英语听力精选进阶版 6420

I miss my sugar! I've decided¹ to go on a diet to lose weight and I had to give up pastries² and cakes. It's difficult because I have a sweet tooth and I love cream cakes.

Not having treats can be good for your health. I've heard that a whole family in South East England lived sugar free for a whole year after they found out their daughter had diabetes³.

It wasn't easy. I don't go to bakeries to avoid giving in to temptation⁴, but the family of five actually owns one. Jason Burt's business makes up to 3,000 cakes a week.

They were in shock when the doctor said that their 16-year-old Lucy had to check her blood glucose⁵ levels regularly and take insulin. He advised her to eat a normal, balanced diet, but the Burts went further and got rid of sugar altogether.

And how does it feel to live without sugar for a while? Jason Burt said that for a month they felt groggy⁶. But later on it all changed. He says he feels "more awake" and full of energy.

And what about the Burt family business? It had to keep using half a tonne of sugar a week and any cook worth his salt knows that you've got to taste a recipe to know if it's right.

No problem there, says Jason Burt's wife, Clare. She points out that she's got lots of people offering to taste the cakes for them. The family is also thinking about selling more savoury products.

I wonder what makes us have cravings for sweet food. Many scientists suggest that we instinctively⁷ want sugar because it plays an important role in our survival⁸.

The British National Health Service advises that the sugar we add to the food and drink we have every day should not be more than 10% of our calorie intake⁹. This is on average 70g for men and just 50g for women.

I've decided to forget about the sweet taste of sugar for a while. As British model Kate Moss¹⁰ says: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."

Quiz 测验

1. What made it more difficult for the English family to give up sugar?

They own a bakery and it uses a lot of sugar.

2. Is this statement true or false? The whole family had to give up sugar because they had diabetes?

False. It was a choice. The only family member with diabetes was their daughter, Lucy.

3. How much sugar should a man eat a day?

According to the British National Health Service, no more than 70g a day.

4. Who would rather look very slim than eat treats?

British model Kate Moss.

5. Which expression means 'to completely stop having something'?

To get rid of something altogether.

Glossary 词汇表

a pastry 油酥糕点

to have a sweet tooth 喜欢甜食

a treat （常指能给人带来欢乐和满足感的食物）好吃的甜食

diabetes 糖尿病

a bakery 一家面包房

to give in to temptation 屈服于诱惑

blood glucose levels 血糖水平

insulin 胰岛素

a balanced diet 均衡的饮食

to get rid of (something) altogether 完全抛弃

groggy 虚弱无力的

to be worth (his) salt 称职的

to point out 指出

savoury 咸味的

instinctively 直觉地，本能地

survival 存活

calorie intake 卡路里（热量）摄入量

skinny 骨瘦如柴的 （本文意思：吃什么也不如瘦的感觉好）

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 pastries   

n.面粉制的糕点

参考例句：

• He gave a dry laugh, then sat down and started on the pastries. 杜新箨说着干笑一声，坐下去就吃点心。 来自子夜部分
• Mike: So many! I like Xijiang raisins, beef jerky, and local pastries. 麦克：太多了。我最喜欢吃新疆葡萄干、牛肉干和风味点心。

3 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

4 temptation   

n.诱惑，引诱；v.引，诱

参考例句：

• I should congratulate you that you resisted the temptation.我应向你祝贺，你抗住了这种引诱。
• Will they be able to resist the temptation to buy?他们能忍住诱惑不买吗？

5 glucose   

n.葡萄糖

参考例句：

• I gave him an extra dose of glucose to pep him up.我给他多注射了一剂葡萄糖以增强他的活力。
• The doctor injected glucose into his patient's veins.医生将葡萄糖注入病人的静脉。

6 groggy   

adj.体弱的；不稳的

参考例句：

• The attack of flu left her feeling very groggy.她患流感后非常虚弱。
• She was groggy from surgery.她手术后的的情况依然很不稳定。

7 instinctively   

adv.本能地

参考例句：

• As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近，她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。

9 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。

10 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。