Andrea Esteban tried to smile with half her face, and her third-grade classmates laughed. Matthew Velez struggled to speak, “Luh, luh, uh, gronk,” and the kids burst into laughter. The funny faces and the strange speech were all part of a serious lesson to help kids learn the signs of a stroke.

 　  The experimental health education program at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx is aimed at improving the survival rate. Each year, about 795,000 Americans have a stroke and about 130,000 die. Some are caused by bleeding in the brain, but the majority is caused by a clot（血栓） that blocks blood flow, starving brain cells. The drug TPA can dissolve those clots and reduce disability and deaths but only if it’s given within three to four hours of the first symptoms, and the sooner the better. Yet only about 5 percent of patients receive it, in part because many stroke sufferers don’t get to the hospital in time. The early warning signs include a droopy （下垂的）side of the face, slurred（发音含糊的） or strange speech, and the inability to keep arms raised.

    Dr. Kathryn Kirchoff-Torres, who led the class from St. Ann’s School in the Bronx, said the kids are already “little message machines” bringing home from school what they learn about the benefits of exercise, not smoking and eating well.

  　At the start of the stroke class last month at the hospital, the doctor asked, “Who knows what a stroke is?”

 　“A heart attack?” one child offered.

 　“Well, we like to call it a brain attack,” Kirchoff-Torres said. “It’s a problem with the brain.” She then taught the children to use the word “FAST” as a memory device. With cartoons and music bringing the point home, they learned “F” is for face, “A” is for arms, “S” is for speech and “T” is for time.  After the class, the children were presented with pens labeled “FAST” and with pencil erasers in the shape of human brains, which were very popular.

1.Kids learned the signs of a stroke by ______.

A looking at the pictures

B mitating the signing

C observing the patients

D watching a film

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第一段第一、二句Andrea Esteban tried to smile with half her face, and her third-grade classmates laughed. Matthew Velez struggled to speak, “Luh, luh, uh, gronk,” and the kids burst into laugher可知孩子们是通过模仿表演的形式来了解中风的症状的。

2. Most of strokes are caused by ______.

A eating delicious snacks

B bleeding in the brain

C clots blocking blood flow

D sudden heart attacks

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第二段第三句the majority is caused by a clot（血块） that blocks blood flow, starving brain cells可知大多数中风是由血栓引起的

3.The drug TPA can treat strokes by ______.

A breaking up blood clots

B slowing down blood flow

C speeding up heart beats

D lowering blood pressure

解析：选A。细节理解题。根据第二段第四句The drug TPA can dissolve those clots可知TPA是通过溶解血栓来治疗中风的。

4.What is the most important factor when it comes to a stroke?

A Time.

B Place.

C Doctors.

D Equipment.

解析：选A。推理判断题。根据第二段第四、五句only if it’s given within three to four hours of the first symptoms, and the sooner the better可知，抢救中风病人关键是时间：发现越早越好。