Likeaneedleclimbingupabathroomscale,thenumberkeepsrising.In1991,15%ofAmericanswereobese(肥胖的);by1999,thatproportionhadgrownto27%.Youngsters,whoshouldhaveageandactivityontheirside,aregrowinglargeraswell:19%ofAmericansunder17areobese.Waistbandshavebeenpoppinginotherwesterncountriestoo,asphysicalactivityhasdeclinedanddietshaveexpanded.Byandlarge,peopleintherichworldseemtohavelostthefightagainstflab(松弛).
Meanwhile,poorernationshaveenjoyedsomesuccessintheirbattlesagainstmalnutritionandfamine.But,accordingtoresearchpresentedattheannualmeetingoftheAmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience,itismoreacaseofbeingoutofthefryingpanandintothefire.ThemoststrikingexampleactuallyinthepoorworldcomesfromthePacificislands,homeoftheworld’smostobesecommunities.In1966,14%ofthemenonthisislandwereobesewhile100%ofmenundertheageof30in1996wereobese.
Thisincreaseinweighthasbeenunevenaswellasfast.Asaresult,undernourishedandover-nourishedpeoplefrequentlylivecheekbyjowl(面颊).Themixcanevenoccurwithinasinglehousehold.AstudyoffamiliesinIndonesiafoundthatnearly10%containedboththehungryandthefat.Thisisamysteriousphenomenon,butmighthavesomethingtodowithpeopleofdifferentagesbeinggivendifferentamountsoffoodtoeat.
Theprospectofheadingofftheseproblemsisbleak.Inmanyaffectedcountriesthereareculturalfactorstocontendwith,suchasanemphasisoneatinglargemealstogether,oronfoodasaform.ofhospitality.Moreover,thereisagoodmeasureofdisbeliefonthepartofpolicymakersthatsuchaproblemCouldexistintheircountries.Addtothatreluctanceonthepartofgovernmentstospendresourcesonpromotingdietandexercisewhilestarvationisstillarealthreat,andtheresultisarecipeforinaction.Unlesssomethingisdonesoon,itmightnotbepossibletoturntheclockback.
Choosecorrectanswerstothequestion:
1.Thefirstsentenceofthepassagemostprobablyimpliesthat______.
A.manyAmericansareobsessedwiththerisingtemperatureintheirbathroom
B.morepeopleareoverweighedintheUnitedStates
C.peoplearedoingmorephysicalexerciseswiththehelpofscales
D.youngstersbecometallerandhealthierthankstomoreactivities
2.Asphysicalexercisedeclinesanddietexpands,______.
A.otherwesterncountrieshasbeendefeatedbyfat
B.obesityhasbecomeanepidemic(流行病)oftherichworld
C.waistbandsbegintobepopularinotherwesterncountries
D.westerncountriescannolongerfightagainstobesity
3.WhichisNOTthepointoftheexampleofthePacificIslands?
A.Thepoorcommunityhasshakenoffpovertyandpeoplearewell-fednow.
B.Obesityisbecomingaprobleminthedevelopingworldtoo.
C.Excessiveweightincreasewillcausenolessharmthanthefoodshortage.
D.Theproblemofoverweightemergesveryfast.
4.Oftacklingobesityinthepoorworld,wecanlearnfromthepassagethat____
A.thematterissocomplexastogobeyondourcapacity
B.nomatterwhatwedo,theprospectwillalwaysbebleak
C.itisstarvation,therealthreat,thatneedstobesolved
D.weshouldtakeimmediateactionsbeforeitbecomesincurable
5.Whatisthemainideaofthispassage?
A.Obesityisnowaglobalproblemthatneedstackling.
B.Theweightsincreasefastthroughoutthewholeworld.
C.Obesityandstarvationaretwomainproblemsinthepoorworld.
D.Obesityhasshiftedfromtherichworldtothepoorworld.
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