"Hey, don't read in the hallway. Your eyesight will be damaged." You must have heard such warnings many times. “Don’t read in poor light!” This is one of the common beliefs that are supposed to help us live a healthy life. Such beliefs are, however, without scientific basis(根据), according to a paper published recently in the British Medical Journal.
Do you believe in the following sayings?
Reading in poor light ruins your eyesight.
In poor light, you might blink (眨眼) more, suffer from drying and have trouble focusing. But most of eye experts believe it is unlikely to do any damage forever.
We must drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
In 1945, the Nutrition Council in US suggested that people need to drink 2.5 litres of water a day. But the water contained in food, particularly fruit and vegetables, as well as in milk, juice and soft drinks, also counts towards the total.
We only use 10 percent of our brains.
This idea appears as early as 1907. People have long argued about our power of self-improvement and our brains’ possible abilities. But X-rays show that no area of the brain is silent or inactive.
Shaving your legs causes hair to grow black faster and thicker.
This theory is also illusion. Studies say that shaving has no effect on the thickness or rate of hair growth. Just over time, the edge of hair gets worn away and thus the edge of long hair becomes finer (更细).
47. What does the paper say about some common beliefs?
A. They are useful knowledge in life. B. They help us live in healthy ways.
C. They are well-known theories. D. They do not have scientific basis.
48. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ?
A. People use 90 percent of their brains.
B. Shaving your legs will give you thicker hair.
C. Reading in poor light does harm to people’s eyes.
D. People need not less than eight glasses of water a day.
49. The underlined word “illusion” in the last paragraph probably means “_________”.
A. a wrong idea B. a powerful evidence
C. an interesting story D. a clear instruction
50. This passage is most likely to be found in __________ .
A. a newspaper B. a guide book
C. a history textbook D. an advertisement