高考倒計時——30天

　　倒數第30天(5月7日)

　　(2024·湖北卷)We've reached a strange—some would say unusualpoint.While fighting world hunger continues to be the matter of vital importance according to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), more people now die from being overweight, or say, from being extremely fat, than from being underweight.It's the good life that's more likely to kill us these days.

　　Worse, nearly 18 million children under the age of five around the world are estimated to be overweight.What's going on?

　　We really don't have many excuses for our weight problems.The dangers of the problem have been drilled into us by public－health campaigns since 2001 and the message is getting through—up to a point.

　　In the 1970s, Finland, for example, had the highest rate of heart disease in the world and being overweight was its main cause.Not any more.A public－health campaign has greatly reduced the number of heart disease deaths by 80 per cent over the past three decades.

　　Maybe that explains why the percentage of people in Finland taking diet pills doubled between 2001 and 2005, and doctors even offer surgery of removing fat inside and change the shape of the body.That has become a sort of fashion.No wonder it ranks as the world's most body－conscious country.

　　We know what we should be doing to lose weight—but actually doing it is another matter.By far the most popular excuse is not taking enough exercise.More than half of us admit we lack willpower.

　　Others blame good food.They say: it's just too inviting and it makes them overeat.Still others lay the blame on the Americans, complaining that pounds have piled on thanks to eating too much American－style fast food.

　　Some also blame their parents—their genes.But unfortunately, the parents are wronged because they're normal in shape, or rather slim.

　　It's a similar story around the world, although people are relatively unlikely to have tried to lose weight.Parents are eager to see their kids shape up.Do as I say—not as I do.

　　1．What is the “strange” point mentioned in the first sentence?

　　A．The good life is a greater risk than the bad life.

　　B．Starvation is taking more people's lives in the world.

　　C．WHO report shows people's unawareness of food safety.

　　D．Overweight issue remains unresolved despite WHO's efforts.

　　解析　細節理解題。由第一段第二句的內容及最后一句話“It's the good life that's more likely to kill us these days.”可知，答案為A項。

　　答案　A

　　2．Why does the author think that people have no excuse for being overweight?

　　A．A lot of effective diet pills are available.

　　B．Body image has nothing to do with good food.

　　C．They have been made fully aware of its dangers.

　　D．There are too many overweight people in the world.

　　解析　細節理解題。由第三段第二句“The dangers of the problem have been drilled into us by public－health

　　campaigns since 2001 and the message is getting through—up to a point.”可知，人們自2001年以來就在公共健康運動中認識到了這一問題的危險性，所以C項正確。

　　答案　C

　　3．The example of Finland is used to illustrate________.

　　A．the cause of heart disease

　　B．the fashion of body shaping

　　C．the effectiveness of a campaign

　　D．the history of a body－conscious country

　　解析　推理判斷題。由第四段第三句話“A public－health campaign has greatly reduced the number of heart disease deaths by 80 per cent over the past three decades.”可知選C項。

　　答案　C

　　4．Which would be the best title for the passage?

　　A．Actions or Excuses?

　　B．Overweight or Underweight?

　　C．WHO in a Dilemma

　　D．No Longer Dying of Hunger

　　解析　標題歸納題。文章前三段引出超重的問題，最后四段分析了人們尋找各種不能減肥的借口，故最佳標題為A項，是采取行動還是找借口。

　　答案　A

　　高考倒計時——30天

　　倒數第30天(5月7日)

　　(2024·湖北卷)We've reached a strange—some would say unusualpoint.While fighting world hunger continues to be the matter of vital importance according to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), more people now die from being overweight, or say, from being extremely fat, than from being underweight.It's the good life that's more likely to kill us these days.

　　Worse, nearly 18 million children under the age of five around the world are estimated to be overweight.What's going on?

　　We really don't have many excuses for our weight problems.The dangers of the problem have been drilled into us by public－health campaigns since 2001 and the message is getting through—up to a point.

　　In the 1970s, Finland, for example, had the highest rate of heart disease in the world and being overweight was its main cause.Not any more.A public－health campaign has greatly reduced the number of heart disease deaths by 80 per cent over the past three decades.

　　Maybe that explains why the percentage of people in Finland taking diet pills doubled between 2001 and 2005, and doctors even offer surgery of removing fat inside and change the shape of the body.That has become a sort of fashion.No wonder it ranks as the world's most body－conscious country.

　　We know what we should be doing to lose weight—but actually doing it is another matter.By far the most popular excuse is not taking enough exercise.More than half of us admit we lack willpower.

　　Others blame good food.They say: it's just too inviting and it makes them overeat.Still others lay the blame on the Americans, complaining that pounds have piled on thanks to eating too much American－style fast food.

　　Some also blame their parents—their genes.But unfortunately, the parents are wronged because they're normal in shape, or rather slim.

　　It's a similar story around the world, although people are relatively unlikely to have tried to lose weight.Parents are eager to see their kids shape up.Do as I say—not as I do.

　　1．What is the “strange” point mentioned in the first sentence?

　　A．The good life is a greater risk than the bad life.

　　B．Starvation is taking more people's lives in the world.

　　C．WHO report shows people's unawareness of food safety.

　　D．Overweight issue remains unresolved despite WHO's efforts.

　　解析　細節理解題。由第一段第二句的內容及最后一句話“It's the good life that's more likely to kill us these days.”可知，答案為A項。

　　答案　A

　　2．Why does the author think that people have no excuse for being overweight?

　　A．A lot of effective diet pills are available.

　　B．Body image has nothing to do with good food.

　　C．They have been made fully aware of its dangers.

　　D．There are too many overweight people in the world.

　　解析　細節理解題。由第三段第二句“The dangers of the problem have been drilled into us by public－health

　　campaigns since 2001 and the message is getting through—up to a point.”可知，人們自2001年以來就在公共健康運動中認識到了這一問題的危險性，所以C項正確。

　　答案　C

　　3．The example of Finland is used to illustrate________.

　　A．the cause of heart disease

　　B．the fashion of body shaping

　　C．the effectiveness of a campaign

　　D．the history of a body－conscious country

　　解析　推理判斷題。由第四段第三句話“A public－health campaign has greatly reduced the number of heart disease deaths by 80 per cent over the past three decades.”可知選C項。

　　答案　C

　　4．Which would be the best title for the passage?

　　A．Actions or Excuses?

　　B．Overweight or Underweight?

　　C．WHO in a Dilemma

　　D．No Longer Dying of Hunger

　　解析　標題歸納題。文章前三段引出超重的問題，最后四段分析了人們尋找各種不能減肥的借口，故最佳標題為A項，是采取行動還是找借口。

　　答案　A