自考英语阅读二课文及翻译.doc

Text 1. Do we need extra vitamins? Many people believe that taking vitamin supplements is the best safeguard against the dangers of an incomplete diet, but this should be ①a last resort (最后手段)rather than a way out of a problem. Even if there is a genuine need for extra vitamins, then sooner or later the question arises which ones do I need, how much of them, and how often? There is really no simple answer to this question. The Food Standards Committee (guardians②保护者 of our laws on food purity, labelling and advertising clams and descriptions) suggest in their recent report to the government that we do not need any extra vitamins. They say that they are not necessary for a healthy individual eating a normal diet. Whilst few of us would challenge their authority on the subject of nutrition it is, perhaps, pertinent to ask the question how many of us are healthy, and what is a normal diet? There is an element of doubt in many minds about these two aspects and though few people are familiar with the wording of the Food Standards Report they do wonder instinctively if they are eating the right things. The blame for faulty eating habits is often placed at the door of the ubiquitous③（a. being everywhere, esp. at the same time 普遍存在的） junk and convenience foods. As we have seen, some of these are not the criminals they are made out to be White bread is only slightly less nutritious than brown bread and frozen vegetables can be almost as fresh as fresh food. There are very few foods which can really be described as pure rubbish. Many pre-packed goods contain too much sugar and we would all benefit by avoiding these, but most tinned, processed and dried foods contain useful amounts of fat, protein, carbohydrate④（n. 碳水化合物）, vitamins and minerals. The addition of a small amount of fruit or a side salad to convenience foods such as pizzas or hamburgers can turn a snack into a well-balanced meal. 许多人认为，服用维生互补剂是防止出现饮食营养不均衡情况的最好防范办法，但这是解决这一问题的方法中最不可行的作法。即使真的需要补充维生素，迟早会出现“我需要哪些维生素