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(2019·烟台诊断)Grandparents who help out occasionally with childcare in their community tend to live longer than seniors who do not care for other people, according to a study from Berlin, Germany.
“Having no contact with grandchildren at all can negatively impact grandparents’ health. This link could be deeply rooted in our evolutionary past when help with childcare was important for the survival of the human species，” said Sonja Hilbrand, one of the researchers.
The findings are drawn from data on more than 500 people over age 70. Overall, after accounting for grandparents’ age and general state of health, the risk of dying over a 20year period was onethird lower for grandparents who cared for their grandchildren，compared with grandparents who provided no childcare.
Caregiving was associated with a longer life even when the care receiver wasn’t relative. Half of all childless seniors who provided support to friends or neighbors lived for seven years after the study began, while nonhelpers lived for four years on average.
“Caregiving may give caregivers a purpose of life because they may feel useful for others and society. Caregiving may be thought also as an activity that keeps caregivers physically and mentally active，” said Professor Bruno Arpino.
Arpino noted, however, that caregiving is not the only activity that can improve health and that too many caring responsibilities can take away from other beneficial activities like working, being in social clubs, or volunteering.“Children should take__into__account their parents’ needs, willingness, and desires and agree with them on the timing and amount of childcare，” he suggested.
“It is very important that every individual decides for himself/herself, what ‘proper amounts of help’ means，” Hilbrand said, adding, “As long as you do not feel stressed about the intensity(强度) of help you provide you may be doing something good for others as well as for yourself.”
【解题导语】 德国柏林一项研究发现，祖父母适当地帮忙照顾孙辈比不照顾孙辈的老年人寿命长。
1．What is the caregiving study based on?
A．Human evolutionary history.
B．Demand of modern society.
C．Social contact between relatives.
D．Data on many elderly people.
D 解析：推理判断题。根据文章第三段第一句可知，这一发现是从对500多个70岁以上的老人的数据分析得来的。故选D项。
2．In Arpino’s opinion, childcare________．
A．is sure to keep old people away from illnesses
B．allows old people to live a more meaningful life
C．creates more job opportunities for old people
D．makes social activities inaccessible to old people
B 解析：推理判断题。根据题干中的“Arpino’s opinion”定位至文章第五段中的“Caregiving may give caregivers a purpose of life because they may feel useful for others and society.”可知，看护小孩让看护人觉得生活有了目的，因为他们觉得自己对他人和社会是有用的，也就是说，看护小孩可以使他们感觉生活得有意义。故选B项。
3．What does the underlined part “take into account” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?
A．Limit. B．Ignore.
C．Favor. D．Consider.
D 解析：词义猜测题。根据第六段中的“too many caring responsibilities can take away from other beneficial activities”及下文的“...their parents’ needs, willingness, and desires and agree with them on the timing and amount of childcare”可知，过多的照看责任会使老人无法从事其他有意义的活动，所以孩子应考虑老人的需求、意愿和渴求，同意他们照顾孩子的时间长度和强度的选择。由此可猜测，take into account意为“考虑”，与consider意义相近。故选D项。
4．What does the last paragraph tell us?
A．Grandparents can do anything in their own interests.
B．Grandparents should share more social responsibilities.
C．Proper amounts of childcare do good to grandparents.
D．Caregiving guarantees every grandparent a longer life.
C 解析：细节理解题。根据最后一段中的“As long as you do not feel stressed about the intensity(强度) of help you provide you may be doing something good for others as well as for yourself.”可知，只要你帮忙的强度不会让你感到有压力，这对他人、对你自己都是有好处的。由此可知，适当地照顾小孩对祖父母有好处。故选C项。
