It doesn’t kill germs better than cooler water, but turning tap temperatures hig

It doesn’t kill germs better than cooler water, but turning tap temperatures hig

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It doesn’t kill germs better than cooler water, but turning tap temperatures high, the US burns carbon equal to the emissions of Barbados.
People typically wash their hands seven times a day in the United States, but they do it at a far higher temperature than is necessary to kill germs, a new study says. The energy waste is equivalent to the fuel use of a small country.
It’s cold and flu season, when many people are concerned about avoiding germs. But forget what you think you know about hand washing, say researchers at Vanderbilt University. Chances are good that how you clean up is not helping you stay healthy; it is helping to make the planet sick.
Amanda R. Carrico, a research assistant professor at the Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment in Tennessee, told National Geographic that hand washing is often “a case where people act in ways that they think are in their best interest, but they in fact have inaccurate beliefs or outdated perceptions.”
Carrico said, “It’s certainly true that heat kills bacteria, but if you were going to use hot water to kill them it would have to be way too hot for you to tolerate.”
She explained that boiling water, 212°F (99.98°C), is sometimes used to kill germs - for example, to clean drinking water that might be polluted with germs. But “hot” water for hand washing is generally within 104°F to 131°F (40°C to 55°C.) At the high end of that range, heat could kill some germs, but the sustained contact that would be required would scald the skin.
Carrico said that after a review of the scientific literature, her team found “no evidence that using hot water that a person could stand would have any benefit in killing bacteria.” Even water as cold as 40°F (4.4°C) appeared to reduce bacteria as well as hotter water, if hands were scrubbed, rinsed(冲洗)and dried properly.
In fact, she noted that hot water can often have an unfavorable effect on hygiene. “Warmer water can harm the skin and affect the protective layer on the outside, which can cause it to be less resistant to bacteria,” said Carrico.
Using hot water to wash hands is therefore unnecessary, as well as wasteful, Carrico said, particularly when it comes to the environment. According to her research, people use warm or hot water 64 percent of the time when they wash their hands. Using that number, Carrico’s team calculated a significant impact on the planet. 
“Although the choice of water temperature during a single hand wash may appear minor, when multiplied by the nearly 800 billion hand washes performed by Americans each year, this practice results in more than 6 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions annually,” she said.
That’s roughly equal to the emissions of two coal-fired power plants, or 1,250,000 passenger vehicles, over the course of a year. It’s higher than the greenhouse gas emissions of small countries like El Salvador or Armenia, and is about equivalent to the emissions of Barbados. If all US citizens washed their hands in cooler water, it would be like eliminating the energy-related carbon emissions of 299,700 US homes, or the total annual emissions from the US zinc or lead industries. 
The researchers found that close to 70 percent of respondents said they believe that using hot water is more effective than warm, room temperature, or cold water, despite a lack of evidence backing that up, said Carrico. Her study noted research that showed a “strong cognitive(认知的) connection” between water temperature and hygiene in both the United States and Western Europe, compared to other countries, like Japan, where hot water is associated more with comfort than with health.
The researchers published their results in the July 2013 issue of International Journal of Consumer Studies. They recommended washing with water that is at a “comfortable” temperature, which they noted may be warmer in cold months and cooler in hot ones.
小题1:What does the writer mainly focus on when writing this passage?
A.Whether hot water helps kill germs effectively in hand washing.
B.How hot water contributes to the serious worsening of our planet.
C.Why the consumption of hot water is unnecessary and wasteful.
D.What the advantages and disadvantages of using hot water are.
小题2:The underlined word scald in paragraph six probably means         .
A.burnB.improveC.softenD.wrinkle
小题3:According to the passage, all the following share roughly the same CO2 emissions yearly EXCEPT         .
A.two coal-fired power plantsB.US zinc or lead industries
C.1,250,000 passenger vehiclesD.El Salvador or Armenia
小题4:Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?
A. Boiling water at 212°F (99.98°C) works effectively in killing germs.
B. Warmer water can damage the protective layer of the outside skin.
C. There is much difference between cold water and hot water in reducing bacteria.
D. Americans have inaccurate beliefs or outdated perceptions in hand washing.
小题5:Which of the following is the standard of a comfortable water temperature for washing hands?
A. Warmer in winter and cooler in summer.    
B. Between 104°F to 131°F (40°C to 55°C).
C. Below 104°F (40°C) or above 131°F (55°C).  
D. Warm enough to kill germs and clean up.
小题6: If you want to read stories of this kind afterwards, which of the following magazines will you probably subscribe to?
A.Universal Science Fiction B.Science & Discoveries
C.Environment & Protection D.Exploration of America

答案

小题1:A
小题2:A
小题3:D
小题4:C
小题5:A
小题6:B
解析

试题分析:文章对人们普遍认为的热水洗手比冷水洗手更加有效的观点进行纠正,通过实验和科学依据表明热水并不能***死细菌,反而会对环境造成伤害。
小题1:主旨题:通读全文和第一段的句子:It doesn’t kill germs better than cooler water, but turning tap temperatures high, the US burns carbon equal to the emissions of Barbados.可知这篇文章讲的是热水是否能***死细菌,选A。
小题2:猜词题:从第六段的句子:But “hot” water for hand washing is generally within 104°F to 131°F (40°C to 55°C.) At the high end of that range, heat could kill some germs, but the sustained contact that would be required would scald the skin.可知热水在104°F to 131°F (40°C to 55°C.),但是温度太高会烫伤皮肤,所以选A。
小题3:细节题:从倒数第三段的句子:That’s roughly equal to the emissions of two coal-fired power plants, or 1,250,000 passenger vehicles, over the course of a year. or the total annual emissions from the US zinc or lead industries.可知每年排放同样二氧化碳的是:两个煤炭发电厂,1,250,000辆车,和美国的锌,铅产业,而第二段的句子:It’s higher than the greenhouse gas emissions of small countries like El Salvador or Armenia, and is about equivalent to the emissions of Barbados.说明El Salvador or Armenia是低于这个数量的,选D。
小题4:推理题:从倒数第二段的句子:The researchers found that close to 70 percent of respondents said they believe that using hot water is more effective than warm, room temperature, or cold water, despite a lack of evidence backing that up, 可知很多人认为用热水洗手比冷水洗手更加有效,但是这是没有根据的,所以C是错的。
小题5:细节题:从最后一段的句子:They recommended washing with water that is at a “comfortable” temperature, which they noted may be warmer in cold months and cooler in hot ones.可知舒服的水温应该是冷天感到暖和的水和热天感到冷的水,选A。
小题6:文章出处题:这篇文章是对人们生活中的误区加以纠正,用实验证明,给出科学依据,所以是科学探索类的文章,选B
举一反三
In films, dads change from cruel men to loving souls. Here is a list of good and bad movies dads .Atticus Finch in To kill a Mockingbird(***死一只知更鸟)
GOOD DAD:A man whose wife has died with a young family and a busy job as a lawyer, Gregory Peck"s character in the  1962 film is one of the great heroes of American cinema  Firm but fair he teaches his children respect and human decency(正派).Harper Lee"s novel gets a respectable transposition(转变)to film, thanks to Gregory Peck"s perfect performance.
Jack Torrance in The Shining
BAD DAD: When Jack Torrance ,his wife ,Wendy ,and son, Danny ,escaped from the cold winter to  the Overlook Hotel  we know that Jack has hardly been a model father But when Jack becomes extremely angry and tries to murder his family with an axe, Danny used his intelligence to defeat him and left him to  freeze to death.
George Bailey in It"s a Wonderful life
GOOD DAD: James Stewart"s character is a father-of-four who is saved from the edge of suicide (自***)and realizes his positive effect on others lives.Much of the film is unpleasant, with George shouting at his children as he faces financial problems.  But finally the lovable father realizes the worth of his own life, the value of friendship and the importance of being a loving dad
Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back(帝国大厦)
BAD DAD: When the unfriendly cyborg(半机器人)told Luke Skywalker that he was his father ,the son"s reaction says it all: "No! No!" It"s hardly a joyful welcome to the family.  For most of his son"s life, Darth Vader has been an absent dad—and he has just cut off Luke"s hand You can understand why Father"s Day cards might not be available.
小题1:Who is Harper Lee?
A. An actor.B. A novelistC. A movie director.D. A translator.
小题2:According  to the text, ______died of freezing cold
A. Jack TorranceB. WendyC. DannyD. Darth Vader
小题3:Which movie should you watch if you want to see a helpless father change?
A.To kill a MockingbirdB.The Shining
C.It"s a Wonderful LiftD.The Empire Strikes Book
小题4:What happened to Luke?
A.He lost his hand in an accident
B.His father changed him into a cyborg.
C.He discovered that he had a cruel father:
D.His father lived with him for most of his life.

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Everyone has got two personalities-the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real. You don’t show your secret personality when you’re awake because you can control your behavior, but when you’re asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. In a normal night, of course, people frequently change their positions. The important position is the one that you go to sleep in.
If you go to sleep on your back, you’re a very open person. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas. You don’t like to displease people. So you never express your real feelings. You’re quite shy and you aren’t quite sure of yourself.
If you sleep on your stomach, you are a rather secretive person. You worry a lot and you’re always easily upset. You always stick to your own opinions or judgment, but you don’t raise your hopes too much. You usually live for today not tomorrow. This means that you enjoy having a good time.
If you sleep curled up, you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and so you’re often defensive. You’re shy and you don’t normally like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own. You’re easily hurt.
If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well—balanced personality. You know your strengths and weakness. You’re usually careful. You believe in yourself. You sometimes feel anxious, but you don’t often get sad. You always insist on what you think even if it makes people rather angry.
小题1:According to the passage, a person, who is not willing to change his mind and hard to deal with, probably sleeps           .
A.on his sideB.on his backC.curled upD.on his stomach
小题2:If a person prefers to sleep curled up rather than on his back, he may be well content to    .
A.do things personally.B.stay alone
C.keep things secretD.trust others easily
小题3:Which of the following people, in the author’s opinion, most likely have personalities opposite to each other ?
A.The people sleeping on their stomachs and those sleeping on his backs.
B.The people sleeping on their sides and those sleeping curled up.
C.The people sleeping on their backs and those sleeping on their sides.
D.The people sleeping curled up and those sleeping on their stomach.
小题4:What the author mainly intends to tell us is that            .
A.one’s sleeping position has something to do with one’s character.
B.everyone has got both real and secret personalities.
C.the position in which one goes to sleep is the most important one.
D.when awake, one does not show one’s secret personality.

题型:不详难度:| 查看答案
Not long ago, people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old. Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life.
Scientists note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other human beings.
One study shows that babies can learn before they are born. The researchers placed a tape recorder on the stomach of a pregnant woman. Then, they played a recording of a short story.  On the day the baby was born, the researchers attempted to find if he knew the sounds of the story repeated while in his mother. They did this by placing a device in the mouth of the newborn baby. The baby would hear the story if he moved his mouth one way. If the baby moved his mouth the other way, he would hear a different story. The researchers say the baby clearly liked the story he heard before he was born. They say the baby would move his mouth so he could hear the story again and again.
Another study shows how mothers can strongly influence social development and language skills in their children. Researchers studied the children from the age of one month to three years. The researchers attempted to measure the sensitivity of the mothers. The women were considered sensitive if they supported their children’s activities and did not interfere unnecessarily. They tested the children for thinking and language development when they were three years old. Also, the researchers observed the women for signs of depression.
The children of depressed women did not do as well in tests as the children of women who did not suffer from depression. The children of depressed women did poorly in tests of language skills and understanding what they hear.
These children also were less cooperative and had more problems dealing with other people. The researchers noted that the sensitivity of the mothers was important to the intelligence development of their children. Children did better when their mothers were caring, even when they suffered from depression.
小题1:According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the factor that influences intelligence development in babies?
A.The environment.B.Mother’s sensitivity.
C.Their peers (同龄人)D.Education before birth.
小题2:What is the purpose of the experiment in which newborn babies heard the stories?
A.To prove that babies can learn before they are born.
B.To prove that babies can learn on the first day they are born.
C.To show mothers can strongly influence intelligence development in their babies.
D.To indicate early education has a deep effect on the babies’ language skills.
小题3:Which group of children did the worst in tests of language skills?
A.The children of depressed mothers who cared little for their children.
B.The children of women who did not suffer from depression.
C.The children of depressed but caring mothers.
D.Children with high communication abilities.
小题4:What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Scientific findings about how babies develop before birth.
B.Scientific findings about how the environment has an effect on babies’ intelligence.
C.A study shows babies are not able to learn things until they are rice or six months old.
D.Scientific findings about how intelligence develops in babies.

题型:不详难度:| 查看答案
When did you last go outside for sports? Some students might need a while to remember. But for students in Yangzhou University it is easy to remember as they need to run in the morning at least three times a week during their two terms. The university even uses fingerprint punch-in clocks(指纹签到机) to manage students’ records. However, some students still try to skip(不参加) morning running. To them, sports are just not important enough.
Now colleges are seeing a change in the student lifestyle from outdoor enthusiasts to indoor couch potatoes and Internet addicts. The Internet and various on-campus services, from food delivery to laundry, are leading to a student culture of staying in dormitories. A student can have every need met without leaving the dormitory.
In the past two years Zhang Yi, 20, a junior majoring in law at Yangzhou University, has never been outside for sports except during physical education class. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with sleeping late in the morning and wanting to stay in the dormitory in my spare time. I have more fun doing things on my computer than playing on the sports ground in wet clothes.” said Zhang.
“With social networking sites, online games and micro-blogging added to already tight schedules, sports are often the last thing to be considered.” said Cheng Jie, 21, a senior majoring in civil engineering at the Southeast University in Nanjing.
But Jin Yinghua, a professor at Beijing Sports University, said that sports are not only for keeping fit, but also an irreplaceable(不能替代的) “education” for students. Sports are not only a way for students to train their body, but also an important way to learn responsibility, teamwork and devotion.
小题1:The first paragraph mainly tells us ________.
A.the fingerprint punch-in clocks are widely used
B.some college students have poor memories
C.students cannot skip morning running any more
D.the problem of students skipping sports is serious
小题2:According to Cheng Jie, college students ________.
A.love sports more than anything else
B.prefer Internet games to sports
C.enjoy sleeping late in the morning
D.are too busy with study to do any sports
小题3:Professor Jin thinks that _______________.
A.sports play an important role in students’ over-round development
B.the most important goal for students to do sports is to keep healthy
C.universities should take tough measures in student management
D.the spirit of responsibility can be developed in more than one way
小题4:The best title of the passage would be________.
A.Morning running at collegesB.A new college life
C.Sports losing attractionD.P.E. class at colleges

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Some students get so nervous before a test; they do poorly even if they know the material. Sian Beilock has studied these highly anxious test-takers.
Sian Beilock: “They start worrying about the consequences. They might even start worrying about whether this exam is going to prevent them from getting into the college they want. And when we worry,it actually uses up attention and memory resources. I talk about it as your cognitive horsepower that you could otherwise be using to focus on the exam.”
Professor Beilock and another researcher,Gerardo Ramirez,have developed a possible solution. Just before an exam,highly anxious test-takers spend ten minutes writing about their worries about the test.
Sian Beilock: “What we think happens is when students put it down on paper,they think about the worst that could happen and they reappraise the situation. They might realize it’s not as bad as they might think it was before and,in essence(本质上),it prevents these thoughts from popping up when they’re actually taking a test.”
The researchers tested the idea on a group of twenty anxious college students. They gave them two short math tests. After the first one, they asked the students to either sit quietly or write about their feelings about the upcoming second test.
The researchers added to the pressure. They told the students that those who did well on the second test would get money. They also told them that their performance would affect other students as part of a team effort.
Professor Beilock says those who sat quietly scored an average of twelve percent worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved their performance by an average of five percent.
Next, the researchers used younger students in a biology class. They told them before final exams either to write about their feelings or to think about things unrelated to the test.
Prefessor Beilock says highly anxious students who did the writing got an average grade of  B+,compared to a B- for those who did not.
Sian Beilock: “What we showed is that for students who are highly test-anxious,who’d done our writing intervention(排解),all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and performance. Those students most likely to worry were performing just as well as their classmates who don’t normally get nervous in these testing situations.”
But what if students do not have a chance to write about their fears immediately before an exam or presentation? Professor Beilock says students can try it themselves at home or in the library and still improve their performance.
小题1:Which of the following is TRUE?
A.The result in the math test agrees with that in the biology test.
B.In the first math test, students who sat quietly performed better.
C.In the second math test, students who wrote about their feelings did worse.
D.Some college students are highly anxious test-takers while others are not in the tests.
小题2:What may happen if students have the problem of test anxiety?
A.Test anxiety is sure to cause students to fail the test.
B.Test anxiety can improve students’ performance to some degree.
C.Students’ attention and memory resources run out when worried.
D.Students may not be admitted into their favorite college if worried
小题3:The result of the research suggests that ________.
A.proper amount of burden may turn out to be a good thing
B.facing the fears bravely may help one to achieve more
C.avoiding facing the problem may contribute to relaxation
D.taking no action before difficulty may result in success
小题4:What is the main idea of the passage?
A.It is important for students to overcome test anxiety.
B.Anxious students overcome test anxiety by writing down fears.
C.It is a common practice for students being worried before a test.
D.Being worried before tests does harm to students’ performance.

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