Question

    For decades, doctors have warned patients that too much salt can be bad for the heart. Heat attack has long been considered a grown-up problem, but a new research suggests that salt is starting to affect children. Eating too much salty food when you're young can lead to health problems later.

Salt is made up of two elements: sodium and chlorine. Dietary guidelines recommend that adults and kids aged 9 — 13 shouldn't consume more than about a teaspoon of salt daily. The average American eats twice this amount. This worries doctors because too much sodium results in the body producing more blood. To pump the extra blood, the heart has to work harder. This causes a rise in blood pressure a measurement of how stressed the heart is. High blood pressure often leads to heart disease.

A kid with high blood pressure is more likely to become a grown-up with high blood pressure. Reducing salt might also help stop childhood obesity (肥胖). British researchers recently found that kids who eat less salt also drink fewer sugary soft drinks. Drinking fewer fizzy drinks makes kids less likely to gain weight, become obese and develop high blood pressure.

Salt can affect more than just your heart and weight. A recent study found that a growing number of kids in the US are suffering from kidney stones. This painful condition usually affects people aged over 40. Now, kids as young as five are getting it.

Cutting down on salt can be hard, but you can retrain yourself to prefer less salty food. The best way to reduce the amount of sodium you eat is to make changes gradually. Start by adding half as much salt to your dinner as you normally do. Switch to fresh foods instead of canned and bottled versions. And go easy on the condiments (调味品). You might also want to start reading nutrition labels. You may be surprised to learn that there are 1,150 mg of sodium in a double cheeseburger, and over 2 ,000 mg in many frozen meals.

1.What is the author's major concern?

A.Children eat too much salty food. B.Many adults suffer from heart attack.

C.Americans consume too much salt. D.Heart attack is now a youth problem.

2.What does the author refer to as the cause of childhood obesity?

A.Eating more salty food. B.Lack of physical exercise.

C.Drinking many sugary soft drinks. D.Eating the same food as the adults.

3.What is another disease tending to be younger according to Paragraph 4?

A.Obesity. B.Kidney stone.

C.Blood disease. D.Heart attack.

4.What is Paragraph 5 mainly about?

A.The laws of health. B.How to cut down on salt.

C.Healthy diet. D.The amount of salt we need.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.B

4.B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要陈述了盐对心脏有影响的原因，以及人们在日常生活中保持低盐的生活方式。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第一段的Heat attack has long been considered a grown-up problem, but a new research suggests that salt is starting to affect children. Eating too much salty food when you're young can lead to health problems later. (长期以来，心脏病被认为是成年人的问题，但一项新的研究表明，盐开始影响儿童。年轻时吃太多咸的食物会导致以后的健康问题)和文章第三段的A kid with high blood pressure is more likely to become a grown-up with high blood pressure. (一个有高血压的孩子更有可能成为一个有高血压的成年人)可知，文章作者特别担心孩子食用过咸的食物导致心脏病和高血压。A. Children eat too much salty food. (孩子吃太多咸的食物)符合以上说法，。故选A项。

2.细节理解题。根据文章第三段的Reducing salt might also help stop childhood obesity (肥胖). British researchers recently found that kids who eat less salt also drink fewer sugary soft drinks. (减少盐可能有助于阻止儿童长胖。英国的研究人员最近发现吃盐少的孩子喝的含糖饮料也更少)可知，作者认为吃多盐食品和喝过多含糖的软饮料也会使孩子长胖。C. Drinking many sugary soft drinks. (喝很多的含糖软饮料)符合以上说法。故选C项。

3.细节理解题。根据文章第四段的A recent study found that a growing number of kids in the US are suffering from kidney stones. This painful condition usually affects people aged over 40. Now, kids as young as five are getting it. (最近一项研究发现越来越多的美国孩子正在患肾结石。这种痛苦的病通常只在40岁以上的人才患，现在五岁的孩子也在遭受这种疾病)可知，研究发现现在肾结石这种病正在变得年轻化。故选B项。

4.主旨大意题。根据第五段的The best way to reduce the amount of sodium you eat is to make changes gradually. Start by adding half as much salt to your dinner as you normally do. Switch to fresh foods instead of canned and bottled versions. And go easy on the condiments(调味品). You might also want to start reading nutrition labels. (减少钠摄入量的最好方法是逐渐改变。先在晚餐中加入平时一半的食盐。食用新鲜食品而非罐装或者瓶装食品。少放些调味品。你可能也要阅读营养标签。)可知，本段提供了一些可以减少食盐摄入量的方法。B. How to cut down on salt. (如何减少食盐)符合以上说法。故选B项。