Question

 Sitting too much is now listed with smoking and junk food as a bad habit that increases your risk of heart disease.

 New Australian research shows that half an hour in the gym will not make up for the waist-expanding damage caused by spending the rest of the day sitting.

But the good news is that doing chores(家务)  in the house or gently walking around the office while on the phone might be enough to keep you fit.

The study joins the growing body of evidence suggesting too much sitting might undo the benefits of exercise.

 The study measured the intensity(强度)  of physical activities in 168 subjects over seven days. It found that,regardless of how much exercise they did or their total sitting time,those who took more breaks from sitting had lower risk of thick waists and lower level of blood lipids(类脂)  .

“Higher levels of blood lipids have been linked to a heightened risk of heart disease，” principal researcher Genevieve Healy of the University of Queenland said. “What the study shows is that there are benefits in just getting up regularly and interrupting your sitting time. ”

 Researchers behind the Stand Up Australia project have written to the Rudd Government requesting $ 3. 5 million for a two-year study into the impact of long sitting time on health and productivity of workers. The study would also develop and test strategies for reducing sitting time on the job.

The latest study builds on work that is shifting the health promotion focus from purposeful exercise,such as running,to lower intensity activities throughout the day.

The Australian research has been backed up by American studies. “To hold a body that weighs 77 kilograms upright takes a fair amount of energy from muscles，” said Professor Marc Hamilton from the University of Missouri. “There is a large amount of energy associated with standing every day that cannot easily be replaced by 30 to 60 minutes in the gym. ”

1. The study shows that       .

   A. exercising for half an hour in the gym is important after sitting too long

   B.  sitting too long causes the waist to expand

   C.  walking is the best physical activity

   D.  having breaks from sitting is good for health

2. The purpose of the last paragraph is to       .

   A. provide a scientific basis for the benefits of standing up

   B.  compare the effect of standing with exercising in the gym

   C.  report the new research findings of Professor Marc Hamilton

   D.  figure out the amount of energy associated with standing

3. The health development focus used to be on       .

   A. purposeful exercise

   B.  running

   C.  lower intensity activities

   D.  long sitting

4. What’s the best title for the text?

   A. Exercise in the gym is out

   B.  Your office chair is killing you

   C.  A cause of heart disease

   D.  Good news for workers

Answer 1

1. D  根据文章第五段的 “ those who took more breaks

from sitting had lower risk of thick waists and lower level of blood lipids(类脂) .”可知 D 正确。

2. A最后一段说明站立会消耗能量，为文章论点提供了数据依据。

3. A 根据“ ... work that is shifting the health promotion fo cus from purposeful exercise …”可知答案为 A.

4. B文章主要通过说明久坐的危害和站立的好处提醒人们在久坐时要定时站立起来走动。