1 . I couldn’t sleep at all last night, and my sister believes it was because I ate a bowl of really spicy (辛辣的) food before bedtime. However, I was skeptical about the connection between spicy foods and sleep. Can eating spicy foods before bedtime truly impact one’s sleep quality? Some people believe that eating spicy foods before bedtime can disrupt sleep by increasing body temperature and causing heartburn. It may be worth avoiding spicy foods close to bedtime.
To find out the relation, the researchers in Australia conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of spicy foods on sleep. They provided a group of individuals with delicious late-night meals, alternating (交替) between spicy and mild options. The results revealed that consuming spicy foods led to disrupted sleep patterns, causing participants to take longer to fall asleep and sleep for shorter time. This data supported the belief that there is a correlation between eating spicy foods and experiencing sleep disturbances.
While the exact mechanism(机制)by which spicy foods influence sleep remains unclear, researchers have proposed several possibilities. One is that stomach discomfort resulting from spicy food consumption may affect sleep quality. Additionally, the long digestion (消化) of spicy foods could delay the start of sleep. Furthermore, spicy foods contain something that can raise body temperature, which has been linked to poor sleep in previous studies.
Given these findings, it is advisable to avoid consuming spicy foods before bedtime to promote better sleep. Next time, I will follow my sister’s advice and opt for a milder meal in the evening to ensure a restful night’s sleep.
1. What do people usually think of eating spicy foods before bedtime?| A．It can make people addictive to it. |
| B．It can be bad for digestion. |
| C．It can make sleep difficult. |
| D．It can lead to an increase in energy levels. |
| A．By analyzing data. | B．By studying papers. |
| C．By doing an experiment. | D．By doing interviews. |
| A．Spicy foods take long to digest. |
| B．Body temperature has no effect on sleep. |
| C．Bad eating habit changes sleep patterns. |
| D．Sleep problems may be caused by bad habits. |
| A．To forbid children from having spicy foods. |
| B．To suggest not eating spicy foods before bedtime. |
| C．To promote some healthy food that is not spicy. |
| D．To keep up with the latest healthy food research. |
2 . Is there any such thing as a salt tooth? We are familiar with a sweet tooth, along with the negative effects of sugar. We are broadly aware of the disadvantages of too much salt, including high blood pressure, which puts pressure on the blood vessels (血管), the heart and the kidneys. It can also lead to water retention (水肿). But we don’t tend to police how much salt we eat — at least, not as rigorously as with sugar — or question whether we are just paying attention to our bodies, which require some salt for muscles to work properly, or we are being controlled by a strong urge.
A salt tooth is quite unlike a sweet tooth. It doesn’t create an appetite for itself at the hormone level. But salt does make our taste buds (味蕾) get used to it, so that the more you eat, the more you need to get the same salty hit. This is why chefs can get heavy-handed with it.
As Sam Bloom, a nutritional therapist, explains, “What is generally more concerning is the fat that is used together with salt, like salty crisps, fries and fast food. Ready meals are often the worst for hidden salts. Anything that adds flavor that isn’t a spice or herb will probably have salt added to it and can make you want to eat more because it tastes good. The salt and fat combination in these foods is what causes problems with cholesterol (胆固醇). The salt that people add to a meal is much less concerning.”
Nutritionists’ suggestion is convincing: When the desire for salt hits, avoid going straight for salty snack foods such as crisps and instead ensure you are well hydrated. Seek out whole foods, such as olives and leafy greens. These foods will help you alleviate the desire for salt, which may often be due to a desire for nutrient-rich food.
1. What does the underlined word “rigorously” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Generally. | B．Strictly. | C．Largely. | D．Pleasantly. |
| A．Salt attracts chefs. |
| B．Salt gets people adapted. |
| C．Salt can change hormone level. |
| D．Salt generates a special appetite. |
| A．Objective. | B．Approving. | C．Negative. | D．Ambiguous. |
| A．Ways of seeking out whole food. |
| B．Reasons for getting the desire for salt. |
| C．Attitudes towards seeking for nutrient food. |
| D．Approaches to relieving the eagerness for salt. |
From prescription medications (处方药) to over-the-counter (OTC) drugs most of us have taken plenty of pills over the years. Doctors are now stressing the importance of the guidance many people aren’t following. Please read on
Many people do not closely follow instructions when
Doctors warn
1. What is the man’s main problem?
| A．Headaches. |
| B．Sleeplessness. |
| C．Pressure of work. |
| A．Monday. |
| B．Tuesday. |
| C．Wednesday. |
1.号召大家做自己健康的第一责任人；
2.提出建议。
注意：1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.短文的题目和首尾句已为你写好。
Our Health, Our Responsibility
Health is regarded as the most significant element of our life.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There is nothing more important than health and let’s take action.
1. What does the speaker mainly talk about at first?
| A．The meaning of dementia. |
| B．Typical behaviors of people with dementia. |
| C．Ways to deal with people with dementia. |
| A．Use simple words and sentences. |
| B．Reduce noise and distractions. |
| C．Give many choices. |
| A．Ask open-ended questions. |
| B．Use a higher and louder voice. |
| C．Set a positive mood. |
| A．Maintaining a sense of humor. |
| B．Asking simple questions. |
| C．Asking general questions about the distant past. |
7 . It was the festive season. Mum had baked some delicious
When morning arrived, I had to make an
When it was my turn, I went into the treatment room. I heard the dentist greet me, but I could not bring myself to
Soon the pain gave way to a(n)
| A．noodles | B．dumplings | C．cookies | D．cakes |
| A．newly-invented | B．newly-collected | C．half-made | D．well-filled |
| A．amazement | B．announcement | C．appointment | D．encouragement |
| A．registered | B．regretted | C．refused | D．came |
| A．fear | B．bother | C．ignore | D．bear |
| A．suspect | B．present | C．soften | D．worsen |
| A．bite | B．drop | C．chance | D．little |
| A．add | B．respond | C．refer | D．devote |
| A．loss | B．expectation | C．sight | D．cause |
| A．removed | B．examined | C．tapped | D．watched |
| A．taught | B．warned | C．questioned | D．informed |
| A．horrible | B．satisfactory | C．comfortable | D．confusing |
| A．amused | B．relieved | C．embarrassed | D．shocked |
| A．waited | B．applied | C．fought | D．headed |
| A．urged | B．complained | C．swore | D．commanded |
8 . Everyone has their favorite food. Some might love chocolate. Some might love potato chips.
Think about your favorite food. Have you ever wondered why your favorite food tastes so good? The answer is about your tongue (舌头) and your nose.
There are some taste buds (味蕾) on your tongue. They give you the sense of taste. How do the taste buds work? In fact, they have many tiny hairs on them. These tiny hairs send messages to your brain about the tastes of different food. In this way, you know whether it is sweet, sour, biter or salty.
An average person has about 10, 000 taste buds. They keep working all the time when we enjoy our food. The taste buds don’t always stay the same. They are replaced every two weeks or so. However, as a person gets older, some of these taste buds don’t get replaced.
An older person may only have 5, 000 working taste buds. That’s why some food may taste stronger for you than they do for an older person.
Besides your tongue, your nose also helps you learn about the taste of food. Sometimes, strong smells can even confuse (使困惑) your sense of taste. Try holding an onion under your nose while eating an apple. What do you taste?
So the next time you enjoy salty pizza and sweet ice cream, thank your tongue and your nose. Without them, you won’t have any sense of taste at all! Without the sense of taste, life will be boring.
1. Which parts of our body can help us taste the food?| A．Tongue and eyes. | B．Tongue and hairs. |
| C．Nose and eyes. | D．Tongue and nose. |
| A．Only parts of them work when people are eating. |
| B．There are tiny hairs sending messages to our brain about the taste of food. |
| C．The taste buds remain the same for two weeks for all the old people. |
| D．Most old people have stronger taste buds than the young. |
| A．About 5,000. | B．Over 6,000. | C．Over 10,000. | D．About 100,000. |
| A．The taste of apple. | B．The taste of onion. |
| C．The taste of sweet ice cream. | D．The taste of potato chips. |
| A．The Use of Tongue. | B．Our Favorite Food. |
| C．How We Can Taste Food. | D．Different Tastes of Food. |
9 . Mice were given a memory test in a lab at the University of New South Wales, in Australia. Scientist Margaret Morris set them in their usual box, but she rearranged the objects in the box. Some mice smelled them curiously, but others just moved on. They didn’t remember the objects were once in a different place.
The mice with sharper memory were fed with a regular diet of low-fat, healthy food. However, the mice that ate lots of junk food for two weeks – such as cake, meat pies, chips, and cookies – were forgetful.
Food can have the same effect on people, too. “If you’re eating junk food regularly, and not eating enough fruit and vegetables,” Morris said, “the changes inside your body may be affecting brain function” Changes inside the body can affect a person’s overall health, too.
Scientists have long known that the brain communicates with the stomach to control digestion. Recently, they have found that the stomach talks back. It may even tell the brain what to do.
Foods with too much salt and sugar affect the microbiome (肠道菌群) in your body by killing the right bacteria (细菌) in it. These bacteria protect you from illness and keep your mind sharp. Lacking them can lead to being overweight and depression.
Rob Knight is a scientist at the University of California, San Diego. He suggests eating yogurt, because it is packed with healthy bacteria. Does that mean no French fries? “Having them sometimes is okay,” Knight says. “It’s the long-term habits that really matter. Being good to your microbiome over the next six months is a lot more important than what you ate yesterday, or what you eat tomorrow.”
1. In the memory test, some mice moved on because ______.| A．they are forgetful | B．they eat a lot of food |
| C．they are not curious | D．they eat low-fat food |
| A．the stomach may speak to brain | B．the stomach may affect brain function |
| C．the stomach can keep one’s mind sharp | D．the stomach can protect one from illness |
| A．microbiome | B．bacteria |
| C．too much salt and sugar | D．yogurt |
| A．People must not eat French fries to protect their mircobiomes. |
| B．Eating yogurt for six month is good for body health. |
| C．It’s necessary to maintain long-term healthy eating habits. |
| D．What you eat tomorrow is the most important thing. |
10 . It can be incredibly difficult to inspire ourselves to go for a run during winter, particularly when it’s wet and windy outside. But new research has found that even a super-quick run could have great health benefits. In fact, it seems just a 10-minute session will not only make us feel better, but also could actually improve brain health, too. Now, we all know that exercise can improve mental and physical health in many ways.
But when it comes to mental wellbeing, there’s been relatively little research done on the specific benefits of running, compared with other physical activities, such as cycling. So this was something put to the test during a recent study. Researchers from University of Tsukuba in Japan asked participants to run on a treadmill (跑步机) for just 10 minutes. They then had to take a Stroop Color and Word Test which is used to measure reaction times in brain processing. Results showed there was a highest point in self-reported pleasure and an increase in degree of activity of the brain.
In other words, runners were found to have an increase in blood flow in the part of the brain that’s associated with dealing with functions and controlling mood (情绪). Researchers then compared these results to a similar study on cycling, which also showed improved cognition (认知), but no mood improvement. Therefore, it seems various types of exercise can make us feel differently.
The authors noted, “Given exercise is medicine, the effects of drugs differ depending on the type of drug, different types of exercise such as running and cycling should be observed to have different effects on mental health and brain functions as well.”
So pushing ourselves to get outside for a run will really make us feel better, potentially more than other fitness activities. And these findings show that we don’t necessarily need to do a lot of exercise to feel the benefit of it.
1. What did the new research find?| A．Running fast benefits all of us. | B．Running is the best exercise. |
| C．A short time run can be beneficial. | D．A healthy mind inspires us to run. |
| A．By using different drugs. | B．By taking some word tests. |
| C．By collecting the former information. | D．By doing experiments and comparisons. |
| A．Cycling. | B．Medicine. | C．Blood flow. | D．Colors. |
| A．We should go for a run in winter. |
| B．Running benefits us physically and mentally. |
| C．We don’t need a lot of exercise. |
| D．Running on a treadmill is better than running outside. |
