If you have to miss one meal a day, which meal will cause you fewest health problems if you don’t eat it? If they have to make a decision of this type, most people (especially very busy people) will choose to skip (not to eat) breakfast.
However, many experts in the field of health consider breakfast (the meal which “breaks” your “fast---- a period of time without eating anything ” which started the night before) to be the most important meal of the day. If we eat a good breakfast, they say, we will have the energy and nutrients we need to begin our working day with vigor and hopefully with good humour. But many people skip breakfast or replace it with snacks or a cup of coffee for a well-balanced meal. What happens if we ignore the importance of breakfast?
One recent study conducted in the United States tested a large number of people. Participants included both males and females who ranged in age from 12—83. During the experiment, these people were given a variety of breakfasts, and sometimes, they had to skip breakfast completely. Special tests, including blood tests and endurance tests, were set up to analyze how well the participants’ bodies functioned when they had eaten a certain kind of breakfast.
The result showed that if a person eats an adequate (充足的) breakfast, he or she will work more efficiently and more productively than if he or she skips breakfasts or eats a very poor breakfast. This fact appears to be especially true if a person’s work involves mental activity. The study showed that if schoolchildren eat fruit, eggs, bread and milk before going to school, they will learn more quickly and will be able to concentrate on their lessons for a longer period of time than if their breakfast diet is inadequate .
The study also showed that, contrary to what many people believe, if you skip breakfast, you will not lose weight. This is because people become so hungry if they skip breakfast that they eat too much for lunch and end up gaining weight instead of losing. So remember, if you are on a diet, skipping breakfast will not help you. You will probably lose more weight if you reduce your other meals.
1.
According to the passage, we can safely say _____.
A. if you skip breakfast, you will not lose weight at all
B. if you skip breakfast, you won’t eat much for lunch either.
C. skipping breakfast won’t do a bit of harm
D. skipping breakfast will help one lose weight
2.
In the word “breakfast”, “fast” probably means _____.
A. “moving quickly” B. “going without food ”
C. “unlikely to go fast” D. “fast food ”
3.
Special tests were organized to analyze how participants’ bodies functioned when ______.
A. they had skipped breakfasts B. they had had breakfasts
C. they had eaten special breakfasts D. they had had all three meals
Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I 31 asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so 32 . He had his wisdom teeth removed. Then the young man asked me why I 33 seemed to be so cheerful.
His question reminded me of something I’d read somewhere before: “Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about 34 you want to approach life that day,” I said. “I choose to be cheerful.”
“Let me give you an example. 35 teaching here, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day, I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I 36 the freeway and turned onto College Drive, only another quarter mile ahead to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine 37 turn over. So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.”
“ 38 getting there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary asked me what had happened. ‘This is my lucky day,’ I replied, smiling.”
“ ‘Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?’ She was 39 . ‘What do you mean?’ ’’ “I live 17 miles from here.” I replied. “My car 40 have broken down 41 along the freeway. It didn’t. 42 , it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, 43 walking distance of here. I’m still able to teach my class, and I’ve been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class.”
“The secretary’s eyes opened wide, and then she 44 . I smiled back and headed for class.” So ended my story.
I scanned the sixty faces in my class. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be 45 . Somehow, my story had touched them.
1.A. calmly B. seriously C. cheerfully D. curiously
2.A. bad B. good C. exciting D. scary
3. A. often B. always C. usually D. seldom
4.A. how B. why C. where D. that
5. A. As well as B. As to C. In exchange for D. In addition to
6. A. entered B. left C. found D. hit
7.A. wouldn’t B. shouldn’t C. couldn’t D. won’t
8.A. While B. In C. Before D. After
9. A. surprising B. astonishing C. puzzled D. shaken
10.A. could B. can C. would D. must
11.A. somewhere B. anywhere C. nowhere D. wherever
12.A. However B. Instead C. Though D. So
13.A. between B. in C. within D. beyond
14. A. left B. understood C. paused D. smiled
15.A. clear B. asleep C. tired D. interested
—What do you think made Tina so delighted？
—__________ the driving test at her first try.
A. As she passed B. Passed
C. Because of passing D. Passing
The poor young man is ready to accept _______ help he can get as he has no choice.
A. whichever B. however
C. whatever D. whenever
What he saw in the mountain village ________ him to write a report about the great changes there.
A. entertained B. increased
C. inspired D. supported
It’s said that he’s looking for a new job, one ________ he can get more money to support his family.
A. when B. where C. that D. which
