学位英语

The placebo effect

Placebo is a Latin word. It means “I shall please”. And sometimes it just might. When scientists want to test a new drug, they usually divide a large number of people __1__ two groups. One group takes the medicine, the other takes a substance __2__ as a placebo. It may contain nothing more than sugar. The people do not know which pill they are taking, the active one or the inactive one. In this kind of experiment, the medicine must perform __3__ than the placebo to prove it is effective.

Yet, people who take a placebo, sometimes experience improvements in their health. This is known as “the placebo effect”—the effect of something __4__ is not supposed to have any effect.

Some doctors even use the placebo effect in their treatments. They might tell patients that a new drug will stop their pain. The patient does not know that the pills are __5__. The patient __6__ the pills and later tells the doctor that the pain is gone.

Now research in Sweden suggests that placebo treatments can also __7__ the emotional effects of unpleasant experiences. The effects in the brain were similar to those seem when placebos have been used to ease pain. The researchers say that in both cases expectations of improvement are a major __8__ on the effectiveness of placebos. The new study involved a group of people who looked at unpleasant pictures, __9__ images of dead bodies. Predrag Petrovic of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm led the study. The findings appeared in the publication Neuron.

An influential study on placebos appeared in 1955. It said treatment with a placebo __10__ patients feel better 35% of the time. But in 2001, Danish researchers reported that they had examined more than 100 studies. They found __11__ evidence of healing as a result of placebos.

Some researchers think a good relationship between a doctor and patients can increase the effectiveness of real medicines. In any case, some medical researchers are against the use of __12__. They think it is __13__ to give some people inactive substances when testing new medicines. They say it would be better to __14__ new drugs with existing drugs. That way, a study would show __15__ the new drug is more effective.

1. A. in B. to C. into D. for

2. A. named B. called C. referred D. known

3. A. better B. worse C. more weakly D. more slowly

4. A. which B. that C. what D. whatever

5. A. active B. inactive C. effective D. helpful

6. A. gets B.buys C. takes D. brings

7. A. reduce B.increase C. raise D. enhance

8. A.information B. inspiration C.incident D. Influence

9. A. inasmuch as B.such as C. as if D. as for

10. A. got B. made C. caused D.rendered

11. A. few B. much C. many D. little

12. A. drugs B. cures C.placebos D. medicines

13. A. wrong B. right C. sensible D. reasonable

14. A. take B. produce C.combine D. compare

15. A. if B. how C. when D. where

答案与解析：

1. 分析文章主题：the placebo(安慰剂) effect(影响， 作用，结果，实现)

文章主题词：placebo, effect

2. 直接解题：

Placebo(安慰剂) is a Latin(拉丁文的， 拉丁文) word(单词， 话语， 消息). It means(意味着) “I shall please(喜欢， 愿意， 使高兴)”. And sometimes(有时候) it just(仅仅， 公正的， 正确的) might(可能)(mean “I shall please” ).

1. A. in B. to C. into D. for

When scientists(科学家) want to test(测试) a new drug, they usually(通常) divide (分， 划分)a large number of (许多)people __1__ two groups(组， 群).

1. C. divide...into.../把...分成...

2. A. named(命名， 指定， 名字)B. called(呼叫， 命名， 打电话， 喊声， 打电话) C. referred(谈及，查阅) D. known (知道，知名的)

One group takes the medicine(吃药), the other(另一组) takes a substance(物质) __2__ as a placebo(安慰剂).

2.D.known as.../被称为...

name/call A B / 称A为B

e.g. We call/name him Tom. 我们叫他Tom.

refer to A as B 把A称为B

e.g. He referred to his sister(姐，妹) as a stupid(愚蠢的) girl(女孩).

补充：

take/use drugs/吸毒

It may contain(包含) nothing more than (仅仅)sugar(糖). The people do not know(知道) which(哪个/哪种) pill(药丸) they are taking(服用), the active(起作用的， 积极的) one (pill) or the inactive (不起作用的， 不活跃的)one.

3. A. better (更好地) B. worse (更糟糕地)

C. more weakly(虚弱地， 软弱地) D. more slowly(缓慢地)

In this kind of (这种)experiment(试验), the medicine must perform(表现，表演， 执行) __3__ than the placebo(安慰剂) to prove (证明)it is effective(有效的， 给人留下深刻印象的).

3.A. 该句说“在这种试验中，药物应该比安慰剂表现得更...，以证明自己是有效的”， 因此判断A(更好地)是答案。

Yet(然而，更), people who take a placebo, sometimes(有时) experience(经历，体验到) improvements(改进， 进步) in their health(健康).

4. A. which B. that C. what D. whatever

This is known as (被称为)“the placebo effect”—the effect(效果，作用) of something __4__ is not supposed to (应该)have any effect.

4.B. 空格所在的从句为定语从句。现行词为不定代词(something, some, any, anything, all, little, etc)时引导定语从句的连接词只能为that.

Some doctors even(甚至) use(使用) the placebo effect (安慰剂效应)in(在...的过程中) their treatments(治疗). They might tell(告诉) patients(病人) that a new drug will stop their pain(止痛).

补充：

relieve/ease pains/缓解疼痛

sharp pains/剧烈的疼痛

5. A. active (能起作用的) B. inactive

C. effective (有效的) D. helpful(有帮助的，有益的)

The patient(病人) does not know(知道) that the pills(药丸) are __5__.

5. B. 如果空格处的词义为“起作用的”， 则C和D也能出现在空格中， 因此这三个选项彼此排除掉， 答案只能为B(不起作用的)。

6. A. gets(获得，变得， 受到(惩罚)， 染上(疾病)) B.buys(购买) C. takes (拿走， 占领， 获得) D. brings(带来， 产生，引起)

The patient(病人) __6__ the pills and later(随后，以后， 以后的) tells the doctor(医生) that the pain is gone(离去的，死去的).

6. C。 根据上文内容和空格处的搭配(...the pills)判断C(服用)是答案。

7. A. reduce(减少) B.increase(增加)

C. raise (提高， 侍养， 筹集) D. enhance(提高，增强)

Now research(研究) in Sweden(瑞典) suggests(建议， 表明) that placebo treatments can also (也)__7__ the emotional(情绪的) effects(影响) of unpleasant(令人不愉快的) experiences(经历).

7.A. C和D是近义词，这两个词不能与effect(影响)搭配使用， 因此排除C和D;空格所在的句子说“安慰剂效应也能...令人不愉快的情绪的影响” ， 借助上文内容 – 谈及安慰剂的积极作用，因此空格处应该填reduce。

The effects in the brain(在大脑中) were similar to (与...相似)those seem(好像，似乎) when(当) placebos have been used(已经被服用了) to ease(减轻, 使安心，悠闲， 不费力) pain.

8. A.information(信息， 消息) B. inspiration(灵感)

C.incident(事故) D. influence(影响)

The researchers(研究者) say(说) that in both cases(情况， 病例， 案例) expectations(期望) of improvement (改进)are a major(主要的，主修专业学生，主修) __8__ on the effectiveness(效力) of placebos.

8.D.能与介词on搭配的只有influence和information: influence on.../对...的影响; information on.../关于...的消息， 根据句意判断D(影响)是答案。

9. A. inasmuch as(因为) B.such as(例如) C. as if(好像) D. as for(至于)

The new study involved(包括， 涉及到) a group of (一群)people who looked at (看) unpleasant(令人不愉快的) pictures(图画，图片), __9__ images(图象， 肖像) of dead bodies(死尸).

9.B. 空格后出现的是名词性短语结构，因此排除A和C(都是连词性的短语结构)。空格前面说“令人不愉快的图片”，空格后是具体列举的内容， 因此B(例如)是答案。

Predrag Petrovic of the Karolinska Institute(学院， 协会) in Stockholm(斯德哥尔摩) led(领导) the study. The findings(研究发现) appeared(发表，出现) in the publication(出版物) Neuron(神经元).

An influential(有影响的) study on关于 placebos appeared发表 in 1955.

10. A. got B. made (制造， 成为， 构成， 致使)

C. caused(造成， 原因) D.rendered(给予，造成， 翻译)

It said(说，称) treatment with (用)a placebo __10__ patients(病人) feel (感觉)better 35% of the time.

10.B. 空格后出现不带to的不定式结构，因此空格处应该填made。

But in 2001, Danish(丹麦的) researchers reported(报告) that they had examined(检查， 查看， 考试) more than (...以上， 比...多)100 studies(研究).

11. A. few(很少的，很少，几乎没有) B. much(很多的， 很多)

C. many(很多的， 很多) D. little(很少， 几乎没有)

They found(发现) __11__ evidence (证据)of healing(治愈) as a result of (因为)placebos.

11. D. 空格后出现不可数名词(evidence/证据)， 因此答案只能来自B和D。 前句说“但是在2001年，丹麦的研究者查看了100多项研究，他们发现有很多?很少? 证据证明因为安慰剂而使病人痊愈。”， 这一句句意发生转折(前文中说安慰剂)还有一点作用，因此空格处应该填little(很少， 几乎没有)。

Some researchers(研究者) think (认为)a good relationship between (...之间的关系)a doctor and patients(病人) can increase(增加) the effectiveness(效力) of real(真的) medicines.

12. A. drugs B. cures(治愈，治疗) C.placebos D. medicines

In any case(无论如何), some medical researchers are against (反对)the use(使用) of __12__.

12. C. C 是文章主题词， 填入空格中句意通顺。

13. A. wrong(错误的) B. right (正确的， 健康的， 合适的)

C. sensible(明智的) D. reasonable (合理的)

They think(认为) it is __13__ to give(给) some people inactive(不起作用的) substances(物质，药物) when(当) testing(测试) new medicines.

13.A. 如果B(正确的)能填入空格中， 则C和D也能填入空格中， 因此这三个选项彼此排除掉， 答案只能选择A(错误的)。

14. A. take B. produce(生产， 引起)

C.combine(使联合) D. compare(比较， 比喻)

They say it would be better(更好的) to __14__ new drugs with existing(现有的) drugs.

14.D. D(比较)填入空格中， 句意通顺(他们说最好把新药和现存的药进行比较)。

15. A. if B. how C. when D. where

(in)That way, a study would show(显示，证明) __15__ the new drug is more effective(有效的).

15. A . A (是否)填入空格中句意通顺(那样的话，研究将证明是否这种新药更有效)。

                           

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