7．Chocolate is good for your heart，skin and brain．Usually，people think that chocolate is bad for their health．They describe chocolate as"something to die for"or say"death by chocolate"．Now they should bite their tongues!Evidence is showing that some kinds of chocolate are actually good for you in the following ways：
A happier heart
Scientists at Harvard University recently examined 136studies on cocoa（可可）-the main ingredient（成分）in chocolate and found that it does seem to strengthen the heart．Studies have shown heart benefits from increased blood flow．These benefits are the result of cocoa's chemicals，which seem to prevent both cell damage and inflammation（炎症）．
Better blood pressure
If yours is high，chocolate may help．Jeffrey Blumberg from Tufts University recently found that people with high blood pressure who ate 3.5ounces of dark chocolate per day for two weeks saw their blood pressure drop quickly．
Muscle magic
Chocolate milk may help you recover after a hard workout（锻炼）．In a small study at
Indiana University，people who drank chocolate milk between workouts did better on a tiredness test than those who had some sports drinks．
Better for your skin
German researchers gave 24women a half-cup of special cocoa every day．After three
months，the women's skin was moister（滑润的）and smoother．The research shows that chocolate helps protect and increase blood flow to the skin，improving its appearance．
Brain gains
It sounds almost too good to be true，but research suggests that chocolate may improve your
memory，attention span，reaction time，and problem-solving by increasing blood flow to the
brain．
12．Which of the following is NOT TRUE？D
A．Chocolate may benefit your heart．
B．Chocolate may help to lower your blood pressure．
C．People used to consider chocolate harmful．
D．Chocolate may improve your IQ．
13．According to the German researchers，chocolate can make the skin smoother because
chocolate helps toA．
A．increase blood flow to the skin
B．change and replace the cells of the skin
C．reduce the wrinkles of the skin
D．strengthen the top layer of the skin
14．What's the meaning of"bite their tongues"in Paragraph 1？B
A．Stop thinking．
B．Stop talking．
C．Stop listening．
D．Stop moving．
15．What's the main idea of the text？D
A．Suggestions on Eating Chocolate
B．More Chocolate，No Diseases
C．Chocolate，a Junk Food
D．Chocolate，a Healthy Food．
分析 文章主要介绍了人们过去认为巧克力不好，这是一个误区．经科学研究表明巧克力是一种健康食物，对人的健康有益．
解答 12．答案是D．细节理解题，it does seem to strengthen the heart．明巧克力有利于心脏，所以A选项正确；从Better blood pressure这一段中的描写可以看出B选项正确；Usually，people think that chocolate is bad for their health通常人们认为巧克力是有害健康的，C选项正确；D选项认为巧克力可以增加人的智商是不正确的．
13．答案是A．细节理解题，从文中句子chocolate helps protect and increase blood flow to the skin，improving its appearance巧克力有助于保护和增加血液流向皮肤，改善其外观．可见巧克力可以增加血液流向皮肤，所以答案选A．
14．答案是B．句意理解题，根据文章第一段的描述，人们认为巧克力对身体健康有害，他们把巧克力描述成"至死的东西"或者说"因巧克力而死"Now they should bite their tongues，现在他们应该是不说了，因为下文写到Evidence is showing that some kinds of chocolate are actually good for you 有证据表明有些巧克力对你有好处，可以理解为实际上巧克力对人的健康有好处，对于先前的错误认识，人们不再说了，所以答案选B．
15．答案是D．主旨大意题，根据文章主题句Chocolate is good for your heart，skin and brain，巧克力对你的心脏、皮肤和大脑都有好处，所以答案选A．
点评 阅读理解题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．
