefor manufacturers, 81% of paper product users said they would consider buyingrecycled toilet tissue if it were comparable in quality to standard paper.
46. The market sales of toilet paper havedecreased because .
A) Britons have cut their spendingon it
B) its prices have gone up over theyears
C) its quality has seen markedimprovement
D) Britons have developed the habitof saving
47. What does the author think ofthe future of the tissue paper market in the UK?
A) It will expand in time.
C) It will experience ups and downs.
B) It will remain gloomy.
D) It will recover as populationgrows.
48. What does Jack Duckett say about toilot paper?
A) Special offers would promote its sales.
B) Consumers are loyal to certain brands.
C) Luxurious features add much to the price.
D) Consumers have a variety to choose from.
49. What do we learn about Britons concerning toilet paper?
A) They are particular about the quality of toilet paper.
B) They emphasize the strength of toilet paper the most.
C) They prefer cheap toilet paper to recycled toilet paper.
D) They reject using toilet paper with unnecessary features.
50. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A) more and more Britons buy recycled toilet paper to protectthe environment.
B) Toilet paper manufactures are facing a great challenge inpromoting its sales.
C) Toilet paper manufacturers compete with one another toimprove product quality.
D) Environmental protection is not much of a concern whenBritons buy toilet paper.
选词填空:The method for making beer has changed over time. Hops (啤酒花),for example
, which many a modern beerits bitter flavor, are a 26 recent additions to the beverage. Thiswas mentioned in reference to brewing in the ninth century. Now, researchershave found a 27 ingredient in residue (残留物) from 5000-year-old beer brewingequipment. While excavating two pits at a site in thecentral plains of China, scientists discovered pottery fragments from pots,funnels, amphorae, and stoves (stove fragment pictured). The different shapesof the containers 28 theywere used to brew, filter, and store beer—they may be ancient “beer-making tools,” and the earliest 29 evidence of beer brewing in China, the researchers report online today in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.To30 thathypothesis, the team examined the yellowish, dried 31 insidethe vessels. The majority of the grains—about 80%—were from cereal cropslike barley (大麦), andabout 10% were bits of roots, 32 lily,which would have sweetened the brew, the scientists say. Barley was anunexpected find: The crop was domesticated in western Eurasia and didn’t becomea 33 food incentral China until about 2000 years ago, according to the researchers. basedon that timing, they suggest barley may have 34 in theregion not as food, but as 35 material forbeerbrewing.
写作:For this part , you are allowed 30minutes to write an advertisement on your campu
s website to sell a computer youused at college. Your advertisement may include its brand,specifications/features, condition and price, and your contact information. Youshould write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.