問題詳情：
請認真閱讀下列短文，並根據所讀內容在文章後表格中的空格里填入一個最恰當的單詞。注意：每個空格只填1個單詞。
Feeling extreme loneliness can increase an older person’s risk of premature (過早的)death by 14 percent, according to research by John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.
Cacioppo and his colleagues’ work shows that the impact of loneliness on premature death is nearly as strong as the impact of disadvantaged socioeconomic status, which they found increases the chances of dying early by 19 percent. A 2010 meta﹣analysis showed that loneliness has twice as much impact on early death as obesity does, he said.
The researchers looked at dramatic differences in the rate of decline in physical and mental health as people aged. Cacioppo and his colleagues have examined the role of satisfying relationships on older people to develop their resilience ([rɪˈzɪliəns] 快速恢復的能力；適應力), the ability to feel better quickly after something unpleasant, and grow from stresses in life.
The consequences for health are dramatic, as feeling isolated or separated from others can disturb sleep, elevate blood pressure, increase morning rises in the stress hormone cortisol ([‘kɔ:tɪsɒl] 皮質醇), change the gene expression in immune cells, increase depression and lower overall subjective well﹣being, Cacioppo pointed out in a talk, “ Rewarding Social Connections Promote Successful Aging.”
Cacioppo, one of the nation’s leading experts on loneliness, said older people can avoid the consequences of loneliness by staying in touch with former co﹣workers, taking part in family traditions, and sharing good times with family and friends ﹣ all of which give older adults a chance to connect with others about whom they care and who care about them.
”Retiring to Florida to live in a warmer climate among strangers isn’t necessarily a good idea if it means you are disconnected from the people who mean much to you,” said Cacioppo. Population changes make understanding the role of loneliness and health all the more important,he explained. “People have to think about how to protect themselves from depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. “
Although some people are happy to be alone, most people develop from social situations in which they provide mutual support and establish a strong bond. Evolution encourages people to work together to survive and accordingly most people enjoy companionship compared to be alone.
It is not solitude (獨處)or physical isolation itself, but rather the subjective sense of isolation that Cacioppo’s work shows to be so destructive. Older people living alone are not necessarily lonely if they remain actively engaged in social life and enjoy the company of those around them. Some aspects of aging, such as blindness and loss of hearing, however, place people at special risk of becoming isolated and lonely, he said.
Passage outline | Supporting details |
The main idea | Chances are that older people will die early if they feel extremely 51．. |
52． with loneliness | • Like disadvantaged socioeconomic status and obesity, loneliness can 53． old men’s premature death. • When 54． from others, one will find physical health impacted and tend to feel depressive and unhappy. |
Suggestions | • Keep in touch with others and take part in 55． activities. • Choosing to live in a pleasant climate don’t necessarily make sense if the elder are disconnected from people who are 56． to them. • Think about how to57． depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. • Work together with others to 58．, to gain mutual support and establish a strong bond. |
Conclusions | • The sense of isolation, rather than solitude or physical isolation itself, isn’t 59．to elders. • Living alone doesn’t mean loneliness if older people live an 60． social life. |
【回答】
51．lonely
52．Troubles/Problems
53．cause
54．isolated/separated
55．social
56．important/significant
57．avoid
58．survive
59．beneficial
60．active
【解析】
【分析】
這是一篇說明文。根據最新的研究，感到極度孤獨會使老年人過早死亡的機率增加14%。文章主要是介紹了孤獨對人的危害。
51．
考查形容詞。根據第一段Feeling extreme loneliness can increase an older person’s risk of premature death by 14 percent, according to research by John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.可知根據芝加哥大學心理學教授John Cacioppo的研究，感到極度孤獨會使老年人過早死亡的風險增加14%。由此可知，如果老年人感到極度孤獨，他們很可能會早死。此處應填形容詞lonely，作表語，表示“孤獨的，孤單的”。故填lonely。
52．
考查名詞的數。根據二、三、四段的內容以及表格右邊內容可知，這裏表示孤獨會產生的一些問題。根據空後的介詞with可知，表示“麻煩，問題”應填名詞複數troubles/ problems。單詞首字母要大寫。故填Troubles/Problems。
53．
考查動詞。根據第二段中Cacioppo and his colleagues’ work shows that the impact of loneliness on premature death is nearly as strong as the impact of disadvantaged socioeconomic status, which they found increases the chances of dying early by 19 percent.可知卡奇奧波和他的同事的研究表明，孤獨對早逝的影響幾乎與社會經濟地位低下的影響一樣強烈，他們發現社會經濟地位低下會使早逝的機率增加19%。由此可知，與社會經濟地位低下和肥胖一樣，孤獨也會導致老年人過早死亡。表示“造成”應填動詞cause，且can後跟動詞原形。故填cause。
54．
考查非謂語動詞。根據第四段中as feeling isolated or separated from others can disturb sleep, elevate blood pressure, increase morning rises in the stress hormone cortisol, change the gene expression in immune cells, increase depression and lower overall subjective well-being可知當感覺被孤立或與他人分離時，會影響睡眠、升高血壓、增加壓力荷爾蒙皮質醇的早晨含量、改變免疫細胞的基因表達、增加抑鬱感並降低整體的主觀幸福感。由此可知，當與他人隔離時，一個人會發現自己的身體健康受到影響，容易感到抑鬱和不快樂。此處爲過去分詞作狀語，表示“隔絕的，隔離的”應用isolated/separated。故填isolated/separated。
55．
考查形容詞。根據第五段中older people can avoid the consequences of loneliness by staying in touch with former co﹣workers, taking part in family traditions, and sharing good times with family and friends —all of which give older adults a chance to connect with others about whom they care and who care about them.可知老年人可以避免孤獨的後果與前工作同事保持聯繫，參與家庭傳統，並與家人和朋友分享美好時光-所有這些都給老年人一個機會與他們關心的人和關心他們的人聯繫。作者建議老年人多與之前的同事聯繫，參加傳統的家庭活動，與家人和朋友分享好時光，即鼓勵老年人積極參加社交活動。由此可知，此處建議是與他人保持聯繫，參加社會活動。修飾後文activities應用形容詞social，表示“社交的”。故填social。
56．
考查形容詞。根據第六段中“Retiring to Florida to live in a warmer climate among strangers isn’t necessarily a good idea if it means you are disconnected from the people who mean much to you,” said Cacioppo.可知Cacioppo說：“退休到佛羅里達，住在氣候更溫暖的陌生人中間，不一定是個好主意，因爲這意味着你與那些對你意義重大的人失去了聯繫。”由此可知，如果老年人與對他們重要的人失去聯繫，那麼選擇住在氣候宜人的地方就沒有意義了。此處作表語，表示“重要的”應填形容詞important/significant。故填important/significant。
57．
考查動詞。根據第六段中People have to think about how to protect themselves from depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death.可知人們必須考慮如何保護自己不受抑鬱，低主觀幸福感和早逝。由此可知，思考如何避免抑鬱，低主觀幸福感和早逝。此處表示“避免”應用動詞avoid，且爲“疑問詞+不定式”結構，故應用動詞原形。故填avoid。
58．
考查動詞。根據倒數第二段中Evolution encourages people to work together to survive and accordingly most people enjoy companionship compared to be alone.可知進化鼓勵人們爲了生存而一起工作，因此大多數人喜歡伴侶而不是獨處。由此可知，與他人一起工作，爲了生存，獲得相互支援，建立牢固的紐帶。表示“生存”應用survive，且結合上文Work together with others to可知爲不定式，應填動詞原形。故填survive。
59．
考查形容詞。根據最後一段中It is not solitude or physical isolation itself, but rather the subjective sense of isolation that Cacioppo’s work shows to be so destructive.可知Cacioppo的作品中所表現出來的那種主觀的孤立感是如此具有破壞*，而不是孤獨或身體上的孤立本身。由此可知，孤立感，而不是孤獨或身體孤立本身，對老年人是不利的。此處作表語，表示“有益的”應用形容詞beneficial。故填beneficial。
60．
考查形容詞。根據最後一段中Older people living alone are not necessarily lonely if they remain actively engaged in social life and enjoy the company of those around them.可知獨自生活的老年人並不一定感到孤獨，如果他們仍然積極參與社會生活，並享受周圍人的陪伴。由此可知，如果老年人過着活躍的社交生活，獨居並不意味着孤獨。修飾後文social life，表示“活躍的”應用形容詞active，作定語。故填active。
知識點：其他
題型：閱讀理解
