Question

【題目】根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的七個(gè)選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。選項(xiàng)中有兩項(xiàng)為多余選項(xiàng)。

Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month. 1

One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. 2 We know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加強(qiáng)) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.

Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons(神經(jīng)元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day. 3

Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right. 4 The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

If Tononi’s theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night`s, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information — our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. 5 “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.

A. We should also try to sleep well the night before.

B. It’s as if the brain is preserving its most important memories.

C. Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

D. The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories.

E. That’s why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

F. “Sleep is the price we pay for learning,” says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea.

G. Tononi’s team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】E

【3】F

【4】G

【5】B

【解析】

本文講述了睡眠的重要性。

【1】根據(jù)前一句When lab rats are not allowed to sleep,they die within a month.老鼠如果不睡覺，一個(gè)月它們就死了，同樣，人幾天不睡覺，也會(huì)生病，人和動(dòng)物匹配，死和生病形成對比，故選C。

【2】根據(jù)前一句提到的睡覺有助于幫助我們加強(qiáng)新的記憶，所以學(xué)生在學(xué)習(xí)新知識后有機(jī)會(huì)睡一覺，他們在考試中就會(huì)表現(xiàn)得更好，前后邏輯關(guān)系很順暢，因果聯(lián)系，故選E。

【3】根據(jù)下文中的he，可知此處要提到一個(gè)人，以及他的理論故選F。

【4】根據(jù)下文中提到的關(guān)鍵詞synapses in the mice可知，他肯定做了老鼠的實(shí)驗(yàn)，答案為G。

【5】根據(jù)后一句提到的You keep what matters,你記住重要的東西，可知大腦會(huì)把最重要的記憶保存下來，故選B。