Question

Most people will tell you that they can’t work without a cup of coffee in the morning. Research has shown that a cup of coffee does give a person slight excitement.

Legend said that Kaldi, an Ethiopian, found his goats happier while enjoying coffee plants. Curiously, he tasted the leaves and began to dance around. Whether the Legend was true or not, the discovery of coffee dates back to 800A. D. Soon Arabians were roasting coffee beans. Muslims were drinking coffee to stay awake by 1000 A.D. A merchant from Venice introduced coffee to Europe in 1615. By 1696, the Dutch started growing the coffee bush in Java. By 1723, coffee plants were introduced to the Americans. Today, coffee is the most popular drink in the world.

Caffeine is the major chemical in coffee. It blocks(阻止) adenosine, a chemical that makes you sleepy. People can get a pick-me-up or stimulation(刺激) from the drink. The stimulation does not last long. Caffeine poisoning can occur if more than 400 milligrams of caffeine is drunk in a short period, which is about four to five cups of coffee. Caffeine will also cause sleep difficulty, so it should not be drunk before bed.

Caffeine has many advantages. Studies have shown that it helps improve some skills in elderly women. Women who drank three cups of coffee daily scored higher on memory tests than women who drank one cup of coffee. According to newser.com, one cup of coffee a day protects the brain. Coffee also can help people keep away from many diseases according to webmd.com.

Large amounts of coffee can cause nervousness, worries and a fast heartbeat. However, if you mix coffee with milk, it’s fine. Caffeine can be addictive like any drug. The more you drink, the more you depend on it. For some people, just one cup of coffee a day is OK.

1.Who found the most popular drink in the world according to the Legend?

A. An Ethiopian. B. Arabians. C. Muslims. D. The Dutch.

2.When was the coffee introduced to Europe?

A. In the 1710s. B. In the 1610s. C. In the 1690s. D. In the 1720s.

3.From the third paragraph we can learn ___________.

A. caffeine can make people sleepy

B. adenosine can make people awake

C. about four to five cups of coffee will cause sleep difficulty

D. coffee is considered harmful if it is taken in a large amount

4.The fourth paragraph mainly tells us ___________.

A. the importance of coffee B. the good effects of coffee

C. the bad effects of coffee D. the development of coffee

5.If you like drinking coffee, you had better_______.

A. drink it before bed B. give up this bad habit

C. drink one cup of coffee a day D. drink more coffee than milk

 

Answer 1

1.A

2.B

3.D

4.B

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文主要介绍了人们喜欢的咖啡。据说咖啡是一个埃塞俄比亚人发现的，在1615年威尼斯的商人把它传到了欧洲。咖啡有许多的优点，但大量饮用却对人体有害。

1.二段Legend said that Kaldi, an Ethiopian, found his goats happier while enjoying coffee plants. Curiously, he tasted the leaves and began to dance around描述可知是Kaldi，一个埃塞俄比亚人发现了咖啡这种饮料的作用，故选A

2.A merchant from Venice introduced coffee to Europe in 1615. 1615年来自威尼斯的商人将咖啡介绍到欧洲，故选B。

3.归纳总结题。根据第三段描述咖啡因是咖啡中的主要化学物质，它会让人昏昏欲睡，如果过量食用会中毒，咖啡因还会造成睡眠困难。即过量饮用咖啡是有害的，故选D。

4.归纳理解题。根据第四段的主题句Caffeine has many advantages.故选B。

5.细节理解题。根据最后一段For some people, just one cup of coffee a day is OK.描述，可知一天一杯咖啡就正好。故选C

考点：科普类短文阅读。