Question

    Keeping a busy social life among lots of friends may keep people thinner than spending hours doing some exercises, according to scientists. They say that socializing and meeting with friends help increase levels of brown fat in the body which burns calories to produce heat.

Living in an exciting social environment was found to reduce fat in mice's belly by half over four weeks, even if they ate more. US researchers say that social excitement aids weight loss by turning white fat into brown. White fat stores calories and makes us fatter, while brown burns energy to produce heat. Turning white fat into brown is extremely difficult, normally requiring long- term stay in cold conditions or exciting part of the body's nervous system.

However, scientists from Ohio State University now think that having a busy social life is an even more effective way of changing white fat into brown. The team came up with their theory by studying the effects of various living environments on mice. Those, who lived alongside a greater number of mice, had more space and toys to excite themselves and then lost far more weight over the course of the study than their “couch potato" fellows.

Study author, Dr Matthew During, whose team's findings appear in the journal Cell Metabolism, said, "I'm still amazed at the degree of fat loss that occurs." Explaining how new technology had threatened face-to-face socializing, he added, "It's not just a sedentary (久坐的) lifestyle and high calorie foods, but an increasing lack of social activities." Co-author Dr Lei Cao said，"Loneliness is a potential factor for cancer and death; it's equal to cigarette smoking to a certain extent. Social activities are very vital.

1.What information can we get from the first two paragraphs?

A.Brown fat stores calories and makes us fatter

B.It doesn't take long to turn white fat into brown.

C.Social excitement helps gain more weight

D.Brown fat can burn energy to produce heat.

2.Which of the following statement does the text support?

A.Levels of brown fat can be increased by socializing.

B.The mice lacking social life lose more weight.

C.The research findings haven't been published so far.

D.Dr Matthew During wasn't convinced of the result.

3.We can conclude from the text that _______.

A.the fat in mice's belly was reduced because of the relaxing environment

B.a sedentary lifestyle and high calories foods influence people's social life

C.surfing the Internet may influence people's face-to-face communication

D.cancer and death are mainly caused for lack of social life

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。本文讲述了一项关于减肥的研究。科学家称社交和与朋友聚会有助于增加体内褐色脂肪的水平，这种脂肪通过燃烧卡路里产生热量。并且以小老鼠的例子告诉人们应该积极参加社交活动多锻炼，而不是总是呆着不动。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段第二句话US researchers say that social excitement aids weight loss by turning white fat into brown. White fat stores calories and makes us fatter, while brown burns energy to produce heat.可知，美国研究人员称，社交兴奋感能将白色脂肪转化成棕色，从而有助于减肥。白色脂肪储存热量，使我们更胖，而棕色脂肪燃烧能量产生热量。由此可知，棕色脂肪能够燃烧能量，产生热量。故选D。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段第一句However, scientists from Ohio State University now think that having a busy social life is an even more effective way of changing white fat into brown.可知，然而，俄亥俄州立大学的科学家们现在认为，忙碌的社交生活是将白色脂肪转化为棕色脂肪的更有效方法。由此推知，文章支持社交活动可以增加褐色脂肪的水平的说法。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据最后一段中Explaining how new technology had threatened face-to-face socializing, he added, "It's not just a sedentary lifestyle and high calorie foods, but an increasing lack of social activities."可知，在解释新技术如何威胁到面对面的社交活动时，他补充说，“这不仅仅是久坐不动的生活方式和高卡路里的食物，而是越来越缺乏社交活动。”由此推知，上网可能会影响人们面对面的交流。故选C。