Doctors in Britain are warning of an obesity time bomb, when children who are already overweight grow up. So, what should we do? Exercise more? Eat less? Or both? The government feels it has to take responsibility for this expanding problem.

The cheerful Mr. Pickwick, the hero of the novel by Charles Dickens, is seen in illustrations as someone who is plump and happy. In 18th century paintings, beauty is equated （使…等同） with rounded bodies and soft curves. But nowadays being overweight is seen as indicating neither a cheerful character nor beauty but an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

So what do you do? Diet? Not according to England's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson. He says that physical activity is the key for reducing the risks of obesity, cancer and heart disease. And the Health Secretary John Reid even said that being inactive is as serious a risk factor in heart disease as smoking.

So, having bought some cross trainers, how much exercise should you do? According to Sir Liam Donaldson, at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week. Is going to the gym the answer? Luckily for those who think that running machines are boring, the Health Development Agency believes that physical activity that fits into people's lives may be more effective. They suggest taking the stairs rather than the lift, walking up escalators, playing active games with your children, dancing or gardening. And according to a sports psychologist, Professor Biddle, gyms "are not making the nation fit", and may even cause harm.

There's new scientific evidence that too much exercise may actually be bad for you. Scientists at the University of Ulster have found that unsuitable exercise releases dangerous free radicals that can adversely （oppositely） affect normal function in unfit people. The only people who should push their bodies to that level of exercise on a regular basis are trained athletes.

So, should we forget about gyms and follow some expert's advice to reduce sedentary （久坐不动的） activities and increase exercise in our daily life? After all, getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way can't do any harm! One final thought. How come past generations lacked gym facilities but were leaner and fitter than people today? 

1.Mr.Pickwick and the paintings of the 18m century are used as examples to show that_____.

A. beauty should be overweight

B. a fat man is usually a cheerful character

C. fatness was considered something good at one time

D. fatness leads to an increased risk of disease

2.According to Sir Liam Donaldson, we should_____.

A. go on a diet                  B. do regular physical activity

C. give up smoking                            D. go to the gym

3.The underlined phrase cross trainers probably refers to _____.

A. people who help you do exercise                   B. places where you can do exercise

C. a kind of shoes                               D. a form of vehicles

4.At present being overweight indicates _____.

A. an increased risk of diseases                   B. a happier life

C. a cheerful character                          D. a beauty

5.What is the passage mainly about?

A. how to keep fit and avoid fatness.          B. increased risks for overweight people.

C. the dangers of exercise in the gym.                 D. the benefit of a balanced diet.

Most people look forward to retirement as a time when they can finally take up activities that they never had the time or energy to pursue before. Bust some recent studies on people in their golden years are disturbing: they suggest that retirees are more likely to suffer from depression and possibly higher rates of other diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure. That’s why a new study of French workers is welcome news.
Led by Hugo Westerlund, a professor of psychology at Stockholm University, the study of more than 14,000 workers found lower rates of depression and fatigue(疲劳) in people after they got tired while they were still employed.
The scientists followed the employees of the French national gas and electric company for 14 years. They found in the year immediately after retirement, the volunteers reported 40% fewer depressive symptoms than they had in the year before their retirement. The researchers also found an 81% drop in reports of both mental and physical fatigue over the same time period.
Clearly, said Westerlund, much of these decrease in physical and mental fatigue can be traced back to relief from the stresses of work. The decline in depressive symptoms suggests that retirement may be having a positive mental effect, too, which may have a lot to do with the generous pensions(养老金) that French workers enjoy. Most retirees in that country still benefit from about 80% of their yearly salaries.
“The economic or financial situation in retirement is very important,” Westerlund says. “We don’t know if the decrease in fatigue and depressive symptoms is because of the removal of something bad while in work or the addition of something good while in retirement. But no matter the reason, if life in retirement is not comfortable, then we won’t see the improvements we did.”
However, in European nations like France, governments are considering changes to pension plans, which may affect retirees’ health after they leave their jobs—with less of a financial safety net, workers may no longer seem so mentally and physically happy to be out of work.
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS)
【小题1】According to some recent studies, retired people may have depression and higher rates of other disease like ____________________________________.
【小题2】Westerlund’s group found that in the year just after the retirement most retired French workers felt much less tired both __________________________________.
【小题3】What dies the word “improvements” in paragraph 5 refer to?
_______________________________________________________________
【小题4】Retirement may make people happier with ___________________________________

People develop ______ preference for a particular style of learning at ______ early age and these preferences affect learning. 

A. a; an                       B. a; 不填           C. 不填; the             D. the; an