Kerala, India, has placed a tax on hamburgers, pizza and other fast food. The 14.5 percent tax will be added to foods at restaurants such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Burger King.
The tax is being called a “fat tax” because it adds cost to foods considered high in fat and calories. It is the first fast food tax enacted in India, where obesity levels are rising in the growing middle class.
Kerala’s Finance Minister Thomas Isaac suggested the tax after learning of similar measures in other countries. He hopes it will get people to choose to eat healthy food, which he said is “going out of fashion.”
Dr. Anoop Misra at New Delhi’s Fortis Hospital strongly supports the “fat tax” as a way to reduce the number of diabetes cases in young people.
A government finance official in central Gujarat says that the state is considering a similar 14.5 percent tax. “This idea can also be adopted in the state, as we also have high consumption of junk and unhealthy food,” the official said.
Critics of the tax say it probably will not stop people from buying fast food. IT engineer Gaurav Singh wants the government to focus on education and awareness instead of taxing fast food.
“The one food that is eaten widely in Kerala is the ‘paratha’, which is basically high in fat, high in refined(精制的) flour, and it is cheap. It can't be taxed because it is highly unorganized.”
Some doctors and health experts say the tax should also include other snack foods and sugary drinks sold across the country.
One fast food customer In New Dehli, Vijay Deoli believes the government should deal with more important issues. “First you have to clear up the air, the water, etc. This is a small thing.”
Others say the government should do more to bring attention to fast food and obesity rather than changing people's choices.
Many health experts agree that bringing attention to the issue is important. But Dr. Misra thinks education alone does not work.
He compared the tax to a law passed several years ago that got people to wear seat belts to avoid paying a fine. “Laws can change people’s habits.”
1.Why did Thomas Isaac introduce the “fat tax”?
A. To follow the latest trend in other countries.
B. To prevent young people from getting diabetes.
C. To encourage people to change their eating habits.
D. To control the development of fast food restaurants.
2.What’s Vijay Deoli’s attitude towards the “fat tax”?
A. Worried B. Opposed C. Surprised D. Suspicious
3.The example of wearing seat belts in the last paragraph is used to show the effect of ________.
A. education B. regulations C. people’s choices D. people’s awareness
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Kerala, India, has placed a tax on hamburgers, pizza and other fast food. The 14.5 percent tax will be added to foods at restaurants such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Burger King.
The tax is being called a “fat tax” because it adds cost to foods considered high in fat and calories. It is the first fast food tax enacted in India, where obesity levels are rising in the growing middle class.
Kerala’s Finance Minister Thomas Isaac suggested the tax after learning of similar measures in other countries. He hopes it will get people to choose to eat healthy food, which he said is “going out of fashion.”
Dr. Anoop Misra at New Delhi’s Fortis Hospital strongly supports the “fat tax” as a way to reduce the number of diabetes cases in young people.
A government finance official in central Gujarat says that the state is considering a similar 14.5 percent tax. “This idea can also be adopted in the state, as we also have high consumption of junk and unhealthy food,” the official said.
Critics of the tax say it probably will not stop people from buying fast food. IT engineer Gaurav Singh wants the government to focus on education and awareness instead of taxing fast food.
“The one food that is eaten widely in Kerala is the ‘paratha’, which is basically high in fat, high in refined(精制的) flour, and it is cheap. It can't be taxed because it is highly unorganized.”
Some doctors and health experts say the tax should also include other snack foods and sugary drinks sold across the country.
One fast food customer In New Dehli, Vijay Deoli believes the government should deal with more important issues. “First you have to clear up the air, the water, etc. This is a small thing.”
Others say the government should do more to bring attention to fast food and obesity rather than changing people's choices.
Many health experts agree that bringing attention to the issue is important. But Dr. Misra thinks education alone does not work.
He compared the tax to a law passed several years ago that got people to wear seat belts to avoid paying a fine. “Laws can change people’s habits.”
1.Why did Thomas Isaac introduce the “fat tax”?
A. To follow the latest trend in other countries.
B. To prevent young people from getting diabetes.
C. To encourage people to change their eating habits.
D. To control the development of fast food restaurants.
2.What’s Vijay Deoli’s attitude towards the “fat tax”?
A. Worried B. Opposed C. Surprised D. Suspicious
3.The example of wearing seat belts in the last paragraph is used to show the effect of ________.
A. education B. regulations C. people’s choices D. people’s awareness
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Some so-called climate travelers ________ in one place for a few months and then move on to some other places as the weather changes.
A. have stayed B. are staying
C. stay D. stayed
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Hamburgers, French fries,potato chips, popcorn, and pizza. There is no denying (否认) that these foods are tasty. But often, it’s the added salt that makes you desire them. Thus, US kids are eating too much salty food.
Table salt is about 40% sodium(钠). Our bodies need some sodium to work properly. But too much of it is not healthy. The salt bottle is to blame for just 11% of the sodium kids consume. The rest has been added to food before it even reaches the table. The following shows how much sodium is packed into a typical turkey-and-cheese sandwich.
A turkey sandwich can pack a big sodium punch. Add a teaspoon of mustard (芥末) and the total rises to 1,522 milligrams (mg). Kids aged 9 to 13 should get no more than 2,200 mg each day. This can raise blood pressure, which in turn can lead to heart problems. Today, 1 in 9 children has raised blood pressure. There’s good news though. Consuming less salt can lower blood pressure.
That, of course, is easier said than done. The more you eat salty foods, the more you develop a taste for them. The key to changing your diet is to start small. Small changes in sodium in foods are not usually noticed. Eventually, the effort will reset a kid’s taste buds (味蕾).
Bridget Murphy is a dietitian. She says kids can try adding spices to their food instead of salt. Eating fruits and vegetables and cutting back on packaged foods will also help.
Need a little inspiration? Murphy offers this tip: Focus on the immediate effects of a diet that is high in sodium. High blood pressure can make it difficult to be active. “ Do you want to think clearly and perform well in school?” she asks. “Do you want to run faster?”
Zerleen Quader, of the CDC, suggests reading nutrition labels. “It’s surprising how much the sodium content for the same food can vary by brand,” she says.
1.Why do kids tend to eat too much salt?
A. Salt contains much sodium. B. The salt bottles are too big.
C. Salt makes foods delicious. D. Salt is necessary for their bodies.
2.Where does most of the salt kids eat probably come from?
A. Family-cooked foods. B. Fruits and vegetables.
C. Bottles in the kitchen. D. Store-bought foods.
3.How does added salt do harm to one’s health?
A. It makes one too active. B. It raises blood pressure.
C. It changes sodium in salt. D. It makes gaining weight easy.
4.Which is a suggested way to reduce the intake of salt?
A. Replacing salt with spices. B. Eating without selection.
C. Eating less home-made food. D. Taking much exercise every day.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Mars on Earth
Devon Island has always been a cold and uninhabited(无人居住的) place in the Canadian Arctic. Day after day there are high winds and the temperature is below freezing. But for the first time, despite the terrible weather conditions, Devon Island is the new home for a group of explorers from NASA. They are living here for a few months in order to train and learn how to live and work on Mars. The group’s members come from various backgrounds and nationalities, but they all have the same purpose: to find out how people can live on Mars in the future.
They have chosen Devon Island because the environment and landscape is similar in many ways to Mars. The surface is freezing cold and the ground is rough. However, there are some differences on Mars, where the atmosphere is poisonous to breathe. Devon Island is easier to travel to and it has its own dangers that you won’t find on Mars. For example, you might meet a hungry polar bear on Devon Island!
One thing the team wants to develop is suitable clothing for Mars. This includes a space suit. The suit they are testing at the moment is strong enough but it’s too difficult to put on and take off. It’s very big and bulky, which means that just walking around is very difficult and tiring. In addition, people will need to do experiments on Mars while wearing the suit so they have to be able to move around easily. One team member, Andy Overbeeke, specializes in space suit engineering. He explains, “You have to think about what they’re really going to operate in.”
Another part of daily life on Mars will be meals and food. Creating a new home on Mars requires a lot of food. So the big question is: can you grow plants in order to survive? Scientists believe that growing plants on Mars might be possible. Mars and Earth have many similarities. They both have about the same amount of dry land and a 24-hour day. However, the atmosphere on Mars is totally different, so Canadian scientist Alain Berinstain is attempting to grow plants in a special greenhouse that you could also build on Mars. The greenhouse needs to run 365 days a year, so it uses a combination of solar energy and wind power.
People living on Mars will also want their own transportation. For this, the team on Devon Island have built the “Martian Rover”. It’s a huge heavy vehicle that can travel over rocks and rough terrain. This kind of testing takes many days but so far the work has been valuable and effective. As a result, the whole team now believes their work is crucial and that it’s possible for humans to land on the planet Mars and create a home there. Addy Overbeeke adds: “We know that it’s man’s destiny to go out and do space exploration. It’s always time to think about what you want to do in the future.”
1.The explorers are living on Devon Island to ________.
A.receive a training in astronomy
B.set up an advanced research lab
C.learn how to live and work on Mars
D.make a living in an uninhabited land
2.To keep food supply on Mars, people should ________.
A.create a new home
B.improve the atmosphere
C.build special greenhouses
D.reduce the area of dry land
3.According to the passage, we know that ________.
A.man may live on Mars in the future
B.Martian Rover has failed to stand the test
C.Mars and Devon Island have the same soil condition
D.scientists have mastered the method to grow plants on Mars
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The government has raised the tax on urban building (房产税) with the ______ of controlling the price of buildings.
A. intention B. introduction C. purpose D. development
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
The famous film star was blamed for avoiding taxes that she was supposed to pay, and she has said nothing herself ever since.
A. in charge of B. in case of
C. in defence of D. in memory of
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
They put___on the government to lower taxes and give laid-off workers necessary health care.
A.temper B. mood C. consciousness D, pressure
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
They put_______on the government to lower taxes and give laid-off workers necessary health care.
A. load B. weight C. force D. pressure
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
1.India has a national festival on October 2 to honor Mohandas Gandhi, the leader who helped gain India’s i__________ from Britain.
2.If weather p__________, we may go out and have a picnic.
3.We a__________ the old scientist for his great contribution to the country.
4.__________ (不像,不同) most people in the office, I don’t come to work by car.
5.Many people are __________(熟悉的)with him because he often performs to the passers-by.
6.Fruit juices can be __________(有害的) to children’s teeth.
7.A truck went out of control and __________(碰撞) into the back of a bus.
8.I would a__________ it if you could help me with my English.
9.At present, the local government is taking m__________ to reduce the pollution.
10.Regular exercise combined with b__________ diet is the healthy way of life.
11.Many homeless people have b__________ from the project.
12.All the students who want to attend the ceremony are required to g_________ at the school gate at 3 pm.
13.You should be aware of your own s__________ and weaknesses.
14.He made a few notes to r__________ himself of what he wanted to say.
15.We should finish the work w___________ 24 hours.
高二英语单词拼写简单题查看答案及解析
India has a very vast history and heritage(遗产). The country has witnessed some of the most important events in the past and every event has an effect of its own on the culture, religion, lifestyle, and economy of the country. This is one of the leading reasons why tourists prefer India to travel and explore. Historical tours in India provide everything that a traveler expects from his/her journey. These historical tours give an opportunity to study and explore Indian history.
Historical tours of India generally consisted of four phases: ancient, medieval(中世纪的), modern India and contemporary(当代的)India. Some of the historical travel packages are:
Forts and Palaces
The rich cultural past of India is reflected in the countless forts(堡垒)and palaces across the country. Most of the forts were constructed as a defense device to keep the enemy away and palaces were made on the names of the kings and queens. Some of the famous forts and palaces are: Agra Fort (Agra), Fatehpur Sikri (Agra), Hawa Mahal (Jaipur), Amber Fort (Jaipur), City Palace (Jaipur), Gwalior Fort (Gwalior), Mysore Palace (Mysore), Red Fort (Delhi), etc.
India Heritage Tours
The main purpose of India Heritage tours is to make Indians as well as tourists familiar with the rich Indian legacy(遗产). The heritage of the country is at least 5000 years. Some of the heritage tours are: medieval heritage, Rajput heritage, Golden Triangle, splendid Gujarat, etc.
South India Historical Tours
The Southern India is known for its diversity and there are many places, whic(景区) in South India include Goa, Cochin, Kerala, Munnar, Periyar, Kottayam and the list goes on and on.
1.The main purpose of this passage is .
A. to report some important events in the history of India
B. to introduce some tours that can explore the history of India
C. to help study the culture and history of India
D. to tell us how to explore the history of India
2.Many tourists prefer to travel to and explore because .
A. modern India has little to study
B. Indian people have an interesting lifestyle
C. its culture is greatly influenced by its history
D. India’s history is longer than that of any other country
3.Most forts were built in order to .
A. honor the kings B. act as a palace for queens
C. keep enemies away D. attract tourists
4.According to the passage, Rajput heritage .
A. is a famous fort in India
B. is one of the heritages in India
C. has a history of no more than 200 years
D. lies in South India
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析