China gets heavier (P2)

I. Pre-reading 

Discuss the following questions with your partner.

Obesity has become a problem for teenagers around the world. What factors do you think contribute to the problem? What do you think should be done to tackle them? 

II. Reading 

Read the article and divide the article into four parts. 

Part 1 (Para __1-3___): Presenting the phenomenon: China has been named the second most overweight country, following the US. 

Part 2 (Para __4-5___): Analyzing the causes of China’s obesity problem.

Part 3 (Para __6___): Analyzing problems that come with obesity.

Part 4(Para __7-11___): Showing possible solutions to the obesity problem.

Choose the best answer for each of the following questions.

1. In Paragraphs 2 and 3, the author lists many statistics to ____.

A. draw readers’ attention to children’s malnutrition in China

B. prove that a country’s weight usually grows with its economy

C. indicate that China is facing increasing weight problems

D. show that weight problems are a worldwide epidemic 

2. Which of the following factors are contributing to the increasing obesity problem in China according to the article?

a. an increase in meat intake

b. people’s lack of exercise

c. people choosing to eat out too often

d. easy access to deep-fried and junk food

e. growing study and work pressure

A. abc       B. abdC. bce        D. cde

3. The author develops the article mainly by ____.

A. providing typical examples

B. presenting research findings

C. comparing opinions from different fields

D. presenting a trend and analyzing its causes and effects

Key:

1. C。第二、三段中，作者列举的数据包括中国在2013年的肥胖人口达到“341.9 million”，大约23%的中国男生超重，14%的女生超重，所以答案应该为C，列举这些数据是为了告诉读者，中国正面临越来越严峻的肥胖问题。

2. B。根据第四、五段可知，中国肥胖人口增加的原因有：随着收入的增加，居民食用更多的肉类、油炸食品、垃圾食品，而且锻炼的不够，所以答案为B。

3. D。文中作者先是指出问题，即中国肥胖人口的日益增加，然后分析原因，并提示其可能早成的结果。

III. Language study

Useful expressions:

形容数量增加：The number of … climbs to …; the amount of … increases

身材好 in good shape

导致 contribute to; lead to

严重的健康问题 severe health consequences

减少卡路里摄入 cut calorie intake

肥胖相关的疾病 obesity-related diseases

定期运动以消耗掉额外的卡路里  exercise regularly to burn extra calories

IV. After reading 

Further thinking:

What do you think the government could do to deal with the obesity problem?

Iceland’s DNA checked (P5)

I. Pre-reading 

Discuss the following questions with your partner.

What do you know about DNA and genetic variations?

II. Reading 

Read the article and answer the following questions.

1. What are the benefits of the study?

• The study will help researchers draw more direct lines between genes and diseases.

• That will help them see how some DNA variants contribute to particular diseases.

• When scientists can see exactly how an illness comes from a specific genetic variation, it should speed up the process of finding treatments for those problems.

2. What do mutations in the BRCA genes lead to? 

They lead to a much higher risk of cancer and led the Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie to have her breasts and ovaries removed.

Choose the best answer for each of the following questions.

1. According to the article, DeCode Genetics ____.

A. recorded and studied the genes of all residents of Iceland

B. gathered valuable information about human genetic variations through their study

C. found out the connection between mutations in the BRCA genes and breast cancer

D. helped Angelina Jolie remove her breasts and ovaries to reduce cancer risks

2. Which of the following statements would Dr Kari Stefansson agree with?

A. Genetic research is the only way to find the cure for cancer.

B. Women in Iceland should check if they have mutations in the BRCA2 gene.

C. There are 20 million genetic variants altogether among the Icelandic population.

D. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease, liver and thyroid problems need operations to remove the related organs.

3. What is the article mainly about?

A. The study of genetic code in Iceland and its significance.

B. The latest technology in genetics mapping and its benefits.

C. How genetic variations contribute to particular diseases.

D. How human genetic variations have made Icelandic people feel special.

Key:

1. B. 根据“produced … valuable information about the nature, location and frequency of human genetic variations,”可知B正确。

2. B. 根据It would be criminal (有罪的) not to take advantage of it and I am convinced that my fellow countrymen will begin to use it pretty soon可知B正确。

3. A. 纵观全文，主要介绍了科学家在冰岛大规模采集记录基因并加以分析的项目，以及这个项目的重要性。

III. After reading 

Discussion:

What are genetic variations?

• Most variations are “meaningless” and do not affect our ability to survive or adapt.

• Some variations are positive – they improve our ability to survive or adapt.

• And, of course, some variations lead to diseases.

The greatest gift (P6)

I. Pre-reading 

Discuss the following questions with your partner.

What is the greatest gift you’ve ever received? Why do you like it best? 

II. Reading 

Read the article and choose the best answer for each of the following questions.

1. Which of the following is TRUE about Mini and Rahmun’s friendship?

A. They felt close to each other at first sight.

B. The author didn’t like Mini making friends with Rahmun.

C. Rahmun liked Mini more when the author often bought fruits from him.

D. Though not understanding all Rahmun’s jokes, Mini liked hanging out with him.

2. Why was Rahmun put into prison?

A. He hurt a man.

B. He stole a shawl.

C. He cheated his neighbor.

D. He was dishonest in his business.

3. When Rahmun and Mini met again, ____.

A. Mini was going to be engaged

B. Mini gave him the cold shoulder

C. Mini felt shy and uncomfortable

D. Mini could not recognize him at all

4. From the article, we can conclude that the author was ____ Rahmun.

A. not fond ofB. worried about

C. not supportive ofD. sympathetic to

Key: 

1. D。从第三段可以得此答案。从第一段的“she ran away scared”可知，一开始Mini是害怕Rahmun的，A不对。B、C文中都没有提到。

2. A。从第四段可知，一个邻居从Rahmun那里拿了条披肩但是想赖账，于是在两人的争执和冲突中，Rahmun不慎打伤了他，于是被判入狱。

3. C。当Rahmun和Mini再见的时候，Mini正在准备婚礼，所以与A的“be engaged订婚”不符，排除A。B的give sb the cold shoulder意为“冷落某人”，文中没有提到Mini冷落Rahmun，B不对。从“she flushed up at the question. He could not revive their old friendship”得知，当Rahmun又跟Mini开那个“father-in-law”的玩笑时，Mini已经懂这意味着什么意思并且脸红了，他们之间再也不像以前那样亲密，所以C正确。D文中没有提到。

4. D。从文章最后得知，作者为了给Rahmun一笔钱让他回到自己的家乡跟自己的家人团聚，宁愿压缩了原本用于Mini婚礼的电灯和乐队的钱，可见作者对他是很同情的。从第五段的“he was not remembered”可以断定B不对。A、C文中也没有体现。

II. After reading 

Read between lines:

How Rahmun and Mini became friends:

Mini called him loudly but when he looked at her she ran away scared.  Shortly after this, the two became friends.

They started to hang out together, laughing and talking. The two of them enjoyed joking together.

Rahmun was sentenced to jail:

I gathered that a neighbor had owed Rahmun money for a shawl (披肩) but had falsely denied having bought it, and that in the course of the quarrel Rahmun had struck him. On a charge of murderous assault (攻击), Rahmun was sentenced to jail.

• gather vt.（根据自己所见所闻）认为、推测、得出结论

I gather from her comments that she’s read a great deal about this topic.

• owe sb for sth 因为……欠某人债

He still owes us for the goods we sent last month.

• deny (doing) sth 否认做了某事

Neil denies breaking the window.

• charge n./ vt. 指责，控告

The police charged him with car theft.

He has admitted the charge and will be sentenced later. 

Rahmun went to see Mini when he was released from prison:

1）请注意第六段的He had pictured ... He had imagined that... he had brought...这些句子的时态都用到了过去完成时，说明在来之前Rahmun对他和Mini的重逢非常憧憬，他原以为Mini还会跟他像小时候那样亲近，同时也暗示了接下来他内心即将承受的失望之情。

2）文章结尾的这句话：But to me the wedding feast was all the brighter for the thought that in a distant land a long-lost father met again with his child.

释义：但是对我而言，一想到在遥远的地方一对失散已久的父女又能重聚了，我就觉得这个婚礼宴会更加绚丽。上文提到为了给Rahmun这笔钱，作者不得不节约婚礼的开支，省去用电灯和请军乐队的钱，所以此句中的“brighter”与上文的“give up the electric lights”互相照应。