A new Northwestern University study reaffirms the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. By examining fruit flies’ brain activity and behavior, the researchers found that deep sleep has the power to clear waste from the brain. This waste potentially includes poisonous proteins that may lead to neurodegenerative (神经退化) diseases. “Waste clearance could be important, in general, for maintaining brain health or for preventing neurodegenerative diseases,” said Dr. Allada, senior author of the study. “Waste clearance may occur during wake and sleep but is greatly strengthened during deep sleep.”
Although fruit flies seem very different from humans, the neurons (神经元) that govern flies’ sleep-wake cycles are strikingly similar to our own. For this reason, fruit flies have become a well-studied model organism for sleep and neurodegenerative diseases.
In this current study, Allada and his team examined Proboscis (针状喙) Extension Sleep, a deep-sleep stage in fruit flies, which is similar to deep, slow-wave sleep in humans. The researchers discovered that, during this stage fruit flies repeatedly extend and move back their proboscises. “This kind of movement moves fluids possibly to the fly version of kidneys (肾),” Allada said. “Our study shows that this promotes waste clearance and aids in injury recovery.”
When Allada’s team disturbed flies’ deep sleep, the flies were less able to clear the waste from their systems and were more likely to be influenced by injuries.
Allada said this study brings us closer to understanding the mystery of why all organisms need sleep. All animals, especially those in the wild, are incredibly weak when they sleep, but research increasingly shows that the benefits of sleep, including crucial waste removal, are greater than this increased weakness.
1．How did the researchers draw the conclusion of their study?| A．By working out the result by chance. |
| B．By predicting the result from the old data. |
| C．By making observation and analysis. |
| D．By making a range of comparisons. |
| A．The disturbance of fruit flies’ deep sleep. |
| B．The governing of fruit flies’ sleep-wake cycles. |
| C．The moving of fluids to the fruit flies’ kidneys. |
| D．The extension and moving of fruit flies’ proboscises. |
| A．The fact that all organisms need sleep. |
| B．The application of the result of the study. |
| C．The disadvantages of the sleep of animals. |
| D．The great value of mankind’s and animals’ sleep. |
| A．Studies on Proboscis Extension Sleep |
| B．Deep Sleep Takes Out the Brain Trash |
| C．Different Functions of Waste Clearance |
| D．Similarities of Sleep-Wake Cycles Between Fruit Flies and Humans |
How do you get yourself to take action now? Here are some powerful suggestions.
Focus intensely on the positive things that your actions will accomplish.
Take the first small step. Don't even concern yourself with committing to the whole project or course of action. Just do something very easy and very small. The point is to find a little momentum（动力）
Make it fun. Realize that just about anything can be fun if you'll think of it as fun and enjoyable. Find a way to make something fun, and not only will you want to do it; you'll also be better at it.
| A．You always choose what to do, |
| B．Lay all your excuses out on the table and deal with them. |
| C．In your mind, picture in great detail what your actions will bring you. |
| D．Whatever you must do to achieve success, find a way to enjoy it. |
| E．Focus on the negative things that will happen if you don't take action. |
| F．Getting started with your biggest task or most difficult action may seem too much. |
| G．Once you take that small action, let yourself fully enjoy how great it feels. |
The Fortune magazine once posed a question to people all over the world: “If you were to choose again, what would you like to be?” “I’d like to
People forever face a
When one becomes too acquainted with something, he loses his
| A．sponsor | B．run | C．design | D．build |
| A．recorded | B．explained | C．responded | D．interrupted |
| A．go down | B．turn down | C．put down | D．get down |
| A．determination | B．demand | C．difficulty | D．desire |
| A．uncomfortable | B．unusual | C．informal | D．inaccurate |
| A．learn | B．differ | C．withdraw | D．arise |
| A．simply | B．nearly | C．slightly | D．barely |
| A．groups | B．companies | C．fields | D．countries |
| A．various | B．vital | C．specific | D．special |
| A．turn on | B．turn into | C．turn out | D．turn down |
| A．rejected | B．doubted | C．held | D．analyzed |
| A．admit | B．remain | C．consider | D．forget |
| A．loss | B．truth | C．challenge | D．dilemma |
| A．tired | B．proud | C．careful | D．aware |
| A．advantage | B．effect | C．expectation | D．lack |
| A．removes | B．reflects | C．balances | D．causes |
| A．affection | B．judgment | C．comprehension | D．restriction |
| A．ordinary | B．appealing | C．busy | D．moving |
| A．attempt | B．continue | C．fail | D．manage |
| A．anywhere | B．everywhere | C．somewhere | D．elsewhere |
Miguel opened the door to his grandpa's shoe shop. Grandpa was drawing a customer's foot onto a piece of paper. He didn't look up. Miguel sat down. He looked at the cut leather，hammer and other tools.
The tools reminded Miguel of something else he loved. Grandpa always gave him a piece of candy whenever Miguel helped clean up. Miguel knew he wasn't supposed to take candy without asking. But he was hungry then. It looked like Grandpa would be busy for a while. "Maybe I don't need to wait," Miguel thought.
Miguel reached secretly for the candy box. He hurried and put it in his mouth. Pretty soon the customer left. Grandpa was busy picking up a piece of leather and putting it in some water. Miguel ate the rest of the candy as fast as he could. Then he walked over to Grandpa.
Grandpa looked up from his work. "Hello!" he said with a smile. Miguel hugged Grandpa. He hoped Grandpa couldn't tell he'd eaten a piece of candy "It looks like you're busy today," Miguel said. "Do you need any help?" "Sure! Could you pass me that thread?" Miguel nodded. He pulled it between his hands. "Wow, that's strong." Miguel said. Grandpa laughed, "It has to be, to last through the wear and tear of life." Grandpa pulled the thread through the leather.
"You know, we need to be more like this shoe," Grandpa said. Miguel looked at the leather, "Um. We do?" "Yes, indeed. We need to stay strong. That way temptations（诱惑）won't make us fall apart," Grandpa said with a nod.
Miguel suddenly thought of the candy. He knew he should tell Grandpa about it. Grandpa took an old shoe off the shelf, “See this big hole?” Miguel nodded. "This was once a small hole that could have been fixed easily. But the owner waited, and now it's going to be much harder to fix. Bad habits and bad choices are like that hole. It is best to fix them early."
Miguel watched while Grandpa was working.
Miguel told him all about taking the candy.
Parents have been urged to stop pretending Father Christmas is real in case the “lie” damages relations with their children. Making up stories about Santa risks destroying a child’s trust and is morally unbelievable, according to two experts.
Psychologist Professor Christopher Boyle and social scientist Dr. Kathy McKay also criticize the idea employed by parents—Santa Claus judges children to be nice or naughty. Writing in a well-known journal, they argue, “If they are capable of lying about something so special and magical, can they be relied upon to continue as the guardians of wisdom and truth?”
Defending the claims, Prof Boyle said, “The morality of making children believe in such myths has to be questioned. All children will eventually find out they’ve been consistently lied to for years, and this might make them wonder what other lies they’ve been told. Whether it’s right to make children believe in Father Christmas is an interesting question, and it’s also interesting to ask whether lying in this way will affect children in ways that have not been considered.”
Dr. McKay, from the University of New England in Australia, said there was clear evidence from the world of make-believe in movies and TV that adults looked for a chance to be children again. “The persistence of fandom(影迷) in stories like Harry Potter and Star Wars indicates their desire to briefly re-enter childhood,” she said. “However,” she added, “if adults have been lying about Santa, even though it has usually been well intentioned, what else is a lie? If Santa isn’t real, are fairies real? Is magic? Is God?”
They conclude, “Many people may long for a time when imagination was accepted and encouraged, which may not be the case in adult life. Might it be the case that the harshness of real life requires the creation of something better, something to believe in, something to hope for in the future or to return to a long-lost childhood a long time ago in a galaxy far far away?”
1．What did parents do that drew criticism from Dr. Kathy McKay?| A．They were fond of Harry Potter and Star Wars. |
| B．They acted as the guardians of wisdom and truth. |
| C．They said Santa Claus could judge a kid to be good or bad. |
| D．They have told many lies to their children besides Santa Claus. |
| A．Parents are capable of making up stories about Santa Claus. |
| B．Lies about Santa Claus can have a negative impact upon children. |
| C．Stories about Santa Claus develop children’s trust in their parents. |
| D．Experts think it right to make children believe in Father Christmas. |
| A．They desire to return to the long-lost childhood. |
| B．Everything will become better in movies than in real life. |
| C．They want to get away from pressure from life and work. |
| D．They didn’t watch such exciting movies when they were young. |
| A．Positive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Disappointed. | D．Concerned. |
It was the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was there for the 1,500-meter race. Yes, you heard it right — four times around the track, 1,500 meters, at the age of 93.
In advance of the tough race, we’d stood baking in the sun for at least an hour while the committee got the race walk organized. We’d walked almost the full distance of the race getting registered and into position. We’d stood in the sun listening to the directions: heel first, then shift weight to the ball of the foot.
There were forty-four other contestants but only two in my age group, ninety- to ninety-four-year-old women, so I was counting on the bronze. I decided to keep my mind on “weight-on-the-heel, weight-on-the-ball-of-the-foot, go Jean go”.
As I passed the finish line for the first time, my son cheered and yelled, “Go, Jean, go!” By the time I finished another lap and passed the finish line a second time, other people sitting in the stands joined in. I yelled back, “Thanks!”
I was soon being passed by walkers from other age groups. As they went by, they said, “You can do it. Keep going.”
I started getting the little red dots at the back of my eyes that signal lack of oxygen. I kept blinking my eyes, trying to see. I passed the finish line a third time. I was on the last lap.
I tried to change my posture (姿势) to put the stress in a different place. My cane (拐棍) was having trouble finding the ground. I was gasping (喘气) for breath.
Two judges came running toward me. “Don’t give up,” one of them said. “You’re going to make it.” The other told me to move over a lane, which would be slightly shorter. My cane was having trouble again. “The finish line isn’t far now,” the judge said.
“How far?” I asked.
“Up there, that line of trees.”
The last 100 meters felt like a marathon, but I was determined to finish the race.
An hour later, I came to, surrounded by my son and a doctor.
Growing up in New Delhi, I saw Barbie as more than just a doll. She was the central
As much as I loved Barbie, our time together could only last so long. Eventually, I grew
By the tender age of 12, my friends and I had become
Looking back, I feel like we were missing the point: Barbie was simply a blank canvas upon which to draw our ideas. It was our own
In an interview, the director Gerwig said the team had many meetings just to settle on the correct
| A．theme | B．character | C．argument | D．conflict |
| A．assigned | B．gathered | C．created | D．staged |
| A．embarrassed | B．satisfied | C．curious | D．aware |
| A．peers | B．hobbies | C．ladies | D．companies |
| A．involved | B．caught | C．offended | D．connected |
| A．worried about | B．passionate for | C．content with | D．dismissive of |
| A．appointment | B．journey | C．recreation | D．challenge |
| A．difficult | B．contemporary | C．brief | D．spare |
| A．fault | B．memory | C．experience | D．selection |
| A．marketed | B．captured | C．illustrated | D．filmed |
| A．settings | B．promotions | C．results | D．witnesses |
| A．operated | B．managed | C．organized | D．modeled |
| A．symbol | B．design | C．image | D．shade |
| A．imagination | B．judgment | C．ignorance | D．appreciation |
| A．interrupted | B．sympathetic | C．unsettled | D．familiar |
The secrets of long life
A long healthy life is no accident. It begins with good genes, but it also depends on good
Sardinians
Why do they live so long?
These Sardinians also benefit from their
Adventists
The study found that the Adventists’ habit of consuming beans, soy milk, tomatoes, and other fruits
Okinawans
The first thing you notice about Ushi Okushima is her
With an average life expectancy of 78 years for men and 86 years for women, Okinawans are among the world’s longest lived people. This is undoubtedly due in part to Okinawans warm and
A lean diet of food grown on the island and a philosophy of
| A．habits | B．parents | C．efforts | D．secrets |
| A．Companion | B．Lifestyle | C．Environment | D．Birthplace |
| A．unique | B．fantastic | C．genetic | D．religious |
| A．curious about | B．connected with | C．fond of | D．senior to |
| A．Inheritance | B．Gene | C．Nutrition | D．Peace |
| A．accepted | B．evaluated | C．increased | D．lowered |
| A．surprisingly | B．originally | C．unexpectedly | D．miserably |
| A．dressing | B．identification | C．laugh | D．expression |
| A．proposes | B．assumes | C．jokes | D．denies |
| A．Aggressive | B．Violent | C．Disorderly | D．Predictable |
| A．changing | B．inviting | C．extreme | D．tropical |
| A．suffering from | B．overcoming | C．free from | D．recovering |
| A．moderation | B．feasibility | C．evolution | D．identification |
| A．wealth | B．hardship | C．orphan | D．harmony |
| A．died of | B．satisfied | C．experienced | D．kept off |
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