The Dangers of Dieting
Thanks to our modern lifestyle, with more and more time spent sitting down in front of computers than ever before, the number of overweight people is at a new high. As people crazily search for a solution to this problem, they often try some of the popular fad(时尚) diets being offered. Many people see fad diets as harmless ways of losing weight, and they are grateful to have them. Unfortunately, not only don’t fad diets usually do the trick, but they can actually be dangerous for your health.
Although permanent weight loss is the goal, few are able to achieve it. Experts estimate that 95 percent of dieters return to their starting weight, or even add weight. While the irresponsible or unwise use of fad diets can bring some initial results, long-term results are very rare.
Nonetheless, people who are bored with the difficulties of changing their eating habits often turn to fad diets. Rather than being moderate, fad diets involve extreme dietary changes. They advise eating only one type of food, or they prohibit other types of foods entirely. This results in a situation where a person’s body doesn’t get all the vitamins and other things that it needs to stay healthy.
One popular fad diet recommends eating lots of meat and animal products, while nearly eliminating carbohydrates（碳水化合物）. A scientific study from Britain found that this diet is very high in fat. According to the study, the increase of damaging fats in the blood can lead to heart disease and, in extreme cases, kidney failure. Furthermore, diets that are too low in carbohydrates can cause the body to use its own muscle for energy. The less muscle you have, the less food you use up, and the result is slower weight loss.
Veteran(老兵) dieters may well ask at this point, “What is the ideal diet?” Well, to some extent, it depends on the individual. A United States government agency has determined that to change your eating habits requires changing your psychology of eating, and everyone has a different psychology. That being said, the British study quoted above recommends a diet that is high in carbohydrates and high in fiber, with portions of fatty foods kept low. According to the study, such a diet is the best for people who want to stay healthy, lose weight, and keep that weight off. And, any dieting program is best undertaken with a doctor’s supervision.After losing weight by dieting, what usually happens to people?
| A．They have kidney failure. |
| B．They gain the weight back again. |
| C．They keep the weight off. |
| D．They have less muscle. |
Which of the following best expresses the essential information in paragraph 3?
| A．Bored people turn to fad diets, which, being too extreme, don’t give the body everything it needs. |
| B．People are bored with fad diets and turn to diets which provide what the body needs. |
| C．People prefer fad dieting to moderate dieting because it requires fewer foods to give the body what it needs. |
| D．Fad diets give boring people the moderate dietary changes they need to get all the required vitamins. |
Which is not mentioned as an effect of the meat and animal product diet?
| A．Heart disease. | B．Slower weight loss. |
| C．Psychological changes. | D．Kidney failure. |
According to the passage, why does the ideal diet depend on the individual?
| A．The less muscle you have, the less food you use up. |
| B．Everyone can gain the weight back. |
| C．Everyone has a different psychology. |
| D．Everyone likes different foods. |
This is a dangerous world we live in. The number of murders goes up every year, people are dying of cancer, more people contract HIV, more teens are using drugs, ect. You know this because you’ve heard all the statistics on the news and in the paper. But do you really have an accurate idea what they mean? The numbers are going up, but how do they compare to the growth in population? Are more cases of these diseases being reported because of better testing techniques, or are the diseases more common? The fact is that without knowing the background statistics mean very little.
This growing trend of reporting only part of the information is becoming dangerous. For example, several years ago a high school student reported the dangers of the chemical known as dihydrogen monoxide. This chemical, found in most cancerous tumors, is often found in the blood of people drunk on alcohol, and causes complete physical and mental dependence for those who take the chemical even once. After reading his report, more than 75% of his Advanced Placement Chemistry class voted to forbid this dangerous chemical! Every one of the above statement is true, yet this chemical is necessary to all life on earth. The students made a mistake because they voted knowing only a few statements and statistics, rather than the chemical’s full background.
The point of this article is that one should be aware of what is and is not being said. When one finds a new fact or number, one should try to consider other important information before forming an opinion with only half-truths. Always remember that the author is trying to convince you of his or her own view, and will leave our information that is different from his view. For example, look again at the statistics that suggest skiing is safe. Only 32 people die each year when skiing, while 897 die from lightening strikes, but which is really more dangerous? If you think more about it, you will realize far fewer people go skiing each year than the number of people in danger of a lightning strike. When you think about it again, skiing is more dangerous than you might at first think when looking at the statistics. If we teenagers are to be left in this world, we had better be able to think critically, and form our own views, rather than be easily persuaded by another’s. To be warned is just to be prepared.What’s the author’s attitude towards the growing trend of reporting only part of the
information?
Disapproving B. Positive C. Indifferent D. DangerousIn the first paragraph, what does the writer suggest?
| A．We are now living in a dangerous world. |
| B．We get a lot of false statistics from the media. |
| C．There are around us more and more murders diseases, ect. |
| D．Statistics alone without full background don’t give us an accurate picture of things. |
What’s the purpose of the writer’s using the two examples in the second paragraph?
| A．To argue that high school students are easily persuaded. |
| B．To prove what is necessary to us might be dangerous. |
| C．To show the danger of reporting only part of the information. |
| D．To warn us of the harmful substance around us. |
Relative information is often left out because ___________________.
| A．it is not important |
| B．the author is trying to show what he or she says is true |
| C．readers will consider other important information |
| D．readers are able to form an opinion with half-truths |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Some measures must be taken to protect our dangerous world. |
| B．The growing trend of reporting only half-truths is getting out of control. |
| C．Teenagers ought to improve their ability of telling right from wrong. |
| D．We should learn to think critically and look at problems from all sides. |
Statistically, air travel is by far the safest way to travel, and you can make flying even safer, just by following these simple rules. As your chances of being involved in an air accident are practically nil（零）, many of these tips concern what you should and shouldn't do to make your journey safer when you are airborne（升空的）.
● Fly on non-stop routes
Most accidents occur during the takeoff, climb, descent and landing phases of a flight, so flying non-stop reduces your exposure to these complex procedures.
● Choose larger aircraft.
Although small aircraft have very good safety records, those with more than 30 passenger seats are designed to comply（遵守）with much stricter regulations and are tested more regularly to make sure they still comply. Also, in the unlikely event of a serious accident, larger aircraft provide a better opportunity for passenger survival.
● Pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing
The information may seem repetitious（重复的）, but it's worth listening to the flight attendants. And even if you’ve flown before, it doesn’t mean you know everything about the aircraft you're on, such as the location of the closest emergency exit.
● Store things safely
Never put very heavy articles in the overhead storage bins. They may fall out when someone opens the bin and cause injury. Also, the bin may not be able to hold heavier objects during turbulence（气流）.
● Keep our seat belt fastened while you are seated
Cabin crew always tell you this, but it’s important. You would be seriously injured if the plane hits unexpected turbulence. Always fasten your seat belt if you are told to. The general rule of flying is this: If you are told to do something, do it first and ask questions later.
● Let the flight attendant pour your hot drinks
Flight attendants are trained to handle hot drinks like coffee or tea in a crowded aisle on a moving aircraft, so allow them to pour the drink and hand it to you. Never ask to take a coffee pot from one of them. What is the overall reason for these air safety tips?
| A．What to do in the event of a crash. |
| B．How to avoid turbulence. |
| C．How to improve safety while you are flying. |
| D．How to avoid injury. |
The underlined word “those” in the second tip refers to ____
| A．smaller planes | B．passengers |
| C．larger aircraft | D．safety records |
The underlined phrase “The general rule” in the fifth tip refers to ____.
| A．anything the flight staff tell you to do | B．general safety advice |
| C．walking around the plane | D．pouring hot drinks |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Larger planes have more safety checks and are safer in an accident. |
| B．Take-offs are safer on non-stop flights than landings. |
| C．Every aircraft is different, so the safety procedures may be different. |
| D．Seat belts should be worn to protect against turbulence. |
The best title of the passage should be____.
| A．The Safest Way to Travel | B．Air Safety Tips |
| C．Non-stop Routes | D．How to Fly a Plane |
I needed to get some money so, after Christmas, I took a job in the clothes department at Graham's for the first fortnight of the January sale．I can't say that I enjoyed it, but it was an experience I'll never forget．
I could never understand why there were so many things in the sales, where did they all come from? Now I know the secret! Firstly, there is the special winter stock （货物） and the stock that people buy all the year round; some of these things are slightly reduced．Secondly, there are the summer clothes they couldn't sell last year; these are heavily reduced to clear them．Thirdly, there are cheap clothes bought in specially for the sales; these are put out at high prices ten days before the sale begins and then are reduced by 60% in the sale．Clever! Lastly, they buy in “seconds”（clothes not in perfect condition） for the sale and they are sold very cheaply．
When I arrived half an hour before opening on the first day of the sale, there was already a queue around three sides of the building．This made me very nervous．
When the big moment arrived to open the doors, the security guards looking less confident than usual, came up to them, keys in hand．The moment they had unlocked the doors, they hid behind the doors for protection as the noisy crowd charged in．I couldn't believe my eyes; this wasn't shopping, it was a battlefield! One poor lady couldn't keep her feet and was knocked over by people pushing from behind．
Clothes were flying in all directions as people searched for the sizes, colours and styles they wanted．Quarrels broke out．Mothers were using their small children to crawl through people's legs and get hold of things they couldn't get near themselves．
Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose; each wanting to be the first served．Where had the famous English queue gone? The whole day continued like that, but I kept my temper81 was taking money hand over fist and began to realize why twice a year, Graham's were happy to turn their expensive store into a battlefield like this．
In the sale fever; people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying．As long as it was a bargain it was OK．You won't believe this．But as soon as I got home I crashed out for four hours．Then I had dinner and went back to bed, fearing the sound of the alarm which would tell me to get ready for the second day of the sale. What kind of clothes is likely to be s0ld 5% cheaper?
| A．Last summer's clothes, |
| B．Clothes not in perfect condition． |
| C．Clothes bought in specially for the sales． |
| D．Clothes for winter． |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The customers gave up the queuing, for which the English are famous． |
| B．The customers kept their temper while looking for clothes they wanted． |
| C．Small children enjoyed crawling though people's legs． |
| D．The security guards were fearless of the crowd． |
In the author's opinion, why were Gradhani's happy to make, their expensive store into a "battlefield"?
| A．There were too many clothes and they wanted to clear them in the sales． |
| B．They were eager to show that they were clever at doing business． |
| C．They could take the chance to raise the prices of all their clothes． |
| D．They wanted to make more money by having sales． |
The expression "crashed out" means _____．
| A．chatted with her friends | B．slept soundly |
| C．broke down | D．dined out |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Best Bargain． | B．Hunting for a Job． |
| C．Sale Fever． | D．A Pleasant Fortnight． |
This brief book is aimed at high school students, but speaks to anyone learning at any stage of life.
Its formal, serious style closely matches its content, a school-masterly book on schooling. The author, W. H. Armstrong, starts with the basics: reading and writing. In his opinion, reading doesn’t just mean recognizing each word on the page; it means taking in the information, digesting it and incorporating it into oneself just as one digests a sandwich and makes it a part of himself. The goal is to bring the information back to life, not just to treat it as dead facts on paper from dead trees. Reading and writing cannot be completely separated from each other; in fact, the aim of reading is to express the information you have got from the text. I’ve seen it again and again: someone who can’t express an idea after reading a text is just as ineffective as someone who hasn’t read it at all.
Only a third of the book remains after that discussion, which Armstrong devotes to specific tips for studying languages, math, science and history. He generally handles these topics thoroughly and equally, except for some weakness in the science and math sections and a bit too much passion regarding history. Well, he was a history teacher —if conveyed only a tenth of his passion to his students, that was a hundred times more than my history teachers ever got across.
To my disappointment, in this part of the book he ignores the arts．As a matter of fact, they demand all the concentration, and study that math arid science do, though the study differs slightly in kind．Although it's commonly believed that the arts can only be naturally acquired, actually, learning the arts is no more natural than learning French or mathematics．
My other comment is that tke text aged．The first edition apparently dates to the 1960s—none of the references （参考文献） seem newer than the late 1950s．As a result, the discussion misses the entire computer age．
These are small points, though, and don't affect the main discussion．I recommend it to any student and any teacher, including the self-taught student．According to Armstrong, the goal of reading is to ____.
| A．gain knowledge and expand one's view |
| B．understand the meaning between the lines |
| C．express ideas based on what one has read |
| D．get information and keep it alive in memory |
The author of the passage insists that learning the arts___.
| A．requires great efforts | B．demands real passion |
| C．is less natural than learning maths | D．is as natural as learning a language |
What is a shortcoming of Armstrong's work．according to- the author?
| A．Some ideas are slightly contradictory． |
| B．There is too much discussion on studying science． |
| C．The style is too serious． |
| D．It lacks new information． |
This passage can be classified as ___．
| A．an advertisement | B．a book review |
| C．a feature story | D．a news report |
Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedroom TVs.
A second study ,looking at nearly 1000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year –olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood .But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don't ride out that already poorly motivated youngsters（年轻人）may wash lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages5 and 15. These with college degrees had watched拍average of tess than two hours of TV per weeknight during childhood, compared with an average of me than 2 1/2 hours for those who had no education beyond high school
In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores , it adds to accumulating findings that children shouldn’t have TVs in their bedroomsAccording to the Califomia study, the low-scoring group might 。
| A．have watched a lot of TV |
| B．not be interested ted in math |
| C．be unable to go to college |
| D．have had computers in their bedrooms |
What is the researchers' understanding of tbe New Zealand study results?
| A．Poorly motivated 26-year-olds watch more TV. |
| B．Habits of TV watching reduce learning interest[来 |
| C．TV watching leads to lower education levels of the 15-year-olds. |
| D．The connection between TV and education levels is difficult to explain |
What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A．More time should be spent on computers.
B．Children should be forbidden from watching TV.
B．TV sets shouldn't be allowed in children's bedrooms
D．Further studies on high-achieving students should be doneWhat would be the best title for this text?
| A．Computers or Television |
| B．Effects of Television on Children |
| C．Studies on TV and College Education |
| D．Television and Children's Learning Habits |