Use of English (2014)

Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have [1] that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually [2]. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. [3], among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an [4] of good health.

Of even greater [5] is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined [6] body mass index, or BMI. BMI [7] body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, [8], can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.

While such numerical standards seem [9], they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, [10] others with a low BMI may be in poor [11]. For example, many collegiate and professional football players [12] as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a [13] BMI.

Today we have a(n) [14] to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes [15] in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes [16] with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. [17] very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.

Negative attitudes toward obesity, [18] in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity [19]. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign [20] childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.

[A]denied

[B]concluded

[C]doubted

[D]ensured

[A]protective

[B]dangerous

[C]sufficient

[D]troublesome

[A]Instead

[B]However

[C]Likewise

[D]Therefore

[A]indicator

[B]objective

[C]origin

[D]example

[A]impact

[B]relevance

[C]assistance

[D]concern

[A]in terms of

[B]in case of

[C]in favor of

[D]in respect of

[A]measures

[B]determines

[C]equals

[D]modifies

[A]in essence

[B]in contrast

[C]in turn

[D]in part

[A]complicated

[B]conservative

[C]variable

[D]straightforward

10.

[A]so

[B]while

[C]since

[D]unless

11.

[A]shape

[B]spirit

[C]balance

[D]taste

12.

[A]start

[B]qualify

[C]retire

[D]stay

13.

[A]strange

[B]changeable

[C]normal

[D]constant

14.

[A]option

[B]reason

[C]opportunity

[D]tendency

15.

[A]employed

[B]pictured

[C]imitated

[D]monitored

16.

[A]compared

[B]combined

[C]settled

[D]associated

17.

[A]Even

[B]Still

[C]Yet

[D]Only

18.

[A]despised

[B]corrected

[C]ignored

[D]grounded

19.

[A]discussions

[B]businesses

[C]policies

[D]studies

20.

[A]for

[B]against

[C]with

[D]without

答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)

1. [B] concluded. 考查动词语义。许多研究已经“得出结论（concluded）”，正常体重的人实际上比超重的人患某些疾病的风险更高。
2. [A] protective. 考查上下文逻辑。根据后文“较重的女性更不容易缺钙”，说明在某些情况下，超重实际上具有“保护作用的（protective）”。
3. [C] Likewise. 考查逻辑连词。前一句说较重女性更不易缺钙，后一句说对老年人来说超重也是健康的标志，两者属于顺承的并列/类比关系，用“同样地（Likewise）”。
4. [A] indicator. 考查名词辨析。在老年人中，适度超重通常是身体健康的一个“指标/标志（indicator）”。
5. [D] concern. 考查固定搭配。Of even greater concern is... 意为“更令人担忧/关注的是……”。前文在谈论体重标准，这里指出肥胖的定义本身就成问题，所以更加令人担忧。
6. [A] in terms of. 考查介词短语。肥胖通常“根据/以……来（in terms of）”身体质量指数（BMI）来定义。
7. [C] equals. 考查动词辨析。BMI“等于（equals）”体重除以身高的平方，这里是在解释BMI的数学公式。
8. [C] in turn. 考查逻辑短语。前文说超过30被认为是肥胖。肥胖“进而/反过来（in turn）”又可以被细分为中度、重度和极重度肥胖。
9. [D] straightforward. 考查形容词语义。虽然这种数字标准看起来很“直接/简单明了（straightforward）”，但实际上并非如此。
10. [B] while. 考查连词用法。前半句说高BMI的人可能极度健康，“而（while）”后半句说低BMI的人可能身体状况很差，表示强烈的对比。
11. [A] shape. 考查固定搭配。in poor shape 意为“身体状况不佳/体型差”。
12. [B] qualify. 考查动词短语。许多大学生和职业橄榄球运动员“被认定为/符合……的标准（qualify as）”肥胖，尽管他们的体脂率很低。
13. [C] normal. 考查上下文反义。相反，骨架小的人可能体脂率很高，但却有一个“正常的（normal）” BMI。
14. [D] tendency. 考查名词语境。今天，我们有一种将肥胖贴上耻辱标签的“趋势/倾向（tendency）”。
15. [B] pictured. 考查动词语义。超重者在媒体上出现时，有时被“描绘/拍成（pictured）”脸部被打码（蒙住）的样子（暗示这是一种耻辱）。
16. [D] associated. 考查过去分词短语。与肥胖“相关的（associated with）”刻板印象包括懒惰等。
17. [A] Even. 考查副词强调。前文说了老师、雇主都有偏见，“甚至（Even）”很年幼的孩子也倾向于看不起超重者，表递进强调。
18. [D] grounded. 考查分词搭配。grounded in 意为“以……为基础/植根于”。对肥胖的负面态度，其根源在于健康担忧。
19. [C] policies. 考查名词上下文呼应。根据后文医院禁用含糖饮料、雇主采取减肥举措，这些都属于反肥胖的“政策（policies）”。
20. [B] against. 考查介词用法。米歇尔·奥巴马发起了一场“反对/抗击（against）”儿童肥胖的运动。

核心长难句精解 (High-Light)

1. 表语前置的倒装句与同位语从句：
"Of even greater concern is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define."
 【解析】这是一个完全倒装句，原本的语序是 "The fact ... is of even greater concern"。介词短语 `Of even greater concern` 作为表语被提前，以强调“令人担忧”的程度。`that` 引导同位语从句，解释 `the fact` 的内容。 
2. Less... than... 比较结构：
"Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat."
 【解析】less A than B 意为“与其说是A，不如说是B”。翻译为：肥胖可能与其说是体重的问题，不如说是体脂的问题。作者借此指出单纯用 BMI 衡量肥胖的缺陷。 
3. 过去分词短语作插入语定语：
"Negative attitudes toward obesity, grounded in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity policies."
 【解析】`grounded in health concerns`（植根于对健康的担忧）是过去分词短语，作插入语，修饰前面的主语 `Negative attitudes toward obesity`。它交代了反肥胖政策之所以出现的深层原因。 