什么时候感到清爽干净最重要？是上床睡觉的时候？还是早晨穿上干净衣服开始新的一天的时候？这个看似简单的问题，其实关乎我们每个人的日常生活习惯。你是支持 “必须洗完澡才能安心睡觉” 的观念还是坚持 “不洗澡就不能出门” 的看法呢？从睡眠专家到微生物学家，大家都各持己见。让我们听听他们的说法，看看哪一个选择更适合你。

词汇：showering 洗澡

1 Do you need an energising blast of water in the morning to wake you up for the day? Or do you prefer a relaxing, warm shower in the evening to help you wind down as part of your nighttime routine? Maybe you just shower whenever you feel like it. For something so many of us do, this topic is bound to divide opinion and stir up passion from both sides. But is one really better than the other?

2 After a long day in the outside world, picking up pollutants and allergens on your skin and in your hair such as dust and pollen, a reasonable instinct would be to wash it all off before getting into bed. That's what the evening shower enthusiasts would say. But, says microbiologist Primrose Freestone, no matter the air temperature, you will continue to sweat during the night. Bacteria on your skin then eat the nutrients in your sweat which is what causes BO. Showering at night also doesn't stop you shedding dead skin cells. All this means you may not wake up feeling as fresh as you had hoped. Showering in the morning, on the other hand, can help to remove dead skin cells, sweat or any bacteria you've picked up from your bed sheets. "As a microbiologist, I am a day shower advocate," she says.

3 But it's not all about cleanliness. Nancy Rothstein, who calls herself The Sleep Ambassador, is concerned with sleep quality. In her view, showering in the evening is an essential part of the 'preparing for bed' routine. "Call it an opportunity to shower yourself with mindfulness," she says. And research backs this up. A systematic review of research published in Sleep Medicine Reviews in 2019 found nightly warm showering or bathing one to two hours before bedtime can improve sleep.

4 What it all boils down to is when you would like to feel freshest. If you're someone who can't fully relax in bed until you've showered, you're likely an evening shower person. Whereas, if you can't stand the idea of putting on fresh, clean clothes in the morning when you haven't showered, then a morning rinse is probably more your style. Whenever you choose to shower, Primrose Freestone says it's important to clean your bed sheets regularly to remove all the sweat, bacteria and dead skin cells that build up and can negatively affect the effectiveness of your showers.

测验与练习

一、根据文章内容选出正确的段落。

Which paragraph is about the pros of a morning shower?

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. In paragraph 1, what does the phrase 'For something so many of us do' refer to?
a. waking up
b. going to sleep
c. showering

2. What is the argument given in paragraph 2 for showering in the evening?
a. washing off dead skin cells
b. washing off sweat
c. washing off pollutants and allergens

3. Primrose Freestone thinks showering in the evening is better.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. Research supports Nancy Rothstein's view.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

5. Whether you choose to shower in the morning or evening, it's important to…
a. practise mindfulness.
b. wear fresh, clean clothes.
c. clean your bed sheets regularly.

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

Spending the day outside of the house means you're 1) _______ pick up pollutants and allergens on your skin. If you 3) _______ going to bed feeling dirty, that probably means you're an evening shower 2) _______. Whereas, if you're a morning shower person, you probably enjoy rinsing off the 4) _______ from the night before. What it all 5) _______ is the person's individual preferences and routines.

bound to
boils down to
sweat
shed
mindfulness
can't stand
enthusiast

（答案见词汇表后）

词汇表

blast 强劲的水流
wind down 放松下来
be bound to 注定会，必然会
stir up 激起
pollutant 污染物
allergen 过敏原
enthusiast 支持者，热衷于…的人
sweat 出汗
BO (body odour) 体臭，体味
shed 使…脱落
advocate 拥护者
mindfulness 正念
boil down to 归结于
can't stand 无法忍受
rinse 冲洗，冲一下

答案

一、根据文章内容选出正确的段落。

Paragraph 2. Showering in the morning, on the other hand, can help to remove dead skin cells, sweat or any bacteria you've picked up from your bed sheets.

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. c. Showering. Waking up and going to sleep are mentioned, but showering is the main topic.

2. c. After a long day in the outside world, picking up pollutants and allergens on your skin and in your hair such as dust and pollen, a reasonable instinct would be to wash it all off before getting into bed.

3. b. False. "As a microbiologist, I am a day shower advocate," says Primrose Freestone.

4. a. True. And research backs this up. A systematic review of research published in Sleep Medicine Reviews in 2019 found nightly warm showering or bathing one-two hours before bedtime can improve sleep.

5. c. Whenever you choose to shower, Primrose Freestone says it's important to clean your bed sheets regularly…

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

Spending the day outside of the house means you're bound to pick up pollutants and allergens on your skin. If you can't stand going to bed feeling dirty, that probably means you're an evening shower enthusiast. Whereas, if you're a morning shower person, you probably enjoy rinsing off the sweat from the night before. What it all boils down to is the person's individual preferences and routines.