1 . Exhausted, Jia Ling ate five packs of chocolate cookies alone at night by her bed after wrapping up filming for her new film YOLO that day. “Recalling that moment, I felt so great, like a tired soldier claiming the spoils of war,” she said.
By then, she had lost an incredible 50 kilograms, and her entire image had changed. The chubby (胖乎乎的), round and cute comedian Jia Ling was gone, replaced by a cool, muscular warrior.
Audiences were shocked by her appearance on Chinese New Year’s Day, Feb.10, when the film was first released. Jia had kept everything so secretive, avoiding public appearances for a year, that her new look was only revealed when she appeared on the big screen. Conversations about her high-intensity weight loss training, along with her courage and determination, have become trending topics across China, propelling the film’s box office earnings.
YOLO, which stands for “you only live once,” is the theme Jia aims to tell in her new film. The story follows an overweight, depressed woman who becomes isolated from society. However, after meeting a boxing coach and taking up the sport, she begins to regain her passion and finds her way in life. The filming was divided into five stages. Jia had to gain 20 kilograms at first for the role, moving on to the final stage when she lost a significant amount of weight and became muscular. This method mirrors what some Hollywood stars, such as Christian Bale, have done, but Jia’s effort is jaw-dropping and takes it to an even more extreme level.
Yet, the film’s core goes beyond physical transformation. “This film is not about weight loss, nor is it much about boxing. It’s a film that tells the story of how a kind person finds her true self and learns to love herself,” Jia said.
1. What does the underlined word “propelling” in Paragraph 3 mean?| A．Disturbing. | B．Restoring. | C．Driving. | D．Slowing. |
| A．Generous and funny. | B．Determined and courageous. |
| C．Creative and sensitive. | D．Ambitious and enthusiastic. |
| A．A woman’s pursuit of boxing glory. |
| B．A woman’s journey through weight loss. |
| C．A woman’s struggle with social pressure. |
| D．A woman’s discovery of self-love and acceptance. |
| A．The early bird catches the worm. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．It’s never too late to change. | D．Don’t cry over spilled milk. |
2 . How much salt is too much salt? Unfortunately, it’s most likely the amount you’re consuming.
A new study published Monday in the journal JAMA found that cutting one teaspoon of salt a day results in a decline in blood pressure comparable to taking blood pressure medication.
Humans need sodium (钠), which is found in salt, for our bodies to work properly. It plays an important role in nerve and muscle function by allowing nerves to pulse with electricity and muscles to contract. But too much sodium can be bad for our health. It contributes to high blood pressure, or hypertension (高血压)which is a major cause of stroke and heart disease.
One way it does this is by making the body absorb more water. Extra sodium in the blood pulls more water into blood vessels (血管), which increases the amount of blood in the vessels. This increases blood pressure and, in some people, leads to high blood pressure and can damage vessels and even organs like the heart, kidney s and brain.
In this latest study, participants who cut out their daily salt intake by one teaspoon had lower blood pressure in just one week. This was even true for people already on blood pressure medication.
But how much sodium is in one teaspoon of salt? A teaspoon of salt has about 2,300 mg of sodium in it. And according to the FDA, Americans eat an average of 3,400 mg of sodium. So cutting out a teaspoon would be equivalent to cutting two-thirds of a person’s daily sodium intake.
But the researchers say that cutting out any amount of sodium will help lower blood pressure-at least more than no reduction at all.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To describe an interesting fact. | B．To present a confusing question. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. | D．To provide background information. |
| A．By causing muscle disorders. | B．By bringing about hypertension. |
| C．By directly damaging our organs. | D．By absorbing the water in blood vessels. |
| A．Equal. | B．Relevant. | C．Beneficial. | D．Important. |
| A．The Recommendation on the Intake of Salt |
| B．The Less Sodium We Have, the Better We Are |
| C．Cutting One Teaspoon of Salt May Improve Health |
| D．The Relationship Between Salt and Blood Pressure |
