Question

The largest-ever study of the link between city walkability and high blood pressure has been held up as evidence of the “invisible value of urban design” in improving long-term health outcomes, say researchers.

The study of around 430,000 people aged between 38 and 73 and living in 22 UK cities found significant associations between the increased walkability of a neighborhood, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of high blood pressure among its residents.

The outcomes remained consistent even after adjustments for socio-demographic (社会人口统计学), lifestyle and changing physical environment factors, though the protective effects were particularly pronounced among participants aged between 50 and 60, women, and those residing in higher density and poor neighborhoods.

The paper was published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health this week. With high blood pressure a major risk factor for chronic (慢性的) and particularly heart diseases, researchers at the University of Hong Kong and Oxford University said the findings demonstrated the need to take notice of the health-influencing factor in urban design.

“With the increasing pace of urbanization and demographic shifts towards an ageing population, we become more likely to suffer from chronic diseases,” said Dr. Chinmoy Sarkar, an assistant professor at the Healthy High Density Cities Lab of the University of Hong Kong and lead author of the study. “The action taken to improve public health must consider the invisible value of urban planning and design.

“We are spending billions of pounds in preventing and curing heart diseases — if we are able to invest in creating healthy cities through small changes in the design of our neighborhoods to make them more activity-friendly and walkable, then probably, we will have significant savings in future healthcare expenses.”

To measure a neighborhood’s activity-promoting potential, researchers developed a set of index(指标) of walkability containing relevant urban elements, including residential and retail (零售) density, public transport, street-level movement, and distance to attractive destinations.

Poorly designed spaces generally reduced walking and physical activity, promoting the lifestyles of long time sitting down and not moving; and were harmful to social interactions, and as such associated with poorer mental and physical health.

Because walkability was “based on the underlying design of the city”, said Sarkar, cities could be modified or designed to encourage it. “Such investments in healthy design are likely to bring in long-term gains as they are enduring and common.”

1.By considering “invisible value of urban design”, people can _______.

A. reduce the ageing population

B. promote activity-friendly and walkable cities

C. invest in preventing and curing heart diseases

D. slow down the pace of urbanization

2.What can be inferred from the passage?

A. A set of index is essential to ensure that urban design promotes walkability.

B. Walkable cities will cure a person of his or her high blood pressure.

C. Chronic diseases are becoming common due to people’s neglect of their health.

D. Middle-aged women living in poor areas are more likely to benefit from increased walkability.

3.All of the following are the undesirable consequences of poorly-designed neighborhoods EXCEPT _______.

A. fewer neighborhoods    B. unhealthy lifestyle

C. fewer social interactions    D. failing health

4.According to Dr. Chinmoy Sarkar, _______.

A. cities should encourage the residents to engage in social interactions

B. the design of our neighborhoods should meet people’s needs for retail density

C. money invested in creating healthy cities is money saved in future healthcare expenses

D. chronic diseases will be common because of pollution and the environment change

Answer

1. B

2. D

3. A

4. C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文，介绍了研究发现步行能力的增强能够降低人们得慢性病的风险，专家呼吁城市建设要充分考虑城市设计的无形价值，通过让城市更加环保和适宜步行来提高人们的健康指数。

1.细节理解题。根据第六段中的“if we are able to invest in creating healthy cities through small changes in the design of our neighborhoods to make them more activity-friendly and walkable, then probably,”可知，通过考虑城市设计的无形价值，人们能够让城市变得更加环保和适宜步行，故B项正确。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段中的“though the protective effects were particularly pronounced among participants aged between 50 and 60, women, and those residing in higher density and poor neighborhoods.”可知，步行能力增强能够降低血压的效果在贫困地区的50 到 60岁之间的人以及妇女中尤为明显，由此推知生活在贫困地区的中年妇女更有可能受益于步行能力的增强，故D项正确。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“Poorly designed spaces generally reduced walking and physical activity, promoting the lifestyles of long time sitting down and not moving; and were harmful to social interactions, and as such associated with poorer mental and physical health.”可知，设计不良的社区会导致居民步行和身体运动的减少，形成久坐不动的生活方式，对居民的社交活动也不利，而且还会影响居民的身心健康，而没有提到会使社区减少，故A项正确。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“Such investments in healthy design are likely to bring in long-term gains as they are enduring and common.”可知，Chinmoy Sarkar认为，对城市健康设计的投资能后带来长期效益，由此推知他会认为投资于健康城市的钱能够节省医疗保健的开支，故C项正确。