Thepossibilitythatpleasantsmellsmightreducepainhasrecentlybeensuggestedbynewresearch.Inascientificstudydoctorsasked20menand20womentokeeptheirhandsinveryhotwaterforaslongaspossiblewhilebreathingindifferentsmells.
Aspeoplebelievethatstrongsmellscanaffectthesensesvolunteerswereaskednottoeatordrinkforeighthoursbeforetheexperimentbegan.Duringtheexperimentvolunteerswereaskedtotakeinpleasantsmellssuchasvanilla(香草)andunpleasantsmellssuchasdurians(榴莲).Thevolunteerskepttheirhandsinthewateruntilitbecametoohotforthem.Whentheycouldnotbearthepainanymoretheytooktheirhandsoutofthewater.
Scientistsareinterestedinwhetherthesensesorsmellisrelatedtopainandwhethermenandwomenhavethesamesenses.Nowthestudyhasprovedthatforwomenpleasantsmellsreducepain.Formenthereisnochange.
DrFinkelsteinhasbeenstudyingsmellssince1999.Hesaysthatscientistsalreadyhavedatafrom40volunteers.Headdsthatthisyearscientistswilltestanother60volunteersandwillbeinabetterpositiontoexplaintheresults.
Oneexplanationisthatwomen’ssenseofsmelldevelopedlongagoandislinkedtorecognizingthesmellofbabies.Scientistsusedtobelievethatmothersrecognizedtheirchildrenbysightonly.Nowtheyhavestartedtobelievethatthesenseofsmellalsohelpsbutwhypleasantsmellsdonotreducepaininmenisaquestionstilltobeansweredbyscientists
1.Beforetheexperimentvolunteers______
A.aregatheredandtakeatraining
B.cannoteatordrinkforseveralhours
C.mustwashtheirhandscarefully
D.willbeinterviewedbyDrFinkelstein
2.Ifbothmenandwomenareaskedtokeeptheirhandsinhotwaterwhiletakinginsomepleasantsmells______
A.womenmaystandthepainofthehotwaterlonger
B.menmaykeeptheirhandsinthehotwaterlonger
C.theywillprobablytaketheirhandsoutatthesametime
D.wearenotquitesurewhowilltaketheirhandsoutearlier
3.Fromthepassagewelearnthat_________
A.thereasonwhywomenaresensitivetosmellsisclear
B.theexperimentforthesenseofsmellhascometoanend