PASSAGE 1: Reаd this pаssаge tо answer questiоns 2-11. The State оf Sleep Deprivation in America [A] If you're able to pause between sips of coffee and keep your eyes open long enough to read this message, please pay attention. You need to start regularly getting an adequate night's sleep. Not enough rest is bad for your health, and may even lead to deadly consequences. [B] The Mayo Clinic, one of the U.S.'s most prestigious medical institutions, recommends that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. However, a lot of Americans disregard that advice. A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 35 percent of Americans typically got less than seven hours of sleep a night. [C] Sleep is really important for maintaining our overall health. During deep sleep, growth hormones are released in children and young adults. Cells use the downtime to repair themselves from damage caused by stress and exposure to ultraviolet rays. The break seems especially crucial for the brain, whose nerve cells, or neurons, can become so energy-depleted and polluted with waste products from normal cellular activity that they may begin to malfunction if you stay awake. [D] While we don't generally think of sleep deprivation as a massive public health problem, medical research suggests that inadequate sleep plays a factor in a surprising array of problems. Here are a few of the more serious ones: [E] Obesity: Studies show that the less you sleep, the greater the likelihood that you'll pack on the pounds. In one study, subjects in their twenties who got less than six hours of sleep each night were 7.5 times likely to have a higher body mass index than people who got adequate sleep, even when family history, the amount of exercise, and other factors were accounted for. Studies suggest that not getting enough sleep can contribute to lower levels of leptin, a hormone that controls appetite, and higher levels of ghrelin, which tends to make you feel hungrier. [F] Diabetes: A 2005 study found that middle-aged and older adults who got six hours of sleep each night were 1.7 times more likely to develop diabetes, and those who got five hours or less were 2.5 times as likely. [G] Cardiovascular disease and hypertension: A 2011 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reported that people who suffered from insomnia had between a 27 and 45 percent increased risk of having a heart attack in which a part of the heart muscle becomes blocked and can't get oxygen. Another study, published in 2013 in the European Heart Journal, found that chronic insomniacs had three times the risk of heart failure in which the heart is so weakened that it can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. A study published in the journal Stroke in 2014 reported that people who suffered from insomnia also had a 54 percent higher chance of being hospitalized for a stroke over a four-year period. [H] Immune system: According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep deprivation can contribute to decreased production of proteins called cytokines, which your body needs when you have an infection or inflammation, and also hinders infection-fighting antibodies and cells. A study published in 2012 in the journal Sleep reported that subjects who got less than six hours of sleep were 11.5 percent less likely to get protection from a hepatitis B vaccination than others who slept seven or more hours. [I] These four conditions may result in a shortened life span. In a study published in 2010 in the journal Sleep, researchers reported that over a 14-year period, men who complained of chronic insomnia and routinely slept for less than six hours a night were four times more likely to die. [J] But the conclusion of all this is that you need to make a habit of getting a good night's sleep to avoid potentially serious health problems. Or, to look at it in a more positive way, if you get adequate rest, your body and mind are going to work and feel better. QUESTION: According to the Mayo Clinic, how many hours of sleep should people get a night?
Cоntext Clues: Use the cоntext tо help you determine the meаning of the itаlicized word. Although I wаs unable to understand all of the details of the presentation, I did get the gist of it. In this sentence, gist means [1]. My sister loathes broccoli and can't stand even the smell of it, but she loves spinach. In this sentence, loathes means [2]. We should be careful not to ostracize those who are different from us. It is much better for all if we are welcoming to everyone. In this sentence, ostracize means [3]. [6] It is disappointing to go to job interview and not get the job. [7] The server quickly tracked the glass so that it wouldn't fall off the table.