The patient’s progress was encouraging as he could ______ get out of bed without help.

　 A. nearly 　 B. only   C. hardly 　 D. badly

Alzheimer’s disease is a major national health problem. Nearly 2 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. It is a leading cause of death among the elderly. But Alzheimer’s disease is not confined （限于） to the aged. There may be a million or more people under the age of 65 suffering from the disease.
　　At one time, people suffering from the disease were said to be“getting old”.The disease was thought to be a natural part of growing old, but it is now known that Alzheimer’s disease strikes young and old alike. It is an organic disease which destroys brain cells.
　　Alzheimer’s disease affects the patient’s memory, speech, and movement. In the beginning stages of the disease, the patient may seem slightly confused. He may have trouble speaking, then the patient’s memory begins to fail. He may forget dates, numbers, names and plans.
As the disease progresses, the patient may not recognize family and friends. These symptoms（症状） often cause terrible anxiety in the patient. He may feel lost and frightened. Sometimes the patient reacts with wild and bad behavior.
　　In the last stages of the disease, the patient may not be able to take care of himself. He may have lost the ability to speak and walk.
　　Scientists don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease. It may be caused by a virus.It may be caused by a poisonous substance（物质） in the environment. At present, there is no cure for the disease. But there are ways to slow its progress. Exercise and physical treatment can help the patients of this disease.
【小题1】The main idea of the passage is that Alzheimer’s disease ________.

A．is a terrible part of the aging process

B．is an organic disease that affects young and old

C．can be cured by physical treatment

D．causes forgetfulness

【小题2】All of the following are symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease EXCEPT________.

A．forgetfulness	B．difficulty in speaking
C．loss of sight	D．loss of the ability to walk

【小题3】According to the passage, which of the following may be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease?

A．Poisons produced by the brain.	B．Getting old.
C．A virus.	D．Lack of exercise.

【小题4】The progress of Alzheimer’s disease can be slowed by________.

A．operation	B．a change in environment
C．medicines	D．physical treatment and exercise

Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors — or doesn’t it?

　　While such vigilant(警觉的)tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it’s important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing.

　　In many cases, screening can lead to additional biopsies and surgeries to remove cancer, which can cause side effects, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients’ remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so ingrained that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups. 

　　It’s hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy(预期寿命).

　　A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population.

　　It’s not an easy calculation to make, but one that make sense for the whole patient. Dr. Otis Brawley said, “Many doctors are ordering these tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care and stop talking about the rationing of health care.”

　　That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better.

1.Why do doctors recommend routine cancer screening for elderly people?

A. It is believed to contribute to long life.

B. It is part of their health care package.

C. The elderly are more sensitive about their health.

D. The elderly are in greater danger of tumor growth.

2.How do some researchers now look at routine cancer screening for the elderly?

A. It adds too much to their medical bills.

B. It helps increase their life expectancy.

C. They are doubtful about necessity.

D. They think it does more than good.

3.What is the conventional view about women screening for breast cancer?

A. It applies to women over 50.

B. It is a must for adult women.

C. It is optional for young women.

D. It doesn’t apply to women over 74.

4.Why do many doctors prescribe routine screening for cancer?

A. They want to protect themselves against medical disputes.

B. They want to take advantage of the medical care system.

C. They want data for medical research.

D. They want their patients to suffer less.

5.What does the author say is the general view about health care?

A. The more, the better.

B. Prevention is better than cure.

C. Better early than late.

D. Better care, longer life.

 

Bringing Art into Hospitals

The medical world is gradually realizing that the quality of the environment in hospitals may play an important role in helping patients to get better.

As part of nationwide effort in Britain to bring art out of the museums and into public places,　some of the country’s best artists have been called in to change older hospitals and to soften the hard edges of modern buildings. Of the 2500 national health service hospitals in Britain, almost 100 now have very valuable collections of present art in passages, waiting areas and treatment rooms.

These recent movements first started by one artist, Peter Senior, who set up his studio at a Manchester hospital in northeastern England during the early 1970s.He felt the artist had lost his place in modern society,　and that art should be enjoyed by a wider audience(观众).

A common hospital waiting room might have as many as 5 000 visitors each week. What a better place to hold regular exhibitions of art!　Senior held the first exhibition of his own paintings in the out—patient’s waiting area of the Manchester Royal Hospital in 1975.Believed to be Britain’s first hospital artist. Senior was so much in demand that he was soon joined by a team of six young art school graduates.

The effect is striking. Now in the passages and waiting rooms the visitor experiences a full view of fresh colours, playful images(形象)and restful courtyards.

The quality of the environment may reduce the need for expensive drugs when a patient is recovering from an illness. A study has shown that patients who had a view onto gardens needed half the number of strong pain killers compared with patients who had no view at all or only a brick wall to look at.

1. Some best artists of Britain have been called in to__________.

A．set up new hospitals

B．make the corners of the hospital collect paintings

C．bring art into hospitals

D．help patients recover from serious illnesses

2.After the improvement of the hospital environment,__________.

A．patients no longer take drugs to kill their pains

B．patients don’t have to stay long in hospital

C．patients need fewer pain killers when they suffer from an illness

D．patients feel happy in hospital

3.It can inferred from the passage that__________.

A．the role of hospital environment is important.

B．hospital artists have done more than doctors

C．exhibitions attract more audience in hospitals than in museums

D．the hospital is a better place for people.

 

Alzheimer’s disease is a major national health problem. Nearly 2 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. It is a leading cause of death among the elderly. But Alzheimer’s disease is not confined （限于） to the aged. There may be a million or more people under the age of 65 suffering from the disease.

　　At one time, people suffering from the disease were said to be “getting old”. The disease was thought to be a natural part of growing old, but it is now known that Alzheimer’s disease strikes young and old alike. It is an organic （器官的） disease that destroys brain cells.

　　Alzheimer’s disease affects the patient’s memory, speech, and movement. In the beginning stages of the disease, the patient may seem slightly confused. He may have trouble speaking, then the patient’s memory begins to fail. He may forget dates, numbers, names and plans.

As the disease progresses, the patient may not recognize family and friends. These symptoms（症状） often cause terrible anxiety in the patient. He may feel lost and frightened. Sometimes the patient reacts with wild and bad behavior.

　　In the last stages of the disease, the patient may not be able to take care of himself. He may have lost the ability to speak and walk.

　　Scientists don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease. It may be caused by a virus （病毒）.It may be caused by a poisonous substance（物质） in the environment. At present, there is no cure for the disease. But there are ways to slow its progress. Exercise and physical treatment can help the patients of this disease.

1.The main idea of the passage is that Alzheimer’s disease ________.

A．is a terrible part of the aging process

B．is an organic disease that affects young and old

C．can be cured by physical treatment

D．causes forgetfulness

2.All of the following are symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease EXCEPT________.

A．forgetfulness	B．difficulty in speaking
C．loss of sight	D．loss of the ability to walk

3.According to the passage, which of the following may be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease?

A．Poisons produced by the brain.	B．Getting old.
C．A virus.	D．Lack of exercise.

4. The press of Alzheimer’s disease can be slowed by________.

A．operation	B．a change in environment
C．medicines	D．physical treatment and exercise