Question

    Those extra pounds should be avoided at all costs, right? Actually, while being overweight isn’t generally good for our health, not all fat is created equal — some may even be beneficial.

There are two major kinds of body fat. White fat, the most abundant type, is what you feel when you squeeze your midsection. Brown fat, found mainly in the neck region, burns energy rather than storing it the way white fat does. Brown fat may also help avoid diabetes. According to a study in Cell Metabolism, individuals with higher amounts of brown fat had smaller changes in blood sugar and thus a reduced risk of developing diabetes. Infants have high levels of brown fat, which helps regulate their body temperature. Sadly, we lose it as we age, and adults have only small amounts.

Adults can increase brown fat by exposing themselves to cold temperatures. In a recent study, people who slept in a mildly cold room (about 66 degrees F) increased the amount and activity of their brown fat by up to 40 percent. Sleeping in mild warmth (81 degrees F), however, decreased their amount of brown fat. Cold showers don’t seem to affect it.

Brown fat does have its drawbacks. Radiologists don’t like it, because the heat it causes makes it harder for body scans to detect activities in patients. Although there’s no firm evidence that any specific foods or nutrients can activate brown fat, radiologists routinely recommend that patients eat a high-fat, low-carb diet before scans on the grounds that this reduces brown fat activation.

Just as brown fat isn’t perfect, neither is white fat all bad. Even though people tend to hate it, white fat delivers important health benefits. It protects our vital organs, helps keep us warm, and stores calories for later use, keeping us from starving when food is scarce.

White fat can sometimes be turned into brown — it’s then called beige or brite (“brown in white”) fat. Like brown fat, beige fat burns energy and can thus help fight against obesity. Scientists are still trying to figure out how the change happens; one study points to a hormone called irisin, which our muscles produce when we exercise.

Fat cells’ sensitivity to temperature changes means there’s more than one way we can get rid of unwanted fat. Cooling treatments, for instance, freeze fat cells to death. The body removes these damaged cells over several months.

1.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “midsection” in the second paragraph?

A.Leg. B.Arm. C.Wrist. D.Waist.

2.Generally speaking, who have a larger proportion of brown fat?

A.Babies. B.Senior people. C.Fat people. D.Thin people.

3.The following kinds of fat can help people fight against obesity EXCEPT ________.

A.Beige fat. B.Brite fat. C.White fat. D.Brown fat.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章讲述了白色脂肪和棕色脂肪的好处与坏处。

1.词义猜测题。由第二段中的“White fat, the most abundant type, is what you feel when you squeeze your midsection. Brown fat, found mainly in the neck region, burns energy rather than storing it the way white fat does.”（白色脂肪，最丰富的类型，是你感觉当你挤压你的腰部。棕色脂肪，主要存在于颈部，燃烧能量，而不是像白色脂肪那样储存能量。），可知腰上的肉最多，能储存脂肪，所以midsection在此处意为“腰部”。故选D项。

2.细节理解题。由第二段中的“Infants have high levels of brown fat, which helps regulate their body temperature. Sadly, we lose it as we age, and adults have only small amounts.”（婴儿体内棕色脂肪含量高，有助于调节体温。可悲的是，随着年龄的增长，我们会失去它，而成年人只有很少的一部分。），可知婴儿有高比例的棕色脂肪。故选A项。

3.细节理解题。由第二段中的“Brown fat, found mainly in the neck region, burns energy rather than storing it the way white fat does.”（棕色脂肪，主要存在于颈部，燃烧能量，而不是像白色脂肪那样储存能量。），和倒数第二段中的“White fat can sometimes be turned into brown — it’s then called beige or brite (“brown in white”) fat. Like brown fat, beige fat burns energy and can thus help fight against obesity.”（白色脂肪有时会变成棕色，然后被称为米色或brite（“棕色带着白色”）脂肪。和棕色脂肪一样，米色脂肪燃烧能量，因此有助于对抗肥胖。），可知brown fat、beige or brite fat有助于燃烧能量并抵制疾病。故选C项。