1 . People who eat just two servings of red meat per week may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (糖尿病) compared to people who eat fewer servings, and the risk increases with greater consumption, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
While previous studies have found a link between red meat consumption and type 2 diabetes risk, this study, which analyzed a large number of type 2 diabetes cases among participants being followed for an extended period of years, adds a greater level of certainty about the association.
Type 2 diabetes rates are increasing rapidly in the U.S. and worldwide. The disease is not only a serious burden, but also a major risk factor for kidney disease, cancer, and dementia.
For this study, the researchers analyzed health data from 216,695 participants from the Nurses' Health Study, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Diet was assessed with food frequency questionnaires every two to four years, for up to 36 years. During this time, more than 22,000 participants developed type 2 diabetes.
The researchers found that consumption of red meat, including processed and unprocessed red meat, was strongly associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Participants who ate the most red meat had a 62% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate the least. Every additional daily serving of processed red meat was associated with a 46% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and every additional daily serving of unprocessed red meat was associated with a 24% greater risk.
The researchers also assessed the potential effects of substituting one daily serving of red meat for another protein source. They found that substituting with a serving of nuts was associated with a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and substituting with a serving of dairy products was associated with a 22% lower risk.
In addition to health benefits, substituting red meat for healthy plant protein sources would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions: and climate change, and provide other environmental benefits, according to the researchers.
1. What sets the new study apart from previous research?| A．Different focus areas. | B．Scientists from Harvard. |
| C．Unique research methods and findings. | D．More participants and longer follow-up period: |
| A．By describing the research process. | B．By presenting the data of health risk. |
| C．By providing background information. | D．By comparing different kinds of meat. |
| A．Adding. | B．Decreasing. | C．Swapping. | D．Ignoring. |
| A．A medical journal. | B．A cook book. |
| C．A science fiction. | D．A fashion magazine. |
2 . If you’re eating protein (蛋白质), you could be swallowing hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic each year, research finds.
A new study by researchers with the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto found microplastics — tiny particles ranging from one micrometer to a half-centimeter in size — in nearly 90 percent of protein food samples tested.
The researchers analyzed more than a dozen different types of common proteins that could wind up on the average American’s plate, including seafood, pork, beef, chicken, to fu and several plant-based meat alternatives. They estimated that an American adult could consume, on average, at least 11,000 microplastic pieces per year.
The study’s findings provide further evidence of the availability of small plastic particles — which have been discovered everywhere from Antarctic snow to inside human bodies — and how they can end up in the food we eat and the water we drink.
“While we still really don’t have any idea what the human health consequences of this are, if there are any at all, we need to take this seriously because this is a problem that’s not going away on its own, and it’s only going to get worse the more plastic we use and throwaway,” Leonard said. But Leonard and other experts cautioned against using the findings to draw final conclusions about how microplastics can dirty food and the amount of plastic that could be hiding in proteins.
The study’s sample size was not big enough and the researchers noted that there was high variability in microplastic concentrations in the samples. The researchers also only counted microplastic particles that were larger than or equal in size to 45 micrometers. “It just highlights that we need to do more research,” said Bianca Datta, a food scientist not involved in the new research.
1. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?| A．The nature of plastic particles. | B．The researchers’ discovery. |
| C．The variety of foods on a dining table. | D．The conclusion of the research. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Critical. | C．Confident. | D．Concerned. |
| A．To show the limitation of the research. |
| B．To highlight the danger of microplastic concentrations. |
| C．To appeal for environmental protection. |
| D．To stress the urgency of the study. |
| A．Stay away from plastics | B．Possible effects of food processing |
| C．You may be eating plastics | D．A poisoned food system |
3 . 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. |
4 . What Kids Eat for Lunch Around the World
Australia
While Aussies are largely lunchbox people, Australian schools have indoor and outdoor canteens, where students order from a menu of snacks and standard dishes like hot dogs, meat pies, and sausage rolls.
Brazil
Brazil began one of the world’s oldest school feeding programs in 1955, providing lunch for more than 43 million children. The Guideline 2009 limited processed foods and sugars and required schools to offer students one third of their daily nutritional requirements. A school lunch might include meat with vegetables, rice and beans, fresh-baked bread, salad and banana.
France
Unsurprisingly, France takes food seriously, especially school lunches. Each lunch usually has a multicourse meal including a raw vegetable starter and dairy course and a warm main meal with more vegetables, followed by a dessert.
Cuba
Cuban schools provide free lunches that usually feature rice, beans, hard-boiled eggs, vegetables such as sliced tomatoes, and a dessert. Children bring their own drinks and sometimes some snacks from home.
Japan
In Japan, children are typically used to at least trying every food on their plates out of respect for its preparation. A traditional lunch usually consists of local and seasonal ingredients that result in healthy meals such as hearty soups and stews, grilled fish, seasoned rice, and fried noodles. Each lunch contains a specific number of calories.
1. What is the main feature of Brazilian lunch?| A．It’s free of charge. | B．It’s nutritionally balanced. |
| C．It’s served off campus. | D．It’s ordered in the canteens. |
| A．Neither has milk and eggs. | B．Neither has rice and noodles. |
| C．Both include drinks and snacks. | D．Both include desserts and vegetables. |
| A．It is prepared by the elders. | B．It is limited in diversity. |
| C．It is made from fresh ingredients. | D．It contains too much fat. |
5 . “Sushi tastes amazing. A great steak is just amazing.” Those are not the words you expect to hear from a leader of the vegetarian movement. But that’s how Graham Hill, founder of the sustainability website Tree Hugger, feels about the fleshier components of his diet. He is a self-described “weekday vegetarian,” a compromise that came about after years of trying—and failing—to adhere to (坚持) a strictly vegetarian diet.
For the past year, Hill has preached (宣传，鼓吹) the cause of partial vegetarianism to help fight global warming. According to the U. N., the livestock industry produces 18%of the world’s greenhouse gases. Part-time vegetarians choose what to eat and when. The popular Meatless Monday movement, which began in 2003, has been backed by many celebrities, including Paul McCartney, who has taken the lead in his own Meat Free Monday campaign. Last year the Belgian city of Ghent picked Thursday as its Veggie day, calling for meat-free options to be served that day in schools and public institutions.
The drive to avoid eating meat on certain days is not new. Catholics have long been urged to restrain themselves on Fridays. But environmentalists have only recently caught on. “The surge is due to a sense of a plateau (达到平衡) . You’ve already reached out to the base of strict vegetarians, and it’s hard to get beyond those numbers,” says Peter Singer, a Princeton philosophy professor. “People should go further, but it’s progressed in the right direction.”
Although the American Dietetic (ADA) Association doesn’t track the number of part-times, the group says roughly 2.5% of Americans are strictly vegetarian, a diet that poses no health risks as long as practitioners get enough protein from beans and other nonmeat sources. “A partial-vegetarian plan is a little more user-friendly,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a flexitarian (弹性素食者(偶尔吃荤)) and ADA spokesperson.
The goal for many activists is simply to get more people to eat less meat. “Absolute purists should be living in a cave,” says Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). “Anybody who witnesses the suffering of animals and has a glimmer of hope of reducing that suffering can’t take the position that it’s all or nothing. We have to be realistic. Screw the principle.”
1. The first quote of the passage intends to show that ________.| A．sushi and steak are both of Hill’s favorite food | B．the vegetarian movements are popular |
| C．Hill isn’t a qualified leader of the vegetarian movement | D．it’s difficult to be a strict vegetarian |
| A．He doesn’t eat meat on weekends. | B．He doesn’t want to be a strict vegetarian. |
| C．He is an environmentalist. | D．He failed to lose weight. |
| A．Part-time vegetarians account for nearly 2.5% of Americans. |
| B．A diet with all vegetables may have no bad effect on health. |
| C．Partial vegetarian is better than strict vegetarian in terms of nutrition. |
| D．Many celebrities are part-time vegetarians. |
| A．people should adhere to a strictly vegetarian diet. |
| B．everybody should act to fight global warming |
| C．partial vegetarian plan works more sensibly |
| D．people shouldn’t stop eating meat for it’s bad for health |
6 . “In high school, I decided to stop eating meat. I love animals. I couldn’t see them suffering.” Babulski says, who is a biologist at Monroe Community College in New York. Teenage Babulski initially lived on starches (淀粉食物) and salads. Eventually she learned to eat a more balanced vegetarian (素食者的) diet. But, Babulski remembers, her mom still wished she’d give up the madness. Mom thought she was going to straight up die.
The decision by Babulski and others to go vegetarian can be threatening to those who view eating animals as typically American. Eating meat is the norm in the United States, even though medical experts have long encouraged people to eat less processed and red meat for health reasons. What is becoming clear is that a meat-heavy diet is also terrible for the planet.
Shifting demand from meat to beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts could have many benefits for the climate. A more recent April report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, suggests that the world’s wealthiest individuals could greatly decrease emissions (排放) through lifestyle changes. That’s because households with incomes in the top 10 percent produce roughly 36 to 45 percent of global emissions, while households with incomes in the bottom 50 percent contribute just 13 to 15 percent. Therefore, wealthier individuals, who adopt a low-carbon lifestyle, can help establish new, more sustainable social norms.
Babulski learned about the environmental impacts of meat production. She now shares her personal journey with students in her environmental science course. Many of her students come to realize the power of their individual choices. The little things they do actually do add up and make a difference.
1. Why did Babulski’s mother object to her becoming a vegetarian?| A．She felt threatened. | B．She was a meat lover. |
| C．She misunderstood her. | D．She was worried about her health. |
| A．It is a personal lifestyle. | B．It can cause health problems. |
| C．It is harmful to the environment. | D．It is an essential part of their life. |
| A．The factories. | B．The government. |
| C．The low-income families. | D．The wealthy people. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Supportive. | C．Critical. | D．Uninterested. |
7 . That rapidly expanding market has been built around seltzer water − a product favored by celebrities and influencers alike. Despite its growing popularity, seltzer water has some known disadvantages and plenty of advantages that consumers might want to be aware of.
Seltzer water, also called sparking water(气泡水) or bubbly water, “is created when carbon dioxide bubbles are added to still water,” says Jamie Bering, MD, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Indeed, it’s the injection of that carbon dioxide gas under pressure “that causes the bubbles and fizzy quality of seltzer water,” explain Jen Messer, a nutrition consultant at Jen Messer Nutrition.
Though seltzer water is just as hydrating(补水) as regular water, it does have some advantages and disadvantages different than drinking tap water alone. Messer says that sparking water can be “more interesting, appealing and enjoyable than plain water” especially so because it often comes in “a wide variety of flavors.” 33 , “which makes seltzer water a good choice for those looking to reduce their calorie intake or avoid added sugars.” In this way, sparking water can also be a great way to transition away from soda. “Seltzer water can be used as a healthier alternative to drinking soda,” says Bering.
Lisa Young, a professor of nutrition at New York University, says that some people who drink the bubbly liquid “have also found that drinking seltzer water can also provide temporary relief from indigestion(消化不良).”
But seltzer water has some disadvantages as well. For instance, Messer agrees that many people have reported that seltzer water can help with indigestion, but “interestingly, other individuals have found that seltzer water actually causes stomach discomfort such as bloating or gas.”
And Messer says the liquid isn’t great for anyone trying to reduce sodium(钠) in their diets. “Your favorite can of seltzer water may have 100 or 200 milligrams of sodium, which doesn’t seem like much, but it can really add up,” she says. That’s especially worth keeping in mind for people watching their blood pressure.
Young says that because seltzer water is also acidic, “high consumption may affect the teeth over time.” In fact, not only can such acidity cause tooth decay, but people who drink a lot of seltzer water may also not be getting as much decay-preventing fluoride(氟化物) as people who drink tap water since fluoride is added to most supplies of drinking water in America.
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?| A．What is seltzer water? |
| B．The findings of seltzer water. |
| C．The process of producing seltzer water. |
| D．What are the experts’ attitudes towards seltzer water? |
| A．Many of the same things happen in one’s stomach when it’s consumed |
| B．Many people prefer that side effect over the taste of drinking regular water alone |
| C．What’s more, such flavors don’t usually require the use of artificial sweeteners |
| D．Some people also use sparkling water machines to make their own carbonated water at home |
| A．Compare with drinking soda, seltzer water is a healthier alternative. |
| B．Seltzer water can help with stomach discomfort problems. |
| C．Seltzer water isn’t good for people trying to reduce sodium. |
| D．Drinking too much seltzer water may cause teeth problems. |
| A．Sparking water is popular, but is it healthy? |
| B．What is healthy and unhealthy sparking water? |
| C．Why is sparking water unhealthy for people？ |
| D．What happens when you drink seltzer water? |
8 . Chips, cookies and ice cream... These tasty foods, which are ultra-processed, may literally make you an “addict”, as shown in a recent report in the British Medical Journal.
Simply put, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are the foods that you can’t re-create in your kitchen, according to the BBC. Produced in factories, they often have long lists of ingredients that you don’t recognize, such as additives (添加剂), and are ready to eat or simply need to be heated.
The study’s researchers linked UPFs to addiction which includes behaviors like strong desire and negative experiences when trying to stop eating. They analyzed 281 studies from 36 different countries and regions. The findings showed that 14 percent of adults and 12 percent of children have ultra-processed food addiction.
UPFs deliver carbohydrates and fat to the gut (肠) faster. Although nuts are high in fat, the fat can’t be digested (消化) in the early stages. The fat in UPFs, however, is broken down before entering the first part of the small gut, which signals the brain to produce more dopamine-the “happy” chemical.
The additives in UPFs also impact the way the gut absorbs calories. To improve the flavor of the food or drink, man-made sugar is widely used in UPFs. However, it may combine with receptors in the gut, which makes it more sensitive to sweet food, eventually increasing the gut’s ability to absorb sugar.
By considering that certain UPFs are “addictive”, similar to cigarettes or alcohol, “We may be able to help improve global health,” one of the study’s authors, Ashley Gearhardt, said in a press release. They are also calling for more action to fight against such an addiction.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Additives in UPFs. | B．The explanation of UPFs. |
| C．The production process of UPFs. | D．Differences between UPFs and natural foods. |
| A．Feelings of guilt when eating them. | B．Loss of interest in other types of food. |
| C．Difficulty in fighting the desire to eat them. | D．Increased need for carbohydrates and fat. |
| A．They contain more nutrients than eaters’ needs. |
| B．They are lower in carbohydrates and fat digestion. |
| C．They prevent the gut from burning calories and fat. |
| D．They help produce a chemical that makes eaters happy. |
| A．The Significance of UPF Additives | B．The Danger of UPFs |
| C．The Benefits of Factory-Produced Food | D．The Global Impact of UPF Addiction |
9 . It is challenging to teach children about seasonal foods in a modern-day grocery store (杂货店). Having lots of choices of fresh produce from all around the world means that a sense of the seasons is lost. That’s why I like being part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Every week I receive a share of vegetables that comes from a nearby farm. I do not know ahead of time what I’m getting, nor do I have any say on what comes home; I take whatever was harvested earlier that same day, based on the week’s weather conditions, and use them to the best of my ability.
My kids have had a good knowledge of the supply of certain vegetables throughout the harvesting season. They know what it’s like to eat a lot of asparagus (芦笋) until they’re sick of it, only to move on to dark greens and leafy salads, then eggplants, and tomatoes, and finally the root vegetables that mark the arrival of cold weather.
The funny thing is, when you’ve eaten a ton of something for a few weeks, you’re ready to move on to the next crop (作物) and leave the other behind, but when its time comes the following year, the expectation will return. In this way, a CSA share creates excitement at vegetables that can’t be felt when everything can be bought all the time, as it is in a grocery store.
A farmers’ market can offer similar lessons in seasonality to a CSA, but it differs in that you have more choices about what you buy. A CSA share, however, only offers few kinds of vegetables and sometimes fruits, forcing you to work out ways of using them up. I enjoy this challenge because it tests my cooking skills and introduces my family to new and unusual vegetables. What’s more, it is glad to know I’m supporting local farmers by eating what they want to grow, not just what I’m used to eating.
1. What is special about the vegetables offered by the CSA program?| A．They are free. |
| B．They are cheap. |
| C．They can’t be found in local grocery stores. |
| D．They make the author full of expectations. |
| A．It provides enough supply of vegetables. |
| B．It makes people choose vegetables freely. |
| C．It keeps people’s excitement for vegetables. |
| D．It makes people become sick of eating vegetables. |
| A．It encourages him to support local farmers. |
| B．It helps him learn about the community. |
| C．It gives people more choices of foods. |
| D．It causes local farmers a lot of stress. |
| A．Local food is becoming more popular |
| B．The CSA program is making a difference |
| C．People are encouraged to experience farm life |
| D．Naturally grown food improves people’s health |
10 . Using fatty foods to comfort eat during times of stress can harm the body’s recovery from the pressure, research suggests.
Although many people turn to unhealthy foods such as chocolate, crisps or pastries when they are feeling the strain, researchers have found this can reduce blood flow to the brain and cause poorer vascular (血管的) function, which in turn can have a negative effect on mental health and increase the risk of heart disease. The researchers suggest people resist the attraction of convenient treats by eating fruits and vegetables instead.
Prof Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten said, “We looked at healthy 18- to 30-year-olds for this study, and to see such a clear difference in how their bodies recover from stress when they eat fatty foods is staggering.” For people who already have an increased risk of cardiovascular (心血管) disease, the impacts could be even more serious. We all deal with stress all the time, but especially for those of us in high-stress jobs and at risk of cardiovascular disease, these findings should be taken seriously. This research can help us make decisions that reduce risks rather than make them worse.
The study involved a group of young healthy adults who were given two butter bread as breakfast. The participants were then asked to do mental maths, increasing in speed for eight minutes, and alerted when they got an answer wrong. They could also see themselves on a screen.
The researchers found that consuming fatty foods when mentally stressed reduced vascular function by 1.74%. Previous studies have shown that a 1% reduction in vascular function leads to a 13% increase in cardiovascular disease risk.
“We also know that the elasticity (弹性) of our blood tubes, which is a measure of vascular function, declines following mental stress,” said the study’s first author, Rosalind Baynham from the University of Birmingham.
1. What’s the finding of the research?| A．Why people like fatty foods. |
| B．How people recover from stress. |
| C．What people should eat to keep fit. |
| D．Eating fatty foods when stressed is bad for health. |
| A．Seeking low-stress jobs. | B．Dining out in clean restaurants. |
| C．Examining your body regularly. | D．Eating more fruits and vegetables. |
| A．Disappointing. | B．Shocking. |
| C．Confusing. | D．Exciting. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A textbook. |
| C．A science fiction. | D．A recipe book. |
