Food and Cancer

    Medical expels have suspected for many years that there is a strong link between what a person eats and cancer. They say a new study provides the first evidence¹ that vitamins could reduce a person’s chance of developing cancer. A team of Chinese and American scientists did the study. They are from American National Cancer Institute² and the Cancer Institute of the ChineseAcademyof Medical Sciences³ inBeijing. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of the study. About thirty thousand people between the ages of 40 to 69 took part in the study. They were from the northern central Chinese area of Linxian. Most of them took vitamins and minerals every day for five years.

    Linxian was chosen because the people there have all extremely high rate of cancer of stomach and esophagus. Researchers believe that fungus and molds in local foods may be partly responsible for the high cancer rate. Researchers divided those into eight groups. Seven of the groups received different mixtures of vitamins and minerals daily. The amounts of the vitamins and minerals were 1 to 2 times greater than what American health officials say is needed. The eighth group received sugar pills⁴ that had no effect. Those who seemed to gain the most received a mixture of a form of vitamin A called β–carotene, vitamin E and the mineral selenium. The vitamin and mineral are believed to prevent damage to cells caused by cancer-causing substances. Researchers reported a 13 percent drop in cancer rates in those who took β–carotene, vitamin E and selenium⁵. They also found a 10 percent drop in the number of deaths caused by strokes from bursting blood vessels.

    Scientists warn that it is too soon to know if the effect would be the same among people in other countries. They note that the people in Linxian eat foods that lack necessary vitamins and minerals. Chinese officials will continue to record the health records of the people in Linxian for many years. For now officials reportedly are considering using the results of the study. They want to find a way to improve the health of people in Linxian and other small towns inChina.

词汇：

esophagus /ɪ"sɒfəɡəs/ n.食道 

mixture /ˈmɪkstʃə(r)/ n.混合物；合成品；混合药
fungus /"fʌŋɡəs/ n.菌类 

carotene /ˈkærəti:n/ n.胡萝卜素
mold /məʊld/n.霉；霉菌 

selenium /sɪˈli:niəm/ n.硒

注释：

1.the first evidence ：第一手证据
2.American National Cancer Institute：美国国家癌症研究所
3.the Cancer Institute of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences ：中国医学科学院癌症研究所
4.sugar pills ：糖丸
5. a mixture of a form of vitamin A called β–carotene, vitamin E and the mineral selenium: 一种叫做β–胡萝卜素的维生素A、维生素E和矿物质硒的混合物

All those people who took part in the study received vitamins and minerals

A:Right B:Wrong C:Not mentioned

Vitamins are important to our health．Difierent vitamins are found in difierent foods．grains．vegetables and fruits，fish and meat，eggs and milk products．So which foods should be eaten to get enough of the vitamins our bodies needLet us look at some important vitamins for the answer．
Vitamin A helps prevent skin and other tissues from becoming dry．People who do not get enough Vitamin A cannot see well in darkness．They may develop a condition that dries the eyes．This can result in infections and lead to blindness．Vitamin A is found in fish liver oil．It is also in the yellow part of eggs．Sweet potatoes．carrots and other darkly colored fruits and vegetables contain substances that the body can change into Vitamin A．
Vitamin B is also called thiamine(硫胶)．Thiamine changes starchy foods jnto energy．It also helps the heart and nervous system work smoothly．Without it．we would be weak and would not grow．We also might develop beriberi(脚气病)．Thiamine is found not iust in whole grains like brown rice．but also jn other foods．These include beans and peas．nuts．and meat and fish．
Vitamin C is needed for strong bones and teeth．and for healthy blood passages．It also helps wounds heal quickly．The body stores little Vitamin C．So we must get it every day in foods such as citrus fruits，tomatoes and uncooked cabbage．
Vitamin D increases levels of the element calcium(铲)in the blood．Calcium is needed for nerve and muscle cells to work normally．It is also needed to build strong bones．VitaminD prevents the children’s bone disease rickets(佝偻痫)．Ultraviolet light from the sun changes a substance in the skin into vitamin D Fish liver oil also contains vitamin D．In some countries．milk producers add vitamin D to milk so children will get enough．
Vitamin K is needed for healthy blood．It thickens the blood around a cut to stop bleeding．Bacteria in the intestines f肠道)normally produce vitamin K．It can also be found in pork products．1iver and in vegetables like cabbage．kale and spinach．
It can be inferred from the passage that______.

A:vitamins are sometimes not necessary to our health B:it is important to eat a mixture offoods every day C:one food only contains one vitamin D:fruits contain more vitamins than vegetables

A recent study in Tanzania found that when pregnant women took vitamins every day, fewer babies were born too small. Babies that weigh less than two and one-half kilograms at birth have a greater risk of dying. Those that survive are more likely to experience problems with their development. And experts say that as adults they have a higher risk of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. The World Health Organization estimates that every year twenty million babies are born with low birth weight. Nine out of ten of them are born in developing countries.
The new study took place in Dar es Salaam. 4,200 pregnant women received multivitamins. The pills contained all of the vitamins in the B group along with vitamins C and E. They also contained several times more iron and folate than the levels advised for women in developed nations. Pregnant women especially in poor countries may find it difficult to get enough vitamins and minerals from the foods in their diet.
The scientists compared the findings with results from a group of 4,000 women who did not receive the vitamins. A report by the scientists, from the United States and Tanzania, appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. Wafaie Fawzi of the Harvard University School of Public Health led the study. None of the women in the study had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The scientists reported earlier that daily multivitamins were a low-cost way to reduce fetal deaths in pregnant women infected with HIV. The earlier work in Tanzania also found improvement in the mothers in their number of blood cells known as lymphocytes. Lymphocytes increase the body’s immunity against infection.
The new study in pregnant women who were not infected with the AIDS virus found that multivitamins reduced the risk of low birth weight. Just under eight percent of the babies born to women who took the multivitamins weighed less than 2,500 grams. The rate was almost nine and one-half percent in the group of women who received a placebo, an inactive pill, instead of the vitamins. But the vitamins did not do much to reduce the rates of babies being born too early or dying while still a fetus. Still, the researchers say multivitamins should be considered for all
A pill of multivitamins may contain all of the following substances EXCEPT ______.

A:all vitamins in the B group B:vitamins C and E C:much iron and folate D:antiviral substances

The primary consideration in achieving a balanced diet is now how much or how little we eat, but what we eat. Basically we need carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, together with regular but not excessive exercise.
Carbohydrates are found in foods such as bread, potatoes and sugar. They are excellent energy products, but if eaten to excess may be largely converted to fat and a reduction in the amount of carbohydrates or "starchy: foods is one of the obvious ways to reduce weight, since most of us eat too much of them anyway.
Protein, found in meat and cheese, is used for tissue building and in the developed countries most people eat about 110g daily, which is a good deal more than the recommended minimum of 70g a day. Animal fats, e. g. butter are also good sources of energy, but are sometimes held to caus increased cholesterol levels in the blood (which may lead to fatty deposits in the arteries) and are therefore best avoided by people suffering from certain forms of heart disease, vegetable fats being recommended as a substitue.
Vitamins are another essential requirement for health. There are about forty known vitamins, but the most generally referred to are A, B, C, D and E, Deficiency of Vitamin A, found in carrots, rose - hips, etc. , is alleged (据称) to affect the vision and the skin and reduce resistance to infection. Vitamin C, present in nearly all fruit, particularly oranges and other citrus fruit, has come to be regarded as particularly effective in the prevention of cold and low energy states.
Among the minerals we need, the most important are calcium, iron and iodinc (碘). Milk is one of the richest sources of calcium, which helps to build our bones and our teeth. Lack of iron in the blood produces anaemia anay children and others suffering from anaemic conditions are generally advised to increase their intake of iron, which: may be found in liver, lentils, molasses and dates among other foods.
Good energy providers are ______.

A:carbohydrates and protein. B:carbohydrates and animal fats. C:protein and animal fats. D:animal fats and vitamins.

? ?下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道题，每题后面有4个选项。请仔细阅读短文并根据短文回答其后面的问题。
{{B}}第一篇{{/B}}

A pill of multivitamins may contain all of the following substances EXCEPT

A:all vitamins in the B group. B:vitamins C and C:much iron and folate. D:antiviral substances.

Animals seem to have the sense to eat when they are hungry and they do not eat more than their bodies need. It has been demonstrated that rats will, when given a choice over a period of time, prefer water with vitamins to water without vitamins even though there is no difference in taste or smell between the two water bottles. When a fragrant flavor was added to the vitamin-enriched fluid, the rats did seem to develop a taste for it and kept drinking it, even after the vitamins were switched to the clear water. In time, however, they broke the habit and went back to where the necessary vitamins were.
In a classic experiment, babies of 6 to 12 months old were placed in a cafeteria feeding arrangement, with a wide selection of baby food before them. They were given whatever food they pointed to or appeared interested in. We are told that at first they showed some unusual eating patterns, but that over a period of time they managed to select well-balanced diet.
So, in selecting food, rats and babies do seem to know and act on what’s best for them. Apparently, there is a kind of "body wisdom", which humans soon lose. Most of us do not eat as wisely as we could. Many of our food preferences are culturally determined and influenced by long-established habits. Some people eat fox, dog and blackbirds, while we eat cows and pigs. So what people eat and how much they eat seems to be greatly influenced by what is going on around them.
In the experiment on rats, a fragrant flavor was added to the rat’s drinking water to______

A:encourage rats to drink vitamin-enriched water B:find out rats preference in flavor C:test whether rats know which drink is good for them D:demonstrate that vitamins are tasteless

Animals seem to have the sense to eat when they are hungry and they do not eat more than their bodies need. It has been demonstrated that rats will, when given a choice over a period of time, prefer water with vitamins to water without vitamins even though there is no difference in taste or smell between the two water bottles. When a fragrant flavor was added to the vitamin-enriched fluid, the rats did seem to develop a taste for it and kept drinking it, even after the vitamins were switched to the clear water. In time, however, they broke the habit and went back to where the necessary vitamins were.
In a classic experiment, babies of 6 to 12 months old were placed in a cafeteria feeding arrangement, with a wide selection of baby food before them. They were given whatever food they pointed to or appeared interested in. We are told that at first they showed some unusual eating patterns, but that over a period of time they managed to select well-balanced diet.
So, in selecting food, rats and babies do seem to know and act on what’s best for them. Apparently, there is a kind of "body wisdom", which humans soon lose. Most of us do not eat as wisely as we could. Many of our food preferences are culturally determined and influenced by long-established habits. Some people eat fox, dog and blackbirds, while we eat cows and pigs. So what people eat and how much they eat seems to be greatly influenced by what is going on around them.
The expression "the habit" (para. 1, sentence 4) refers to drinking water which______

A:has no smell B:is tasteless C:has vitamins D:is flavored

? ?Animals seem to have the sense to eat when they are hungry and they do not eat more than their bodies need. It has been demonstrated that rats will, when given a choice over a period of time, prefer water with vitamins to water without vitamins even though there is no difference in taste or smell between the two water bottles. When a fragrant flavor was added to the vitamin-enriched fluid, the rats did seem to develop a taste for it and kept drinking it, even after the vitamins were switched to the clear water. In time, however, they broke the habit and went back to where the necessary vitamins were.
? ?In a classic experiment, babies of 6 to 12 months old were placed in a cafeteria feeding arrangement, with a wide selection of baby food before them. They were given whatever food they pointed to or appeared interested in. We are told that at first they showed some unusual eating patterns, but that over a period of time they managed to select well-balanced diet.
? ?So, in selecting food, rats and babies do seem to know and act on what’s best for them. Apparently, there is a kind of "body wisdom", which humans soon lose. Most of us do not eat as wisely as we could. Many of our food preferences are culturally determined and influenced by long-established habits. Some people eat fox, dog and blackbirds, while we eat cows and pigs. So what people eat and how much they eat seems to be greatly influenced by what is going on around them.

The expression "the habit" (para. ?1, sentence 4) refers to drinking water which______

A:has no smell B:is tasteless C:has vitamins D:is flavored