阅读理解
A new study suggests that the more teenagers watch television,the more likely they are to develop
depression(抑郁) as young adults.But the extent to which TV may be to blame is a question that the
study leaves unanswered.
The researchers used a national longterm survey of adolescent health to investigate the relationship
between media use and depression.They based their findings on more than 4,000 adolescents who were
not depressed when the survey began in 1995.
As part of the survey,the young people were asked how many hours of television or videos they
watched daily.They were also asked how often they played computer games and listened to the radio.
Media use totaled an average of 5 and onehalf hours a day.More than 2 hours of that was spent
watching TV.
7 years later,in 2002,more than 7 percent of the young people had signs of depression.The average
age at that time was 21.
Brian Primack at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School was the lead author of the new study.He
says every extra hour of television meant an 8 percent increase in the chances of developing signs of
depression.
The researchers say they did not find any such relationship with the use of other media such as movies,
video games or radio.But the study did find that young men were more likely than young women to
develop depression given the same amount of media use.
Doctor Primack says the study did not explore why watching TV causes depression.But one
possibility,he says,is that it may take time away from activities that could help prevent depression,like
sports and socializing.It might also interfere with sleep,he says,and that could have an influence.
The study was just published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
In December,the journal Social Indicators Research published a study of activities that help lead to
happy lives.Sociologists from the University of Maryland found that people who describe themselves as
happy spend less time watching television than unhappy people.The study found that happy people are
more likely to be socially active,to read,to attend religious services and to vote.
1. According to the first paragraph,what remains unsolved in the new study?
A. Who is more likely to be influenced by TV.
B. How much teenagers are depressed by TV.
C. Whether teenagers are influenced by TV.
D. What should be done to help the teenagers.
2. More than 4,000 adolescents were chosen as the subjects of the study because they ______.
A. were free from depression
B. were keen on using the media
C. attached much importance to their health
D. could afford the time for the long－term survey
3. What can be inferred from the seventh paragraph?
A. Depression is not related to the use of other media than TV.
B. Every extra hour of media use increases the chance of depression.
C. Longer use of media other than TV doesn't increase the chance of depression.
D. The influence of movies,video games and radio on depression varies respectively.
4. In the last sentence of the eighth paragraph,"It"refers to ______.
A. depression
B. watching TV
C. lack of activities
D. the result of the study
5. The study done by the sociologists from the University of Maryland was mainly intended to ______.
A. tell the difference between happy and unhappy people
B. prove the relationship between TV and depression
C. stress the importance of being socially active
D. provide a happy recipe(秘方)for all people
