Extremely hot weather is common in many parts of the world. Although hot weather just makes most people feel hot, it can cause serious medical problems -- even death. Floods, storms, volcano eruptions and other natural disasters kill thousands of people every year. 　1　Experts say heat may be nature's deadliest killer. Recently, extreme heat was blamed for killing more than one hundred people in India. It is reported that the total heat of a hot day or several days can affect health. 　2　Experts say heat waves often become dangerous when the nighttime temperature does not drop much from the highest daytime temperature. This causes great stress on the human body.

　　3　out of the sun, if possible. Drink lots of cool water. Wear light colored clothing made of natural materials; avoid wearing synthetic clothing. Make sure the clothing is loose, permitting freedom of movement1. And learn the danger signs of the medical problems, such as headache and vomiting that are linked to heat. Most people suffer only muscle pain as a result of heat stress.　4　 pain is a warning that the body is becoming too hot2. Doctors say those suffering headache or muscle pain should stop all activity3 and rest in a cool place and drink cool liquids. Do not return to physical activity for a few hours because more serious conditions

　　could develop:

　　Doctors say some people face an increased danger from heat stress.　5

　　Hot weather also increases dangers for people who must take medicine for high blood pressure4, poor blood flow, nervousness or depression.

　　词汇：

　　eruption n.爆发，喷发 vomit v. 呕吐

　　deadly adj. 致命的 muscle n. 肌肉

　　synthetic adj. 合成的

　　注释：

　　1.Make sure the clothing is loose.permitting freedom of movement：衣服一定要宽松，以便活动自如。make sure意为“确信，保证”，其后面从旬的谓语要用一般现在时1。如：Make sure the door is locked before you leave。permitting freedom of movement是分词短语，用作目的状语。

　　2.The pain is a warning that the body is becoming too hot：疼痛是一个警告，说明你的身体过热。that the body is becoming too hot是同位语从句，与warnin9同位，说明warnin9的内容。

　　3.physical activity：体力活动

　　4.Hot weather also increases dangers for people who must take medicine for high blood pressure…：炎热天气对于那些必须服药以控制血压的人……也增力n-J"危险性。

　　练习：

　　A Such persons have a weak or damaged heart, high blood pressure, or other problems of the blood system.

　　B Several of these conditions are present at the same time.

　　C Most people suffer only muscle pain as a result of heat stress.

　　D Several hot days are considered a heat wave.

　　E So does extreme heat.

　　F Doctors say people can do many things to protect themselves from the dangers of extreme heat.

　　答案与题解：

　　1.E本文的标题是Heat Is Killer，通篇文章说的是heat的危害性及预防方法。“空l”前面的句子说，“Floods，storms，volcano eruptions and other natural events kill thousands of people every year”，“空l”后面的句子说，“…heat may be nature’s deadliest killer”。将两个句子所表达的意思汇总来看，floods，storms，volcano eruptions和高温都是杀手，而以高温更烈。“空l”的句子一定与“杀手”有关。五个选项中只有+E符合这个条件，所以E是答案。

　　2.D“空2”后面的句子说到heat waves，而选项D的句子中也出现heat wave，说明这两个句子意思上有联系。“空2”的句子是对“heat wave”下定义，为下一句的展开作了铺垫。D是答案。

　　3.F第一段末尾说，热浪期间，当黑夜与白天温差不大，对人体伤害很大。第二段就列举了许多保护自己免受高温伤害的方法。“空3”的句子应该是位于段首的概括句。选项F说人们有多种办法保护自己，完全符合要求，因此是答案。

　　4.C紧跟“空4”后面句子中有特指的the pain，说明前文一定出现过pain这个词。选项C的句子中有pain，且C的句子填人后，上下文意思连贯，所以是答案。

　　5.A“空5”前面的句子说：某些人在热浪期间特别危险。读者或许会问，是哪些人呢?选项A回答了这个问题，所以是答案。

Musical Training Can Improve Communication Skills

　　American scientists say musical training seems to improve communication skills and language retardation. They found that developing musical skills involves the same process in the brain as learning how to speak. The scientists believe that1 could help children with learning disabilities.

　　1　. She says musical training involves putting together different kinds of information, such as hearing music, looking at musical notes, touching an instrument and watching other musicians. This process is not much different from learning how to speak.　　2

　　She further explains musical training and learning to speak each make us think about what we are doing2. She says speech and music pass through a structure of the nervous system called the brain stem. 3 . Until recently, experts have thought the brain stem could not be developed or changed. But Professor Kranss and her team found that musical training can improve a person's brain stem activity.

　　The study involved individuals with different levels of musical ability. They were asked to wear an electrical device that measures brain activity. The Individuals wore the electrode while they watched a video of someone speaking and a person playing a musical instrument -- the cello.　　4　　. The study found that the more years of training people had, the more sensitive they were to the sound and rhythm of the music3. Those who were involved in musical activities were the same people in whom the improvement of sensory events was the strongest. 5 She says using music to improve listening skills could mean they hear sentences and understand facial expressions better.

　　词汇：

　　retardation n. 滞后 cello n. 大提琴

　　note n. 音符 rhythm n. 节奏

　　electrode n. 电极 sensory adj. 知觉的，感官的

　　注释：

　　1.scientists believe that could help children with learning disabilities：科学家发现，音乐训练、对学习上有障碍的儿童有帮助。that是从句“that could help children with learning disabilities”中的主语。that指代上一句的developing musical skills involves the same process in the brain as learning how to speak。with learning disabilities是定语，修饰children。

　　2.musical training and learning to speak each make US think about what we are doin9：音乐训练和学习说话这两者都使我们思考我们正在所做的事。each指musical trainin9和learning to speak中的任何一个。句子的主语是musical training and learning to speak，所以，谓语动词是复数的。

　　3.the more years of training people had，the more sensitive they were to the sound and rhythm of the music：人们接受音乐训练的年份越长，其对音乐声音和节奏的敏感性也越高。people是前半旬中的主语。

　　练习：

　　A Both involve different senses.

　　B Nina Kraus is a neurobiologist (~E~:~) at Northwestern University in Illinois.

　　C Some disabled children attended~ the musical training Class.

　　D It shows the importance of musical training to children with learning disabilities.

　　E Professor Krauss says cellos have sound qualities similar to some of the sounds that are important with speech.

　　F The brain stem controls our ability to hear.

答案与题解：

　　1.B “空l”后面的句子的主语是代词she，说明“空l”的句子中有一个女性的名字。选项B有Nina Kraus(Nina“尼娜”是女性名字)，句子的内容是介绍Nina Kraus，与后面句子的意思配得上。B是答案。

　　2.A 本段的第二、三句说，音乐训练和学习这两件事没有什么很大的不同。选项A的“Both

　　involve different senses”解释了为什么这么说，因为两者都涉及不同的感官，也就是上文所列举的“hearing music”(耳听)，“looking at musical notes/watching other musicians”(眼看)，“touching an instrument”(手触)等。

　　3.F 在六个选项中，选项F的句子中出现特指的the brain stem，说明前文已出现过这个词语。这是篇章写作中常用的词汇连接方式。从意义上看，选项F的句子是解释上文提到的brain stem的功能。上下文意思连贯，所以是答案。

　　4.E 同上面第三题的解释一样，选项E的句子中出现特指的the cellos，与上一句的cello相呼应，该句说明科学家为什么要选择大提琴作为音乐训练的乐器，上下文意思连贯，所以E是答案。 ，

　　5.D 最后一段介绍音乐训练的方法和结果，以及对学习的关联和影响。选项D表达的意思

　　是音乐训练的结果和对学习上有障碍的儿童所产生的正面影响，意思与其前后两句的意思完全配合，D是答案。