C: However, it is recognized that this definition is limited as it does not take into account such variables as age, gender and ethnic origin, the latter being important as different ethnic groups have very different fat distributions. Another shortcoming is that it is not applicable to certain very muscular people such as athletes and bodybuilders, who can also have artificially high BMIs. Agencies such as the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) in the USA and the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) are starting to define obesity in adults simply in terms of waist circumference.

　　Health Effects of Obesity

　　D: Over 2000 years ago, the Greek physician Hippocrates wrote that "persons who are naturally very fat are apt to die earlier than those who are slender". This observation remains very true today. Obesity has a major impact on a person's physical, social and emotional well-being. It increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2 ("mature onset diabetes") and also makes Type 2 diabetes more difficult to control. Thus weight loss improves the levels of blood glucose and blood fats, and reduces blood pressure. The association between obesity and coronary heart disease is also well-known.

　　Cancer

　　E: Furthermore, in 2001 medical researchers established a link between being overweight and certain forms of cancer, and estimated that nearly 10,000 Britons per year develop cancer as a result of being overweight. This figure was made up of 5,893 women and 3,220 men, with the strongest associations being with breast and colon cancers. However, it is thought that being overweight may also increase the risk of cancer in the reproductive organs for women and in the prostate gland for men.

　　F: The link between breast cancer and nutritional status is thought to be due to the steroid hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which are produced by the ovaries, and govern a woman's menstrual cycle. Researchers have found that the more a woman eats, or the more sedentary her lifestyle, the higher are the concentrations of progesterone. This link could explain why women from less affluent countries have lower rates of breast cancer. Women from less affluent nations tend to eat less food and to lead lifestyles which involve more daily movement. This lowers their progesterone level, resulting in lower predisposition to breast cancer.

　　G: The Times newspaper, in 2002 reported that obesity was the main avoidable cause of cancer among non-smokers in the Western world!

　　Aging

　　H: Research published by St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK in 2005 showed a correlation between body fat and aging, to the extent that being obese added 8.8 years to a woman's biological age. The effect was exacerbated by smoking, and a non-overweight woman who smokes 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years added 7.4 years to their biological age. The combination of being obese and a smoker added at least ten years to a woman’s biological age, and although the study only involved women, the lead researcher Professor Tim Spector believes the finding would also apply to men.

　　I: The aging effect was determined by measuring the length of telomeres, tiny "caps" on the ends of chromosomes, which help protect the DNA from the ageing process. Indeed, telomeres have been dubbed the "chromosomal clock" because, as an organism ages, they become progressively shorter, and can be used to determine the age of the organism. Beyond a certain point, the telomere becomes so short that it is no longer able to prevent the DNA of the chromosome from falling apart. It is believed that excess body fat, and the chemicals present in tobacco smoke release free radicals which trigger inflammation. Inflammation causes the production of white blood cells which increases the rate of erosion of telomeres.

　　Dementia

　　J: Recent research (2005) conducted in the USA shows that obesity in middle age is linked to an increased risk of dementia, with obese people in their 40s being 74% more likely to develop dementia compared to those of normal weight. For those who are merely overweight, the lifetime risk of dementia risk was 35% higher.

　　K: Scientists from the Aging Research Centre at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have been able to take information such as age, number of years in education, gender, body mass index, blood pressure level, physical activity and genetic factors, assigning each a risk score. They then used this information to devise a predictive test for dementia. This test will enable people at risk, for the first time, to be able to affect lifestyle changes which will reduce their risk of contracting dementia.

　　Other Problems

　　L: The world-wide upsurge in obesity, particularly in children, is of major economic concern, liable to drain economies. Of further concern is that research conducted in Australia and published in 2006, shows that up to one third of breech pregnancies were undetected by the traditional "palpation" examination, the danger being greatest for those women who are overweight or obese—a growing proportion of mothers. This means that such women are not getting the treatment required to turn the baby around in time for the birth, and in many cases require an emergency Caesarean section.

　　M: This is a true health-care crisis, far bigger than Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and ultimately, even bigger than AIDS.

　　1. You can judge whether one is simply overweight or has passed into the obese stage according to the height-weight table.

　　2. Using the "Body Mass Index"to define a person's weight ideal is limited, because it does not takes into account many variables such as age, gender and ethnic origin.

　　3. A person's emotional well-being would be affected by obesity.

　　4. Obesity has something to do with cancer in the prostate gland for man.

　　5. Women from less affluent nations tend to have much less breast cancer.

　　6. A non-overweight woman who smokes 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years added 7.4 years to her biological age.

　　7. The excess body fat, like the chemicals present in tobacco smoke, can lead to inflammation.

　　8. Obese people in middle age run an increased risk of dementia .

　　9. The predictive test for dementia will help people to affect lifestyle changes that will reduce their risk of contracting dementia.

　　10. The world-wide upsurge in obesity, particularly in children, will possibly drain economies.

　　答　案

　　1. A

　　2. C

　　3. D

　　4. E

　　5. F

　　6. H

　　7. I

　　8. J

　　9. K

　　10. L

　　Preparing for Computer Disasters

　　A: Summary: When home office computers go down, many small businesses grind to a halt. Fortunately, taking steps to recover from disasters and minimize their effects is quite straightforward.

　　B: Fires, power surges, and floods, they're all facts of life. We read about them in the morning paper and see them on the evening news. We sympathize with the victims and commiserate over their bad luck. We also shake our heads at the digital consequences—melted computers, system failures, destroyed data. Yet, somehow, many of us continue to live by that old mantra of denial: "It won't happen to me." Well, the truth is, at some point you'll probably have to deal with at least one disaster. That's just how it goes, and in most aspects of our lives we do something about it. We buy insurance. We stow away provisions. We even make disaster plans and run drills. But for some reason, computer disaster recovery is a blind spot for many of us. It shouldn't be. Home computers contain some of our most important information, both business and personal, and making certain our data survives a disaster should be a priority. Moreover, even the smallest disaster can be a serious disruption. Personal computers have become an integral part of the smooth-running household. We use them to communicate, shop, and do homework, and they're even more vital to home office users. When home office computers go down, many small businesses grind to a halt. Fortunately, taking steps to recover from disasters and minimize their effects is quite straightforward. With a good offsite storage plan and the right tools, you can bounce back quickly and easily from minor computer disasters. And, should a major calamity strike, you can rest assured your data is safe.

　　Offsite Storage: Major Disasters

　　C: House fires and floods are among the most devastating causes of personal computer destruction. That's why a solid offsite backup and recovery plan is essential. Although many home users faithfully back up their hard drives, many would still lose all their data should their house flood our burn. That's because they keep their backups in relatively close to their computers. Their backup disks might not be in the same room as their computers—tucked away in a closet or even the garage—but they're not nearly far enough away should a serious disaster strike. So, it's important to back up your system to a removable medium and to store it elsewhere.

　　D: There are many ways to approach offsite storage. It starts with choice of backup tools and storage medium. Disaster situations are stressful, and your recovery tools shouldn't add to that stress. They must be dependable and intuitive, making it easy to schedule regular backups and to retrieve files in a pinch. They must also be compatible with your choice of backup medium. Depending on your tools, you can back up to a variety of durable disk types—from CDs to Jaz drives to remote network servers. Although many of these storage media have high capacity, a backup tool with compression capabilities is a big plus, eliminating the inconvenience of multiple disks or large uploads.

　　E: Once you select your tools and a suitable medium, you need to find a remote place to store your backups. The options are endless. However, no matter where you choose, be sure the site is secure, easily accessible, and a good distance away from your home. You may also want to consider using an Internet-based backup service. More and more service providers are offering storage space on their servers, and uploading files to a remote location has become an attractive alternative to conventional offsite storage. Of course, before using one of these services, make certain you completely trust the service provider and its security methods. Whatever you do, schedule backups regularly and store them far away from your home.

　　Come What May: Handling the Garden Variety Computer Crisis

　　F: Not all home computer damage results from physical disaster. Many less menacing problems can also hobble your PC or destroy your information. Systems crash, kids "rearrange" data, adults inadvertently delete files. Although these events might not seem calamitous, they can have serious implications. So, once again, it's important to be prepared. As with physical disasters, regular backups are essential. However, some of these smaller issues require a response that's more nuanced than wholesale backup and restoration. To deal with less-than-total disaster, your tool set must be both powerful and agile. For example, when a small number of files are compromised, you may want to retrieve those files alone. Meanwhile, if just your settings are affected, you'll want a simple way to roll back to your preferred setup. Yet, should your operating system fail, you'll need a way to boot your computer and perform large-scale recovery. Computer crises come in all shapes and sizes, and your backup and recovery tools must be flexible enough to meet each challenge.

　　The Right Tools for the Right Job: Gearing up for Disaster

　　G: When disaster strikes, the quality of your backup tools can make the difference between utter frustration and peace of mind. Symantec understands this and offers a range of top quality backup and recovery solutions. Norton GoBack is the perfect tool for random system crashes, failed installations, and inadvertent deletions. With this powerful and convenient solution, it's simple to retrieve overwritten files or to bring your system back to its pre-crash state. Norton Ghost is a time-tested home office solution. Equipped to handle full-scale backups, it's also handy for cloning hard drives and facilitating system upgrades. A favorite choice for IT professionals, it's the ideal tool for the burgeoning home office. You can buy Norton Ghost and Norton GoBack separately, or get them both when you purchase Norton System Works.

　　H: Life's disasters, large and small, often catch us by surprise. However, with a little planning and the right tools, you can reduce those disasters to bumps in the road. So, don't wait another day. Buy a good set of disaster recovery tools, set up an automatic backup schedule, and perform a dry run every now and again. Then, rest easy.

　　1. You should take steps to recover from computer disasters so as to minimize their effects.

　　2. For some reason, computer disaster recovery is always ignored by many of us.

　　3. You can bounce back quickly and easily minor computer disasters with the help of a good offsite storage plan and the right tools.

　　4. The most devastating causes of personal computer destruction includes house fires and floods.

　　5. It's necessary for us to back up our systems to some transferable medium and to put it somewhere else.

　　6. You should find a distant place to store your backups after selecting your tools and a suitable medium.

　　7. Not only physical disaster can damage your computer.

　　8. The backup and recovery tools must be flexible enough to deal with various computer crises.

　　9. The quality of your backup tools determines whether you are frustrated or have a peaceful mind when disaster strikes.

　　10. You should prepare for your computer disasters now and again.

　　1. A

　　根據題干中的信息詞recover from computer disasters定位到本文的第一段。

　　2. B

　　根據題干中的信息詞computer disaster recovery和many of us定位到本文的第二段第11句話，computer disaster recovery is a blind spot for many of us。

　　3. B

　　根據題干中的信息詞offsite storage plan and the right tools定位到本文的第二段倒數第二句話。

　　4. C

　　根據題干中的信息詞most devastating causes定位到第一個小標題下第一段的第一句話可知原文提到了家庭火災和水災是個人電腦危機的最具毀滅性的根源。

　　5. C

　　根據題干中的信息詞back up our system及medium定位到第一個小標題下第一段的最后一句話。

　　6. E

　　根據題干中的信息詞find a remote place to store your backups定位到第一個小標題下第三段的第一句話。

　　7. F

　　根據題干中的信息詞physical disaster定位到第二個小標題下的前兩句話。

　　8. F

　　根據題干中的信息詞backup and recovery tools及computer crises定位到第二個小標題下的最后一句話。

　　9. G

　　根據題干中的信息詞The quality of your backup tools和frustrated定位到第三個小標題下第一段的第一句話。

　　10.H

　　根據題干中的信息詞prepare for your computer，總結文章最后一段大意即可找到答案。