16．1A narrow escape from death can actually improve a person's view on life．That，at least，was one of the major findings of a study of some 200 people who come close to dying．Some had come through heart attack； some had fallen and come close to drowning or survived a terrible car wreck，yet despite the variety of circumstances，they reported strikingly similar reactions to their experiences．
Perhaps most surprisingly，many said they were less frightened of death now than they were before．Like most people，before their near-death incidents，many had thought death would be painful，the ultimate horror-but they didn't find it was．
Surviving a nearly fatal experience also gave many people a sense of invulnerability（不会受伤害）that made them feel special and even religious．Several believed they had been saved because they were to fulfill some special mission in the remainder of their lives．
Perhaps not so surprisingly，these survivors also reported an increased enthusiasm for life and a determination to enjoy life more．
A few of the survivors did report negative reactions to their experience．A dozen said they felt more vulnerable（脆弱的），and some even felt a sense of helplessness and a loss of control over their lives．Some had become phobic about activities associated with the accident； for example，several said they could no longer swim for fear of drowning．
Yet most of those interviewees said they came away with a strong sense of renewal or rebirth．In studying their reactions researchers have concluded that these people have come to understand the relationship of life and death better and more intimately than most of us，they have come to understand how life is actually defined by death．Life is given meaning by the fact that it will end someday．
51．From the passage，we can infer that the effects of near-death experiences on the survivors'lifeC．
A．differ due to the variety of circumstances
B．vary greatly from person to person
C．are mostly positive in terms of their view on life
D．are neither positive nor negative
52．Which effect of the near-death experience was the one that people had seldom expected？B
A．Some people became easier to get hurt．
B．Some people did not worry too much about death any more．
C．Some people paid more attention to the value of life．
D．Some people tended to be too pessimistic about death．
53．The positive effect of near-death experience was thatA．
A．some people loved life better because they realized its new meaning
B．some people felt a sense of helplessness
C．some people felt a loss of control over their lives
D．some people wanted to seek extreme happiness because they knew life was too limited
54．The word"phobic"（in paragraph 5）most probably meansD．
A．very careful B．very casual C．very curious D．very fearful
55．Which of the following can best express the idea of this passage？B
A．How to Improve a Person's View on Life．
B．The Effects of Near-Death Experience．
C．Is Death Really Horrible？
D．Near-Death Accidents and their Survivors．
分析 本文主要写了濒临死亡的经历给人们带来的不同影响．其中积极影响是主要的部分．
解答 51．C 细节理解题．根据第一句1A narrow escape from death can actually improve a person's view on life． 死里逃生，实际上可以提高一个人的生活观．所以答案选C．
52．B 细节理解题．根据句子见文章第二段第一句many said they were less frightened of death now than they were before．，大意为：或许最令人惊异的是，许多人说与死神擦肩而过后他们再也不像以前那样害怕死亡了．
53．A 推理判断题．根据文章最后一段most of those interviewees said they came away with a strong sense of renewal or rebirth，大部分幸存者都会有重获新生的感受．正因为他们认识到生命有一天会终结，所以才更深理解生命的意义，更加热爱生命．选项A全面阐述了这一含义，而选项B、C和D只是分别说明了其中一个方面．
54．D 猜测词义题．根据例句for example，several said they could no longer swim for fear of drowning．例如，一些说他们不再能游泳怕淹死．可见有些人在这些事故之后会变得还怕了，fearful"害怕的"，所以答案选D．
55．B主旨大意题． 作者首先指出与死神擦肩而过的经历对幸存者会产生重大影响，接着又具体阐述了这种经历的积极影响和消极影响，并指明其中积极影响是主要的部分．所以答案选B．
点评 阅读理解题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．
