黃連英

After a long winter， the arrival of spring can be a welcome relief. The days grow longer， the temperatures increase， and the natural world around us comes to life again. But when the seasons change， our sleep patterns change with them.

New research suggests that humans may need more sleep in the winter than they do in the summer. A German study found that participants slept an hour longer in December than in June， regardless of their exposure to light. “Our study shows that even while living in an urban environment， with just artificial light， humans experience seasonal sleep，” says Dieter Kunz， one of the studys leaders. The study found that the participants experienced seasonal variations in their rapid eye movement sleep， also known as REM sleep， as well as in their slow wave sleep， also known as deep sleep. REM sleep， which is when we dream and our heart rate increases， was 30 minutes longer in the winter than during the summer. Slow wave sleep， which is when our muscles are repaired， our immune system is strengthened and our memory is consolidated， was 30 minutes shorter in September than in February.

But why do our bodies and brains need more rest at certain times of year？ The answer could lie in our evolutionary past. Thats according to Neil Stanley， whos a sleep expert at Sleep Station， an online provider of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia. “We have evolved to dark-light cycles， so when we wake up on a winters morning and its dark， our brain is going ‘I cant do anything… theres no point leaping out of bed.” Particularly in summer， temperature also plays a role—our bodies require a skin temperature of between 31-35 degrees centigrade [Celsius] for a good nights sleep， but this can be harder to regulate during the warmer months.

Of course， nowadays， it is our school and work times—not the Sun—that determine when we get up in the morning. But， as autumn approaches， it seems we now have a good excuse for an early night.

（材料來自ChinaDaily網(wǎng)站，有刪改）

1. Whats the function of the first paragraph？

A. To introduce the topic of the passage.

B. To tell us the authors opinion.

C. To give background information.

D. To stress the seasonal changes.

2. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 2？

A. The process of the study.

B. The design of the study.

C. The significance of the study.

D. The findings of the study.

3. Which of the following may happen during a REM sleep？

A. Our immune system is strengthened.

B. Our memory is consolidated.

C. Our heart rate increases.

D. We wont have any dream.

4. What does the underlined word “regulate” in the last second paragraph mean？

A. Adapt to.B. Take control of.

C. Make a choice. D. Fall asleep.

1. A。解析：推理判斷題。材料第一段提到，隨著春天的到來，白天越來越長，氣溫越來越高，我們周圍的自然世界再次活躍起來，而季節(jié)變換時，我們的睡眠模式也隨之改變。由此引出話題——季節(jié)變化如何影響我們的睡眠？故選A。

2. D。解析：推理判斷題。材料第二段的第一句是這一段的主題句，直接指明了新的研究結(jié)果，即“相比夏天，人類在冬天可能需要更多的睡眠”。下文則詳細(xì)介紹了德國的一項研究。故選D。

3. C。解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)材料第二段第五句“REM sleep， which is when we dream and our heart rate increases， was 30 minutes longer in the winter than during the summer.”，我們可知，REM睡眠通常伴隨著做夢和心率加快的表現(xiàn)。故選C。

4. B。解析：詞義猜測題。材料倒數(shù)第二段中畫線詞所在句子的大意為“特別是在夏天，溫度也起到了一定的作用——皮膚溫度保持在31到35攝氏度之間時，我們才能睡個好覺，但是在溫暖的月份，這就很難控制了”，由此可知，“regulate”應(yīng)有“控制”之意。故選B。