2006年12月大学英语新六级考试试题及参考答案_第9页

Section B
Passage One
Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.
    In a purely biological sense, fear begins with the body’s system for reacting to things that can harm us- the
so-called fight-or-flight response. “An animal that can’t detect danger can’t stay alive,” says Joseph LeDoux. Like
animals, humans evolved with an elaborate mechanism for processing information about potential threats. At its core is
a cluster of neurons(神经元) deep in the brain known as the amygdala (扁桃核).
    LeDoux studies the way animals and humans respond to threats to understand how we form memories of
significant events in our lives. The amygdala receives input from many parts of the brain, including regions responsible
for retrieving memories. Using this information, the amygdala appraised a situation- I think this charging dog wants to
bite me-and triggers a response by radiating nerve signals throughout the body. These signals produce the familiar signs
of distress: trembling, perspiration and fast-moving feet, just to name three.
    This fear mechanism is critical to the survival of all animals, but no one can say for sure whether beasts other than
humans know they’re afraid. That is, as LeDoux says, “if you put that system into a brain that has consciousness, then
you get the feeling of fear.”
    Humans, says Edward M. Hallowell, have the ability to call up images of bad things that happened in the past and
to anticipate future events. Combine these higher thought processes with our hardwired danger-detection systems, and
you get a near-universal human phenomenon: worry.
    That’s not necessarily a bad thing, says Hallowell. “When used properly, worry is an incredible device,” he says.
After all, a little healthy worrying is okay if it leads to constructive action-like having a doctor look at that weird spot
on your back.
    Hallowell insists, though, that there’s a right way to worry. “Never do it alone, get the facts and then make a
plan,” he says. Most of us have survived a recession, so we’re familiar with the belt-tightening strategies needed to
survive a slump.
    Unfortunately, few of us have much experience dealing with the threat of terrorism, so it’s been difficult to get
facts about how we should respond. That’s why Hallowell believes it was okay for people to indulge some extreme
worries last fall by asking doctors for Cipro and buying gas masks.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
52. The “so-called fight-or-flight response” (Line2, Para. 1) refers to “________”.
A) the biological process in which human beings’ sense of self-defense evolves
B) the instinctive fear human beings feel when faced with potential danger
C) the act of evaluating a dangerous situation and making a quick decision
D) the elaborate mechanism in the human brain for retrieving information
53. Form the studies conducted by LcDoux we learn that __________.
A) reactions of humans and animals to dangerous situations are often unpredictable
B) memories of significant events enable people to control fear and distress
C) people’s unpleasant memories are derived from their feelings of fear
D) the amygdala plays a vital part in human and animal responses to potential danger
54.Form the passage we know that__________.
A) a little worry will do us good if handled properly    B) a little worry will enable us to survive a recession
C) fear strengthens the human desire to survive danger  D) fear helps people to anticipate certain future events
55. Which of the following is the best way to deal with your worries according to Hallowell?
A) Ask for help-from the people around you.      B) Use the belt-tightening strategies for survival.
C) Seek professional advice and take action.      D) Understand the situation and be fully prepared.
56. In Hallowell’s view, people’s reaction to the terrorist threat last fall was _________.
  A) ridiculous      B) understandable    C) over-cautious    D) sensible