I. Cloze Test: for (1) to (19), choose one best answer from the box below; for (a), fill in the
blank. (20%) In 1965, 17-year-old high school student, Randy Gardner, stayed awake for 264 hours
to see how he coped without sleep. On the second day, he’s eyes stopped focusing. Next, he
lost the ability to__ (1)__ objects by touch. By day three, Gardner was moody and
uncoordinated. At the end of the experiment, he was struggling to concentrate, had trouble
with short-term memory, became paranoid, and started hallucinating. (a)
Gardner recovered without long-term psychological or physical damage, for others, losing
shuteye can result in hormonal __(2)__ , illness and, in extreme cases, death. We’re only beginning to understand why we sleep to begin with, but we do know it’s
essential. Adults need seven to eight hours a night, and adolescents need about ten. We
grow sleepy due to signals from our body telling our brain we are tired, and signals from the
environment telling us it's dark outside. The __(3)__ in sleep-inducing chemicals, like adenosine
and melatonin, send us into a light__(4)__ that grows deeper, making our breathing and heart
rate slow down and our muscles relax. This non-REM sleep is when DNA is repaired and our
bodies__ (5)__ themselves for the day ahead.
In the United States, it's estimated that 30% of adults and 66% of adolescents are
regularly sleep-deprived. This isn't just a minor__ (6)__ . Staying awake can cause serious bodily
harm. When we lose sleep, learning, memory, mood, and reaction time are
affected. Sleeplessness may also cause inflammation, hallucinations, high blood pressure, and
it's even been linked to diabetes and obesity. In 2014, a__ (7)__ soccer fan died after staying
awake for 48 hours to watch the World Cup. While his untimely death was due to a
stroke, studies show that __(8)__ sleeping fewer than six hours a night increases stroke risk by
four and half times compared to those getting a__ (9)__ seven to eight hours of shuteye. For a
handful of people on the planet who carry a rare inherited genetic mutation, sleeplessness is a
daily reality. This __(10)__ , known as Fatal Familial Insomnia, places the body in a nightmarish
state of wakefulness, forbidding it from entering the __(11)__ of sleep. Within months or
years, this__ (12)__ worsening condition leads to dementia and death.
How can sleep deprivation cause such __(13)__ suffering? Scientists think the answer lies
with the accumulation of waste products in the brain. During our waking hours, our cells are
busy using up our day's energy sources, which get broken down into various__ (14)__ , including
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adenosine. As adenosine builds up, it increases the __(15)__ to sleep, also known as sleep
pressure. In fact, caffeine works by blocking adenosine's receptor pathways. Other waste
products also build up in the brain. If they're not cleared away, they collectively overload the
brain and are thought to lead to the many negative symptoms of sleep deprivation.
So, what's happening in our brain when we sleep to prevent this? Scientists found
something called the lymphatic system, a clean-up mechanism that removes this buildup and
is much more active when we're asleep. It works by using cerebrospinal fluid to__ (16)__ away
toxic byproducts that accumulate between cells. Lymphatic vessels, which__ (17)__ as pathways
for immune cells, have recently been discovered in the brain, and they may also play a role in
clearing out the brain's daily waste products. While scientists continue exploring the
restorative __(18)__ behind sleep, we can be sure that slipping into __(19)__ is a necessity if we
want to maintain our health and our sanity.
(AB) byproducts (AC) mechanisms (AD) condition(AE) consistent (BC) chronically
(BD) devoted (BE) doze (CD) flush(CE) identify (DE) inconvenience
(ABC) imbalance(ABD) immense (ABE) replenish (BCD) rise (BCE) sanctuary
(BDE) serve (CDE) slumber (ABCD) progressively (ABCE) urge