Unit 05 素材文档

College English Creative Reading3 跨文化交际英语·阅读教程3 Unit 5 Youth, Beauty and Health

Note on the Topic

Learning Objectives

1.Have a discussion of the real meaning of beauty and the vital

importance of health;

2.Evaluate qualities and some English sayings about health in the final

activity.

Before You Read

1.Watch the following video and discuss the following questions with a partner.

2.Discuss the following questions with a partner.

1. According to the video, how many children less than 5 years old are now considered obese?

42 million.

2. According to the Johns Hopkins Global Obesity Prevention Center, 5

out of 6 obese children are from developing countries or developed countries?

From developing countries.

3. According to the video, is it true that more people die from obesity-related diseases than from malnutrition?

Yes, it’s true.

4. Apart from food, what other factors contribute to obesity?

The Increasingly sedentary lifestyles.

5. What is the systems science approach?

A systems science approach views the issue from a holistic perspective. It requires an interdisciplinary task force to address all the facets underlying the obesity epidemic.

Reading A

Young People’s Perceptions of Health

Good health has always been something people strive for. As society has become increasingly more affluent our understanding of what is meant by the term “health” has been broadened beyond the notion of simply not being sick. The term now encompasses the importance of keeping fit, diet control and maintaining a good appearance. As the concept of health has expanded, so too has the market in heath products and programmes. There are now a wide array of health foods, dietary

supplements and fitness classes available. The widening concept of healthcare has become part of the way young people think about their lives and the choices they have to make as they mature. To gain more information on young people’s perceptio n of health, an opinion survey was conducted among the youth using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Researchers also read extensively in the subject area. The young people who were interviewed were encouraged to express their opinions and feelings.

Key words:

affluent: being rich enough to buy things for pleasure

参考译文：

年轻人的健康观念

长久以来，人们认为健康是最重要的人生目标。随着社会越来越富裕，人们对健康的理解已超出了原有的“不生病”的范畴。这个词的含义现在已包括保持健康、控制饮食、注重外表。随着健康概念的扩展，健康产品和活动的市场也是如此。现在出现了大量健康食品、饮食补充剂和健身班。这种正在日益放宽的健康观念已成为年轻人考虑生活以及成年时必做的一些决定的一部分。为了获得更多有关年轻人的健康观念的信息，研究者们以问卷调查和深入访问的方式对年轻人进行民意调查。他们还在这方面进行了广泛阅读。他们鼓励受采访

的年轻人说出他们的感受和观点。

ReadingB

It is clear from the survey that young people today are very much concerned about their physical appearance. This issue appears to be even more important to many young people than health. Results show that the perception of health has gradually moved away from the traditional concept of absence of major illnesses. Now health is perceived in terms of fitness or slimness. According to the opinions of the respondents in the survey, a new definition of health should include physical appearance, a positive state of well-being (feeling well and healthy) and improved endurance and energy. However, the concept of slim beauty dominates the findings of the survey and the concern for physical appearance and skincare over exercise and healthy eating habits among young people has many implications for healthcare education.

Key words:

perceive: to understand or think about something in a particular way

参考译文：

调查结果表明现在的年轻人十分关注他们的外表。外表对许多年轻人而言似乎比健康更重要。调查结果还显示现代人的健康观念已渐

渐偏离传统的健康观念，即不生重病，而现代的健康观念是保持健壮和苗条。根据被调查者的观点，新的健康观念应该包括注重外表、乐观健康、拥有更强的耐力和更多的精力。然而调查结果也表明大多数的年轻人以苗条为美，而且他们对外表和皮肤的关注要多于对锻炼和健康饮食习惯的关心。这些观念为我们的保健教育提供了诸多暗示。

ReadingC

Clearly, the concept of health has changed in recent years. Young people no longer view health as an absence of illness, that is not being sick, but rather as something which can be judged from the way a person looks. Also, they do not see health as a quality which creates “beauty from the inside” i.e. young people perceive health mainly in terms of external factors: physical appearance —especially good skin, hair and teeth —and slimness. More and more young people are increasingly willing to achieve these features by a low-impact lifestyle — treatments, medicines and dietary supplements —rather than by adopting good habits of eating well and exercising regularly.

参考译文：

很明显，近几年来，人们的健康观念发生了改变。年轻人不再认为不生病就是健康，而是把健康看作某种可从外貌判断的东西。他们也不把健康看作一种可以产生内在美的品质，相反，他们在理解健

康时侧重外在的因素：外表(尤其是皮肤、头发和牙齿要好)和苗条。年轻人越来越愿意通过一种低冲击的生活方式来达到这些身体特征，即通过治疗、药物及食补来达到健康的目的，而不是通过良好的饮食习惯和定期锻炼。

Reading D

One of the most revealing findings of the study was that more than 30% of respondents felt that they were overweight and reported using weight-control products and/or joining a weight-control programme. In most instances, these products and programmes were not being used in conjunction with a programme of regular exercise. The safety of the weight-control products (which might be slimming pills or special powders or teas) was not a concern and most respondents reported that a particular product had been recommended to them by friends. A significant minority (16%), however, had learnt about the products they were using from advertisements. Some 88% felt that the products they used were safe and would have no long-term negative effects on health. Weight-control products and programmes, then, are rarely supervised by recognized and independent professionals in the field of nutrition or even by parents. Indeed, most respondents informed the researchers that they did not tell their parents about using a weight-control substance.

Key words:

nutrition: the science of food and its effects on health and growth

参考译文：

这项研究中最惊人的发现是30%以上的答卷者认为他们过胖，并说他们正在使用控制体重的产品或者参加了某个体重控制计划，有些人则兼而试之。大多数人在使用这些产品、加入这些计划的同时并没有辅助以定期的锻炼计划。这种控制体重的产品(可能是减肥丸、特效药或减肥茶)是否安全可靠并没有受到考虑，大多数被调查者说这样那样的特效药是他们的朋友推荐的。还有少数人(16%)是从广告中得知他们正在使用的这些减肥产品的，这是一个不小的数字。这些人中大约88%的人觉得他们使用的产品是安全的，不会对健康产生长期的不良影响。而这些减肥产品的使用、减肥计划的实行很少是在营养方面的认证专家的监督下进行的，有的甚至连父母都不知道。事实上，大多数被调查者都说他们没有告诉父母他们在使用减肥品。

ReadE

Achieving the ideal of slim beauty does not necessarily involve the subjects of our study in programmes of exercise. In fact, the survey results show that only about a quarter of young people regularly, although nearly a third work out occasionally. Almost 14% of the young people work out surveyed never worked out. Those who did work out normally did so in a park or playground. Few of the respondents had become members of gyms and the usual reason given

was that while

membership of these facilities was highly desirable, they were far too expensive for most young people.

Key Words:

ideal: of the best or most suitable type

work out: to do physical exercise as a way of keeping fit

参考译文：

为了达到苗条的目的，被调查者未必会进行锻炼。事实上，调查结果显示大约只有1/4的年轻人会定期锻炼，而将近1/3的人是偶尔锻炼。被调查的年轻人中几乎有14%的人从来不锻炼身体。那些会定期锻炼身体的人通常是在公园或操场上锻炼的。只有少数人是健身俱乐部的成员，他们通常给出的理由是尽管这些健身器材十分吸引人，但是对年轻人而言价格实在太高了。

ReadingF

The survey also questioned respondents about their food intake. The majority reported eating only one main meal per day —the evening meal. Breakfast for those who did have more than one meal tended just to be a cake or bun of some kind and something to drink. Lunch was usually more substantial; noodles perhaps with some meat and

vegetables or a hamburger with chips. But small portions were the norm for young people in the survey and this was because most of them spent only thirty minutes on lunch before returning to their studies. When questioned about whether they thought they were getting enough minerals and vitamins every day, the majority of respondents said they did not know, although 21% said they were taking vitamin supplements of various kinds. What respondents typically eat, as well as when they eat, is clearly a cause for concern.

Key Words:

respondent: someone who answers questions, especially on a questionnaire

参考译文：

调查也涉及年轻人的食物摄取问题。大多数人说他们一天只吃一顿主食——就是晚餐。那些不止吃一顿饭的人的早餐就是一块蛋糕或者一个小圆面包，外加点饮料。午饭通常要丰盛些，也许是面条加蔬菜和肉，或者是汉堡包加炸薯条。但被调查的年轻人的午餐分量一般较少，这是因为在继续学习之前大多数人只有半小时可以吃午饭。当问到他们是否想过每天摄入的矿物质和维生素是否足够时，大多数人回答不知道。其中有21%的人说他们在吃各种各样的维生素来补充营养。很明显，被调查者吃什么、何时吃是一个应得到关注的问题。

Reading G

Survey results also indicate that our younger generation pay little regard to their medical condition; more than three-quarters of the respondents had not had a medical check-up in the last two years. A further point of concern is that 15% of those surveyed reported that they were either regular or occasional smokers. This shows quite clearly that health awareness as a preventative measure against later problems is not strong among young people.

参考译文：

调查结果也显示年轻的下一代不太关注他们的医疗状况。过去两年里，3/4以上的被调查者没有体检。更需要关注的一个调查结果是15%的被调查者说他们经常或者偶尔吸烟。这很显地表明年轻人中防患于未然的健康意识很淡薄。

ReadingH

A final and very important point concerns sleep, and in this connection the survey findings reveal some alarming habits, especially with regard to the time young people actually go to bed. Roughly three-quarters of the young people surveyed went to bed later than 11.00 p.m. and nearly a quarter at or after 1.00 a.m. This delay in going to bed is caused by a

number of factors: watching TV, playing computer games or using the Internet are significant factors, but so is homework. Nearly one-third of the young people in the study reported that they regularly began their homework at around 10.00 p.m. and continued for two to three hours. The effect of going to bed late is the build-up of a “sleep deficit” which is bound to affect concentration and performance levels the next day.

Key words:

alarming:frightening or worrying

deficit: the amount by which something is less than required

参考译文：

最后并且很重要的一点是关于睡眠的。关于这一点，调查结果揭示了一些令人警觉的生活习惯，尤其是关于年轻人晚上实际睡觉的时间。被调查的年轻人中大约有3/4的人在11点以后上床睡觉。接近1/4的人在1点或更晚入睡。入睡晚的原因多种多样：看电视、玩电脑游戏、上网等是主要原因，还有的是为了做家庭作业。有约1/3的年轻人说他们常常在10点左右开始做作业，一般要做2到3个小时。晚睡的结果是人体越来越缺乏睡眠，这势必会影响第二天的注意力集中和工作表现。

Reading I

The destructive trends identified by our research need to be resisted using a mixture of legislation and education. Clearly, advertisements for potentially dangerous products such as slimming pills and the skin-whitening products that have become so popular among young women should be regulated by law. This would force manufacturers either not to advertise or, if they did, to provide any necessary warnings about the composition and side effects of the products. There is surely a need for governments to regard slimming substances as drugs rather than as food supplements — especially if they contain recognized medical or pharmaceutical chemicals —and to ensure that they undergo clinical trials. If it is felt that it is not appropriate to reclassify these substances as drugs if they do not contain pharmaceutical chemicals, then a new classification could be created for them, one that is monitored closely by governments. The term “dietary supplement” (used to classify weight-loss products by the respected Food and Drug Administration of the USA) would surely be a good model for the world to follow.

参考译文：

我们的调查反映了一些不良的趋势。要抵制这些趋势，我们必须采用法律和教育这两方面的措施。减肥药和在年轻妇女中十分流行的增白护肤品都有可能对人体有害。显然，此类产品的广告应受到法

律的管理。这就会迫使生产者要么不做广告，要么在广告中针对产品的成分和副作用提出必要的警告。各国政府应将减肥产品看作是药品而不是食品补充剂，尤其是有些产品已确认含有医药成分，则更需要进行临床试验。要是有的产品中没有医药成分，认为将它们重新分类为药品不合适，我们也应该将它们归为新的一类，我们的政府还应严密监督这类产品的生产和销售。颇有权威的美国食品和药品局曾将减肥产品归为饮食补充剂一类，这无疑为全世界树立了一个好榜样。

Reading J

Another important step which governments should take as soon as possible is to raise the health awareness of young people through improved health education. Most primary and secondary school syllabuses worldwide cover a wide range of health related topics such as personal hygiene, eating a balanced diet, common diseases and nutrition. However, health subjects should be made much more interesting in schools and this could be done by bringing experts into schools to give talks on the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. Video programmes could also be used to demonstrate different kinds of exercise. It may also be useful for students to listen to talks given by people who are suffering from poor health as the result of a bad habit such as smoking.

参考译文：

政府应尽快采取的另一重要步骤是通过教育来提高年轻人的健康意识。全世界大多数中小学的教学大纲包括很多与健康有关的话题，例如个人卫生、饮食均衡、普通的疾病和营养。但是，我们可以使学校里与健康有关的学科变得更有趣些。我们可以请些专家来学校做些讲座，讲一讲健康饮食和日常锻炼的重要性。还可以播放录像节目，展示不同的锻炼方式。请一些因吸烟等坏习惯而导致健康恶化的人来讲讲他们的经历也可对学生有所帮助。

Reading K

Finally, what can young people themselves do to increase their prospects of long-lasting good health? There is nothing wrong with wanting to achieve the best possible appearance, but the means of achieving that appearance do matter. Health should begin inside the body and this means developing good habits such as combining a balanced diet with a regular programme of exercise. The exercise does not have to be anything too hard. Most doctors advise young people to play a sport or game they enjoy —and incidentally dancing is an excellent form of exercise. But the programme needs to be regular —at least three 30-minute sessions per week — and the diet also needs to be regular; three equal and moderate meals a day is far better than one large meal eaten late in the day!

Another way young people can help themselves to become healthier is by paying attention to their sleeping habits —both the amount of sleep and the quality of that sleep. Research has proved conclusively that the majority of people need between 7 and 9 hours sleep per night and that the sleep obtained before 1.00 a.m. is deeper and more refreshing than that which comes later. This medical finding has obvious implications for the way young people organize their lives. The sleep requirement established by scientists means that time has to be better managed and activities have to be prioritized.

参考译文：

最后，年轻人自己能做点什么来使他们的健康持续更久呢？想使外表看上去处于最佳状态并没有错，但问题的关键是通过何种方法达到这一目的。健康应是由内开始。这意味着要培养好的习惯，例如饮食均衡而且定期锻炼，不必进行很难的锻炼。多数医生建议年轻人玩自己喜欢的体育活动，偶尔跳跳舞是很好的锻炼方式。但锻炼必须定期进行——至少每周三次，每次半个小时——饮食也必须有规律。三餐均衡且适量比晚餐时饱餐一顿要好得多。

另一个年轻人能使自己更健康的做法是注意自己的睡眠习惯，这既包括睡眠数量又包括质量。研究结果表明大多数人每晚需要睡7到9个小时。而且午夜1点以前入睡会睡得较熟，比1点后入睡更能解除疲劳。这项医学结果已为年轻人如何组织他们的生活提供了明显

的提示。科学家们给出的睡眠需求说明年轻人应该确保睡眠的时间，而有些活动可以适量取消。

ReadingL

The final piece of advice to young people is —don’t be afraid of the doctor! Doctors are not just for old people and doctors do more than just heal the sick. All doctors believe in preventative medicine —if a problem is detected early enough it can usually be dealt with successfully and long-term problems can be prevented from developing. But preventative medicine does rely on people taking the initiative by going for regular medical check-ups.

参考译文：

给年轻人的最后一条建议：不要害怕看医生。医生不仅是为老年人服务的。除了治病外他们有很多可以做的。所有的医生都愿意用预防性药物。如果问题发现得足够早，通常可以较成功地治疗，可以防止发生长期的问题。但是只有定期去做医检、主动关心健康的人才可能及时得到预防药的治疗。

Understanding the Text

Part A: Comprehending the Text

Answer the following questions.

1. What type of text is this overall?

?Cause and effect.

?Compare and contrast.

?Problem and solution.

?Classification.

2. The text appears to be organized broadly into two parts. Which section marks the author’s transition from the first part to the second? Section I.

3. Choose the statement which most accurately summarizes the author’s purpose in writing the first part.

?To report the results of a survey of the health perceptions of young people.

?To raise the problem of unhealthy eating habits among the young.

?To present a critical review of health perceptions among young people.

?To develop a discussion of young people’s problems with drugs.

4. Choose the statement which most accurately summarizes the author’s purpose in writing the second part.

?To discuss government’s role in changing young people’s perceptions of health.

?To suggest ways to improve young people’s perceptions of health.

?To present evidence of young people’s poor sleeping habits.

To discuss the action young people can take to improve their health.

Part B: Identifying Main Points

Each of the ten statements below contains information given in one of the sections in the text. Each section is marked with a letter. Have students identify the section from which the information is derived.

A 1. Good health as a concept is now broader than it used to be.

I 2. Advertisements for possibly dangerous medicines and cosmetics should be controlled by law.

K 3. Having a good diet and regular exercise is a winning combination.

H 4. About 75% of young people go to bed quite late.

D 5. The vast majority of young people who use weight-control products feel that these products are safe.

C 6. Young people tend to judge health by a person’s physical appearance.

L 7. Regular medical check-ups are not just for the elderly.

B 8. Most young people want to be slim and beautiful.

D 9. About a third of the young people surveyed felt that they were overweight.

H10. Nearly 25% of the young people surveyed go to bed the following morning.

Part C: Selecting Best Choices

The paragraph below has been taken from the text but includes ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of words in the word bank provided. You may not use any of the words in the word bank more than once.

Word Bank

A) aware

B) emphasis on

C) enhanced

D) factor

E) findings F) hazardous

G) worry about

H) interested in

I) lack

J) notion

K) participants

L) quickly

M) stamina

N) steadily

O) topic

It is clear from the survey that young people today are very much ___H___ their physical appearance. This __O__ appears to be even more important to many young people than health. ___E___ show that the perception of health has ___N___ moved away from the traditional concept of ___I___ of major illness. Now health is perceived in terms of fitness or slimness. According to the opinions of the __K___ in the survey, a new definition of health should include physical appearance, a positive state of well-being (feeling well and healthy) and ___C____ __M____ and energy. However, the ____J____ of slim beauty dominates the