英语听力精选进阶版 6358

If you love eating and have a gargantuan¹ appetite, the idea of going on a diet might be hard to swallow.

Yet evidence suggests that short periods of fasting could help people lose weight and lead to better health. A lower calorie intake² increases the life expectancy³ of mice, so could the same be true for humans?

Studies show that high levels of a growth hormone⁴ called IGF-1 can lead to accelerated ageing, whilst a low level can help prevent age-related diseases. Now evidence suggests the level of IGF-1 in our bodies can be lowered by what we eat.

It’s not only about eating less, but also about limiting the amount of protein we ingest. Research by Professor Valter Longo of the University of Southern California suggests that when the level of IGF-1 drops, our bodies switch from "growth mode" to "repair mode".

BBC journalist Michael Mosley went on the 5:2 diet, which involves eating normally for five days a week, then only consuming 600 calories for two days. Despite this reduced calorie intake two days a week, he didn’t crave⁵ more food on other days: "On my feed days I ate what I normally do and felt no need to gorge⁶." However, he adds that "Current medical opinion is that the benefits of fasting are unproven and until there are more human studies it's better to eat at least 2000 calories a day. Fasting, like eating, is best done in moderation."

For those who want to reduce their weight whilst maintaining a varied⁷ diet, fasting for short periods of time might be healthier than crash diets or yo-yo dieting. However, others might decide they have enough on their plate without having to think constantly about what they eat. Either way, information about fasting provides food for thought.

Quiz 测验

1. What happens to mice when they consume fewer calories?

Mice that consume fewer calories live longer.

2. Why is it better to have a low level of the growth hormone IGF-1?

A high level of IGF-1 can make us age more quickly, whereas a low level of IGF-1 can be protective and help prevent age-related diseases.

3. Which verb in the article means "to really want to eat something"?

To crave. It can also be used as a noun: if you have "a craving⁸" for chocolate, it means you really want to eat chocolate.

4. Why should we be careful when fasting?

We should be careful because the benefits of fasting are unproven.

5. What is the name of a diet that makes someone's weight go up and down?

Yo-yo dieting. This is what we call diets that don't lead to long-term weight loss, so a person's weight fluctuates.

Glossary 词汇表

a gargantuan appetite 惊人的食欲

to go on a diet 节食

hard to swallow 难以接受

to fast 禁食，斋戒

calorie intake 卡路里摄入量；热量摄取

age-related disease 老化伴随病

protein 蛋白质

to ingest 摄取，吸收

to consume 消耗

to crave 渴望

to gorge 狼吞虎咽

in moderation 适量的，有节制的

a varied diet 一个均衡多样化的饮食

a crash diet 速成食疗

yo-yo dieting 悠悠球式减肥（指节食后达到体重减轻，但过一段时间体重增加又要节食的循环）

to have enough on one’s plate 一个人已经有很多令人操心的事情要处理

food for thought 令人深思的东西或话

1 gargantuan   

adj.巨大的，庞大的

参考例句：

• My gargantuan,pristine machine was good for writing papers and playing solitaire,and that was all.我那庞大的、早期的计算机只适合写文章和玩纸牌游戏，就这些。
• Right away,I realized this was a mistake of gargantuan proportions.我立刻意识到这是一个巨大的错误。

2 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

3 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

4 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

5 crave   

vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求

参考例句：

• Many young children crave attention.许多小孩子渴望得到关心。
• You may be craving for some fresh air.你可能很想呼吸呼吸新鲜空气。

6 gorge   

n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃

参考例句：

• East of the gorge leveled out.峡谷东面地势变得平坦起来。
• It made my gorge rise to hear the news.这消息令我作呕。

7 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

8 craving   

n.渴望,热望

参考例句：

• a craving for chocolate 非常想吃巧克力
• She skipped normal meals to satisfy her craving for chocolate and crisps. 她不吃正餐，以便满足自己吃巧克力和炸薯片的渴望。