The research carried out by the University of Bad in Italy could help prove hospitals who are accused of wasting money on art and decoration as it suggests a pleasant environment helps patients ease discomfort and pain.
A team headed by Professor Marina de Tommaso at the Neurophysiopathology
Pain Unit asked a group of men and women to pick the 20 paintings they considered
most ugly and most beautiful from a selection of 300 works by artists such as
Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. They were then asked to look at either the beautiful paintings, or the ugly painting, or a blank panel while the team zapped(照射) a short laser pulse at their hand, creating a sensation as if they had been stuck by a pin. The subjects rated the pain as being a third less intense while they were
viewing the beautiful paintings, compared with when looking at the ugly paintings
or the blank panel. Electrodes measuring the brain's electrical activity also confirmed a reduced resoonse to the pain when the subject looked at beautiful paintings.
While distractions, such as music, are known to reduce pain in hospital patients,Prof de Tommaso says this is the first result to show that beauty plays a part.
The findings, reported in New Scientist, also go a long way to show that
beaufiful surroundings could aid the healing process.
"Hospitals have been designed to be functional, but we think that their artistic aspects should be taken into account too," said the neurologist."Beauty boyiously offers a distraction that ugly paintings do not. But at least there is no suggestion that ugly surroundings make the pain worse. I think these results show that more research is needed into the field how a beautiful environment can alleviate suffering."
Pictures they liked included Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and Botticellis Birth of Venus. Pictures they found ugly included works by pablo Picasso, the Italian 20th century artist Anonio Bueno and Columbian Fernando Botero." These people were not art experts so some of the pictures they found ugly would be considered masterpieces by the art world," said Prof de Tommaso.
【小题1】The underlined word "alleviate" in the fifth paragraph probably means"______".

A．some artists' paintings were beautiful, so they were masterpieces

B．only art experts could judge they were masterpieces or not, though ugly

C．the artists mentioned above were not really art masters.

D．some of them were art masters, while others were not.

 读写任务（共1小题，满分25分）

    阅读下面的书信，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。

Dear David,

         I am writing you this email because you're so busy every day with your studies and after-school activities that we seldom have chances to talk face-to-face. There is something that I am very worried about.

         You have always been an active boy, willing to help others and always looking for an opportunity to try something new or learn something different. I think these are wonderful qualities but I am concerned that they may be affecting your studies. In the past three months alone you have joined at least four different student clubs. I see these activities taking up more and more of your time. You're always discussing something with your classmates or surfing online. You're also devoting less time to homework and even your teachers say you are looking very sleepy in class.

         I know that these kinds of activities are fun and can help your development, but I think they have started to damage your performance at school. Please remember the most important thing at this stage of your life is your studies. Right now you should do your best in your examinations as it will give you more choices is your future. I beg you to focus on your main goal and not to throw away all your years of hard work

Your loving mother

【写作内容】

    假设你是信中的David，请用英语给你妈妈写回信。以下是回信的内容（信的开头和结尾已经为你写好）：

1. 以约30词概括书信的主要内容。

2. 以约120词谈谈你对参加学校社团或俱乐部活动的看法，内容包括：

  （1） 你读信后的感受；

  （2） 你是否赞成你妈妈的观点，并陈述理由；

  （3） 你对你妈妈的承诺。

【写作要求】

    1. 作文中可以使用亲身经历或虚构的故事，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接

       引用原文中的句子。

    2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。

【评分标准】

    概括准确，语言规范，内容合适，语篇连贯。

读写任务（共1小题，满分25分）
阅读下面的书信，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
Dear David,
I am writing you this email because you’re so busy every day with your studies and after-school activities that we seldom have chances to talk face-to-face. There is something that I am very worried about.
You have always been an active boy, willing to help others and always looking for an opportunity to try something new or learn something different. I think these are wonderful qualities but I am concerned that they may be affecting your studies. In the past three months alone you have joined at least four different student clubs. I see these activities taking up more and more of your time. You’re always discussing something with your classmates or surfing online. You’re also devoting less time to homework and even your teachers say you are looking very sleepy in class.
I know that these kinds of activities are fun and can help your development, but I think they have started to damage your performance at school. Please remember the most important thing at this stage of your life is your studies. Right now you should do your best in your examinations as it will give you more choices is your future. I beg you to focus on your main goal and not to throw away all your years of hard work
Your loving mother
【写作内容】
假设你是信中的David，请用英语给你妈妈写回信。以下是回信的内容（信的开头和结尾已经为你写好）：
1. 以约30词概括书信的主要内容。
2. 以约120词谈谈你对参加学校社团或俱乐部活动的看法，内容包括：
（1）你读信后的感受；
（2）你是否赞成你妈妈的观点，并陈述理由；
（3）你对你妈妈的承诺。
【写作要求】
1. 作文中可以使用亲身经历或虚构的故事，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接
引用原文中的句子。
2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。
【评分标准】
概括准确，语言规范，内容合适，语篇连贯。

The research carried out by the University of Bad in Italy could help prove hospitals who are accused of wasting money on art and decoration as it suggests a pleasant environment helps patients ease discomfort and pain.

     A team headed by Professor Marina de Tommaso at the Neurophysiopathology

Pain Unit asked a group of men and women to pick the 20 paintings they considered

most ugly and most beautiful from a selection of 300 works by artists such as

Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. They were then asked to look at either the beautiful paintings, or the ugly painting, or a blank panel while the team zapped(????) a short laser pulse at their hand, creating a sensation as if they had been stuck by a pin. The subjects rated the pain as being a third less intense while they were

viewing the beautiful paintings, compared with when looking at the ugly paintings

or the blank panel. Electrodes measuring the brain's electrical activity also confirmed a reduced resoonse to the pain when the subject looked at beautiful paintings.

      While distractions, such as music, are known to reduce pain in hospital patients,Prof de Tommaso says this is the first result to show that beauty plays a part.

      The findings, reported in New Scientist, also go a long way to show that

beaufiful surroundings could aid the healing process.

      "Hospitals have been designed to be functional, but we think that their artistic aspects should be taken into account too," said the neurologist."Beauty boyiously offers a distraction that ugly paintings do not. But at least there is no suggestion that ugly surroundings make the pain worse. I think these results show that more research is needed into the field how a beautiful environment can alleviate suffering."

      Pictures they liked included Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and Botticellis Birth of Venus. Pictures they found ugly included works by pablo Picasso, the Italian 20th century artist Anonio Bueno and Columbian Fernando Botero." These people were not art experts so some of the pictures they found ugly would be considered masterpieces by the art world," said Prof de Tommaso.

1.The underlined word "alleviate" in the fifth paragraph probably means"______".

    A.cure                 B.ease             C.improve             D.kill

2.How many artists have been mentioned in the passage?                     

    A. 4.                  B. 5.              C. 6.                 D. 7.

3. Which of the following is TURE about the view of Prof de Tommaso's?

   A. Beautiful surroundings could help to heal sufferings completely.

   B. Hospitals must take their artistic aspects into consideration first.

   C. Ugly surroundings will surely make the pain worse.

   D. Both music and beauty can reduce pain in hospital patients.

4.From the last paragraph, we know that_______.

   A. some artists' paintings were beautiful, so they were masterpieces

   B. only art experts could judge they were masterpieces or not, though ugly

   C. the artists mentioned above were not really art masters.          

   D. some of them were art masters, while others were not.

5.Which of the following is the suitable title for the passage?

   A. Beautiful surroundings can ease pain.              

   B. Ugly paintings could be masterpieces.

   C. More research should be done in he field.             

   D. Latest environmental research.

The research carried out by the University of Bari in Italy could help prove hospitals who are accused of wasting money on art and decoration as it suggests a pleasant environment helps patients ease discomfort and pain.

A team headed by Professor Marina de Tommaso at the Neurophysiopathology Pain Unit asked a group of men and women to pick the 20 paintings they considered most ugly and most beautiful from a selection of 300 works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. They were then asked to look at either the beautiful paintings, or the ugly painting, or a blank panel while the team zapped(照射) a short laser pulse at their hand, creating a sensation as if they had been stuck by a pin. The subjects rated the pain as being a third less intense while they were viewing the beautiful paintings, compared with when looking at the ugly paintings or the blank panel. Electrodes measuring the brain's electrical activity also confirmed a reduced response to the pain when the subject looked at beautiful paintings.

While distractions, such as music, are known to reduce pain in hospital patients, Prof de Tommaso says this is the first result to show that beauty plays a part.

The findings, reported in New Scientist, also go a long way to show that beautiful surroundings could aid the healing process.

"Hospitals have been designed to be functional, but we think that their artistic aspects should be taken into account too," said the neurologist. "Beauty obviously offers a distraction that ugly paintings do not. But at least there is no suggestion that ugly surroundings make the pain worse. " "I think these results show that more research is needed into the field how a beautiful environment can alleviate suffering."

Pictures they liked included Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Pictures they found ugly included works by Pablo Picasso, the Italian 20th century artist Anonio Bueno and Columbian Fernando Botero. "These people were not art experts so some of the pictures they found ugly would be considered masterpieces by the art world," said Prof de Tommaso.

1.The underlined word “alleviate” in the fifth paragraph probably means “_________”.

A. cure                B. ease                         C. improve              D. kill

2.How many artists have been mentioned in the passage?

  A. 4.                     B. 5.                              C. 6.                                       D. 7.

3.Which of the following is TURE about the view of Prof de Tommaso’s?

  A. Beautiful surroundings could help to heal sufferings completely .

  B. Hospitals must take their artistic aspects into consideration first.

  C. Ugly surroundings will surely make the pain worse.

D. Both music and beauty can reduce pain in hospital patients.

4.Which of the following is the suitable title for the passage?

  A. Beautiful surroundings can ease pain.             

B. Ugly paintings could be masterpieces.

  C. More research should be done in the field.          

D. Latest environmental research.