1 . “The cure for anything is salt,” says a character in Karen Blixen’s short story The Deluge at Norderney. Everyday life has got a lot saltier since Blixen’s era — and salt is no longer the cure-all it once was. So what should we be doing about it?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends capping your salt intake at 5g a day, and keeping it even lower if possible. That’s because, according to a large body of evidence, eating a lot of it is linked to high blood pressure, which in turn is a risk factor for heart disease. More recently, extra salt has also been associated with stomach cancer.
So is the answer to put down the shaker? It’s a bit more complicated than that: as the British Heart Foundation notes, 75% of the salt that we eat is added before our food even hits our plates. The UK was a world leader in salt reduction, with the Food Standards Agency enforcing (施行) strict limits on how much could be included in most products.
In 2010, however, as the government introduced “responsibility deals”, the food industry itself took the lead in the process, with limits becoming much more voluntary. Now, even brands that would like to reduce the salt content of their foods are hamstrung by what everyone else is doing: apart from being one of the cheapest forms of flavouring available, salt can also be used to bulk up (增重) foods by increasing their water content.
“As a work partner of mine said, leaving it up to the manufacturers (制造商) is like putting a mosquito in charge of a blood bank,” says Graham MacGregor, a professor of medicine. “Some supermarkets want better enforcement, but it has to come from above.”
The answer, then, is that this is one health concern that we should probably be collectively worrying about. You can take steps like cooking most of your meals and avoiding takeaways and ready meals. But it’s not an option for everyone. “If you really want to lower your salt intake, the best first step might be to write to your MP (国会议员),” says MacGregor.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly focus on concerning salt?| A．Its potential danger to health. | B．Its daily recommended intake. |
| C．Its significance to everyday life. | D．Its curing ability for certain diseases. |
| A．Copied. | B．Restricted. | C．Doubted. | D．Criticized. |
| A．A win-win strategy. | B．An ill-intentioned policy. |
| C．A business-restricting practice. | D．A poorly thought-out initiative. |
| A．The food industry’s voluntary efforts. | B．The UK government enforcing strict laws. |
| C．The general public’s return to home cooking. | D．The WHO introducing minimum standards. |
1. Which benefit of exercise is mentioned?
| A．Gaining weight. | B．Building muscles. | C．Improving sleep quality. |
| A．At the age of 18. | B．In their late 20s. | C．At the age of 40. |
| A．A teacher. | B．A trainer. | C．A doctor. |
| A．Doing regular exercise. | B．Staying in a good mood. | C．Keeping their brains active. |
3 . Having Spider-Man close gives you the courage to face the coming days. It certainly
Children really need
Farther south, another team of window washers also made their
We can all be somebody’s superhero for a day, an hour or just a moment. Distracting someone from the
| A．extends | B．treasures | C．brightens | D．misses |
| A．ticket | B．visit | C．fine | D．meal |
| A．hung | B．shouted | C．fell | D．escaped |
| A．careful | B．thoughtful | C．frightened | D．excited |
| A．decisive | B．magical | C．awkward | D．difficult |
| A．choices | B．innovation | C．demand | D．emotions |
| A．courage | B．time | C．pressure | D．patience |
| A．teachers | B．heroes | C．families | D．friends |
| A．losing | B．feeling | C．requiring | D．providing |
| A．definitely | B．eventually | C．only | D．rarely |
| A．presentation | B．experience | C．appearance | D．impression |
| A．limited | B．beneficial | C．unnecessary | D．impossible |
| A．respond | B．grow | C．recover | D．learn |
| A．pain | B．kindness | C．relief | D．regret |
| A．fill | B．ruin | C．end | D．make |
4 . What have humans done to deserve dogs? They greet us when we come home, comfort us when we’re sad and generally act as loyal companions.
Now, researchers are investigating whether tumors (肿瘤) in dogs may help treat tumors in humans. In early April, the Jackson Laboratory began collecting samples of canine (犬的) tumors. Cells from these tumors inserted into mice could help test new drugs and improve our understanding about how cancer develops and progresses.
Although cancer results from many factors, genes play a critical role. That means the genetic makeup of a tumor can help determine which drugs work against it. So having a broad and diverse pool of genetic makeups increases the chances of finding the right way to attack each disease. This thinking is particularly relevant for rare cancers and rare mutations (突变). Drawing from a larger pool means more genetic mutations to research.
And using tumors from dogs is a nearly ideal way to widen that pool. They’re exposed to many of the same environmental factors that might cause cancer in their owners, notes Dr. Christopher Fulkerson. Some bone and brain cancers are far more common in dogs than they are in people, making samples easier to find.
In many cases, the cells in a dog’s cancer look and act the same as they would in a human. They can even carry the same genetic mutations. However, not all canine cancers will be particularly helpful for human-focused research. For some types, the similarities between human and dog diseases will be significant. But when they aren’t, warns Dr. Jaime Modiano, the differences could have serious consequences for drug development.
But even when the research doesn’t advance knowledge of human cancers, it could still help improve the treatment of dogs diagnosed (确诊) with cancer. That's the least we can do for our faithful friends.
1. What are the purposes of collecting canine tumors?| A．To help design new drugs. |
| B．To better understand cancer. |
| C．To prove dogs are our faithful friends. |
| D．To show cancer results from many factors. |
| A．Many dogs have bone and brain cancers. |
| B．Dogs and their owners are good companions. |
| C．Dogs and their owners have similar living conditions and cancer types. |
| D．Using tumors from dogs can help determine which drugs work better. |
| A．It’s useless to study cancers from dogs. |
| B．Studies on cancers from dogs will bring harmful results. |
| C．Cancers from dogs may not be helpful for fighting human cancers. |
| D．Some similarities between human and dog diseases are significant. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Pessimistic. | D．Optimistic. |
1. What is the woman doing?
| A．Hosting a program. | B．Reporting news. | C．Having a treatment. |
| A．4. | B．5. | C．6. |
| A．It’s hard to quit smoking. |
| B．It’s okay to smoke a little. |
| C．Smoking is not healthy at all. |
| A．Exercising regularly. | B．Drinking less. | C．Getting enough sleep. |
6 . A study following nearly 30,000 older adults for more than 10 years has found six key healthy lifestyle factors can significantly reduce memory loss and those adults engaging in between four and six of the healthy lifestyle behaviors could dramatically reduce their risks of developing dementia (痴呆), even when carrying genes that increase their risks of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Six healthy lifestyle aspects were assessed: a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, active social contact, active cognitive (认知的) activity, never smoking, and never drinking alcohol,” the researchers explained in the new study. Participants were classified (分类) into the favorable group if they had four to six healthy lifestyle factors, into the average group for two to three factors, and into the unfavorable group for zero to one factor.
The study found that people with four to six healthy habits had a much slower loss of memory than those with fewer healthy habits. People with these good habits were also much less likely to get dementia than those with one or no healthy habits. Those who had two or three good habits were 30% less likely to get dementia.
The study didn’t figure out which of the six healthy habits is the best for stopping dementia or which combination is the best. However, the information did show that eating healthy seemed to help prevent memory loss the most, with brain exercise and regular physical exercise also very helpful.
About 20% of the people in the study had a gene that makes Alzheimer’s disease more likely. Even so, having several good health habits helped slow down memory loss. This shows that changing how we live can really help.
Even though each health habit helped in a different way, overall, the study found that people with more good health habits had much less memory loss than those with fewer good habits. This suggests that the choices we make in how we live can help protect our memory. The study adds to the evidence that we might be able to change our risk of memory loss.
1. What were the groups categorized based on?| A．The participants’ age. | B．What hobbies the participants got rid of. |
| C．The healthy lifestyles the participants had. | D．What the participants’ attitudes to factors were. |
| A．The favorable group was happier than the other two. |
| B．More healthy lifestyles were of more benefit to health. |
| C．Healthy habits had little impact on memory or dementia. |
| D．People with a healthy diet wouldn’t suffer a loss of memory. |
| A．A healthy diet. | B．Active social contact. |
| C．Active cognitive activities. | D．Never drinking alcohol. |
| A．Healthy Lifestyles Slowing Memory Loss | B．A Study Making A Great Breakthrough |
| C．A Healthy Diet Being The Best Lifestyle | D．Old Adults Suffering From Health Problems |
1. According to the man, what mistake do dieters make?
| A．Their goals are too specific. |
| B．They occasionally eat sweets. |
| C．They don’t eat enough. |
| A．Doing different types of exercises. |
| B．Doing challenging exercises. |
| C．Drinking water when they exercise. |
| A．An expert. | B．A TV host. | C．A salesman. |
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9 . Farm to school events are happening all over the country this month. The events are aimed at bringing fresh food to students’ plates. And, after a decline in nutrition education in U. S. schools in recent decades, there’s new momentum (势头), to weave food and cooking into the curriculum again.
“I’d love to see it brought back and have the science around healthy eating integrated,” says Stacy Dean, deputy under secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services at the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Dean told me she was inspired by a visit to Watkins Elementary, in Washington, D. C. where this idea is germinating. Students grow vegetables in their school garden. They also roll up their sleeves in the school’s kitchen to participate in a FRESHFARM FoodPrints class, which integrates cooking and nutrition education.
Evaluations show participation in FRESHFARM programs is associated with increased preference for fruits and vegetables. And, the CDC points to evidence that nutrition education may help students maintain a healthy weight and can also help students recognize the connection between food and emotional wellbeing. Given the key role diet plays in preventing chronic (慢性的) disease, the agency says it would be ideal to offer more nutrition education.
At a time when diet-related disease is a leading cause of death, and unhealthy eating habits are entrenched (根深蒂固的) in U. S. culture, it’s unrealistic to think that a cooking curriculum could overcome such a sweeping, societal problem. “We know from years of evidence that we need multiple things to come together to support healthy eating,” says Angela Odoms-Young, a professor of maternal and child nutrition at Cornell University.
At a time when the U. S. spends billions of dollars on diet-related disease, an investment in nutrition education makes sense, says the USDA’s Stacy Dean. “Food is so fundamental to life and good health and it is absolutely worthy of some time in the basic curriculum,” she says. The hope is that integrating nutrition and cooking into a school program will give kids the skills and inspiration to eat well, and help put them on a healthy path.
1. Where did Stacy Dean’s idea come from?| A．Her visit to Watkins Elementary. |
| B．Her work at the U. S. Department of Agriculture. |
| C．The decline in nutrition education in U. S. schools. |
| D．The new trend to bring back cooking into school curriculum. |
| A．Students can raise animals in school. |
| B．It can protect students from chronic disease. |
| C．Students become more interested in fruits and vegetables. |
| D．Students can do some gardening and cooking in the program. |
| A．Cooking curriculum can solve the diet-related disease problem. |
| B．We need to work together in order to keep a healthy diet. |
| C．People have changed their unhealthy eating habits nowadays. |
| D．Diet-related disease used to be a cause of death in U. S. culture. |
| A．Cooking is fundamental in school education. |
| B．Add nutrition education in school curriculum. |
| C．Investment in nutrition education makes sense. |
| D．Cooking and gardening at school inspire better nutrition. |
10 . Sleep is essential to our mental and physical well-being, so people need to get adequate (足够的) rest. One part of sleep that impacts well-being is the position we settle into when we climb into bed at night, whether we prefer to be on our back, side, or stomach.
You probably know the position you like to fall asleep in.
Many of us may not give much thought to our sleeping position well into our mid-20s or 30s.
| A．While each sleeping position has benefits and downsides |
| B．Switching to aside sleeping position can be a better option |
| C．We spend less than 10% of our night sleeping in this position |
| D．If you do find that you’re most comfortable when you sleep on your stomach |
| E．However, research has shown several factors influence our preferred sleeping position |
| F．But as we a age, our sleeping position can become increasingly important to our well-being |
| G．Ultimately, the best sleep position is whichever sleep position enables you to enjoy an uninterrupted sleep |
