A
“We all know that exercise is good for us, but can you get the benefits without actually doing the exercise？”asks Michael Mosley.
Having a hot bath or a sauna is a good way to soothe your arms and legs after exercise, but what happens if you do it instead of exercise? Dr. Steve Faulkner of Loughborough University asked me to take part in an experiment comparing the relative benefits of having a long, hot bath versus an hour of hard cycling.
For this study I join a group of volunteers who have all been fitted with monitors which continuously record blood sugar levels. Keeping your blood sugar level within the normal range is an important measure of your “metabolic”fitness.
The first part of the experiment is very relaxing, consisting of having a long, hot bath. While I sit in the bath, which they keep at 40℃， Steve closely monitors my core temperature. Once it has risen and stayed there, I am allowed out.
A couple of hours after my bath I have a light meal. Since we want to see how having a hot bath compares with exercise, we repeat the experiment.
So what’s the result?
“One of the first things that we were looking at，”Steve says, “is the energy expenditure(消耗) while you’re in the hot bath and what we found was an 80% increase in energy expenditure just as a result of sitting in the bath for the course of an hour.”
This is nothing like as many calories as cycling for an hour(which comes out at an average of 630 calories), but we do burn 140 calories, the equivalent of a brisk 30minute walk.
【解题导语】 实验发现，一个小时的热水浴虽然没有骑一个小时自行车所消耗的热量多，但其所消耗的热量相当于半个小时的快步走所消耗的热量。
1．What is the meaning of the underlined word in Paragraph 2?
A．Exercise. B．Strengthen.
C．Relax. D．Build up.
C 解析：词义猜测题。结合该句内容和常识可知，在锻炼时，我们的腿和手臂肌肉比较紧张，洗热水澡或桑拿浴可以使这些部位的肌肉得到放松。故选C。
2．What is the purpose of the experiment?
A．To compare energy expenditure of hot bath and cycling.
B．To tell people how to lose weight.
C．To show the benefit of hot bath.
D．To encourage people to have a hot bath instead of cycling.
A 解析：推理判断题。根据第二段中的“Dr. Steve Faulkner of Loughborough University asked me to take part in an experiment comparing the relative benefits of having a long, hot bath versus an hour of hard cycling.”可知，做这个实验的目的是把洗热水澡和骑自行车的能量消耗的情况进行对比。故选A。
3．What does normal blood sugar level mean?
A．It means you are healthy.
B．It means your temperature is normal.
C．It means you don’t need exercise.
D．It means your metabolic system is normal.
D 解析：推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Keeping your blood sugar level within the normal range is an important measure of your ‘metabolic’ fitness.”可知，保持正常范围内的血糖水平是代谢健康的一个重要衡量标准。据此可知，正常的代谢系统与正常的血糖水平有关。故选D。
4．If you want to burn 600 calories, what can you do?
A．Have a hot bath for one hour.
B．Cycle for one hour.
C．Have a brisk 60minute walk.
D．Have a brisk 30minute walk.
B 解析：细节理解题。根据最后一段内容可知，如果要消耗600卡路里，应骑一个小时自行车。故选B。
