2014-2015学年人教版高中英语选修11英语练习题.pdfVIP

语 篇 提 能 阅读理解 A Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal (药用的) benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat diseases such as headaches and depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. Today, scientific research in both Asia and the West is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of a study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits (抑制) the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol (胆固醇) level. What makes green tea so special? The secret of green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti­oxidant (抗氧化剂). Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It is also effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the “French Paradox ( 自相矛盾) ”. For years, researchers were puzzled by the paradox that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resvera