Science can't explain the power of pets, but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer. Any owner will tall you how much joy a pet brings. For some, an animal provides more comfort than a husband/wife. A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress levels and blood pressure in people - half of them pet owners -while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic or held a hand in ice water. Subjects completed the tasks alone, with a husband/wife, a close friend or with a pet. People with pets did It best .Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned Most quickly to baseline heart rates .With pets in the room ,people also made fewer math mistakes Than when doing in front of other companions. It seems people feel more released around Pets, says Allen, who thinks it may be because pets don't judge. A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have an effect on your eating habits. Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spent a Year studying 36 fat people and were put on a diet-and-exercise programs; a separate group of 56 fat people without pets were put on a diet program. On average,people lost about 11 pounds, Or 5% of their body weight .Their dogs did even better,losing an average of 12 pounds,more then 15%of their body weight .Dog owners didn't lose any more weight than those without dogs but ,say Researchers,got more exercise overall -mostly with their dogs -and found it worth doing. We learn from the text that a person with heart disease has a better chance of getting well if _ A) he has a pet companion B) he has less stress of work C) he often dose mental arithmetic D) he is taken care of by his family
A
(Question)
Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower. But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains. His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia's snowcapped Himalayas. At 26,545 feet, its peak is the 10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing. "It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous," said Viesturs. "There's no simple way to climb it. There are threatening avalanches and ice falls that protect the mountain." In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog's tale of climbing the icy Annapurna. Herzog's story was of frostbite and difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was right away. Viesturs got his start on Washington's Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding hikes in the summer. Fifteen years ago, he set out to walk up to the world's highest peaks. Finally, he's done. The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with respect. "You have to use all of your senses, all of your abilities to see if the mountain will let you climb it," said Viesturs. "If we have the patience and the respect, and if we're here at the right time, under the right circumstances, they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down." What's next for a man who can't stop climbing? "I'm going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back and enjoy the summer," says Viesturs. But for a man who's climbed the world's 14 tallest mountains, he will probably soon set off on yet another adventure. What's the next probably plan of Viestures? A) Stopping climbing and staying with his family. B) Climbing to the top of the world's 14 tallest mountains again. C) Climbing another one of the highest mountains. D) Writing down the experiences about his adventure.
(Answer)
C
Ques: With only fish and birds for company, Eric Erden has been rowing across the Pacific Ocean to Australia in his 23-foot-long boat since he left California on July 10, 2009. This is the first part of Eric's trip around the world using only his own energy. He will row, bike, and walk without help from any motors at all. His plan includes climbing the tallest mountain on each of the six continents he visits, to honour the memory of a fellow climber. He says he is doing this to show kids that they can achieve any goal, but he also hopes to have some great adventures along the way. Storms and huge waves regularly force him in the wrong direction and even threaten to overturn his boat. "Sometimes I really feel scared," says a somewhat embarrassed Eric. "But that's part of the journey. I knew this wouldn't be easy when I started." Protein bars give him energy, and he boils water to heat freeze-dried meals on a one-burner stove. A sun-powered machine removes salt from ocean water so he can drink it, but when that fails he sometimes tries to collect rainwater in a bucket. He's not bothered by any of the hardships. Eric sees the world as a laboratory where there is much to learn. And when his trip around the world takes him across land, he enjoys meeting people -- especially children. He has already visited several schools and shared his story. What does Eric plan to do on each of the six continents he will visit? A) Visit schools to share his story. B) Study the culture of the local people. C) Climb the tallest mountain. D) Cycle from one end to the other.
Ans: C
Have you ever had a troubling problem that has left you wondering where to turn for help? Eve Hobsbawm is a life adviser.She offers advice to people struggling with all kinds of problems, from relationship difficulties to what to cook for dinner. She does this through a website inviting people to email her with their problems.There ' s nothing unusual about that, except for the fact that Eve is only eight years old. This junior trouble-shooter, who also goes by the name 'Miss Evie Mouse' , lives in London with her parents.Not only is Miss Mouse willing to lend an ear to her clients, she will also offer them a helping hand, for a fee of course.She charges between 10p for advice on little, everyday worries and PS for more complicated problems.Her areas of expert knowledge, if not of experience, are problems about love, life and work-life balance. A problem shared is a problem halved, but Eve can' t always help.A note on the site states that she can't answer questions like "Does space ever end?" and she won't solve schoolwork-related problems, especially not maths. She explained to the Guardian newspaper that she was inspired to set up the company by her father who runs a tech start-up.Eve said, "As soon as I saw his business and understood the kinds of things businesses do, I thought that' s what I' m going to do." But since setting up her company in December she has been so overwhelmed with messages that she has had to take a step back."There has been a lot of sudden interest in my site, which is nice," she says, " but I need to do my homework too, so I won' t be solving any more problems for a bit." Eve Hobsbawm is an unusual adviser because she _ . A) asks for fees for her advice B) is just a pupil at primary school C) is an expert in work-life balance D) answers questions on the Internet.
B