For years experts have argued that poor households are consuming less nourishing food than the rest of the population.
But a survey of some of the lowest earners in Britain shows the nutritional value of what they eat is little different to everyone else.
In fact, the same deficiencies in diet were shared by all the population and the findings suggest that poor eating choices are far more widespread than previously suspected - affecting many wealthier families.
These included low fruit and vegetable consumption, not eating enough oily fish and eating too much saturated fat and sugar.
“This is a large and significant study and it shows we are all eating just as bad a diet as each other,” said Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University.
The poorest families were eating only slightly more sugar and slightly less fruit and vegetables, according to the study of 3,728 respondents in the bottom of the population.
Alison Tedstone, head of nutritional science at the Food Standard Agency, said: “Overall, people on low incomes have less than ideal diets, but their diets are only slightly worse than those of the rest of the population.”
The study also showed that low earners are choosing to eat unhealthily. Their food choices were not linked to their income, their access to shops or their cooking skills.
The findings appear to contradict assumptions that the poor cannot afford healthier foods or are too far away from shops that sell them.
The Low Income Nutrition and Diet Survey showed that like the rest of the population, the poor's daily fruit and vegetable intake on average is below the recommended five portions. Fewer than 10 per cent of respondents hit this target, while around 20 per cent ate less than a portion per day.
More than three quarters (76 per cent) of men and 81 per cent of women did less than one 30-minute session of moderate or vigorous exercise per week.
Some 45 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women were smokers.
This compares with 28 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women in the general population.
1.
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A. Whether the poor or the rich maybe have a bad diet.
B. Even the poor can enjoy enough fruit and fish consumption.
C. Only the poor have a bad diet.
D. The study was conveyed in both the rich and the poor.
2.
What kind of persons maybe eat most sugar?
A. The rich. B. Men. C. The poorest. D. Women
3.
From the passage, we can learn __________.
A. the poor choose unhealthy food because of low income
B. having no access to shops also leads to the poor’s bad diet
C. the poor’s daily fruit intake is as much as general people
D. the number of smokers in the poor is bigger than that in general people
4.
What’s the best title of the passage?
A. The poor’s healthy problem. B. Keep off junk food.
C. How to have a good diet. D. A diet survey.
It was her giggling that draw my attention. Note taking really wasn’t all that funny.
Walking over to the offender, I asked for the 46 . Frozen, she refused to give it to me. I waited, all attention in the classroom on the quiet 47 between teacher and student. When she finally 48 it over she whispered, “Okay, but I didn’t draw it.”
It was a hand-drawn 49 of me, teeth blackened and the words “I’m stupid” coming out of my mouth.
I managed to fold it up calmly. My mind, 50 , was working angrily as I struggled not to 51 . I figured I knew the two most likely candidates for drawing the picture. It would do them some 52 to teach them a lesson, and maybe it was high time that I did it!
Thankfully, I was able to keep myself 53 .
When there were about six minutes remaining, I showed the class the picture. They were all silent as I told them how 54 this was for me. I told them there must be a reason behind and now was their 55 to write down anything they needed to tell me. Then I let them write silently 56 I sniffed in the back of the classroom.
As I 57 the notes later, many of them said something like, “I’ve got nothing against you.” or “I’m sorry you were hurt.” Some kids said, “We’re afraid of you.” But two notes, from the girls who I 58 were behind the picture, had a list of issues. I was too 59 , too strict …
Reading those notes, I realized that over the course of this year, instead of 60 my student, I had begun commanding them to 61 . Where I thought I was driving them to success I was 62 driving them away.
I had some apology to do. But the next day I the classroom, one boy and one girl each handed me a card. The one 63 by all the boys expressed sincere regret for the ugly joke. The one from the girls asked for 64 .
This was a lesson for both the kids and me. Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the 65 .
1. A. note B. advice C. reason D. help
2.A. battle B. competition C. argument D. conversation
3. A. took B. passed C. turned D. handed
4.A. statue B. graph C. picture D. poster
5. A. otherwise B. however C. therefore D. besides
6.A. leave B. cry C. explain D. argue
7. A. good B. harm C. favor D. punishment
8. A. amused B. controlled C. uninterested D. relaxed
9. A. meaningful B. forgetful C. regretful D. hurtful
10.A. turn B. chance C. honour D. attempt
11.A. when B. before C. after D. while
12.A. wrote B. finished C. read D. collected
13.A. figured B. promised C. concluded D. confirmed
14.. A. talkative B. mean C. secure D. terrible
15.A. forcing B. encouraging C. comforting D. teaching
16.. A. appreciate B. apologize C. master D. achieve
17. A. actually B. normally C. immediately D. generally
18.A. decorated B. offered C. signed D. bought
19. A. thankfulness B. forgiveness C. communication D. happiness
20. A. friendship B. education C. knowledge D. future
— How did you find the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?
— ________. I can’t think too highly of it.
A. It makes no sense B. It’s really amazing
C. It’s awful D. It’s up to you
Would it be ________ for you to pick me up at four o’clock and take me to the airport?
A. confident B. constant C. delighted D. convenient
— Sorry, I have to ________ now. It’s time for class.
— OK, I’ll call back later.
A. hang up B. hang on C. hold on D. hold up
You’d better ________ your coins, and see how long you can last.
A. add up to B. add up C. add to D. add
