2．Have you winterized your horse yet？Even though global warming may have made our climate more mild，many animals are still hibernating （冬眠）．It's too bad that humans can't hibernate．In fact，as a species，we almost did．
Apparently，at times in the past，peasants in France liked a semi-state of human hibernation．So writes Graham Robb，a British scholar who has studied the sleeping habits of the French peasants．As soon as the weather turned cold，people all over France shut themselves away and practiced the forgotten art of doing nothing at all for months on end．
In line with this，Jeff Warren，a producer at CBC Radio's The Current，tells us that the way we sleep has changed fundamentally since the invention of artificial（人造的）lighting and the electric bulb．
When historians began studying texts of the Middle Ages，they noticed something referred to as"first sleep"，which was not clarified，though．Now scientists are telling us our ancestors most likely slept in separate periods．The business of eight hours'uninterrupted sleep is a modem invention．In the past，without the artificial light of the city to bathe in，humans went to sleep when it became dark and then woke themselves around midnight．The late night period was known as"The Watch"．It was when people actually kept watch against wild animals，although many of them simply moved around or visited family and neighhours．
According to some sleep researchers，a short period of insomnia （失眠） at midnight is not a disorder． It is normal．Humans can experience another state of consciousness around their sleeping，which occurs in the brief period before we fall asleep or wake ourselves in the morning．This period can be an extraordinarily creative time for some people．The impressive inventor，Thomas Edison，used this state to hit upon many of his new ideas．
Playing with your sleep rhythms can be adventurous，as anxiety may set in．Medical science doesn't help much in this case．It offers us medicines for a full night's continuous sleep，which sounds natural； however，according to Warren's theory，it is really the opposite of what we need．
53．The example of the French peasants shows the fact thatD．
A．people might become lazy as a result of too much sleep．
B．winter was a season for people to sleep for months on end．
C．people tended to sleep more peacefully in cold weather．
D．there were signs of hibernation in human sleeping habits．
54．The late night was called"The Watch"because it was a time for peopleC．
A．to set traps to catch animals．
B．to wake up their family and neighbours．
C．to guard against possible dangers．
D．to remind others of the time．
55．What does the author advise people to do？A
A．Follow their natural sleep rhythm．
B．Consult a doctor if they can't sleep．
C．Sleep in the way animals do．
D．Keep to the eight-hour sleep pattern．
56．What is the author's purpose in writing the passage？B
A．To give a prescription for insomnia．
B．To throw new light on human sleep．
C．To analyze the sleep pattern of modem people．
D．To urge people to sleep less．
分析 本文介绍了一些睡眠专家的研究成果，这对人们如何对待睡眠习惯有所启示．属于科普类说明文．
解答 答案：53．D 细节推断题．根据第二段讲述的内容peasants in France liked a semi-state of human hibernation人类有冬眠的迹象；联系第一段最后一句In fact，as a species，we almost did分析推定D项符合题意．故选D．
54．C 细节推断题．由第五段中最后一句…It was when people actually kept watch against wild animals，although many of them simply …．故选C．
55．A 细节推断题．综合分析最后一段内容Playing with your sleep rhythms can be adventurous，as anxiety may set in和according to Warren's theory，it is really the opposite of what we need可知作者建议人们遵循自然睡眠规律，故选A．
56．B 主旨大意题．文章是要阐明人类睡眠的真相；题干中throw light on是解释，为…提供新线索的意思，故选B．
点评 阅读理解是考查语篇理解能力．常考的题型有：推理判断题；主旨大意题；细节理解题；猜测词意题．近几年又出现了两种新的考查方式：写作态度判断题和文章结构题．解题时，在读懂文章的基础上，还有特别注意掌握题型的特征，尤其是细节题和推断题不可混淆：细节题是文章信息的再现；推断题是文章信息的提取．本题是广告类文章，考查主要是以细节题为主，细节题要注意常用的出题陷阱有：夸大，缩小，张冠李戴，偷梁换柱，无中生有等，做题时要看清看准．
