Holding on to hope may not make patients happier as they deal with chronic illness or diseases, according to a new study by University of Michigan Health System researchers.
The results showed that people do not adapt well to situations if they are believed to be shortterm. Ubel and his co-authors-both from U-M and Carnegie Mellon University-studied patients who had new colostomies: their colons were removed and they had to have bowel movements in a pouch that lies outside their body.
At the time they received their colostomy, some patients were told that the colostomy was reversible-that they would undergo a second operation to reconnect their bowels after several months. Others were told that the colostomy was permanent and that they would never have normal bowel function again. The second group-the one without hope-reported being happier over the next six months than those with reversible colostomies.
41 Chronically ill patients may be happier ________.
A. if they keep thinking of their past
B. if they believe they'll recover
C. if they put off moving on
D. if they manage to get on with their life
42 What had happened to the patients under study?
A. They had just survived an accident.
B. They had just had an operation.
C. They had just injured their colons.
D. They had just made some pouches.
43 One group of the patients was happier because ________.
A. they made the best of their current situation
B. they were good at playing function
C. they regarded normal bowel function
D. they were promised another operation
44 The other group was not as happy because ________.
A. they accepted their current situation
B. they were anxious to get better
C. they missed their previous life
D. they refused to play cards
45 What could be the message of the passage?
A. Giving up hope means giving up happiness.
B. Letting go of hope is at times a better choice.
C. Hope is what makes people move on.
D. Hope frequently gets in the way of happiness.
解析：
41.D [解析]第二段的最后一句sometimes，if hope makes people put off getting on withtheir life，it can get in the way of happiness.有时候，如果希望使人们不能适应自己的生活，那么希望就会阻碍幸福。也就是说，当人们能适应自己的生活时，就会更幸福。第五段也提到We think they weree happier because they got on with their lives. 因此选D。
42.B [解析]第三段说…studied patients who had Dew colostomies…，colostomy是结肠造口手术。因此B是正确答案。
43.A [解析]第五段说觉得幸福的那组"we think tlaey were happier because they got onwith their lives."第六段说不幸福的那组"They contrasted their current life with the life they hopedto lead，and didn't make the best of their current situation."因此觉得幸福的原因是A。
44.B [解析]答案所在段是第六段"The other group was waiting for tIleir colostomy to bereversecl."he added."Tlaey contrastecl their current life with the life they hoped to lead，and didn'tmake the best of tlaeir Current situation."由此可见，不幸福的原因是B。
45.B [解析]该题目是文章主旨题。本文的中心是说希望不一定都能带来幸福，要能面对现实，适应不幸，才会更幸福。A和c都与本文主旨不符。D中frequently(经常地)使用不当。B符合本文主题。