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Unit 8
Healthy Living
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE I Surprising Facts About Sleep
Judging from recent surveys and clinical experiments, most experts in sleep behavior agree that there is virtually an epidemic of sleepiness in the nation. "I can't think of a single study that hasn't found Americans getting less sleep than they ought to," says David F.Dinges, a biological psychologist at the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
Even people who think they are sleeping enough would probably be better off with more rest.[1] This was revealed by studies of several hundred college students conducted at Stanford University[2], Brown University and Henry Ford Hospital[3] in Detroit.
In one experiment, 16 percent of students who averaged between seven and eight hours of sleep a night could doze off during the day in five minutes if allowed to lie down in a darkened room. That's evidence, researchers said, that those students were sleep-deprived.
Researchers further discovered that even the students who did not quickly fall asleep under test conditions could benefit from more sleep. If they spent one week getting to bed an hour to 90 minutes earlier than usual, they improved their performance on psychological tests.
As added evidence that people don't sleep enough, psychologist Wilse Webb, a sleep-research pioneer at the University of Florida in Gainesville, cites the bedside alarm clock. "If that's how you wake up every day," he says, "you're shortening your natural sleep pattern."
The beginning of our sleep deficit[4] crisis can be traced to the invention of the light bulb a century ago. From diary entries and other personal accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries, sleep scientists have deduced that the average person used to sleep about 9 1/2 hours a night. "The best sleep habits once were forced on us, when we had nothing to do in the evening down on the farm, and it was dark," says Dr Howard P.Roffwarg, director of the Sleep Study Unit at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
By the 1950s and 1960s, that sleep schedule had been reduced dramatically, to between 7 1/2 and eight hours. Now social and economic trends are slicing ever deeper.[5] "People cheat on their sleep, and they don't even realize they're doing it," says Dr Roffwarg. "They think they're okay because they can get by on 6 1/2 hours, when they really need 7 1/2 , eight or even more to feel ideally vigorous."
Perhaps the worst robber of sleep, researchers say, is the complexity of the day. Whenever pressures from work, family, friends and community mount, many people consider sleep the most expendable item on the agenda[6].
"In our society, you're considered dynamic if you say you only need 5 1/2 hours' sleep," says Dr Neil B. Kavey, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. "If you say you've got to get 8 1/2 hours, people think you lack drive and ambition."
Often, though, our efforts to squeeze ever more tasks into our days and nights backfire. The person who gets a full night's sleep, experts say, will benefit in terms of heightened productivity, creativity and focus.
Another thief of sleep is shift work, in which people work regularly in the evening, at night or on rotating schedules. Researchers say the brain has difficulty varying sleep times, which means that these employees — one-fifth of the work force, according to Harriet Presser, a sociology professor at the University of Maryland — usually suffer a net loss of sleep.[7]
Nowadays television is available all night long. So instead of going to sleep, people stay up late to watch late-night programs. Not so long ago most TV stations signed off at midnight or 1 a.m. With "The Star-Spangled Banner,"[8] which served as a reminder that it was time to go to bed.
To assess the consequences of sleep deficit, researchers have put subjects through a battery of psychological and performance tests requiring them, for instance, to add columns of numbers or recall a passage read to them only minutes earlier. "We've found that if you're sleep-deprived, performance suffers," says Dr Charles Czeisler, director of Circadian and Sleep Disorders Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Short-term memory is impaired, as are abilities to make decisions and to concentrate."[9]
Because their reaction time and attention span are affected, sleepy people may be more prone to making mistakes on the job. Surveys by the Department of Transportation suggested that one to ten percent of traffic accidents may be sleep-related, and that perhaps as many as 20 percent of all drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at least once. Recent studies have also found that sleep-deprived people are impaired by smaller quantities of alcohol than rested people are.
Just one bad night's sleep can make a person less efficient on mental tasks. Worse still, the effects of sleep loss are cumulative.[10] A person who chronically sleeps 90 minutes less per night than is necessary will feel far worse on Friday than on Tuesday. "By the fifth night, you've lost 7 1/2 hours, or virtually a whole night's sleep," says psychologist Dinges. "That's the day when you're just praying to get through it."
Sleeping in on weekends does help the body recover. "But in chronic cases, you may need weeks of catching up to reverse the effects of sleep loss," says Dr Charles P. Pollak, head of the Sleep Wake Disorders Center at New York Hospital — Cornell Medical Center.
Are you getting enough sleep? Sleep needs vary, and there is no absolute standard, but most people require about seven to nine hours a night. To determine your optimum sleep schedule, experts suggest tracking your hours of sleep over ten days. If you feel refreshed and vigorous each morning and able to concentrate throughout the day, the average number of hours you've slept per night is close to your ideal.
If you need an alarm clock, or if you feel sleepy while doing a repetitive, sedentary or undemanding task, like driving or sitting in a conference, try sleeping an extra 30 to 90 minutes a night. If you can't do that on weekdays and need to make up for lost sleep on the weekend, experts advise going to bed earlier rather than sleeping later. If that is not possible, they suggest taking a midafternoon nap for an hour or less on Saturday or Sunday.
But even the specialists have trouble taking their own advice. "I get by on maybe six, 6 1/2 hours," admits Kavey. "I'm just too busy to get a good night's sleep." (1077 words)
Proper Names
Boston
（地名）波士顿（美国马萨诸塞州首府）
Brigham
（地名）扬伯翰（美国），本课中指扬伯翰大学
Charles Czeisler
（男子名）查尔斯·捷斯勒
Charles P. Pollak
（男子名）查尔斯·P·波拉克
Columbia
（地名）哥伦比亚（美国南卡罗来纳州首府）
Cornell
康奈尔大学（由Ezra Cornell捐款创办）
Dallas
（地名）达拉斯（美国得克萨斯州东北部城市）
David F. Dinges
（男子名）戴维·F·丁吉
Detroit
（地名）底特律（美国密歇根州东南部港市）
Gainesville
（地名）盖恩斯维尔
Harriet Presser
（男子名）哈里特·普莱萨
Henry Ford
（男子名）亨利·福特
Howard P. Roffwarg
（男子名）霍华德·P·罗夫沃
Maryland
马里兰（美国州名）
Neil B. Kavey
（男子名）尼尔·B·凯威
Pennsylvania
宾夕法尼亚（美国州名）
Philadelphia
（地名）费城（美国宾夕法尼亚州东南部港市）
Presbyterian
adj. [宗]长老派的，长老制的
Stanford
斯坦福大学（美国）
Texas
得克萨斯州（美国州名）
Wilse Webb
（男子名）威尔斯·韦布
New Words
backfire
v. have the opposite effect to the one you intended 产生事与愿违的后果
e.g. His plan backfired, and he lost all his money.
banner
n. a flag 旗帜
e.g. The country's colorful new banner waved in the wind.
battery
n.
1) a set or number of things of the same kind coming together 一群，一组，一连串
e.g. He faced a whole battery of newspaper cameras.
2) an apparatus for producing electricity 电池
e.g. Do we have any extra batteries for the alarm clock?
bulb
n. a pear-shaped glass container for the filament of an electric light 电灯泡
e.g. The lamp needs a new bulb-the old one is burned out.
cheat
v. behave in a dishonest or deceitful way in order to win an advantage 欺骗，作弊
e.g. I ) He never cheated on examinations.
II) He's been caught cheating at cards.
chronically *
adv. in a state that lasts a long time 长期地
conference
n. a meeting to discuss a special topic 会议，讨论会
e.g. Conferences on ending poverty were held in the nation's capital.
crisis
n. (pl. crises)
1) a time of great difficulty or danger 危机
e.g. Natural disasters have obviously contributed to the continent's economic crisis.
2) the time in a serious illness at which there is a sudden change for better or worse （重病的）转折点
darken *
v. (cause to) become dark （使）变黑（暗）
e.g. I ) Darken the green paint by adding black.
II) Wood darkens over the years.
epidemic
n. a large number of cases of the same infectious disease during a single period of time 流行病
e.g. There has been an epidemic of cholera (霍乱) in the city.
expendable *
adj. not worth keeping or maintaining 可牺牲的
e.g. Once our services cease to be useful to them, we're expendable.
heighten
v. make or become higher or greater （使）变高（大，强）
e.g. The music heightened the suspense （悬念） of the movie.
institute
n. a society or organization formed to do special work or for a special purpose 学院，研究所（院）
e.g. I visited a number of research institutes in Asia.
invest
v.
1) spend a lot of time on something 投入（时间等）
e.g. I ) I would rather invest time in Rebecca than in the kitchen.
II) He invested all his spare time in learning English.
2) use money to buy shares, property, etc, in order to earn interest or bring profits 投资
e.g. He invested a lot of money in that enterprise.
midafternoon
adj. 下午3点左右的
refresh
v. make somebody or something look or feel stronger, less tired, fresher 使恢复精神
e.g. He refreshed with a glass of beer.
rotate
v. take turns or come round in regular order 轮流，交替
e.g. Each year, the farmer rotated the crops that were grown.
sedentary
adj. (formal) done while sitting down, and not giving one the chance to move about much 坐着做的
slice
v. cut 切，割
e.g. I ) The falling slate (石片) sliced into his arm
II) Slice the steak into long thin pieces.
n. a thin flat piece cut from something 薄片
e.g. Mary put a slice of ham on her sandwich.
sociology
n. the scientific study of societies and human behavior in groups 社会学
e.g. Susan majored in sociology and wrote about family structure.
southwestern *
adj. of the southwest part 西南的
spangle
v. cover or decorate something with small bright objects 用闪光的东西装饰
weekday
n. any day except Sunday and usually Saturday 周日（除周末以外的日子），工作日
e.g. I only work on weekdays, not at weekends.
Phrases and Expressions
a battery of
a group of many things of the same kind 一连串的
e.g. Margaret sat at her desk, surrounded by a battery of telephones.
be prone to
be likely to do or to suffer (usually something undesirable) 易于发生（不愉快事）的，有发生（讨厌事）的倾向的
e.g. I ) Some plants are prone to a particular disease.
II) People are more prone to make mistakes when they are tired.
doze off
fall asleep unintentionally 打瞌睡，迷迷糊糊地睡着
e.g. The office was so hot I nearly dozed off at my desk.
get by
survive or manage to live or continue 勉强对付过去
e.g. With three kids to feed, Harry gets by on just $ 50 a week.
sign off (of radio or television station) stop broadcasting for the day （广播电台或电视台）停止（当天的）播出
e.g. That TV station always signs off after the late movie.
sit in
attend without taking an active part in order to learn, gain experience 列席
e.g. We're having a conference and we'd like you to sit in.
sleep in
remain asleep or in bed later than usual in the morning 睡过头，睡懒觉
e.g. My sister likes to sleep in on Sundays.
PASSAGE II A Pill for Every Ill?
"A desire to take medicines," wrote the Canadian physician Sir William Osler[1] in 1891, "is, perhaps, the great feature which distinguishes man from other animals." If Osler's observation was true in his time, it is even more strikingly true today. People take medicines, and take them, and take them — in staggering amounts.
By the 1980s, Americans were consuming yearly more than six billion dollars' worth of nonprescription cough and cold remedies, painkillers, vitamins and a host of other products. On any given day about 40 million Americans — almost one fifth of the population — used one nonprescription remedy or another. In addition, two thirds of the population had used prescription drugs at some time, and about 75 million had taken them regularly. These drugs, available only by prescription and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, are too potent and too hazardous to use without precise instructions from a doctor — yet they, too, are obviously taken in awe-inspiring quantities.
Yet even the most miraculous miracle drug harbors within it powerful dangers.[2] Most medicines, whether synthesized in a test tube or extracted from natural substances, are chemicals that are foreign to the body and can be poisonous to one degree or another. Even those that are compounds normally present in the body, such as insulin, can cause harm. There simply is no such thing as a perfectly safe drug. Even familiar, seemingly unthreatening medicines such as aspirin can have multiple effects that range from mild discomfort to lethal shock.
Before taking a drug, one should weigh its potential risks against its benefits. Aspirin, for example, usually presents only modest risks, and the benefits often sought from it, such as relief from a headache, seem similarly modest.[3] When the risk increases, as it does if the presence of stomach ulcers brings hazard of internal bleeding from the irritation of aspirin's acid, the serious risk may outweigh the benefit; it may be wiser to endure the headache or use another agent. A cancer patient, on the other hand, may be justified in trying extremely toxic medicines because they hold the only remaining promise of arresting the disease and prolonging his life.
Circumstances may weigh against the use of otherwise acceptable drugs[4]: A farmer, for example, should pause before using an antibiotic that may also cause sensitivity to sunlight. Women, who are normally free to take any drug a man can take, should be extremely cautious of any drug when they are pregnant, because many medicines can affect unborn babies and some affect them disastrously.
The point of the following cartoon is comic, but it has serious implications: Knowing how medicines find their targets and do their jobs is important to everyone who uses them. Equally important — indeed, sometimes far more important — is knowing how and why they can miss their targets, with unintended and undesirable side effects.[5] Consider these case histories, in which the facts are true though the names of the participants are omitted.
"One pill is for your sore throat; the other is for your earache."
"How do the pills know where to go?"
As the surgeons at a Virginia hospital started to operate on a 42-year-old woman, every sign indicated a simple procedure. Then after the first incision, the patient began to bleed a lot — and a routine operation suddenly became a life-threatening emergency. The physicians quickly gave their patient an injection of vitamin K which promotes blood clotting. Though the surgeons trying to control the bleeding did not know it, the patient had been taking large amounts of a popular painkiller for over a year; though she did not know it, the over-the-counter medicine[6] contained aspirin, which not only kills pain but also slows blood clotting.
An attorney had just returned from a visit to the dentist in an office near his own. A painful gum infection had been drained, and he had in his pocket a bottle of penicillin pills, prescribed by the dentist. He took the first pill. Within minutes, his hands and feet began to itch, his face swelled and he was overcome by a fit of choking and gasping. He rushed back to the dentist. There he received treatment to counter an overwhelming allergic reaction to the antibiotic — a reaction that, if left untreated, could have caused a fatal collapse within minutes.[7]
A 61-year-old diabetic woman had a headache. She took two plain aspirin tablets along with her evening dose of tolbutamide, a medicine that controls diabetes by reducing sugar in the blood. Then she lay down to rest before dinner. When her daughter came home from work, she found her mother unconscious. A doctor, summoned at once, gave the unconscious woman an injection of glucose, which brought her back to consciousness. Her headache had been an early sign of dangerously low blood sugar. The combined action of tolbutamide and aspirin had reduced her blood sugar to a point at which she lapsed into a diabetic coma.
The very drugs[8] that caused these terrifying effects are rightly considered modern medical wonders, but like other prescription and nonprescription medicines they can sometimes bring at least three kinds of consequences very different from those intended. For one thing, they trigger side effects, extra actions in addition to their intended ones. One of the known side effects of aspirin is a reduction in blood clotting. Side effects like this one can be predicted. The woman who nearly lost her life in a routine operation because of the side effect of aspirin is a case in point. If she had told her doctors about her medication habits, they would have told her to stop taking the drug and would have delayed the surgery until her blood could clot normally.
A second type of drug reaction, typified by the lawyer's near-catastrophic allergy to penicillin, is of its nature unexpected.[9] Doctors know that some people are allergic to penicillin, but they cannot easily tell in advance who has the allergy. The adverse reaction largely depends on a victim's distinctive body chemistry, and the tools that measure body chemistry are not sufficiently sophisticated to provide an accurate prediction.
A third type of reaction arises from the interference of other substances with a drug. When several drugs are taken together, potential hazards are compounded. The human body consists of a great many chemicals, which sometimes attract one another, sometimes repel, always modifying one another's characteristics and actions. When a drug — a foreign chemical — drops into this mixture, the result can be profound and disturbing. The chemicals in food, beverages, alcohol and drugs may lessen or cancel the effect of a medicine. Or a drug's effects may be enhanced by another potent substance. This is what happened when the elderly diabetic took aspirin and tolbutamide together; the effect was more potent than the sum of two drugs taken separately. (1125 words)
Proper Names
Virginia
弗吉尼亚（美国州名）
William Osler
（男子名）威廉.奥斯勒
New Words
accurate
adj. exactly correct 正确无误的，准确的
e.g. On the whole the program provided an accurate picture of the effects of AIDS.
adverse
adj. not favorable 不利的
e.g. All this worry is likely to have an adverse effect on her health.
agent
n.
1) a chemical or substance that makes other substances change （药）剂
e.g. Yeast is the raising agent in bread. 酵母是面包的发酵剂。
2) a person or company that represents another person or company in business, in their legal problems, etc. 代理人，代理商
e.g. The agent from the insurance company came to our house.
allergic
adj. suffering from an allergy 过敏的
e.g. I am not allergic to any foods.
allergy
n. a condition of being unusually sensitive to something eaten, breathed in, or touched, in a way that causes pain or suffering 过敏性反应，过敏症
e.g. Mary recently developed allergies to dairy products （奶制品）.
antibiotic
n. a medicine that kills or inhibits the growth of specific disease-causing organisms 抗生素
beverage
n. any type of drink except water, e.g. milk, tea, wine, beer 饮料
cancel
v.
1) balance, to make no longer valid 抵消
e.g. His sincere apology canceled his rude remark.
2) arrange that the planned activity does not happen 取消
e.g. The students felt relieved when their teacher said that the mid-term examination was canceled.
coma
n. the state of deep unconsciousness 昏迷（状态）
diabetic
n. a person suffering from diabetes 糖尿病患者
adj. of or relating to diabetes or diabetics 糖尿病的
disastrously *
adv. in a way that causes a disaster; in an extremely dangerous way 灾难性地
e.g. Things began to go disastrously wrong.
dispense
v.
1) prepare and give out (medicine, especially that prescribed by a doctor) 配（药）和发（药）
e.g. The nurses dispensed the medicine to their patients.
2) give out; to distribute 施予，分配
e.g. The local welfare office is where government dispenses many of its services.
drain
v. (cause liquid to) flow away; (cause something to) become dry as liquid flows way 使排光
e.g. You drain the wound before you apply the bandage.
extract
v.
1) carefully remove a substance from another substance which contains it, using a machine, chemical process, etc. 提取，榨出
e.g. The oil is extracted from the seeds of certain plants.
2) remove an object from somewhere, especially by pulling it 拔出
e.g. He had two teeth extracted.
n. a short piece of writing, music, etc. taken from a particular book 摘录
e.g. We read a few extracts from 19th century novels.
glucose
n. a natural form of sugar that exists in fruit 葡萄糖
gum
n.
1) one of the two areas of firm pink flesh at the top and bottom of your mouth, in which your teeth are fixed 牙龈，牙床
e.g. I have problems with my gums if I don't have regular dental care.
2) chewing gum 口香糖
e.g. I stepped on some gum that someone had spit out.
harbor
v. keep bad thoughts, fears, or hopes in one's mind for a long time 怀有，怀着
e.g. He harbors a secret grudge (不满) against his father.
n. an area of water next to the land where the water is calm, so that ships are safe when they are in it 港口，港湾
e.g. The harbor was full, so the ship anchored farther out into the lake.
hazardous
adj. dangerous, risky 有危险的，担风险的
incision
n. (an act or instance of) cutting, especially by a surgeon into the flesh for an operation 切开，切口
injection
n. an act of giving a drug with a special needle 注射
e.g. The nurse gave the patient an injection of penicillin.
insulin
n. a substance produced naturally by your body which allows sugar to be used for energy 胰岛素
interference
n. the act of getting in the way 干涉，妨碍
e.g. She seems to regard any advice or help from me as an interference.
lapse
v. be no longer continued; expire 终止
e.g. My membership of the club has lapsed.
license
v. give official permission to or for 批准，许可
e.g. Under the agreement, the council can license a foreign company to produce the drug.
n. an official document giving someone permission to own or to do something for a period of time 执照
e.g. I went downtown to renew my license.
miraculous
adj. completely unexpected and often attributed to supernatural power 奇迹般的
multiple
adj. having or involving many individuals, items or causes 多重的，多样的
e.g. Several of the victims received multiple injuries.
nonprescription
adj. capable of being bought without a doctor's prescription 未经医生处方可以买到的
omit
v.
1) not include someone or something, either deliberately or because one forgets to do it 省去，略去，遗漏
e.g. Two groups were omitted from the survey-the old and women.
2) fail or neglect to do something; leave undone 疏忽，忘记做某事
e.g. I omitted telling him about the news.
painkiller
n. a medicine which lessens or removes pain 止痛药
penicillin
n. a substance used as a medicine to destroy bacteria 青霉素
pharmacist *
n. someone who is trained to prepare drugs and medicines and who works in a shop or in a hospital 药剂师
potent
adj. (of drug, etc.) having a powerful effect （药等）有效力的，效力大的
precise
adj. exact 精确的，准确的
e.g. I ) The timing had to be very precise.
II) Can you supply me with precise measurements?
pregnant
adj. (a woman or female animal) having a child or young developing in the body （人）怀孕的，（动物）怀胎的
e.g. The pregnant woman was carrying twins.
procedure
n. a set of instructions for doing something （做事情的）步骤
e.g. Bill brought me the procedures for operating the machine.
repel
v.
1) keep something or somebody away 排斥
e.g. Like charges repel each other; unlike charges attract each other. 同性电荷相斥，异性电荷相吸。
2) drive away 赶走，驱逐
e.g. Our army repelled the attacking enemy.
similarly
adv. in a similar way 差不多，相似地
e.g. The children were similarly dressed.
surgeon
n. a doctor who performs operations 外科医生
e.g. The surgeon who carried out the operation said that it had been a success.
surgery
n. treatment of injuries or diseases by cutting, repairing or removing parts of the body 外科（手术）
e.g. He had to have major heart surgery.
swell
v. gradually increase in size or amount 肿胀；膨胀
e.g. I ) The infection causes fluid to build up and the limbs to swell.
II) Wood often swells when wet.
tablet
n. a small round solid piece of medicine 药片
e.g. I've taken two tablets but my headache still hasn't gone.
terrifying *
adj. causing to feel extreme fear 令人害怕的，可怕的
e.g. I still find it terrifying to find myself surrounded by large numbers of horses.
tolbutamide
n. a medicine used in the treatment of diabetes 甲糖宁（一种治糖尿病的药）
tube
n. a long hollow cylinder of metal, glass, rubber, etc. for holding or conveying liquids, gases, etc. 管子
e.g. I ) A test tube is a glass tube with one open end.
II) The painting was rolled up and placed in a cardboard tube.
typify
v. be a typical example of 是......的典型
e.g. The shoe-shine boy who becomes a millionaire typifies the American Dream. 擦皮鞋的男孩成了百万富翁是典型的“美国之梦”。
yearly
adv. once a year, every year 每年
e.g. The rich surgeon buys a new car yearly.
adj. once a year, every year 每年一次的
e.g. The seven major industrial countries will have their yearly meeting in London.
Phrases and Expressions
a great many
a very large number (of) 很多很多的
e.g. I ) The singer is popular with a great many fans.
II) There are a great many reasons why you shouldn't do it.
a host of
a large number of 大量，许多
e.g. The machine comes with a whole host of useful accessories.
lapse into
pass gradually into a less active or less desirable state 陷入
e.g. I ) The patient lapsed into unconsciousness.
II) No one could think of anything more to say, and the meeting lapsed into silence.
weigh against
consider or compare carefully in order to form a judgment or make a decision 掂量，权衡
e.g. I ) We should weigh our program against theirs.
II) Economic benefits must be carefully weighed against the possible dangers of handling radioactive waste.
PASSAGE III Nothing to Sneeze At
Throat sore? Head feel stuffy and dull? Nose running like a leaky tap and you feel a chill down to your toes? No need to ask a doctor what you have, because you know only too well. You are starting another cold, maybe your second or third this year, and one of scores you have suffered and will suffer throughout your life. If you are like most people, you may wonder from time to time why, in an age of medical miracles, someone has not come up with a cure for this most persistent and most common of human afflictions.
Frustrated and miserable as you may feel, you can take heart in some good news about colds[1] and other, more serious infections that resemble colds in one way or another, such as flu. After centuries of unscientific gossip and decades of scientific wanderings, researchers have in recent years begun to make major discoveries about the causes of colds.
Colds, it turns out, are not a single disease that strikes over and over again but are instead perhaps as many as 200 separate, look-alike diseases, which are set in motion by any of 200 different submicroscopic agents called viruses. Cold specialists also now know a great deal about how infections are transmitted: For example, you do, indeed, "catch" a major share[2] of the colds you suffer — with your hands. By touching tiny drops of virus-laden mucus[3] — either on the body of a carrier who already has a cold, or on some surface that he has recently contaminated, perhaps with a sneeze or his hand — and then rubbing your own nose or eyes, you conveniently deliver the cold virus to the site where colds begin.
The growing body of knowledge about viruses and their interactions with your body may eventually lead to ways of preventing and curing colds, as this knowledge already has produced treatments for flu and many serious complications of colds. But for the moment, the central fact of ordinary colds is that no miracle cure, no antibiotic drug, no magic medicine and no omniscient physician can alter the course of a cold once you have it.
Even the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has had its nose rubbed — so to speak — in this undeniable fact:[4] It can put a man into outer space, but it cannot cure the common cold. On February 27, 1969, on the eve of a flight to orbit the earth, the countdown procedure at Cape Kennedy[5] came to an abrupt halt when all three of the Apollo[6] 9 crew showed the classic symptoms: stuffed-up noses, sore throats and cold-related fatigue. NASA postponed the launch at an estimated cost of $500,000 — the first time in 19 manned flights that astronaut illness, rather than bad weather or technical trouble,caused a lift-off to be delayed. The three men recovered enough to lift off on Monday, March 3 — thus confirming the well-known proverb: Treat a cold and it will end in seven days, do nothing and it will last a week. (Partly because other space crews were isolated from contamination before launch, none suffered a repetition of the expensive 1969 outbreak of the common cold.)
Apollo 9's colds may well have been the most expensive in history, but the common cold must be ranked as a costly disease in its own right. The colds contracted by Americans alone result in an estimated 300 million days of lowered efficiency, 60 million days of lost school attendance and almost 50 million days lost on the job. Add to that[7] the money spent on cold pills, cough syrups, nose drops, visits to the doctor and mountains of tissues, and colds cost Americans about five billion dollars a year. Not surprisingly, the British and the Dutch suffer comparable losses to the affliction. Flu, of course, can be not only costly, but deadly; in 1918 and 1919 it caused an epidemic that spread far more rapidly than the Black Death of the Middle Ages[8].
Fortunately for the world economy, most colds and flu can be identified and treated adequately at home. The first step is to be sure that what seems to be a cold is, in fact, that transient disease and not something worse. Physicians define a cold as an acute viral infection characterized by stuffiness, swelling and discharge (runny nose), and sore throat. Except in children, a fever is rare, and the disease takes care of itself without the intervention of doctors or medications[9], usually, as in the case of the Apollo 9 crew, in about a week.
The symptoms of a true cold are the same for everyone, young and old, male and female, in all parts of the world. But not everyone is equally likely to suffer from them. The frequency of colds, it appears, has as much to do with who you are and what you do as with the viruses that cause the disease.[10]
Among the social, economic and psychological factors that may play a part in susceptibility to colds, age is one of the most critical. A six-year study in Tecumseh, Michigan, made by specialists at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, revealed some particulars that seem to hold true for the general population. Infants are the most cold-ridden group[11], averaging more than six colds and similar respiratory illnesses in the first months of life. Boys have more colds than girls up to the age of three, a fact consistent with the higher rate of all illnesses among male children in those years. After the age of three, girls are more susceptible than boys; teenage girls average three colds a year to boys' two, and the greater susceptibility of females prevails thereafter. The general incidence of colds continues to decline into maturity, elderly people in otherwise good health having as few as one or two colds annually.[12]
The Tecumseh study also found that economics plays an important role. As income increases, the frequency with which colds are reported within a family decreases. Families with the lowest incomes suffer about a third more colds than families at the other end of the scale.[13] Lower income generally forces people to live in smaller apartments than those typically occupied by wealthier people, and crowding greatly increases the opportunities for cold viruses to travel from person to person. Low income may also adversely influence diet. The degree to which poor nutrition affects susceptibility to colds is not yet clearly established, but an inadequate diet is suspected of lowering resistance generally.
Life style may be another critical factor in cold susceptibility. Extensive though still controversial research has suggested that people who experience great stress in their work and personal lives — who live each day on borrowed energy[14] — can set off a chain of physiological events that inhibit the body's natural defenses against disease. (1135 words)
Proper Names
Cape Kennedy
（地名）肯尼迪角（在美国佛罗里达州）
Tecumseh
（地名）特库姆塞
Michigan
密歇根（美国州名）
New Words
acute
adj.
1) (of an illness) become severe very quickly but does not last long （疾病）急性的
e.g. acute appendicitis/bronchitis 急性阑尾炎/支气管炎
2) very severe or intense 严重的
e.g. The report has caused acute embarrassment to the government.
affliction *
n. something that causes pain or unhappiness 疼痛，折磨
e.g. Hay fever (花粉病) is an affliction which arrives at an early age.
attendance
n. being present at the event or place 出席，参加
e.g. His attendance at the meeting wasn't even noticed by the other members.
carrier
n. someone who passes a disease to other people without having it themselves 带菌者
e.g. At present only about 10% of the US's 1.5 million HIV carriers know that they carry the disease.
chill
n.
1) an illness marked by coldness and shaking of the body 发冷
e.g. The child got a chill while standing in the snow.
2) a slightly unpleasant degree of coldness 寒气
e.g. There was a chill in the air this morning.
comparable
adj. roughly similar 相当的，同类的
e.g. Farmers were meant to get an income comparable to that of the townspeople.
complication
n.
1) a new illness that happens during the course of another, making treatment more difficult 并发症
e.g. The doctors were sure they could cure the patient, but when complications set in they lost hope.
2) something that makes a situation, process, etc. more difficult 复杂情况
e.g. An added complication is the growing concern for the environment.
contaminate
v. make a place or substance dirty by adding something to it, for example chemicals or poison 使......受污染
e.g. Many wells have been contaminated by chemicals.
contamination *
n. contaminating or being contaminated 污染
e.g. The water contamination was caused by improper waste management.
countdown
n. the counting aloud of numbers in reverse order before something happens 倒计时
e.g. The countdown has begun for the launch later today of the American space shuttle.
deadly
adj. likely to cause death
e.g. The dog was given a deadly dose of medicine.
discharge
n. something that is sent out 流出物，排出物
e.g. They developed a fever and a watery discharge from their eyes.
v. allow or tell (a person) to leave 释放
e.g. He was discharged from prison last month.
economy
n. the system by which a country's money or goods are produced or used 经济
e.g. New England's economy is still largely based on manufacturing.
extensive
adj. large in amount, area, or range 大量的，大规模的
e.g. Developments in South Africa receive extensive coverage in The Sunday Telegraph.
frequency
n.
1) the condition of happening often 频繁
e.g. I'm amazed at the frequency of this kind of coincidence.
2) the number of times something happens 频率
e.g. Cases of criminal neglect are occurring with increasing frequency.
gossip
n. casual talk about the affairs of other people 闲聊
e.g. There has been much gossip about the possible reasons for his absence.
halt
n. a stop or pause 停止，暂停
e.g. The car came to a halt just in time to avoid an accident.
inhibit
v. prevent or hold back 阻止，抑制
e.g. To support domestic production, some countries inhibit imports and encourage exports.
leaky *
adj. having holes or cracks that leak 漏的
e.g. The leaky water faucet dripped all night long.
mucus
n. a slippery liquid produced in certain delicate parts of the body, especially the nose 黏液
omniscient
adj. all-knowing; knowing everything 无所不知的
orbit
v. circle around 绕轨道而行
e.g. Earth orbits the sun every 365 days.
n. a path followed by a planet, star, moon, etc. 轨道
e.g. How much does it cost to put a satellite into orbit?
outbreak
n. sudden appearance or start （疾病的）发作；（战争等的）爆发
e.g. I ) It was difficult to understand John's sudden outbreak of anger.
II) There was an outbreak of cholera in the camp.
physiological
adj. of or relating to physiology 生理的，生理学的
e.g. The cause of stuttering speech (结巴) is unknown, but several physiological, genetic and psychological factors have been implicated.
prevail
v. exist in many places, to be widespread 普遍存在，普遍发生，流行
e.g. Despite crimes in the news, I believe that kindness prevails.
resistance
n. power to remain undamaged or unaffected 抵抗力
e.g. Alcohol will lessen resistance to diseases.
respiratory
adj. connected with breathing 呼吸的
runny
adj. giving off mucus 流鼻涕的
sneeze
v. have a sudden uncontrolled burst of air out of one's nose 打喷嚏
n. an act or sound of sneezing 打喷嚏
stuffiness
n. an instance of being stuffy 鼻塞
stuffy
adj. (of the nose) blocked so that breathing is difficult 鼻塞的
submicroscopic
adj. too small to be seen in an ordinary light microscope 用普通显微镜看不出的
susceptibility *
n. the quality or state of being susceptible 敏感性，过敏性
susceptible
adj.
1) likely to suffer from a particular illness or be affected by a particular problem 过敏的，敏感的
e.g. After the operation, he was weak and susceptible to disease.
2) easily influenced or affected by something 易动感情的，易受感动的
e.g. They have never been susceptible to diplomatic pressure.
syrup
n. medicine in the form of a thick sweet liquid 糖浆
thereafter
adj. after that 此后
e.g. Our favorite movie theatre closed in 1972. Thereafter, we had to go to the one on Main Street.
transient
adj. lasting for only a short time 短暂的
e.g. Some birds are only transient visitors to Britain.
undeniable
adj. clear and certain 不可否认的，无可争辩的
e.g. It's undeniable that she is the best person for the job.
viral
n. of or caused by a virus 病毒（性）的，病毒引起的
Phrases and Expressions
for the moment
temporarily 暂时，目前
e.g. Jack is on a business trip in London for the moment.
in ... own right
earn something or obtain something by oneself and not because of anyone else 凭本身的权利（或能力、实力、资格等）
e.g. Elizabeth II is Queen of England in her own right. 伊丽莎白二世是以自身的权利成为英国女王的（不是由于她嫁给国王）。
lift off
(of an aircraft or spacecraft) leave the ground, take off 起飞，发射
e.g. The spacecraft will lift off in 10 minutes.
over and over again
repeatedly 不断地，重复地
e.g. He plays the same songs over and over again.
set off
cause to start 引起，激起
e.g. An atomic explosion is created by setting off a chain reaction in the atom.
stuff up
fill completely 塞住，堵住
e.g. My nose is stuffed up with the cold.
take heart
be encouraged 受到鼓励，树立信心
e.g. When we are in trouble we can take heart from the fact that things often seem worse than they are.
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