(一)
The Internet is making the world smaller and changing every aspect of our lives. The impact of this, in my opinion, will be strongly felt in the field of education. There are three reasons for this.
First, the Internet provides equal opportunities for all students, as long as they can get access to it. In the traditional form of education, students who get higher marks in examines may enter a good school, and those who do not, have to enter a relatively less good one. With the Internet, every student is provided with access to the same educational materials, so they have equal opportunities to improve themselves. In that case, the general quality of education will be highly improved in our country.
Second, the Internet poses a challenge to teachers. Traditionally, teachers have controlled education. With the Internet, a student may choose any teacher’s instruction as he wishes. Faced with this, a teacher is likely to try his best to improve his instruction and this will in turn improve the educational quality of our country. Last but not least, the Internet makes education more convenient for students. A student can learn at any time he likes and, at the same time, he can save the money spent on tuition and board. All of these may lead to a revolution in education.
It is true that the Internet may still remain out of the reach of some people and maybe less amicable than human teachers. But the point is that, the Internet is sure to accelerate the development of education in our country.
（二）
Looking ahead to 2010, it appears, in money matters, impossible to provide 85,000 new students with classrooms at public four-year universities. Fortunately, such an approach is not necessary. In fact, it’s not even proper.
Several forces are riding to the rescue. The two most important are distance learning and community and technical colleges. These will not remove completely the traditional setting where bachelor’s and graduate degrees are earned. But they will be able to handle much of the growth in the number of the students admitted and the demand for higher education.
“When faced with a problem created by technology, bring more technology into operation,” a late reporter declared. High education seems to be an example. New learning technology is a determining tool in teaching new technical skills.
William Richardson, president of Johns Hopkins University, praised “Western Governors’ University” --- a virtual institution that uses the Internet and other information technology to overcome the vast distances of the West and reach people with education. “Just as the extremely controlled high school of old was perfect in training for a production-line work force, so today’s college is equally proper as a setting for a society whose members must a cquire and manage knowledge from a wide variety of sources,” he notes.
Eastern Washington has long been a leader in this movement. For the past decade, Spokane’s Education Service District 101 has brought the best teachers to country classrooms through satellite uplink. Washington State University (WSU) president Sam Smith reports that, during the same period, WSU managed a one-third increase in students with only 2% more faculty (e.g. teachers and workers)
The other cost-effective method is dependence on community and technical colleges. Here, Washington state has an edge. Its public two-year colleges provide the widest coverage in the nation. Jean Floten, president of Bellevue community College, notes the system served 425,000 adult students last year, a tenth of the state’s adult population. Almost half were there for job hunting while 40% for learning preparation.
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other becomes unhappy. This arises from different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things. The pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine, the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, hurt many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere.If this turn of mind were founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Though in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people hurt many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draw them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrong doings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their
（四）
Every country has its heroes. The heroes are the people, the nation, especially the young people admire. If you get a list of the heroes of a nation, it will tell you the potential of that nation.
If today in America, you ask the high school students their heroes, their choice would probably fall into three groups. The first group of heroes would be the rock stars the people connected with rock music. There is no doubt that such people do have talent but one wonders if one should hold up rock stars as a model. The rock stars too often are involved with drugs and their personal life is not all that good. The rock stars are rich and wear the latest fashion styles. However, one should seek more in a hero than such things as money and good clothes.
A second group of hero for the American youth is the sports star. Again you have a person who has a great ability in one area—sports. However, too often the personal life of the sports star is a bit of disorder. Too frequently drugs and drinking are a part of the sports star.
A third type of hero is the TV or movie star. This person may have lots of acting talent and is quite handsome. However, the personal life of too many actors is quite sad and they should not be held up as a model for young people.
Today, the rock star, the athlete, and the actors all have become the models of the youth in America. Really, do you hear a young person say that his hero is a doctor, a teacher, or a scientist? these people are not rich and do not wear fashionable clothes. However, they are talented people who work hard to make the world a better place for everyone.
What is really sad is that the young people try to imitate their heroes. They like to wear the same clothes and follow their styles. If the heroes of today for the American Youngsters are limited only to rock stars, athletes and actors, the future does not look too bright.
Keys :
One:
1. education
2. Reasons
3. offered/given
4. access
5. challenging
6. attract
7.quality
8. convenience
9. accessible
10. develop/advance/improve
Two:
1.enough
2. Causes
3. lack
4. increasing
5. higher
6. solve
7. Internet
8. community
9. trained/studying 10. technology Three:
1.Similarities
2.Paying
3. inconvenience
4. unhappy
5. Founding
6. imitating
7.forming
8. pleasure
9. objections 10. worry
Four:
1. admiration/respect
2. American
3. music
4. actors
5. handsome
6. athletes
7. ability
8.talent
9. drugs 10. contributions
高三英语阅读练习 Few people need to be told not to overspend on credit or debit cards or to curb impulse shopping. You know you shouldn’t, even if you always do. What you need are solutions. Whatever your problems with money, you can change—but it’s going to take work. After all, you’re trying to break lifelong patterns. Start with these strategies. Strategy 1 A lot of people set themselves up for failure because t hey have a mindset of either indulgence (放纵) or deprivation (克制). If you try to deprive yourself of too much, where you spend almost nothing, then you end up giving up, and you indulge, and then you overspend. So if you have an unrealistic plan, you’re prob lose control. Good habits happen when planned; bad habits happen on their own. Strategy 2 Changing your mindset is effective in solving the problem. Take Smith-Acuna for example. She says she had a couple in therapy who constantly quarreled about . They would always argue about how what she feels has become a monetary cliché much money they were spending at Starbucks. The wife loved capping off each workday with a drink. Ultimately, the wife ended up quitting her Starbucks habit. Instead of replacing her drink with nothing, she got something else, something free, in return. Strategy 3 ood start if you switch from paying for merchandise and services with a It’s a g easy when you’re using plastic to debit or credit card to paying with cash. It’s mindlessly swipe and fall into a pattern of not thinking or noticing how much you actually spending. You can divide up your money and put it into envelopes, marking down on the envelopes what each pile of money is for. That can make it easier to see where your money is going. Strategy 4 Get a receipt for every purchase. Breaking up your expenses into categories like food, clothing, housing, medical care and so on, but also labeling each expense as a need or a want. Be realistic as to what is really necessary. A need is something where credit. At the you would die or go to jail if you didn’t spend the money or ruin your end of the month, total up all the categories. Do this, and you’ll be more educated about how much money you actually have, and how much you have left over for fun stuff. Strategy 5 There is probably a reason you developed bad habits, which are often adopted on the road easier traveled. So if you’re suddenly balancing your bank accoun day, or you’re regularly putting money into an emergency fund, plan to give yourself some sort of prize for the past two weeks. You’ve been saving money or spending it more wisely, so you can probably afford it.
As a young man, A1 was a skilled artist, a potter. He had a wife and two fine sons. One night, his older son developed a severe stomachache. Thinking it was only some common intestinal disorder, neither A1 nor his wife took the condition very seriously. But the malady was actually acute appendicitis and the boy died suddenly that night. Knowing the death could have been prevented if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, A1‘s emotional health deteriorated under the enormous burden of his guilt. To make matters worse his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his 6-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were more than A1 could handle, and he turned to alcohol to help him cope. In time A1 became an alcoholic. As the alcoholism progressed, A1 began to lose everything he possessed – his home, his land, his art objects, everything. Eventually A1 died alone in a San Francisco motel room. When I heart of A1‘s death, I reacted with the same disdain the world sh ows for one who ends his life with nothing material to show for it. ―What a complete failure!‖ I thought. ―what a totally wasted life!‖ As time went by, I began to re-evaluate my earlier harsh judgment. You see, I knew A1‘s now adult son, Ernie. He is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have ever known. I watched Ernie with his children and saw the free flow of love between them. I knew that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere. I hadn‘t heard Ernie talk much about his father. It is so hard to defend an alcoholic. One day I worked up my courage to ask him. ―I‘m really puzzled by soothing‖, I said. ―I know your father was basically the only one to raise you. What on earth did he do that you became such a special person?‖ Ernie sat qu ietly and reflected for a few moments. Then he said, ―From my earliest memories as a child until I left home at 18, A1 came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, ?I love you, son.‘‖ Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to judge A1 as a failure. He had not left any material possession behind. But he had been a kind loving father, and he left one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known. 1. Al's elder son probably died of acute appendicitis due to ________ according to this passage. A. lack of care and nutrition B. the couple's carelessness C. serious stomachache D. too much alcohol 2. What can we know from the second paragraph? A. Given more attention, the boy could be saved. B. Al eventually became an alcoholic without any reason. C. Al's wife was also dead because of her elder son's death. D. The boy's death couldn't be avoided even if he was given more attention. 3. How did the writer evaluate Al's son, Ernie in this passage? A. Kind. B. Caring. C. Loving. D. All above. 4. The purpose of writing this passage for the writer is to show ________. A. we should reevaluate Al's meaning of life B. love is the best heritage in our life C. Ernie is a kind, caring and loving son D. Al's death is a totally wasted life as well
2015中考任务型阅读专练 (A)阅读短文，根据其内容回答问题。 A forest fire that burned 55 square kilometers was finally brought under control on Wednesday morning. The fire started on Sunday in Black Bear State Park and quickly spread to nearby areas. On Monday, police evacuated(疏散) the small town of Lawson and ordered the people to leave their homes. The fire destroyed 20 homes in the area and caused heavy damage to 40 others. Nobody was hurt. Officials said the damage to homes and cars was between $l million and $2 million. The government declared (宣布) the town a disaster (灾难) area. The fire spread quickly in the hot, dry weather. Fire fighting was difficult because of strong winds. Firemen from 55 fire departments in the state joined the National Fire Service to put out the fire. Some kept fighting for 24 hours. Fire engines and helicopters(直升飞机)dropped water onto the fire. In order to control the fire, firemen cleared a way around the fire. Police closed King Road to traffic on Tuesday because of heavy smoke. Thousands of tourists had to drive an hour north to Queen Road to pass the fire area. Some people did not follow the police order. Paul Grayson sent his wife and two children to safety, but he stayed. As the fire came within 50 feet of his house, he started thinking, “Am I foolish? Did I stay here too long, just for a house?” 1. When and where did the forest fire start? 2. What did the police order the people to do? 3 Why was fire fighting difficult? 4. How did the firemen drop water onto the fire? 5.What kind of person do you think Paul Grayson was?
任务型阅读专项练习和答案 一、英语任务型阅读 1．阅读信息，为每段选择恰当的标题。 Here is a page from a magazine named Future. Read the following information about things that may happen in the future. ________⑴Cars will run on solar power（太阳能）or electricity and will be much cleaner. They will be much safer. For example, if you are too close to another car or if you are driving dangerously, your car will slow down by itself. ________⑵Because there won't be any spare land, new cities will have to be built in the sea. Some cities on water will have two levels. People will live on the upper level, and the lower level will be used for traffic, shops and factories. ________⑶Biotechnology will make food better and healthier. Plants that are not affected by insects or illnesses will be developed. The taste of fruits and vegetables will be better and food will be kept longer. ________⑷New technology will be used to make TVs that are only 5cm thick. They will have pictures that are as clear as photos. Electrical appliances will be quieter and will be controlled by computer. They will also use 50% less power. ________⑸Many new ways to cure illnesses will be successful by using products of genetic engineering （基因产品）. Cures will be found for the flu and the common cold. However, some new illnesses will appear. 【解析】【分析】文章大意：介绍了未来社会在能源交通，城市建设，生物技术以及医药方面的一些变化。 A. Better and healthier food will be developed with the help of biotechnology. 在生物技术的帮助下，将开发出更好、更健康的食品。 B. TVs made by new technology are not only 5cm thick but also as clear as photos. 新技术生产的电视机不仅有5厘米厚，而且像照片一样清晰。 C. Cars will be much cleaner and safer if they run on solar power or electricity. 如果汽车使用太阳能或电力，将会更加清洁和安全。 D. Some new illnesses will appear though many new ways to cure illnesses will be successful. 一些新的疾病将会出现，尽管许多治疗疾病的新方法将会成功。 E. The future cities will be built in the sea because of less land. 未来的城市将建在海里，因为陆地较少。 （1）根据文中语句Cars will run on solar power（太阳能）or electricity and will be much cleaner. 提示可知，此段讲述的是新能源汽车的优点，故选C。
2016高考英语任务型阅读答题技巧 任务型阅读是高考英语试题中第二卷中的一种题型，分值为10分。本题型在测试考生阅读理解能力的基础上，侧重考查考生的单词拼写、词性转换、句式转换、段落归纳等综合能力。高考任务型阅读近三年文章体裁以议论文和说明文为主，词数在400~550之间。高考成绩的统计数据表明在这一项上，考生普遍失分较多。高考英语任务型阅读是英语阅读理解和完形填空的结合体，在掌握篇章表层含义的基础之上，还要求对文章结构框架的把握。考生不但要具备基本的英语词汇知识，而且要能够依据上下文的内容，运用逻辑判断，正确填出任务型阅读中的空白处。因而，任务型阅读对考生的英语阅读和对英语学科的感悟能力要求较高。也就是说，任务型阅读不仅检查考生的词、句、篇的掌握，而且涉及考生综合运用英语语法的能力。所以说，这种题型是比较全面的考查。学生在平时的学习过程中，要关注词汇的使用，领悟篇章的内部结构，同时还要注意词的搭配和语用知识。 一、任务型阅读题型的考查角度 1、单词的大小写（信息筛选题） 考生往往从文中便可直接找到答案，无需进行词性和词形的转化。但是如果没有根据英文首字母要大写的要求，或在特殊的上下文中。忽略字母的大小写，便无法得到本应该拿到的分数。 2、词性的变化（整合转换题） 要依据特定的语境结合文中涉及的词语，灵活地转变词性。比如：动词转变为形容词，形容词转变为名词，等等。 3、词形的转化（整合转换题） 主要依据任务型阅读提供的特殊框架，来敲定词语的各种形式。例如：文中过去式需要在题目中使用现在时，同时还要注意人称和数的变化。 4、近义词与反义词的转化（整合转换题） 根据任务型阅读题型中提供的已有信息，尽管文中也能发现相关的词语，却没能依据特定的语境进行必要的词语的转
美文阅读 1：生命的旅程
Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special. Do not set your goals by what other people think important. Only you know what is best for you. Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless. Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all of the days of your life. Do not give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other. Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love. The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly. In addition, the best way to keep love is to give it wings. Do not dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope. To be without hope is to be without purpose. Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
人生的旅程 不要跟人攀比而妄自菲薄，我们的独特之处正在于与众不同。 不要按别人的 标准设定目标，只有你自己才明白什么最合适。 不要对内心深处的东西漠然视之，对待它们要 像性命一样看重，没有它们生活就没有意义。 不要沉迷往事或者只在意将来而让生命从指缝间 流失。生活要一天天度过，生命的每一天才过充实。 只要还能给予就不要轻易放弃。除非你停 止努力，一切都没有真正终结。靠着脆弱的联系我们才聚在一起。 不怕遭遇风险，正是通过承 担风险我们学会了勇敢。 不要说爱情难觅而拘之门外，得到爱情的最快是奉献爱。失去爱的最 快方法是抓得太紧。 守护爱的最佳方式是给它装上翅膀。 不要摒弃梦想， 没有梦想就没有希望，
没有希望就没有目标。 不要匆匆忙忙过生活，忘记了曾经抵达何处，又举步何处。生活不是一 场赛跑，而是一次时时驻足观赏的旅行
美文阅读 2 ：永远的朋友
"A friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out." A Forever Friend Sometimes in life, you find a special friend: someone who changes your life just by being part of it; someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop; someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world; someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it. This is forever friendship. When you're down, and the world seems dark and empty, your forever friend lifts you up in spirits and makes that dark and empty world suddenly seem bright and full. Your forever friend gets you through the hard times, the sad times, and the confused times. If you turn and walk away, your forever friend follows. If you lose your way, your forever friend guides you and cheers you on. Your forever friend holds your hand and tells you that everything is going to be okay. And if you find such a friend, you feel happy and complete. Because you need not worry, you have a forever friend for life, and forever has no end.
“别人都走开的时候，朋友仍与你在一起。” 永远的朋友 有时候在生活中，你会找到一个 特别的朋友：他只是你生活中的一部分内容，却能改变你整个的生活；他会把你逗得开怀大笑； 他会让你相信人间有真情；他会让你确信，真的有一扇不加锁的门，在等待着你去开启。 这就 是永远的友谊。 当你失意，当世界变得黯淡与空虚，你真正的朋友会让你振作起来，原本黯淡、 空虚的世界顿时变得明亮和充实。你真正的朋友会与你一同度过困难、伤心和烦恼的时刻。 你 转身走开时，真正的朋友会紧紧相随。你迷失方向时，真正的朋友会引导你、鼓励你。真正的 朋友会握着你的手，告诉你一切都会好起来的。如果你找到了这样的朋友，你会快乐，觉得人 生完整。因为你无需再忧虑。 你拥有了一个真正的朋友， 永永远远，永无止境。
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外研社初一（下）任务型阅读理解专项练习 一 A few years ago, an Englishman __(1)____（call）Roy Jones went on holiday to a small seaside town in the west of England. He swam in the sea one day. But when he opened his mouth, his false teeth were in the sea water and he _______( can not find) them. The next year, Mr. Jones returned to the same town on holiday. One day he drank coffee in a coffee shop;he told the story of his lost teeth to the manager. The manager looked very surprised. He said that he found a set of false teeth on the beach last month. Then he asked Roy Jones to try it on. “OK”, said Mr. Jones. “I think it may be mine.” When Mr. Jones put the false teeth into his mouth.He was happy. They were really his lost false teeth. 1. 在(1)(2)处用所给词的适当形式填空. (1) (2) 2.在短文中找出went back 的同义词。________________ 3.Where did Mr.Jones lose his false teeth? _____________________________ 4.Who found his false teeth? _________________________ 5.Which is the best title of the passage? ______ A. A coffee shop B.A good holiday C. A set of false teath D. It may be yours 二 One afternoon Mrs.Green’s husband wanted to catch the 3:30 flight to London to have (1) important meeting. She was very surprised when he telephoned her at 5 o’clock and said that he was still at the airport. “What happened to you?”asked Mrs Green. “Well,” said Mr. Green, “Everything was going fine. I got my ticket, checked my luggage and waited (2)( 排队) at the gate. I walked across the runway to the airplane and I saw my friend Jack Scott, who was an airplane engineer. I shouted to him and a policeman caught me.” “Why did he catch you?” “I don’t know(3),”said Mr.Green, “As soon as he heard my shout, he ran towards me and caught me.”“What did you shout to your friend?” “All I said was ‘Hi, Jack’.(4) You know that’s the usual way we say hello to our friends.” “But you don’t know the sentence ‘Hi,Jack’ also means to take control of a plane by force(武力).” 1. 在(1)处填上适当的冠词:_________ 2.根据括号的汉语提示在(2)处写出单词或短语:_________ 3.对(3)部分进行改写,并保持句意不变。 I_____ ______ _____. 4.根据文章的内容判断正(T)误(F)。 () Mr. Green would take control of a plane by force. 5.请把(4)翻译成汉语.__________________________________ 三 My name is Daisy. Let me tell you something about my family. I live w______ my mother and father in a flat. The flat is on the fifth floor of a tall building. There are 14 f______ and a parking garage(车库) in the basement(地下室). My father parks his car there. Our flat is not in the center of the city. It is 2 miles from the center. My father works in the city, so he goes to work by bus every day. He doesn’t drive his car. He uses his car only on weekends. He takes us to the country or to the beach. Our flat has three bedrooms. There is a bedroom for my mother and father, one for me and one for my brother. There is a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. 我们没有花园，但有一个小阳台。There are some plants on the balcony. In summer we often sit out on the balcony because it gets very hot inside the flat. Our flat is small, but we are very happy in it.
完形填空3 My mother's dream of becoming a teacher was interrupted by an unexpected child：her own.__1__ my mother left the fields of__2__formally，she did not leave it entirely. On the first day of kindergarten，I__3__my lunch box，inside of which I found a note from my mother written on a__4__，saying that she loved me，that she was__5__of me and that I was the__6__kindergartener in the world! Because of that napkin note I made it through my first day of kindergarten and many more school days to__7__. There have been many napkin notes since the first one.There were napkin notes in elementary school when I was__8__with math，telling me to“Hang in there.You can do it！”There were napkin notes in high school，__9__my basketball team was the first team in our school's__10__ to play in a state championship，telling me，“There is no ‘I' in a team.You have got this__11__because you know how to__12__.”And there were even napkin notes which were__13__to me in college and graduate school，far away from my mother's__14__touch.Despite the changes of colleges，majors，boyfriends，and the ways I looked at the world，my mother's encouragement，support and teachings__15__in years of love and napkin notes. At Christmas this year，my forty-year-old mother was__16__going back to school to earn her degree in teaching.I also gave her a Christmas gift for school：a lunch bag filled with her favorite foods.__17__she opened up her“You can do it！”napkin note__18__me，tears began running down her face.When her eyes met mine，I knew that she__19__my unspoken message：My mother is，and has always been，a(n)__20__. 从我上幼儿园的第一天起，妈妈不断给我写便条，给我鼓励和支持，是妈妈爱的便条，帮我克服了一个又一个困难。 1．A.Now that B．Even though C．As if D．Ever since 2．A.art B．science C．education D．agriculture 3．A.carried B．closed C．moved D．opened 4．A.towel B．handkerchief C．napkin D．cloth 5．A.proud B．afraid
江苏高中英语任务型阅读5篇 一．Ⅲ.任务型阅读 (2014·淮安调研)You say you want to be alone? Think again. Researchers have found that older people with fewer human contacts are more likely to die — even if they're happy in their isolation (孤立状态) — than people with richer social lives. The study adds to the debate over whether loneliness, social isolation, or some combination of the two leads to higher death rate. Social isolation is an objective condition in which people have little communication with others. Loneliness, on the other hand, is an emotional state felt by people who are dissatisfied with their social connections. To find out the effects of being alone versus (比对) just feeling lonely, Steptoe of University College London and his colleagues examined data from 6,500 Britons aged 50 and up who had filled out questionnaires evaluating their levels of loneliness. The most socially isolated subjects had a 26% greater risk of dying, even when sex, age, and other factors linked to survival were taken into account, the researchers report online today. They then made changes about their model to determine whether the connection to death was due to the fact that isolated people are often lonely. It wasn't. The researchers then explored the connection between loneliness itself and death. Intense loneliness also appeared to raise the risk of death by 26% —until the team took into account a host of other factors linked to survival, including wealth, education, and the presence of health problems. Once their impact had been explained, the scientists discovered that loneliness on its own didn't make people more vulnerable (脆弱的) to death. The researchers suspect that older people who have few social ties may not be getting the care they need. No one is urging them to eat right or take their medicine, and in a crisis no one is there to help. Other researchers praise the new work as rigorous (严密的) and well-controlled. But they say it's far from clear that social isolation, not loneliness, is always the real cause of increased death rate. Other studies, including an analysis of older Americans led by John Cacioppo, a psychology professor at the University of Chicago in Illinois, have shown a link between loneliness and a higher death rate. Cacioppo suspects that the disagreement between his study and the new research could lie with cultural differences between Steptoe's British subjects and Americans, and that Britons and Americans may define friends differently, too. Health psychologist Bert Uchino of the University of Utah praises the new study, but he says that researchers are still far from understanding how those two factors affect one another and other health-related behaviors.