Many people turn to doctors or selfhelp books, but they forget a great thing that could help them fight illness: their friends.
Researchers are only now starting to pay attention to the importance of friendship in health. A 10year Australian study found that older people with a large circle of friends were 22 percent less likely to die during the study period than those with fewer friends. A large 2007 study showed an increase of nearly 60 percent in the danger for obesity among people whose friends gained weight. And last year, Harvard researchers reported that strong social ties (关系) could improve brain health as we age.
“In general, the role of friendship in our lives isn't well realized，” said Rebecca, a professor at the University of North Carolina. “Friendship has a bigger effect on our psychological (心理的) health than family relationships.”
While many friendship studies are about the close relationships of women, some research shows that it can do good to men too. In a sixyear study of 736 middleaged men, having friendships reduces the risk of heart disease. Only smoking was as important a danger factor as having little social support.
The exact reason why friendship has such a big effect isn't clear. While friends can send a sick person to the hospital or pick up medicine, the advantages go well beyond physical help. Friendship clearly has a big psychological effect. “People with stronger friendships feel like there is someone they can turn to，” said Karen, a doctor. “The message of these studies is that friends make your life better.”
语篇解读：本文主要介绍了友谊的重要性，一开始讲述了友谊与身体健康有关。而且，友谊还对人们的心理有着很大的作用。总的来说：朋友让你的生活更好。
1．The three studies in Paragraph 2 show that ________.
A．old people need friends the most
B．friends can help us lose weight
C．social ties have something to do with health
D．having more friends makes us healthier
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据“Researchers are only now starting to pay attention to the importance of friendship in health.”可知本段的主题就是社会关系与身体健康的关系，故选C。
2．What do Rebecca's words in Paragraph 3 mean?
A．Friendship is more important to women than to men.
B．What people need most is a friend's care.
C．Friendship is more important than family relationship.
D．The value of friendship hasn't been fully understood.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据“In general, the role of friendship in our lives isn't well realized”和“Friendship has a bigger effect on our psychological (心理的) health than family relationships.”可知大家都忽视了友谊的价值。故选D。
3．The author mentioned smoking in the text to discuss ________.
A．the cause of heart attack
B．the danger of having no friends
C．smoking is bad for men
D．friends' influence on habits
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“Only smoking was as important a danger factor as having little social support.”可知这里讲到的抽烟与较少的社会关系一样，不利于身体健康。故选B。
4．Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “obesity” in Para. 2?
A．Fatness. B．Unhappiness.
C．Excitement. D．Health.
解析：选A 词义猜测题。后面提到了gained weight，故该词与肥胖有关。故选A。
