阅读理解

Questions 61 to 70 are based on the following passage.
【真题来源:2019年12月大学英语四级真题(第二套)Part Ⅲ,Section B,第36-45题】

Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?

A) Along with old classics like “carrots give you night vision” and “Santa doesn't bring toys to misbehaving children”, one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake, even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly, according to the British Dietetic Association, and around three-quarters of Americans.

B) “The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,” explains diet specialist Sarah Elder. “Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy, as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughout the night.” But there's widespread disagreement over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy (等级) of meals. There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry's involvement in pro-breakfast research – and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is “dangerous”.

C) What's the reality? Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies? The most researched aspect of breakfast (and breakfast-skipping) has been its links to obesity. Scientists have different theories as to why there's a relationship between the two. In one US study that analysed the health data of 50,000 people over seven years, researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate a large lunch or dinner. The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet – since breakfast foods are often higher in fibre and nutrients.

D) But as with any study of this kind, it was unclear if that was the cause – or if breakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with. To find out, researchers designed a study in which 52 obese women took part in a 12-week weight loss programme. All had the same number of calories over the day, but half had breakfast, while the other half did not. What they found was that it wasn't breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight: it was changing their normal routine.

E) If breakfast alone isn't a guarantee of weight loss, why is there a link between obesity and breakfast -skipping? Alexandra Johnstone, professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen, argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health. “There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes, but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviours such as regular exercise and not,” she says.

F) A 2016 review of 10 studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is “limited evidence” supporting or refuting (反驳) the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake, and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.

G) Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight. Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control. Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight. Skipping breakfast has been associated with a 27% increased risk of heart disease, a 21% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in men, and a 20% higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women. One reason may be breakfast's nutritional value – partly because cereal is fortified (增加营养价值) with vitamins. In one study on the breakfast habits of 1,600 young people in the UK, researchers found that the fibre and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly. There have been similar findings in Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US.

H) Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function, including concentration and language. A review of 54 studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory, though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive. However, one of the review's researchers, Mary Beth Spitznagel, says there is “reasonable” evidence breakfast does improve concentration – there just needs to be more research. “Looking at studies that tested concentration, the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,” she says. “And no studies found that eating breakfast was bad for concentration.”

I) What's most important, some argue, is what we eat for breakfast. High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing the longing for food and consumption later in the day, according to research by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. While cereal remains a firm favourite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US, a recent investigation into the sugar content of “adult” breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three-quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion, and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.

J) But some research suggests if we're going to eat sugary foods, it's best to do it early. One study recruited 200 obese adults to take part in a 16-week-long diet, where half added dessert to their breakfast, and half didn't. Those who added dessert lost an average of 40 pounds more – however, the study was unable to show the long-term effects. A review of 54 studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier, and concluded that the type of breakfast doesn't matter as much as simply eating something.

K) While there's no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when, the consensus is that we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we're hungry. “Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,” Johnstone says. “Each body starts the day differently – and those individual differences need to be researched more closely,” Spitznagel says. “A balanced breakfast is really helpful, but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day, which helps control weight and hunger levels,” says Elder. “Breakfast isn't the only meal we should be getting right.”

单选题

According to one professor, obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.

【正确答案】 E
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息one professor和a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health, 文中论及根据某位教授的观点,肥胖与缺乏基本的营养和健康意识有关的内容出现在E段 ,该段第二句提 到 ,阿伯丁大学的食欲研究教授亚历山德拉·约翰斯通认为,这 (即上句提到的肥胖和不吃早餐之间有关系)可能仅仅是因为人们发现不吃早餐的人对营养和健康的了解较少。 由此可知,题干是对原文的同义转述,其中一位教授指的就是阿伯丁大学的食欲研究教授亚历山德拉·约翰斯通,故答案为E 。

单选题

Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.

【正确答案】 I
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息Some scientists和consume the right kind of food at breakfast。文中论及一些科学家宣称人们应该在早餐时摄入正确的食物的内容出现在I段 ,该段第一句提到,有些人认为,最重要的是我们早餐吃什么。接下来通过介绍对高蛋白的早餐以及受英国人和美国人欢迎的燕麦片的研究进行了具体的解释说明,由此可知,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为I 。

单选题

Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the mist important meal of the day.

【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息Opinions differ和whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day。 文中段落论及早餐是否是一日三餐中最重要的一餐的内容出现在B段 ,该段第三句提到,但是对于早餐是否应该在三餐中居于首位,人们存在普遍的分歧。由此可见,题干是对原文的同义转述,即关于早餐是否是一天当中最重要的一餐,人们意见不一。故答案为B。

单选题

It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.

【正确答案】 G
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息not eating breakfast和the incidence of certain diseases in some countries。文中段落论及在某些国家人们发现不吃早餐与某些疾病的发病率有关的内容出现在G段 ,该段第四句提到,不吃早餐会使患心脏病的风险增加27 % , 男性患2型糖尿病的成险会增加21 % ,女性患2型糖尿病的风险会增加20 % 。最后一句提到,在一项针对英国1600名年轻人的早餐习惯的研究中,研究人员发现,经常吃早餐的人摄入的纤维和微量营养素更好。在澳大利亚、巴西、加拿大和美国也有类似的研究发现。换言之,在某些国家人们发现不吃早餐与某些疾病的发病率有关。由此可见,题干是对原文的归纳概括,故答案为G 。

单选题

Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.

【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息Researchers、a change in eating habits、breakfast itself和weight loss。文中段落论及研究人员发现,导致体重下降的是饮食习惯的改变,而不是早餐本身的内容出现在D段 。该段通过介绍一项专门针对早餐与肥胖之间关系的研究来引出结论,即该段最后一句提到的:研究人员发现,并不是早餐本身导致了参与者的体重下降,而是日常生活习惯的改变导致他们体重下降。由此可见,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为D 。

单选题

To keep oneself healthy, eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.

【正确答案】 J
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息 keep oneself healthy、eating breakfast、more important 和 choosing what to eat。文中段落论及要保持自身健康,吃早餐比选择早餐吃什么更重要的内容出现在J段 ,该段最后一句提到,一项对54项研究的回顾发现,人们对吃哪种早餐更健康还没有达成共识,并且得出结论称,早餐吃什么并不像简单地吃点东西那么重要。由此可见,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为J。

单选题

It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.

【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息widely considered wrong和not to eat breakfast。文中段落论及人们普遍认为不吃早餐不对的内容出现在A 段 ,该段提到,除了 “吃胡萝卜可以增强夜视能力”和 “圣诞老人不会给淘气的孩子带来玩具”等老掉牙的说法外,各地疲惫的家长们最常说的一句话就是:早餐是一天中最重要的一餐。下文接着说,我们很多人在成长过程中都认为不吃早餐是一种严重的错误…… 由此可见,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为A。

单选题

More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.

【正确答案】 F
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息More research和is related to weight loss or food intake。文中段落谈到需要更多的研究来证明早餐与减肥或食物摄入有关的内容出现在F段 ,该段提到,2016年 ,一项针对早餐与体重管理之间关系的十项研究的综述得出结论称,支持或反驳早餐影响体重或食物摄入量这一观点的证据有限,在有更多的证据之后我们才能通过推荐早餐来帮助预防肥胖。由此可见,题干是对原文的同义转述,故答案为F。

单选题

People who prioritise breakfast tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.

【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息prioritise breakfasts和have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake。文中段落论及把早餐放在首位的人往往摄入的热量较低,但营养较高的内容出现在C段 ,该段最后两句提到,美国一项历时7年的研究对5万人的健康数据进行了分析,研究人员发现,在一天当中早餐吃得最多的人比午餐或晚餐吃得最多的人的体重指数(BMI)更低,研究人员认为,早餐有助于减少每天的卡路里的摄入量,提高我们的饮食质量,因为早餐食品通常富含纤维和营养物质。由此可见,题干是对原文的同义转述,即把早餐作为一日三餐中的首位的人往往卡路里摄入较低,但营养摄入较高。故答案为C。

单选题

Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memorise and concentrate.

【正确答案】 H
【答案解析】

注意抓住题干中的关键信息Many studies、eating breakfast和memorise and concentrate。文中段落论及许多研究表明,吃早餐有助于人们提高记忆力和专注力的内容出现在H段 ,该段前三句提到,早 餐也与改善大脑功能有关系,包括专注力和语言的使用,对54项研究的回顾发现,吃早餐可以提高记忆 力 ,虽然对其他大脑功能的影响还不确定,然而,回顾的研究人员之一玛丽 •贝斯 •斯匹兹纳戈尔表 示 ,有 “合理的”证据证明早餐确实能够提高专注力— 只是需要做更多的研究。由此可见,题干是对 原文的同义转述,故答案为H 。