Want Kids to Eat Better? Get Them Cooking
Cooking programs and classes for children seem to positively influence children's food preferences and behaviors, according to a recent review. And, although the review didn't look at long-term effects of such programs, the findings suggest that such programs might help children develop long-lasting healthy habits.
This research comes at a time when childhood obesity(肥胖)rates have been rising rapidly. More than one-third of adolescents in the United States were obese in 2012, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This trend has been caused, at least in part, by a significant decrease in the amount of meals that people consume at home since the 1980s, according to background information in the study.
Cooking education programs, such as Food Explorers, teach children about new healthy foods and how to prepare them. They also stress the importance of eating five fruits and vegetables every day. A volunteer parent explains a new food to the group, and the kids make something based on the lesson, such as fruit or vegetable salad. Depending on the program, kids may be sent home with information about healthy foods to bring to their parents, the review explained.
The study team reviewed eight other studies that tested different types of cooking education programs. Children in these classes were between 5 and 12 years old, according to the review. The goal of the study team was to learn more about developing an efficient program to encourage healthy food choices that last a lifetime. The study found that it is particularly important to expose kids to healthy foods on a number of occasions. This makes them feel comfortable with the new foods, which helps them build healthy habits.
The study stressed the importance of getting parents involved in(参与)their children's eating habits. Parents who are unable to enroll their kids in a cooking class can achieve similar benefits by having their kids help them while they prepare meals at home. Children are more comfortable at home, which makes them more receptive to new foods because they will make the connection to a positive experience.What can we infer from the second paragraph?
| A.Eating out frequently causes obesity. |
| B.Childhood obesity is totally caused by eating habit. |
| C.Childhood obesity rates have been rising rapidly since 2012 |
| D.Food consumption has decreased significantly since the 1980s |
On cooking education programs, ________.
| A.children learn how to prepare foods from their parents |
| B.children will learn how to cook in the company of their parents |
| C.children may learn information unknown to their parents |
| D.children focus more on cooking skills than on information about healthy foods |
Which of the following is true according to the study?
| A.Parents should let their kids cook independently at home. |
| B.A greater willingness to try new foods helps building healthy habits. |
| C.Children who participate in cooking programs are less likely to become obese. |
| D.Children who take cooking courses are more likely to choose fruits and vegetables as adults |
Which of the following categories does this passage belong to?
| A.Education Systems |
| B.Science and Technology |
| C.Parent-child Relationship |
| D.Public Health Research |
At a few minutes past five, Dave noted that the blanket of darkness was lifting. He was just able to make out the heavier masses that eventually appeared as the familiar trees that lined the road at the base of the hill. The upper reaches of the sky showed lighter shades of gray.
Dave got out of bed quietly and dressed quickly. He mixed a spoonful of instant chocolate into a glass of cold water, and his impatience forced him to finish the drink in gulps.
As he walked down toward the lake, Dave paused to reach for the fishing pole and gear box on the bench where he had left them the night before.
By the time he reached the small boat, a thick white mist (雾气) had spread over the surface of the water. He stepped into the boat, sat down, and rowed out of the weed beds that lined the edge of the shore.
The outer fringe(边缘)of the lake disappeared as the boat moved forward noiselessly. All he could see was the enveloping whiteness. He could not tell where the boat and the surrounding air met the surface of the lake.
Dave rowed steadily ahead, relying on a mental picture of the surroundings. Then the mist began to rise, slowly. It soon rested inches above the still surface of the lake. The heavy silence was now being broken by the fish breaking through the surface as they leaped out of the water for low-flying insects.
The magic time had arrived. Dave raised his pole. Dawn was broken. He was excited with expectancy.Dave got up early in the morning to _________.
| A.enjoy the scene of the lake |
| B.seek adventure at the lake |
| C.go fishing in the lake |
| D.take a walk by the lake |
According to the story, which of the following is TRUE?
| A.Dave broke the quietness of the lake. |
| B.Dave was familiar with the surroundings. |
| C.Dave took a picture of the lake with him. |
| D.Dave forgot the fishing pole at the beginning. |
The underlined word “It” in Paragraph 6 refers to _________.
| A.fish | B.boat | C.silence | D.mist |
What can we learn from the end of the story?
| A.Dave was hopeful of catching a lot of fish. |
| B.Dave wished the weather would be better. |
| C.Dave was happy that dawn was broken. |
| D.Dave expected someone else would come. |
Different people use different languages. We Chinese speak Chinese, and, most of us are learning a foreign language. But there is another kind of language we need to know --- the language of the body.
All over the world, people “talk with their hand, with their heads and with their eyes.” When Japanese people meet, they bow. When Indians meet, they put their hands together. What do American and British do? Americans are more imformal(不拘小节的) than the British. They like to be friendly. They use first names, they ask questions and they talk easily about themselves. When they sit down, they like to relax in their chairs and make themselves comfortable. British people are more reserved(保守的). They take more time to make friends. They like to know you before they ask your name.
When British or American people meet someone for the first time, they shake hands. They do not usually shake hands with people they know well. Women sometimes kiss their women friends, and men kiss women friends (on one cheek only). When a man meets a man, he just smiles, and says, “Hello.” Men do not kiss each other, or hold hands. Even fathers and sons do not often kiss each other.In the passsage, the writer thinks that body language is ______________.
| A.uselss | B.difficult | C.quite easy | D.important |
Which of the following is right?
| A.different countries hav the same body language. |
| B.different countries have different body anguages. |
| C.people in Asia share the same body language. |
| D.many people only use their body language. |
If an American friend visits you, he probably _____________.
| A.sit straight | B.never sits down | C.makes fun of you | D.sits freely |
If you want to make a British friend, you may feel it ________________.
| A.imopssible | B.too easy | C.too difficult | D.slow |
Generally speaking, ____________ kiss more often.
| A.men | B.women | C.British | D.Americans |
Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members don’t know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it is quite often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for some ideas.
It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone. This communication is very important in children’s growing up, because friends can discuss something. These things are difficult to tell their family members.
However, parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. Have you ever thought of the following questions?
Who chooses your friends?
Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?
Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like?
Your answers are welcome.Many teenagers think that ____ can understand them better.
| A.friends | B.brothers | C.sisters | D.parents |
When teenagers have something difficult to tell their parents, they usually____
| A.stay alone at home | B.fight with their parents |
| C.discuss it with their friends | D.go to their brothers and sisters for help |
The underlined sentence“Your answers are welcome.” means _______.
| A.You are welcome to discuss the questions with us. |
| B.We have got no idea, so your answers are welcome. |
| C.Your answers are always right. |
| D.You can give us all the right answers. |
Which of the following is the writer’s attitude?
| A.Parents should choose friends for their children |
| B.Children should choose everything they like |
| C.Parents should understand their children better |
| D.Teenagers should only go to their friends for help |
Part of the purpose of this passage is to ___.
| A.give information for the parents to make their own judgment. |
| B.give advice to children who want to choose their friends. |
| C.help parents to find better friends for their children. |
| D.get some information from many readers. |
I got tired of living the life that everybody told me I “should” be living , so one day I decided to start living life on my own terms. Frustrated(挫败)with my job, I came home, put on my shoes, and just started running. It felt so good to be free. That first day I ended up running 30 miles without stopping. Yes, I had rediscovered my old passion (酷爱的事物) — and it felt so good I set a goal to support myself and my family from my running alone.
I trained hard every day. Since I wanted to be the best I could be, I knew I would have to set some clear goals for myself. A couple of my goals were: run a 135-mile ultra-marathon(超级马拉松) across Death Valley, win the Badwater Ultra-Marathon, and run a marathon to the South Pole.
I had no idea how I was going to achieve these goals, but they certainly encouraged me to work hard. Today, I am really grateful to say that I have achieved all of them. Shortly after completing these goals, I set another goal: to run fifty marathons, in fifty states, in fifty days. Nobody had done anything like this before. To be honest, I was not quite sure if I could. But there was only one way to find out…so I just started training and preparing to give it my best try.
I completed that goal one year ago, and it felt great! But for me, life is not all about achieving goals. Sure, it feels good to succeed, but the greatest reward for me was learning more about myself and what I was able to do.
Only by stepping out into the unknown and stretching(使倾注全力) ourselves can we really discover what our true potential(潜能) is。Why did the author decide to become a runner?
| A.He was out of work. |
| B.He wanted to treat his illness. |
| C.He wanted to live his dreams. |
| D.He suddenly found running interesting. |
Which played an important role in the author’s success?
| A.Setting goals | B.Learning from others. |
| C.Being honest | D.Keeping on reading . |
According to Paragraph 3, before achieving the goals the author felt _____________
| A.very grateful | B.not quite confident |
| C.quite afraid | D.not very satisfied |
What does the underlined part “that goal” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A.Win the Badwater Ultra-Marathon. |
| B.Run a marathon to the South Pole. |
| C.Run fifty marathons, in fifty states, in fifty days. |
| D.Run a 135-mile ultra-marathon across Death Valley. |
The author probably agrees that____________.
| A.life means achieving goals |
| B.success is the greatest reward |
| C.sports help develop our potential |
| D.everyone may have great potential. |
My name is Chelsea Chowderhead. A chowder is a kind of soup. I was laughed at because of my last name as soon as I started school. So when my family moved to South Carolina, I asked my dad if I could change my name.
“You shouldn’t change who you are. Let people get to know you first and your name later. When you meet someone new, ask them a good question, something you’re really interested in. Once people start talking about themselves, they don’t judge(评价) you.”
Two days later I headed to my new school for the first day of class. At lunch, I noticed that there were twin brothers who were talking to each other. I remembered my dad’s advice, so I decided to try.
I noticed that their lunchboxes were identical. “What’s it like being a twin?” I asked.
They looked surprised. Then one said, “No one has ever asked us that!”
“Most of the time it’s good,” the other said. “When you’re a twin you always have someone to talk to and have lunch with.”
In no time we were laughing and talking. Then one of the brothers said, “I’m Nicholas, and this is my brother, Nathaniel. What’s your name?”
I took a deep breath and said, “I’m Chelsea Chowderhead.”
“Chowder? Like the soup?” asked Nathaniel.
“Yes,” I replied, looking down.
“Hey, cool! Do you want to come over after school and play basketball with us?” Nathaniel asked. I nodded.
And that is how I became friends with the twin brothers.Why did the writer want to change his name?
| A.People made fun of it. |
| B.He wanted to make more friends. |
| C.It was hard to remember. |
| D.He wanted to be cool in the new school. |
The writer’s father advised him to ____________.
| A.move to a new class | B.say hello to others |
| C.share his interests | D.ask good questions |
The underlined word “identical” in Paragraph 4 probably means _____________.
| A.same | B.beautiful | C.big | D.full |
When the twin brothers asked his name, the writer felt ________________.
| A.surprised | B.angry | C.nervous | D.proud |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A.One can order a chowder in some restaurants. |
| B.The twins said hello to the writer first. |
| C.The twins also didn’t like the writer’s name. |
| D.At last the writer changed his name. |