Question

【題目】The World Health Organization says the widespread use of sugar in food products and drinks is a major concern in many areas. So WHO officials are calling on governments to require taxes on sugary drinks in an effort to limit their usage and popularity. The officials believe the taxes also would reduce the risk of health problems resulting from obesity.

Obesity is a condition in which the body stores large, unhealthy amounts of fat. Obese individuals are considered overweight. A new report says that in 2014 more than one-third of the adults in the world were overweight, and 500 million were considered obese. The United Nations agency estimates that in 2015, 42 million children under age 5 were either overweight or obese. It says that number represents an increase of about 11 million during the past 15 years. Almost half of these boys and girls live in Asia and one-fourth in Africa.

The U.N. agency blames unhealthy diets for a rise in diabetes cases. There are 422 million cases of the disease worldwide. WHO says 1.5 million people die from it every year. It says the use of sugar in food products, like sugary drinks, is a major reason for the increase in rates of obesity and diabetes.

Temo Waqanivalu is with the agency’s Department for the Prevention on Non-Communicable Diseases. He told VOA hat taxing sugary drinks would reduce consumption and save lives. Waganivalu noted that Mexico enacted a 10 percent tax on sugary drinks in 2014. He said by the end of the year, there was a 6 percent drop in the consumption of such drinks. Among poor people, the number of people who consumed sugary drinks dropped by 17 percent.

The WHO says people should limit the amount of sugar they consume. It says they should keep their sugar intake to below 10 percent of their total energy needs, and reduce it to less than 5 percent for improved health.

【1】Why are taxes on sugary drinks required?

A. To limit their use and popularity.

B. To readjust the economic structure.

C. To warn people to change their life style.

D. To ensure the market’s diverse development.

【2】What do the figures in the second paragraph suggest?

A. Adult obesity is ignored at present.

B. Obesity is a severe worldwide problem.

C. Obesity can block economic development.

D. Obesity is most serious in developed countries.

【3】What does the underlined word “enacted” mean in the passage?

A. Abolish B. Pass

C. Promise D. Reduce

【4】What does the example of Mexico prove?

A. Tax policies are unfair to the poor.

B. Sugary drinks are a threat to health.

C. The poor consume more sugary drinks.

D. Taxing sugary drinks makes a difference.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】B

【3】B

【4】D

【解析】文章講述了通過(guò)幾組數(shù)據(jù)可知含糖食品和飲料的使用是肥胖和糖尿病發(fā)病率增加的一個(gè)主要原因。因此世衛(wèi)組織官員呼吁各國(guó)政府對(duì)含糖飲料征稅。官員們相信，稅收也會(huì)減少肥胖導(dǎo)致的健康問(wèn)題的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。

【1】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段“The officials believe the taxes also would reduce the risk of health problems resulting from obesity.” 官員們相信，稅收也會(huì)減少肥胖導(dǎo)致的健康問(wèn)題的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。以及倒數(shù)第二段“He told VOA that taxing sugary drinks would reduce consumption and save lives.” 他對(duì)美國(guó)之音說(shuō)，對(duì)含糖飲料征稅將減少消費(fèi)并挽救生命。故選A。

【2】推理判斷題。根據(jù)“A new report says that in 2014 more than one-third of the adults in the world were overweight, and 500 million were considered obese.” 一份新的報(bào)告說(shuō)，在2014世界上超過(guò)三分之一的成年人超重，5億的人被認(rèn)為是肥胖的�？芍�肥胖是一個(gè)嚴(yán)重的社會(huì)問(wèn)題。故選B。

【3】詞義猜測(cè)題。根據(jù)“He told VOA that taxing sugary drinks would reduce consumption and save lives.” 他對(duì)美國(guó)之音說(shuō)，對(duì)含糖飲料征稅將減少消費(fèi)并挽救生命�？芍�2014年墨西哥制定了對(duì)含糖飲料征收10%的稅。故選B。

【4】推理判斷題。根據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第二段可知，墨西哥通過(guò)對(duì)含糖飲料征稅后，飲料的消費(fèi)量下降，可推知人們對(duì)糖的攝入量減少。改善的健康狀況。故選D。