Question

    Keeping a busy social life among lots of friends may keep people thinner than spending several hours in a gym, according to scientists. Scientists believe social activities can release a brain chemical that changes white fat into brown fat. Brown fat burns calories (卡路里). To produce heat, while white fat keeps calories and make us fatter.

Changing white fat into brown fat is very difficult, generally requiring long-term exposure to cold conditions or making part of the body’s nervous (神经的) system active. However, scientists from Ohio State University think that having a busy social life is an even better way of carrying out this change.

Tests on mice showed that those lived in large communities and had more space and toys lost half of their stomach weight in four weeks, even if they ate more than those in boring, lonely environments. Researchers said that social excitement helps lose weight.

However, social activities make some people worried. Study writer Dr Matthew During said, “I’m still amazed at the degree of losing fat that happens. We often think of stress (压力) as a negative thing, but some kinds of stress can be good for your health.”

Explaining how new technology had reduced the chance for people to communicate face to face, he added, “It’s not just because of being short of exercise and high calorie foods, but an increasing lack of social activities. Loneliness is a deep cause of cancer and death, it’s just as dangerous as smoking. Social activities are very important.

根据短文内容选择最佳答案。

1.The underlined word “exposure” means________in Chinese.

A.勘探 B.适应 C.暴露

2.When people take social activities, a brain chemical can change white fat into________.

A.brown fat B.calories C.energy

3.According to the tests on mice, ________.

A.Taking more social activities will work for losing weight, even if you eat more.

B.Mice living in boring and lonely environments will gain weight although they eat less.

C.The results from test on mice aren’t fit for humans.

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A.Brown fat keeps calories and make people fatter while white fat burns calories to produce heat.

B.To change white fat into brown fat, long-term exposure to cold conditions is required.

C.Unlike smoking, loneliness can cause cancer and even death.

5.The best title for the passage can be ________.

A.Social Activities Help Lose Weight

B.Brown Fat and White Fat

C.Loneliness Is Dangerous

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.A

4.B

5.A

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文，主要介绍了社交活动有助于减肥以及对人类身心健康的重要性。

1.词句猜测题。根据前后文“Changing white fat into brown fat is very difficult , generally requiring long-term exposure to cold conditions”可知，将白色脂肪变为棕色脂肪通常需要长期暴露在寒冷的环境中，故划线部分exposure意为“暴露”。故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据第一段“Scientists believe social activities can release a brain chemical that changes white fat into brown fat”可知，当人们参加社交活动时，大脑释放的化学物质会将白色脂肪转化为棕色脂肪。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段“those lived in large communities and had more space and toys…even if they ate more than those…”可知，社交活动较多的老鼠即使吃得比那些没有什么社交活动的老鼠多，也比它们瘦得多且快，因此多参加社交活动有助于减肥，即使你吃得多。故选A。

4.细节理解题。A选项：棕色脂肪保持热量，使人发胖，而白色脂肪燃烧热量产生热量。根据“Brown fat burns calories (卡路里). To produce heat, while white fat keeps calories and make us fatter”可知，选项错误；B选项：要将白色脂肪变为棕色脂肪，需要长期暴露在寒冷的环境中。根据“Changing white fat into brown fat is very difficult, generally requiring long-term exposure to cold conditions”可知，选项正确；C选项：与吸烟不同，孤独会导致癌症甚至死亡。根据“Loneliness is a deep cause of cancer and death, it’s just as dangerous as smoking”可知，选项错误。故选B。

5.最佳标题题。根据“Keeping a busy social life among lots of friends may keep people thinner than spending several hours in a gym, according to scientists…Researchers said that social excitement helps lose weight”及全文内容可知，本文主要介绍了社交活动对人类身心健康的重要性，并以老鼠为证点明了社交活动有助于人们减肥，故“社交活动有助于减肥”可作为本文标题。故选A。