Most people will tell you that they can’t work without a cup of coffee in the morning. Research has shown that a cup of coffee does give a person slight excitement.
Legend said that Kaldi, an Ethiopian, found his goats happier while enjoying coffee plants. Curiously, he tasted the leaves and began to dance around. Whether the Legend was true or not, the discovery of coffee dates back to 800A. D. Soon Arabians were roasting coffee beans. Muslims were drinking coffee to stay awake by 1000 A.D. A merchant from Venice introduced coffee to Europe in 1615. By 1696, the Dutch started growing the coffee bush in Java. By 1723, coffee plants were introduced to the Americans. Today, coffee is the most popular drink in the world.
Caffeine is the major chemical in coffee. It blocks(阻止) adenosine, a chemical that makes you sleepy. People can get a pick-me-up or stimulation(刺激) from the drink. The stimulation does not last long. Caffeine poisoning can occur if more than 400 milligrams of caffeine is drunk in a short period, which is about four to five cups of coffee. Caffeine will also cause sleep difficulty, so it should not be drunk before bed.
Caffeine has many advantages. Studies have shown that it helps improve some skills in elderly women. Women who drank three cups of coffee daily scored higher on memory tests than women who drank one cup of coffee. According to newser.com, one cup of coffee a day protects the brain. Coffee also can help people keep away from many diseases according to webmd.com.
Large amounts of coffee can cause nervousness, worries and a fast heartbeat. However, if you mix coffee with milk, it’s fine. Caffeine can be addictive like any drug. The more you drink, the more you depend on it. For some people, just one cup of coffee a day is OK.
小题1:Who found the most popular drink in the world according to the Legend?
| A．An Ethiopian. | B．Arabians. | C．Muslims. | D．The Dutch. |
小题2:When was the coffee introduced to Europe?
| A．In the 1710s. | B．In the 1610s. | C．In the 1690s. | D．In the 1720s. |
小题3:From the third paragraph we can learn ___________.
| A．caffeine can make people sleepy |
| B．adenosine can make people awake |
| C．about four to five cups of coffee will cause sleep difficulty |
| D．coffee is considered harmful if it is taken in a large amount |
小题4:The fourth paragraph mainly tells us ___________.
| A．the importance of coffee | B．the good effects of coffee |
| C．the bad effects of coffee | D．the development of coffee |
小题5:If you like drinking coffee, you had better_______.
| A．drink it before bed | B．give up this bad habit |
| C．drink one cup of coffee a day | D．drink more coffee than milk |