It’s 3 o’clock and you’ve been hard at work. As you sit at your desk, a strong desire for chocolate overcomes you. You try to busy yourself to make it go away. But it doesn’t. Here is another situation. Perhaps you are not feeling well. The only thing you want to eat is a big bowl of chicken soup, like your mom used to make when you were sick as a child. Food cravings are a strong desire for a specific type of food. And they are normal.
Scientists at the website How Stuff Works compare hunger and cravings this way. Hunger is a fairly simple connection between the stomach and the brain. They even call it simply “stomach hunger.” When our stomachs burn up all of the food we have eaten, a hormone (荷尔蒙) sends a message to one part of the brain for more food, which regulates our most basic body functions such as thirst, hunger and sleep. The brain then produces a chemical to start the appetite and you eat. Hunger is a function of survival.
A craving is more complex. It activates (使活跃) brain areas related to emotion, memory and reward. These are the same areas of the brain activated during drug-craving studies. So, some scientists call food cravings “mind hunger.” People often crave foods that are high in fat and sugar. Foods that are high in fat or high in sugar produce chemicals in the brain. These chemicals give us feelings of pleasure.
In a 2007 study, researchers at Cambridge University found that “dieting or restricted eating generally increases the possibility of food craving.” So, the more you deny yourself a food that you want, the more you may crave it. However, fasting is a bit different. They found that eating no food at all for a short period of time lessened food cravings.
So, the next time you crave something very specific, know that your brain may be more to blame than your stomach.
1.What is the function of the first paragraph?
A. To remind readers of their own special food.
B. To deepen the understanding of hunger.
C. To report the discovery of craving study.
D. To lead to the topic of the whole passage.
2.What do we learn about food craving?
A. It shows food is linked to feelings.
B. It ensures a person survives hunger.
C. It means the stomach functions well.
D. It proves the brain decides your appetite.
3.What’s the likely result of dieting?
A. The decrease of chemicals. B. The increase of food desire.
C. The refusal of fat and sugar. D. The disappearance of appetite.
4.What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The functions of brain areas. B. What hunger is all about.
C. The findings of food craving. D. What dieting may bring us.
It may seem hard to leave Sydney’s attractions and sights, but when the urge arises to explore beyond the city, many exceptional day trips await travelers.
Scenic World
On a visit to the World heritage-listed Blue Mountains, enjoy clean fresh air and breath-taking landscapes of ancient rainforests. Scenic World in Katoomba is the best way to access the beauty of this region. Besides climbing, you can choose cablecars, elevated boardwalks or the Scenic Railway—the world’s steepest train travelling through a rock tunnel, to reach the mountain top.
Royal National Park
Established in 1879, the Royal is the world’s second-oldest national park. Located an hour’s drive south of Sydney, the beaches are unspoilt, crowd-free and great for surfing or swimming. There’s dramatic scenery along the way with a range of unique heritage attractions. Bushwalking, boating, canoeing and fishing are also popular activities.
Featherdale Wildlife Park
Located 45 minutes west of Sydney, Featherdale has the world’s largest collection of Australian native birds, mammals (哺乳动物) and reptiles (爬行动物). Situated in a bushland environment, Featherdale provides a unique opportunity for up-close animal interactions (交往). Hand-feed a kangaroo, have breakfast with a koala and check out a huge variety of species including dingos, emus, penguins and more.
The Hawkesbury River
An hour north-west of Sydney, the Hawkesbury is one of New South Wales’ best-kept secrets. Experience what this picturesque region of waterways, farmland and national parks has to offer—from waterskiing and bushwalking to horse riding, river cruises and retail therapy.
1.What can you do when visiting Scenic World?
A. Ride horses.
B. Hand-feed a kangaroo.
C. Go surfing.
D. Climb mountains.
2.If you are an animal lover, you can go to ________.
A. Scenic World
B. Royal National Park
C. The Hawkesbury River
D. Featherdale Wildlife Park
3.What do Royal National Park and The Hawkesbury River have in common?
A. Both can be reached by cablecars.
B. Visitors can go swimming and fishing.
C. Bushwalking is available on the two trips.
D. Visitors can enjoy beautiful mountain scenery.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.How often does the speaker go to Soho?
A. Every two days. B. Once a week. C. Twice a week.
2.How many languages does the Englishman speak?
A. 5. B. 6. C. 7.
3.What’s the Englishman interested in?
A. cooking. B. Mountain climbing. C. Languages.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What are the speakers talking about?
A. An actor. B. An artist. C. A cook.
2.What has Sam mo Hung become?
A. A producer. B. A director. C. A producer and director.
3.Where can we see Sam mo Hung cook?
A. On the magazine. B. On the Internet. C. On TV.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where are the speakers speaking?
A. In the hotel. B. In the restaurant. C. On the phone.
2.What kind of room would the woman like?
A. Single room. B. Double room. C. Standard room.
3.When would the woman check out?
A. December 23rd. B. December 25th. C. December 27th.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where is the woman?
A. At the doctor’s. B. At the drugstore. C. At the shop.
2.What can we learn about the woman?
A. First she went to an African seafood restaurant.
B. Then she went to eat Chinese seafood.
C. At last she had a lot of Italian things.
3.What is the man’s suggestion?
A. Don’t have anything. B. Take some medicine. C. Stay in bed for some days.
