考研英語試卷的一大特點就是閱讀量大、題量大，學生要想在考場有限的時間內取得較高的分數，就需要在平時的復習過程中進行大量的閱讀，進而提高自己的做題速度。

但是閱讀資料的篩選一定要有選擇性和針對性，通過對歷年考研英語試題的分析，我們發現80%閱讀理解的文章都來源于 The Economist《經濟學家》、Newsweek《新聞周刊》、TIME《時代周刊》等原版英文報刊雜志。所以學生在復習的時候，要對這幾類期刊雜志的文章多加留意。

以下是2016考研網從考研英語閱讀理解相關閱讀源搜集整理的一些有關時政、科技、生活、校園等最新時文，同學們快來跟著我們每天一起堅持閱讀吧。

Is breathing smoggy air hardening your arteries?

呼吸霧霾會加快動脈硬化引發中風

Breathing particulate-laden （aka smoggy） air may be hardening your arteries faster than normal, according to research published recently in PLOS Medicine. While everyones' arteries harden gradually with age, a team of researchers led by epidemiologist Sara Adar of the University of Michigan School of Public Health discovered that higher concentrations of fine particulate air pollution were linked to a faster thickening of the inner two layers of the carotid artery.

根據發表在《公共科學圖書館？醫學》雜志上的研究，呼吸含大量顆粒物的（霧霾）空氣可能會讓你的動脈硬化速度加快。盡管每個人的動脈都會隨著年齡增大而逐漸硬化，但密歇根大學公共衛生學院的流行病學家薩拉？阿達領導的研究團隊發現，空氣中的細微顆粒污染物濃度升高與頸動脈內膜和中膜增厚加快有關。

Because the carotid artery feeds blood to the neck, head, and brain, a narrowing or blockage there can trigger strokes. And general atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and heart failure.

由于頸動脈要向頸部、頭部和大腦供血，頸動脈變窄或堵塞可能會引發中風。通常動脈硬化是冠心病、心臟病發作和心力衰竭的主要風險因素。

Past research has demonstrated that the rates of stroke and heart attack are higher in polluted areas, but experts haven't been able to pinpoint just how polluted air is raising peoples' risk for heart attack or stroke. This time, Adar's team, along with Joel Kaufman, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and medicine at the University of Washington, was able to directly measure carotid artery thickness and link it to air pollution data.

以往的研究已經表明，在受污染地區中風和心臟病發作的幾率更高，但專家還未能查明空氣污染是如何提高人們心臟病或中風發作的風險的。這次阿達帶領的團隊和華盛頓大學環境與職業健康科學和醫學專業的教授喬爾？考夫曼聯手合作，已經能夠直接測量頸動脈厚度，并將其和空氣污染數據聯系起來。

The study involved 5,362 people between the ages of 45 and 84 living in six different cities that are part of the MESA AIR （Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution） research project, led by Joel Kaufman. Each participant underwent two carotid artery ultrasounds three years apart. These measurements were then correlated with data on fine particulate air pollution.

喬爾？考夫曼領導的這一動脈硬化和空氣污染多種族研究項目調查了居住在6個不同城市、年齡在45歲到84歲之間的5362個人。每個參與者隔三年都要做一次頸動脈超聲波檢查。研究人員把這些測量結果和細顆粒物空氣污染的數據聯系起來。

While the artery walls of all participants increased by 14 micrometers per year, the arteries of those who were exposed to higher levels of fine particulate air pollution in their homes thickened faster than their neighbors in other parts of the city.

盡管所有參與者的動脈壁每年都會增厚14微米，但那些家周邊空氣中細顆粒污染物水平更高的人動脈壁比住在同城其他地區的人增厚速度更快。

Interestingly, the researchers also found the reverse effect to be true: reducing fine particulate air pollution levels slowed down atherosclerosis progression. Carotid artery measurements are considered by experts to be an indicator for arterial plaque and hardening throughout the body.

有趣的是，研究人員還發現反之亦然：降低空氣中的細顆粒污染物水平會減慢動脈硬化的速度。專家認為頸動脈的測量數據是動脈斑塊和周身硬化的指示標志。