Napping to a Healthier Heart?¹

    1. Researchers say they have developed a simple test that can tell if a person with heart disease is likely to suffer a heart attack². The test measures levels of a protein in the blood. The researchers say people with high levels of this protein are at high risk of heart attack, heart failure³ or stroke.

    2. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo of the UniversityofCaliforniainSan Franciscoled the team. For about four years, they studied almost one thousand patients with heart disease. The researchers tested the heart disease patients for a protein called NT-proBNP⁴. Patients with the highest levels were nearly eight times more likely than those with the lowest levels to have a heart attack, heart failure or stroke.

    3. The researchers say the presence of high levels of the protein in the blood shows that the heart muscle is under pressure in some way. The study involved mostly men, so the researchers could not say for sure⁵ that the results are also true for women. They say the patients with the highest levels of NT-proBNP were older and had other problems like diabetes or high blood pressure.

    4. Other researchers say more studies are needed to confirm if knowing the protein levels of a heart patient should affect that person’s treatment. They also would like to know if more aggressive treatment⁶ could reduce the patient’s chance of a heart attack or stroke. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association⁷.

    5. Could a little sleep during the middle of the day reduce the risk of a heart attack? An unrelated study earlier this month in the Archives of Internal Medicine⁸ suggests that the answer may be yes. In countries like theUnited States, afternoon naps are mostly for children. But they are common for adults in Mediterranean countries. And these countries generally have lower rates of heart disease. So scientists in theUnited StatesandGreecewondered if naps could play a part. Twenty-three thousand healthy adults took part in the study byHarvardUniversityand theUniversityofAthens⁹. Those who took thirty-minute naps three times a week had a thirty-seven percent lower risk of death from heart problems than people who did not take naps.

    6. The researchers say napping may improve heart health by reducing stress. They say the research suggests that naps are especially good for working men. But they say not enough female subjects died during the study to judge the benefits for women.

词汇：

nap /næp/n. vi. (白天)小睡,打盹;睡午觉

attack /ə"tæk/ n.(疾病)发作

failure /"feɪljə/ n.衰竭

stroke /strəʊk/ n.中风

muscle /"mʌs(ə)l/ n.肌肉

diabetes ( = diabetes mellitus)/,daɪə"biːtiːz/ n.糖尿病

confirm /kən"fɜːm/ vt.确证,进一步证实

archive /"ɑrkaɪv/ n.(常用复数）档案;档案室

Mediterranean /,mɛdətə"renɪən/ adj.地中海的

Greece /ɡri:s/ n.希腊

stress/stres/ n.压力

subject /"sʌbdʒekt/ n.受实验者

注释：

1.Napping to a Healthier Heart? 午睡可以使心脏更健康吗？to在这里表示达到某种结果或效果。

2. heart attack:心脏病发作

3.heart failure ：心力衰竭

4.NT-proBNP:N端–脑型利钠肽原（或N末端前脑利钠肽）。它是心肌中的一种压力指示因子,有望成为预测冠心病转归的生化标志物。

5.for sure:确实,毫无疑问地

6. aggressive treatment:损伤性治疗（aggressive原意是“有攻击性的,侵略的”）

7.American Medical Association (AMA):美国医学会

8.Archives of Internal Medicine:《内科医学档案》

9.Harvard University ：(美国）哈佛大学

B whether they have the risk of heart attack, heart failure or stroke

C would probably have lower rates of heart disease

D how to test a person’s NT-proBNP level in the blood by himself

E his heart muscle would be under pressure in some way

So far there have not been definite data to confirm ________.

A:A B:B C:C D:D E:E F:F

Bringing Nanotechnology to Health Care for the poor                 

  Nanotechnology uses matter at the level of molecules and atoms. Researchers are finding different uses for particles with a length of one nanometer, or one-billionth of a meter. These include things like beauty products¹ and dirt-resistant clothing. But one area where many experts believe nanotechnology holds great promise is medicine.

  Last week, speakers at a program in Washingtondiscussed using nanotechnology to improve health care in developing countries. The program took place at theWoodrowWilsonInternationalCenterfor Scholars. Peter Singer at theUniversityofTorontosays a nanotechnology called quantum dots² could be used to confirm cases of malaria. He says it could offer a better way than the traditional process of looking at a person’s blood under a microscope.

  In poor countries, this process is often not followed. As a result, sick people may get treated for malaria even if they do not have it. Such misuse of medicines can lead to drug resistance. Quantum dots are particles that give off³ light when activated. Researchers are studying ways to program them to identify diseases by lighting up in the presence of targeted molecule. ⁴

  Experts say nanotechnology shows promise not just for diagnosing diseases, but also for treating them. Piotr Grodzinski of the National Institutes of Health⁵ talked about how nanotechnology could make drugs more effective. He talked about cancer drugs already developed with nanotechnology. He says if a drug can target a cancer locally in the body, then much less of it might be needed, and that means lower side effects. ⁶

  Andrew Maynard is chief scientist for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at theWoodrowWilsonCenter. He noted thatBrazil,India,ChinaandSouth Africaare currently doing nanotechnology research that could help poor countries. But he also noted that there is some risk in using nano-materials. He says nanometer-sized particles behave differently in the body and the environment compared to larger particles⁷. Experts say more investment in research is needed to better understand these risks.

词汇：

nanotechnology/,nænə(ʊ)tek"nɒlədʒɪ/ n.纳米技术

matter /"mætə/ n.物质

molecule /"mɒlɪkjuːl/ n.分子

atom /"ætəm/ n.原子

nanometer/"nænə,mitɚ/ n.纳米,毫微米(长度单位，=10_9m)one-billionthn.十亿分之一

dirt-resistantadj.防尘的,防污的

promise /"prɒmɪs/ n.希望,前途

program/"prəʊɡræm/ ( = programme)n.节目,节目单；&为……编制程序

scholar /"skɒlə/ n.学者

quantum /"kwɔntəm/ n.量；量子 dotn.(小）点,圆点

confirm /kən"fɜːm/ vt.确认；证实

case /keɪs/ n.病症;病例;患者

malaria /mə"leərɪə/ n.疟（疾）

misuse /misju:s/ vt.误用,滥用;n.误用,滥用

particle/"pɑːtɪk(ə)l/ n.颗粒,微粒;粒子

activate /"æktɪveɪt/ vt.使激活

identify /aɪ"dentɪfaɪ/ vt.辨认

diagnose /"daɪəgnəʊz; -"nəʊz/ vt.诊断（疾病)

Brazil /brə"zil/ n.巴西

investment /ɪn"ves(t)m(ə)nt/ n.投资；投资额

nano-materialn.纳米材料

注释：

1. beauty product:美容产品

2. quantum dot (QD):量子点。可取代传统染色法,成为细胞内的突光标记物,可进行长时间、多分子、同时检测。

3. give off:放出;发出（蒸汽、光线、烟雾、气味等）

4. Researchers are studying ways to program them to identify diseases by lighting up in the presence of a targeted molecule.研究人员正在研究为它们编程的方法,以便如果有靶分子存在时能通过发光辨认疾病。light up点灯;发光。targeted molecule:靶分子。

5. National Institutes of Health (NIH)：国立卫生研究院

6. side effect:副作用

7. compared to larger particles:如果与大一点的颗粒比较起来的话。这是一个过去分词短语,作条件状语。

How can quantum dots be used to confirm diseases?

A:By traditionally looking at a person’s blood under a microscope B:By letting a person take some kind of medicine C:By lighting up in the presence of a targeted molecule D:By subjecting a person to an X-ray examination

THE OFFICER WHO RELIEVING THE WATCH SHOULD CONFIRM AND SAY（）.

A:I NOW HAVE THE WATCH. B:I NOW HAVETHE CONN. C:YOU NOW HAVE THE WATCH. D:YOU NOW HAVE THE CONN.

The findings from our market research are （） unexpected that we must conduct another test to confirm them.

A:as B:too C:so D:very

The findings from our market research are （） unexpected that we must conduct another test to confirm them.

A:as B:too C:so D:very

What may the project team do to confirm the scope of the project is on track

A:Review change requests that have been submitted and approved. B:Obtain status from responsible individuals on the team. C:Conduct walkthrough, inspections and reviews. D:Complete a scope report and submit it to management.

A generally accepted method to confirm accuracy of task progress is through （）.

A:earned value B:probability v outcome C:maximum ceiling D:work breakdown structure