Question

We often just use our sense of sight, touch, smell, and taste to eat food. But what about our sense of hearing? Does sound also affect our dining experience?

A new report answers, “yes, it does.”

That answer comes from researchers at Brigham Young University and Colorado State University in the United States. They found that hearing is important in the eating experience.

Hearing is often called “the forgotten food sense”, says Ryan Elder. Elder is an assistant professor of marketing at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management. He says that if people notice the sound the food makes as they eat it, they might eat less. On the other hand, watching loud television or listening to loud music while eating can hide such noises. And this could lead to overeating.

For the study, the researchers wanted to test whether the sounds of eating—chewing, chomping and crunching—had any effect on how much a person ate. During the experiments, the test subjects wore headphones and listened to noise at either a high or low audio level. Then researchers gave them a crunchy snack: pretzels. The study found that subjects who listened to the higher volume noise ate more pretzels than those with the low audio levels.

Elder says that when hiding I heard sounds of eating, like when you watch television or listen to loud music while eating, we take away the sense of hearing. And this may cause you to eat more than you would normally. The researchers are calling this, the “crunch effect”.

The researchers admit that the effects may not seem like much at one meal. But over a week, a month or a year, all that food can really add up.

1.Which sense is often ignored in the eating experience?

A. Sight.    B. Smell.

C. Hearing.    D. Touch.

2.Who would find this article helpful?

A. People who enjoys cooking food.

B. People who cares about losing weight.

C. People who like watching TV.

D. People who want to eat healthy food.

3.Why the researchers use “pretzels”?

A. They can make loud noise.    B. They are delicious.

C. They are more available    D. They are good for health.

4.Which can be the best title for the passage?

A. Be Mindful of Whatever You Eat

B. Be Sensitive to Your Eating habits

C. Want to Lose Weight? Listen to yourself Eat

D. Better Hear Than Eat

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.A

4.C

【解析】本文主要讲述了吃饭时的噪音对饮食者摄入食物多少的影响：人在高噪声下比在低噪声下吃的多。所以如果想要减肥，就要控制吃饭时的声音。

1.细节理解题。根据第四段“Hearing is often called “the forgotten food sense”, says Ryan Elder.”可知，在饮食方面听力是被遗忘。故选C。

2.推理判断题。根据第五段“The study found that subjects who listened to the higher volume noise ate more pretzels than those with the low audio levels.”可知，研究发现人在高噪声下比在低噪声下吃的多，所以这个研究对那些想减肥的人有帮助。故选B。

3.推理判断题。根据“For the study, the researchers wanted to test whether the sounds of eating—chewing, chomping and crunching—had any effect on how much a person ate. ”可知，研究人员是要研究声音的大小，使用松脆的点心是因为它们能发出很大的噪声。故选A。

4.主旨大意题。纵览全文，可知声音影响饮食者摄入食物的多少，所以想要减肥，就要控制吃饭时的声音。故选C。