How many hours did you spend reading last week? This question ___41___ (arrive) in thousands of American homes every other year since 1992 as part of the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study. In 2016, researchers found that people who identified themselves as regular book readers were 23 per cent ___42___ (little) likely to die between 2001 and 2012 than ___43___ who read only newspapers or magazines.

You may already be familiar with recent ___44___ (find) that suggest children who read books with their parents several times a week score higher ___45___ intelligent tests than nonreaders. But recent research argues that reading may be just as important in adulthood. When ___46___ (practise) over a lifetime, reading and language-acquisition skills can support ___47___ (health) brain functions in big ways.

What is it about reading books that boosts our brain power whereas reading newspapers doesn’t?

For one, reading a book (of any genre) forces your brain to think ___48___ (critical) and make connections from one chapter to another, and to the outside world, ___49___ may provide a greater defense against the worst effects or cognitive decay. Secondly, reading books, especially fiction, has been shown to increase empathy and emotional intelligence, both of which are proven ___50___ (help) you live longer.

【答案】41. has arrived

42. less 43. those

44. findings

45. on / in

46. practised

47. healthy / healthier

48. critically

49. which 50. to help