A spoonful of pickles (腌菜) can sometimes make a meal taste better. Recently, a new type of pickle is being discussed: “digital pickled vegetables”. It refers to the videos people watch while eating that make their food more appetizing.
The topic received more than 16 million clicks on Sina Weibo and about 100,000 people participated in the discussion. Instead of being accompanied by friends and family during a meal, many young people in China are kept company by TV shows or short videos. Many believe that their food is tastier with the “digital pickles”.
Can this habit affect your diet? According to a research paper published in 2019, you may eat more unconsciously. The international research team asked 62 volunteers to follow different eating patterns on four different days. The patterns included eating while looking at the mobile phone, reading magazines and without distraction. After analyzing their diets, the team discovered that eating with a distraction increased caloric intake by about 15 percent.
To explore the reason, the team also invited two groups of people: one group ate while listening to an audio clip about another person eating and the other listened to a clip that helped them imagine themselves eating. The results showed that the second group ate less since they were more focused on their meals. When eating with the “digital pickles”, our attention can be distracted, which leads to eating more than expected.
This works not only for eating meals but other demanding tasks as well. A research project led by the University of Sussex, UK, pointed out that activities which require lots of attention trick many participants into overeating. The team invited 120 participants to do various tasks while providing them with drinks and snacks. “Our study suggests that if you’re eating or drinking while your attention is distracted by a highly engaging task, you’re less likely to be able to tell how full you feel” one of the authors Martin Yeomans explained.
1. What do “digital pickles” refer to?| A．A new type of vegetables. |
| B．Electronic products popular online. |
| C．Videos people watch while eating. |
| D．Digital games suitable for families. |
| A．They are more focused on their meals. |
| B．They are distracted by “digital pickles”. |
| C．The food tastes better with “digital pickles”. |
| D．The “digital pickles” make them feel hungrier. |
| A．It explores the reason why people prefer “digital pickles” while having meals. |
| B．Eating while hearing another person eating can keep one more focused on his meal. |
| C．Eating while imaging oneself eating can keep one more focused on his meal. |
| D．When eating without the “digital pickles”, we are bound to eat less. |
| A．To give another case that causes overeating. |
| B．To describe the effects of “digital pickles”. |
| C．To explain how to judge you are full. |
| D．To present how to avoid being distracted. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】What Is Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating is when people use food as a way to deal with feelings instead of satisfying hunger.
Not many of us make the connection between eating and our feelings.
One of the biggest myths about emotional eating is that it’s caused by negative feelings. Yes, people often turn to food when they’re stressed out, lonely, sad, anxious, or bored. But emotional eating can be linked to positive feelings too, like the romance of sharing dessert on Valentine’s Day or the celebration of a holiday feast. Sometimes emotional eating is tied to major life events, like a death or a divorce.
Emotional eating patterns can be learned: A child who is given candy after a big achievement may grow up using candy as a reward for a job well done.
We’re all emotional eaters to a degree. But for some people emotional eating can be a real problem, causing serious weight gain or other problems. The trouble with emotional eating is that once the pleasure of eating is gone, the feelings that cause it remain.
Next time you reach for a snack, wait and think about which type of hunger is driving it.
| A．Believe it or not, we’ve all been there. |
| B．If a crying boy gets some cookies, he may link cookies with comfort. |
| C．One study found that people who eat food like pizza become happy afterwards. |
| D．And you often may feel worse about eating the amount or type of food you like. |
| E．Understanding what drives emotional eating can help people take steps to change it. |
| F．Boys seem to prefer hot, homemade comfort meals, while girls go for chocolate and ice cream. |
| G．More often, though, it’s the countless little daily stresses (压力) that cause someone to seek comfort in food. |
【推荐2】From the moment we’re born, we acquire, and develop an internal ecosystem of microbes (微生物), trillions of them in all, which are living together with us in our body. In fact, there are roughly as many microbial cells in our bodies as human cells. This prosperous microbial world is called our microbiome.
While some microbes can make us ill, we need our microbiome to survive. Combined, they are every bit as essential as our heart, our lungs or our brain. We have microbes living all over our skin and in every other parts of our bodies. But most of the microbiome is found in our guts (肠道). Our gut microbes are essential for digestion. They also help regulate hormones and they can improve our immune system (免疫系统).
Our microbiome contains a wide range of microbes, some of which have beneficial effects on our health and some of which are detrimental. A healthy collection of microbes seems to be vital for our wellbeing, protecting against some of the biggest health threats, like heart disease, obesity, diabetes, arthritis and even depression.
On the other hand, having an unhealthy microbiome may be a contributing factor for many common diseases. Our modern lifestyles, western diets and overuse of antibiotics might all be having a harmful effect on our internal ecology.
So how do you develop a healthy microbiome? Well, it seems that the more diverse your microbial population is, the better. And the best way to increase your diversity is to eat a wide range of plant- based foods. Research shows that people who have at least 30 plant- based elements in their diet every week have a wider range of microbes in their gut, and that’s linked to better weight management, better heart health and better mental health.
1. Why is our microbiome essential to us according to the passage?| A．Microbes bring diseases. |
| B．Microbes keep us in existence. |
| C．All living things need microbes. |
| D．Microbes live all over our skins. |
| A．Unfavorable. | B．Unhealthy. | C．Deadly. | D．Friendly |
| A．Eastern diets. |
| B．Modern lifestyles. |
| C．Use of antibiotics. |
| D．Healthy microbiome. |
| A．By having a balanced diet. |
| B．By taking exercise regularly. |
| C．By increasing your sleeping time. |
| D．By eating more kinds of vegetables. |
【推荐3】A loving father lost much weight after being shamed into dieting when he became so fat that he couldn’t play with his young daughter. Chris Willis, 47, weighed 172 kg following a lifetime of fatty foods.
The dad cut out all the fatty foods that he had enjoyed, and began exercising. He now weighs 105 kg after losing 10 kg every month since July. Chris had to take long rests just to climb the stairs or walk more than a few yards, saying, “The hardest thing was seeing my little girl in the garden and not being able to join in because I was so unhealthy. But now I am making up for the lost time — we do so much together and it is just great.”
Before switching (转变) to a healthy lifestyle, Chris would have five slices of bread for breakfast as a midmorning meal before a full English breakfast. He would then have a sandwich, a large pack of crisps and a pasty for lunch before chewing a whole packet of biscuits in the afternoon. For dinner, Chris would demolish a chicken curry, and ice cream, and also four pints of beer before feeding on fatty snacks all evening.
Chris said, “At 13, I was 118 kg and I remember a teacher pointing this out to the whole school. From then on I was picked on and bullied (欺负). My weight went up and up. But I now have a newfound freedom. My family and friends have been so supportive and my wife and daughter are so pleased for me. In fact, it’s them that I did it for more than anyone else. The whole journey has been amazing and I am still shocked myself that I have managed to lose so much weight.” Chris is now aiming for a new target weight of 96 kg.
1. How long do you think Chris has been dieting?| A．Many years. |
| B．About 6 months. |
| C．About one year. |
| D．Since he was 13. |
| A．He was bullied by others. |
| B．He weighed as much as 172 kg. |
| C．He was too unhealthy to play with his daughter. |
| D．He wanted to switch to a healthy lifestyle. |
| A．Drink. |
| B．Pack. |
| C．Destroy. |
| D．Eat. |
| A．Power of Father’s Love. |
| B．Harm of Fatty Foods. |
| C．Importance of Health. |
| D．Benefit of Exercise. |
【推荐1】Getting enough sleep is important for people of all ages to stay in good health. Learn how much sleep you need.
People often cut back on their sleep for work, for family demands, or even to watch a good show on television. But if not getting enough sleep is a regular part of your routine, you may be at an increased risk for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, poor mental health, and even early death.
Even one night of short sleep can affect you the next day. Not only are you more likely to feel sleepy, you’re more likely to be in a bad mood, be less productive at work, and be involved in a motor vehicle crash.
How much sleep do I need?
How much sleep you need changes as you age. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend:
Age group Recommended hours of sleep
School Age
6 — 12 years 9 — 12 hours per 24 hours
Teen
13 — 18 years 8 — 10 hours per 24 hours
Adult
18 — 60 years 7 or more hours per night
Habits to improve your sleep
· Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on weekends.
· Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature.
· Remove electronic devices such as TVs, computers, and smartphones from the bedroom.
· Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
· Don’t use tobacco.
· Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
What about sleep quality?
Getting enough sleep is important, but good sleep quality is also essential. Signs of poor sleep quality include feeling sleepy or tired even after getting enough sleep, repeatedly waking up during the night, and having symptoms of a sleep disorder(such as snoring or gasping for air). Better sleep habits may improve the quality of your sleep. If you have symptoms of a sleep disorder, such as snoring or being very sleepy during the day after a full night’s sleep, make sure to tell your doctor.
1. The following are the consequences of lack of sleep except ________.| A．low spirits | B．inefficiency in work |
| C．risk of accidents | D．self-obsession |
| A．As one ages, one’s need for sleep decreases. |
| B．Doing physical exercise can enhance sleep. |
| C．One can be a late bird on weekends. |
| D．Electronic devices should be put outside the bedroom during sleep. |
| A．enjoy a comfortable sleeping environment | B．feel sleepy during the day |
| C．snore and gasp for air during sleep | D．have a bit of refreshment before bedtime |
【推荐2】Today’s Wonder of the Day comes in all shapes and sizes. It can look like a beautiful landscape, a familiar skyline, or even outer space! It comes in boxes labeled with numbers — 300, 500, 1,000, or even 2,500. What are we talking about? Jigsaw puzzles (拼图游戏), of course!
Puzzles have been around since at least 1760. Today, though, the process of making jigsaw puzzles has changed quite a bit.
How exactly are modern puzzles made? It starts with choosing the right picture.
Once the image is chosen, it’s printed on special paper and pasted to cardboard. Then, they’re left to dry before going through the die cutter.
Of course, puzzles aren’t just for fun! They’re good for your brain. Experts say putting together a puzzle has the same effect as trying to solve a mystery. It can stimulate different brain areas.
| A．Working on a puzzle can also reduce stress. |
| B．Decades ago, people made puzzles by hand. |
| C．Finally, they’re boxed up and made ready for sale. |
| D．Not every piece of beautiful artwork can make the cut. |
| E．Puzzles offer an affordable way for people to have fun. |
| F．No matter your preferences, there’s a puzzle out there for you. |
| G．You can think of this as a cookie cutter that cuts the puzzle into pieces. |
【推荐3】Street lights can change the amount and quality of sleep that pigeons and magpies get at night, affecting their energy in the morning.
“One of the most common and well-documented things light pollution seems to do is cause animals, particularly birds, to change the timing of their behavior,” said Anne Aulsebrook, a researcher with the University of Melbourne.
Aulsebrook said she chose pigeons because so much is already known about their sleep compared to other birds’, and plenty of them are in captivity (圈养) to study. They set up experiments exposing the birds to darkness one night, switching on the lights the next and turning them off the following night. “We expected to see them sleep more on the first night, less when the lights are on and then recover some of the sleep they lost the next night,” she said.
Using sensors that recorded brain and muscle activity, the team found that the pigeons slept about 10 hours with the lights off. With the lights on, their sleep dropped to about six hours. Quality of sleep was also affected. The pigeons didn’t seem to recover from the loss of rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep the night before, slept less intensely the following night and woke up more often. Comparing amber (琥珀色) light to white light, the team found the tone made no difference in sleep patterns.
Then, the researchers wanted to see if they would see the same patterns in another species, so they looked at magpies. Magpies’ sleep was also affected by both white and amber light; they found, but the birds slept twice as much in amber light. Magpies also seemed to recover all of their non-REM sleep, but not their REM sleep—the opposite of the findings from the pigeon experiment.
Such species-specific results can make managing for light pollution difficult, Aulsebrook said, but the results did have one thing in common: amber light was never more harmful. “If we had to choose, I’d still go with warmer, amber colors,” she said. “The other simpler solution is to turn the lights off.”
1. What did Aulsebrook’s team want to learn through their experiments?| A．The cause of birds’ non-REM sleep. |
| B．The change of pigeons’ sleep patterns. |
| C．The design of energy-efficient street lights. |
| D．The effects of light pollution on birds’ behavior. |
| A．It’s a kind of deep sleep. | B．It’ s a kind of poor-quality sleep. |
| C．It causes birds to lose their energy. | D．Il happens only to birds in captivity |
| A．They stayed awake with the lights on. |
| B．They recovered all of their REM sleep. |
| C．They slept much longer in amber light. |
| D．They were not affected by the lights at all. |
| A．Street lights drive the birds crazy. |
| B．Birds differ greatly in their sleep patterns. |
| C．Secrets are discovered about pigeons’ sleep habits. |
| D．Light pollution can change birds’ sleep patterns. |
【推荐1】It is important to learn business English if you are going to successfully communicate with others. If a university offers a course on business English, it will be a good idea to take the class. Reading, writing and speaking English is necessary to start a business. Vocabulary and grammar are a good place to start learning business English. You need to know what words mean. Later, try to pronounce the words and use them in a sentence and ask someone who is good at English to help you.
In business you will have to learn such things as taking messages, answering the phones with proper words and communicating with your co-workers. You may have to learn how to make travel plans. Business English is very different from spoken English. Grammar is the same but you have to learn things like expressing yourself in a proper manner or maybe making a report in your office.
If you are working in the customer service sector, you really have to learn business English. Dealing with the public is sometimes more important than asking your boss for a raise. Most businesses offer training classes and some companies offer classes on how to do the job with proper business English.
1. Why do people learn business English?| A．They want successful communication. | B．They want to ask the boss for a raise. |
| C．They want to have their own company. | D．They will have a chance to get a better job. |
| A．is much more difficult than daily English | B．pays more attention to the forms of expressions |
| C．is required by most international companies | D．can give you a hand when dealing with people |
| A．The development of business English. |
| B．The tips on learning business English. |
| C．The introduction to business English. |
| D．The comparison between business English and daily English. |
| A．listening | B．reading | C．speaking | D．writing |
【推荐2】Culture is a way to bring harmony to society via exchange of knowledge and thoughts, and also the respect of others’ belief and cultural heritage. Before I came to China to study business, my only information about the country was what I had read in our school books, TV shows on Pakistan national TV, and Chinese movies.
But once I arrived in China, my view changed. China has made great leaps in development, keeping a strong link to their ancestors’ heritage, hard work and courage. The announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (倡议) (BRI) by President Xi Jinping in 2013 has provided trade opportunities for participating countries, and can also be a meeting place for the exchange of ideas, thoughts, knowledge and culture.
Being a combination of diverse cultural and traditional systems, the BRI promotes harmony, and through the heritage of the Silk Road, these diversified cultures can treat one another with respect and exist together peacefully. China can play a leading role to maximize identity, cohesion (凝聚力) and creativity of the diverse cultures, nations and people to combine resources along the belt and road and ensure all the countries involved receive mutual (相互的) benefit.
International students coming to China and Chinese students going abroad for studies are cultural ambassadors. They learn the language, local customs, arts and exchange thoughts. The BRI is a chance for the Chinese dream to become reality. China has a lot to share with the BRI countries. China has a rising number of Chinese language learners around the world. Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education whose stated aim is to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally and facilitate cultural exchanges. As of 2014, there were over 480 Confucius Institutes in dozens of countries on six continents. The Ministry of Education estimates 100 million people overseas are learning Chinese, and the program is expanding rapidly and aims to establish 1, 000 Confucius Institutes by 2020. These institutes are playing an important role for local students to learn Chinese, meaning more job opportunities for BRI projects.
Since ancient times, the Silk Road culture has supported diversity. Accordingly, China needs to maintain relationships with the countries of the ancient Silk Road civilization.
A discussion meeting on how to better carry out the BRI Cultural Development Action Plan was held in Beijing by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Through cooperation and exchanges between countries, the BRI can revitalize (振兴) traditional Silk Road culture by opening up overseas markets, introducing advanced ideas to every participating country.
1. The change in the author’s understanding of China corresponds with the saying, “__________”.| A．Seeing is believing. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．One is never too old to learn. |
| D．There is no royal road to learning. |
| A．will remove cultural barriers |
| B．may achieve a win-win result |
| C．will join hands in resource protection |
| D．may keep peace with other countries |
| A．To acquire more knowledge about China today. |
| B．To communicate with Chinese-speaking people. |
| C．To gain benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative. |
| D．To serve as cultural ambassadors in BRI countries. |
| A．need to restore their ancient civilization via the BRI |
| B．have a long tradition of respecting different countries |
| C．will spread their traditional culture to other countries |
| D．are eager to exchange advanced ideas with each other |
| A．it’s a non-profit public institution affiliated by the Chinese Ministry of Education |
| B．it can promote Chinese language and culture |
| C．it supports local Chinese teaching internationally and facilitate cultural exchanges |
| D．it supplies more job opportunities for BRI projects |
【推荐3】Getting your kid to bed at night is seriously one of the most challenging things you’ll ever have to do. Most kids are just so full of energy that they'll tire you out before they're halfway through their store of energy.
Former studies have found good quality sleep can influence a child’s life in many ways, including affecting grades and also weight gain. Students with an “A”average slept for 30 or more minutes per night than those with a “D”or “F”average.
| A．When you’ll have to worry about waking them up. |
| B．Though that might not seem like so much more time |
| C．Hard as it is, it’s really important not to hand over an iPad to a child before bed. |
| D．Researchers at the Arizona State University conducted a study with 547 kids aged 7 to 9. |
| E．And children with irregular bedtime had a higher risk of having increased body weight. |
| F．An easy thing to do to get your child into bed is giving in and allowing some iPad screen time. |
| G．Getting to sleep on time and sleeping enough help contribute to improved performance in school. |
