What is the secret to a healthy diet? Whether you’re already slim or trying to lose weight, one of the best things you can do is reduce the size of your bowls and plates. A study has found that changing from a twelve-inch to a ten-inch plate leads people to eat 22 percent fewer calories. In this way, you’d be reducing more than 5,000 calories a month from your diet.
By devoting a few minutes to planning for healthy meals, you can improve your own health and that of your family. Studies from UCLA suggest that a home-cooked dinner takes only about ten minutes longer to prepare, on average, than serving processed or ready-made food.
Slow the pace of your meals. Pay attention to what you’re eating.
A.Don’t eat on the run. |
B.It really is that simple. |
C.Sit down to dinner with the entire family. |
D.Stop eating when you’re about 80 percent full. |
E.Parents who eat with their children report greater satisfaction with family life. |
F.However, if you keep preparing meals at home. You’ll save time in the long run. |
2 .
Different food types when it comes to processing: Whole: foods that have gone through zero or little processing, such as boiling. Processed: foods that have something added, such as salt and sugar. Ultra-processed (超加工的): foods that have many additives (添加剂). | |||||
Different kinds of food and their nutrients (营养): | |||||
Vegetables | Fruit | Meat | Nuts (坚果) | More nutrients ↑ Fewer nutrients | |
Whole | Apples | ||||
Processed | Sweet potato fries | ||||
Ultra-processed | |||||
Health problems: According to studies, people who often eat ultra-processed food are: 39% more likely to develop high blood pressure. 24% more likely to have serious heart problems. | |||||
Addictive (上瘾的) power: People may have bad feelings if they stop eating ultra-processed food. Addiction is a problem for 14% of adults and 12% of children. |
1. Which of the following foods belongs to the whole food?
A.Peanut butter. | B.Chocolate. | C.Ice cream. | D.Boiled corn. |
A.The whole food. | B.The processed food. |
C.The half-processed food. | D.The ultra-processed food. |
A.Over fat. | B.Heart disease. | C.Stomachache. | D.Low blood pressure. |
A.12%. | B.14%. | C.24%. | D.39%. |
A.History. | B.Sports. | C.Health. | D.Culture. |
3 . China has fewer very overweight people compared to many other countries worldwide. The reason behind this is the traditional Chinese diet which is known for its health benefits. Let’s explore what makes the Chinese diet so good for health.
A traditional Chinese diet is heavy on vegetables. The Chinese enjoy filling their plates with fresh and healthy vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli, and green beans. These vegetables are good for the body and can even help in fighting cancer. Moreover, vegetables are low in calories (卡路里). That means they are one of the best choices for managing the calories you take in at a meal.
Unlike some other countries, Chinese meals do not usually end with a high-calorie dessert. Sometimes, at the end of a Chinese meal, a sweet soup, like red bean or tofu soup, may be served. However, these soups are usually much lower in calories compared to desserts like cakes or ice cream, even though they have some sugar.
The choice of drinks also plays a role in weight control. In many other countries, sugary cola drinks and energy drinks are popular. However, in China, people have been drinking tea for more than 3,000 years, and they usually enjoy it all day long. Drinking tea can help burn extra (多余的) calories and can also provide protection against certain diseases.
Additionally, the Chinese don’t eat as much fast food as people in some other countries. This results in a lower intake of fat. In countries like America, the serving sizes in restaurants are usually larger than usual. This leads to people eating far more calories than they need. In China, however, people usually eat smaller-sized dishes, which are often shared with others.
All these points add up to the traditional Chinese diet being a healthy one. Lots of fresh vegetables, fewer desserts, a love for tea, and smaller-sized dishes all help people to stay slim and healthy.
1. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 3 refer to (指的是)?A.Sweet soups. | B.Chinese meals. | C.Western meals. | D.High-calorie desserts. |
A.Tea is popular around the world. | B.Chinese people prefer tea to energy drinks. |
C.Americans also like drinking tea nowadays. | D.Energy drinks can help control people’s weight. |
A.①/②③④⑤⑥ | B.①②/③④/⑤⑥ | C.①/②③④⑤/⑥ | D.①②③④⑤/⑥ |
4 . Singapore started to put labels (标签) on every drink recently. The labels are from A to D. A is the most healthy, and D is the least healthy. The more sugar and saturated fat (饱和脂肪) a drink has, the less healthy the drink is. D-grade drinks aren’t allowed to be advertised (打广告) by companies to attract customers.
A.Grade A | B.Grade B | C.Grade C | D.Grade D |
A.<1%. | B.1—5%. | C.5—10%. | D.>10%. |
A.To stop people buying drinks. | B.To guide people to choose healthy drinks. |
C.To tell people how much sugar is in the drinks. | D.To show there are many kinds of drinks. |
A.Music and Movie. | B.Sports and Travel. | C.History and Culture. | D.Life and Health. |
5 . Doctors across the world tell us it is necessary to eat lots of vegetables to keep the heart healthy. But a new study in February, 2022 suggested eating a lot of vegetables may not greatly cut down the risk of heart problems.
The study is from universities in Oxford and Hong Kong, China. Almost 400,000 people took part in it. They answered questions about their lifestyle, food, and what raw (生的) and cooked vegetables they ate. The study actually found that the risk of dying from heart problems was around 15% lower for those eating the most vegetables, especially raw vegetables.
However, scientists explained that many other factors (因素) also have something to do with this 15% drop. These factors may affect (影响) our health just as much as vegetables. These include other things we eat, how much exercise we get, where we live and whether we smoke or drink. Lead researcher Dr. Qi Feng from the University of Oxford said, “Our large study did not find clear evidence (证据) that how many vegetables you take can cut down chances of heart problems.”
But does it mean that eating vegetables is futile? No. Many other scientists advise that people should still eat at least five kinds of fruit and vegetables every day. That’s because vegetables are important for keeping good health and reducing (减少) the risk of serious illnesses.
1. How many people answered questions for the study?A.About 4,000. | B.About 1,000. | C.About 100,000. | D.About 400,000. |
①Whether we smoke. ②Where we live. ③How we get to work.
④What job we do. ⑤How much exercise we get.
A.①③⑤ | B.①②③ | C.①②⑤ | D.③④⑤ |
A.Useless. | B.Bad. | C.Cheap. | D.Necessary. |
A.Eating cooked vegetables is better than eating raw vegetables. |
B.Many factors are as important as eating vegetables to heart health. |
C.Dr. Qi Feng from the University of Oxford started the study alone. |
D.Scientists found facts showing eating vegetables can keep heart problems away. |
A.Vegetables are healthier than meat. |
B.Eating too many vegetables is bad for our health. |
C.Doctors across the world are lying about eating vegetables. |
D.Eating vegetables may not be so helpful to keep the heart healthy. |
6 . ① Some people decide to stop eating meat and begin to accept a vegan (素食) diet because of health reasons. This way of eating avoids all animal products, including meat, fish, milk, eggs and even honey.
② Making the change can be a challenge for people who often have dairy and meat in their diet, according to Dena Champion, a dietitian, an expert on diet and nutrition (营养学), from Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She added that starting a vegan diet could change your body in certain ways. It might even offer some health benefits.
③ Reduced body weight. Instead of high-fat proteins (高脂肪蛋白) like bacon and beef, vegans get their protein from plant-based sources such as tofu, beans, soy milk, and so on. “This can lead to losing weight. Considering that two-thirds of Americans are overweight, this can have a positive effect on body shape and health”, says Kailey Proctor, a dietitian at St. Joseph Hospital in California.
④ Improved blood sugar control. Because being overweight is a major risk for developing diabetes (糖尿病), losing weight can lower that risk. There was one study from some experts published in the magazine Nutrients in 2018. The experts chose some overweight people with no history of diabetes to switch to a vegan diet. Then they followed them for 16 weeks. Improvements and better effects are seen in those people in controlling blood sugar levels.
⑤ Reduced cancer risk. There’s also the chance to reduce your risk of developing cancer. “Vegan diets, when planned correctly, are also very high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These plant-based foods have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.” says Proctor. We should always focus on consuming whole, fresh foods as much as possible. It’s important to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients for your health.
1. Which one belongs to a vegan diet?A.Meat, fish, milk. | B.Eggs, honey, soy milk. |
C.Tofu, beans, milk. | D.Tofu, beans, soy milk. |
A.The reason for losing weight. | B.The reason for being diabetes. |
C.A study of getting too much weight. | D.A study of controlling blood sugar. |
A.![]() | B.![]() |
C.![]() | D.![]() |
A.Business. | B.Health. | C.News. | D.Sports. |
7 . Obesity (肥胖症) is becoming a serious problem among people of all ages now. It is said that about 41.1% of Chinese men and 27.7% of Chinese women are overweight or obese.
How do I know whether I am overweight? Work out your Body Mass Index (BMI) (身体质量指数). BMI=Weight(kg)/Height²(m²) | |
Ways to Control Your Weight Heart problems *Drink a lot of water. High blood pressure *Eat more fruit and vegetables. High blood sugar *Exercise a lot. Cancer (癌症) *Keep an eye on your weight. *Stay away from food with high sugar or fat. *Relax and have enough sleep. Reasons for ObesityEating too much Some kinds of medicine Poor sleep Family history Too much pressure |
1. If Nick is considered obese, his BMI may be ________.
A.23 | B.28 | C.32 |
A.Results of Obesity |
B.Ways of Losing Weight |
C.An Introduction to Being Obese |
A.You may get obese because of enough sleep. |
B.BMI is a number that can tell if you’re obese. |
C.Obesity is a serious problem only in teenagers. |
A.Health Care | B.Eating Customs | C.Science Window |
The world is getting bigger, or at least fatter. Recent studies show that more and more people are living an unhealthy life.
A.Of course, not all of these are bad for us |
B.We are becoming sofa potatoes |
C.We can’t eat junk food |
D.We should choose the delicious food |
E.They sit in front of the computer all day and eat junk food |
F.One reason is our modern way of life |
G.To be healthy, we should make good choices about what we eat |
9 . Is drinking milk the best way to get calcium (钙)? A new report says it may not be.
“Drink your milk. It’s good for you!” You’re probably heard that many times, and it’s true. Milk has calcium, which is necessary for keeping bones (骨骼) and teeth healthy and strong. The US government (政府) even says that students should drink one cup of milk at each meal.
However, an organization asked the government to take milk off the school lunch menu. The organization says, “Milk is high in sugar, high in fat and high in animal protein (蛋白质), all of which have not been so good for health.” The organization says there are better and healthier ways to get calcium, such as eating beans, broccoli and tofu. “People talk about milk because it is going to help build strong bones.” says Dr. Neal Barnard, the president of the organization, “But drinking milk may not be the best way to get the calcium your body needs.”
Of course, calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth, but there are other ways to improve your bones strength, such as getting plenty of vitamin D and getting an hour’s exercise every day.
Some nutritionists (营养学家) disagree with the idea that milk isn’t important. Keri Gans says, “I don’t think it’s wise to take this drink off the school menu.”
Marion Nestle, a teacher at New York University, says. “It’s true that milk has healthy ingredients. Other foods have the same ingredients. It’s just a kind of food. Drinking too much might be a problem.”
1. The second paragraph is mainly about ________.A.the importance of milk in people’s life | B.different opinions about milk |
C.a new report about drinking milk | D.a new decision of the government |
① Milk has something bad for people’s health.
② People can get calcium from broccoli and tofu.
③ Calcium is not important for healthy bones.
④ Milk should be taken off the school lunch menu.
A.①②③ | B.②③④ | C.①③④ | D.①②④ |
A.Getting calcium | B.Getting vitamin | C.Eating sugar | D.Taking exercise |
A.Don’t Drink Milk Any More. | B.Do You Still Need Milk Now? |
C.Let’s Keep Drinking Milk! | D.How can we get calcium properly? |
Healthy eating doesn’t just mean what you eat, but how you eat.
Eat with others. It can help you to see others’ healthy eating habits. If you usually eat with your parents, you will find that the food you eat is more delicious.
Listen to your body.
Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After you don’t eat anything for the past ten hours, your body needs food to keep you going.
Eat healthy snacks like fruit, yogurt or cheese. We all need snacks sometimes. In fact, it’s a good idea to eat two healthy snacks between your three meals.
Don’t eat dinner late. With our busy life, we always put off eating dinner until the last minute.
A.You will be smarter after eating breakfast. |
B.Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. |
C.Here is some advice on healthy eating. |
D.Ask yourself if you are really hungry. |
E.But this doesn’t mean that you can eat a bag of chips instead of a meal. |