A. accounted B. average C. continuous D. rank E. Link F. comparison
G additional H. associated I. risk J. confirmed K. effects
Television watching is an activity which is known to be harmful to health and is distinct from getting too little exercise. But a new study suggests its damaging effects may even ____31___ alongside those from smoking and obesity. Researchers who studied television viewing habits in Australia calculated that people who watch for a(n) ____32 ___ of six hours a day shorten their life expectancy by almost five years.
They based their calculations on data on the ___33___ between television viewing and death from the Australian obesity and lifestyle study which involved l 1,000 adults aged 25 and over. Applying these findings to the whole population over 25, who are estimated to have watched 9.8 billion hours of TV in 2008, they concluded that it __34___ for 286,000 years of life lost --equivalent to 22 minutes for each, hour watched. By__35___ , smoking one cigarette is estimated to shorten life expectancy by 11 minutes -- equivalent to half an hour of TV watching.
Writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the authors from the University of Queensland, say the figures suggest "huge loss of life may be ___36___ with too much TV viewing." The UK and other industrialized countries are likely to be similarly affected "given the typically large amounts of time spent watching TV and the similarities in disease patterns." The researchers add: "If these figures are __37___ and shown to reflect a cause and effect relationship, TV viewing is a public health problem comparable in size to established behavioral risk factors."
Researchers from Taiwan University found even those who did as little as 92 minutes' exercise a week,- equivalent to 15 minutes a day for six days a week -- reduced their __38___ of death by 14 per cent. Even this small amount of exercise could postpone one in six of all deaths -- similar to the ___39__ of a stop-smoking programme. Each __40__ 15 minutes a day reduced the death rate by a further 4 per cent.
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Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
Main comparisons | Contexts |
__76__ are changing | In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first ___77____. |
Nowadays, people seem to be more ____78____about themselves. | |
___79___are changing too. | People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦让的). |
People may strive to achieve their own __80___ at the price of their coworkers. | |
The author’s understanding | |
___81____ for the changes in author’s eyes | Fierce __82___ and great __83___on modern people may be responsible for the changes. |
The author’s ___84____towards topic | A relationship which can ___85___ two sides should be established. |