阅读理解。
A study now lends support to the idea that meal-time distractions (分散注意) can mask the clues that
we really have eaten quite enough. Moreover, it finds, the caloric fallout of not paying attention to what
we're eating doesn't necessarily end when a meal is over.
Rose Cooper from England and her colleagues gathered 22 men and an equal number of women for an
experiment. Each person dined alone, continuously receiving nine small shares of food items. These ranged
from cheese twists and potato chips to carrots, cherry tomatoes and sandwiches or sausage rolls.
Because the goal was to test the potential impacts of distraction on fuUness, the researchers randomly
assigned half of the participants to eat in front of a computer-and to gain as many wins as possible at the
"card" game. Everyone else was told to focus on the sensory qualities of their meal.
According to their instructions, the participants ate all of the food given to them. Yet people who played
a computer game during lunch found their meal less filling than the mindful eaters had. Game players also
swallow clown twice as many cookies, almost an hour later, when they were allowed all the dessert they
wanted (in the name of a taste test). The British scientists present their findings in the February American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The real question is why distracted eating should impact snacking. It appears, the scientists say, that
memory plays some tricky role in how we register what we eat and the degree to which it satisfies.
Interestingly, eight years ago, Britta Barkeling of Huddinge University in Stockholm and her colleagues
reported somewhat related findings. Their 18 overweight subjects had no choice other than to get rid of
everything but lunch, on one day-because they were blindfolded. Compared to a day when they could view
what they were dining on, these people consumed only three quarters as many calories. Yet even hours
afterward, they reported being no less full than on the day they had been able to see their plates.
Of course dining in the dark isn't practical. And sometimes what we eat doesn't really invite our absolute
attention. But there is certainly a growing mountain of data indicating that mindless eating is a waste of
resources, a risk to our waistlines-and a costly threat to health.
1. Rose Cooper and her colleagues did the experiment in order to _____.
A. show that all the people enjoy snacks
B. prove that playing computer games is harmful while dining
C. find the possible effects of distraction on fullness
D. test the impacts of eating snacks on different people
2. Which is the most effective way to concentrate on your food when dining?
A. Viewing your food.
B. Blindfolding your eyes.
C. Playing computer games.
D. Eating by oneself.
3. The reason why mindless eating influences snacking may be that _____.
A. you eat less in that case
B. you are cheated by your memory
C. you have consumed more calories
D. you digest what you've eaten faster
4. We can conclude from the passage that _____.
A. distracted eating may damage your health
B. eating snacks will make you feel full
C. Britta became famous because of the experiment
D. playing is more important than what people eat
