Tomatoes were first planted in 700 AD by Aztecs and Incas. Explorers returning from Mexico introduced the tomato into Europe, where it was first mentioned in 1556. The French called it “the apple of love”，the Germans “the apple of paradise(乐园）”.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and fiber，and are cholesterol(胆固醇）free. An average size tomato (148 grams or so) has only 35 calories. Furthermore, new medical research suggests that the consumption of lycopene(番茄红素) ，the stuff that makes tomatoes red，may prevent cancer. Besides, the fruit now appears to have two more health giving benefits. Protection against sunburn and helping keep the skin looking youthful are the latest pluses, a study has found.
Professor Mark Birch-Machin said tomatoes could provide a cheap and easy way of improving health. Researchers at Manchester and Newcastle universities recommend two tomato-based meals a day for health. Possible menus include a glass of tomato juice with breakfast and a salad later or tomato soup for lunch and pasta(意大利面）with a tomato sauce for dinner.
To test the fruit’s ability to protect the skin，ten volunteers were asked to eat five tablespoons of tomato paste mixed with olive oil every day for three months. Another ten had a daily dose of olive oil - minus the tomato paste. The tests showed the tomato-eaters were a third better protected against sunburn at the end of the study than at the start, the British Society for Investigative Dermatology’s annual conference heard.
The researchers stressed, however, that their findings were not an excuse to throw away the sun cream. Professor Lesley Rhodes, a Manchester University dermatologist, said: “People should not think tomatoes in any way can replace sun creams but they may be a good additive.”
【小题1】Why does the writer talk about the history of tomatoes in Paragraph 1?| A．To lead in the topic. | B．To raise a concern. |
| C．To introduce a question. | D．To make a statement. |
| A．The components of tomatoes. | B．The benefits of tomatoes. |
| C．The latest findings of tomatoes. | D．The functions of tomatoes on patients. |
| A．Eating more tomatoes. | B．Using more sun cream. |
| C．Staying inside as often as possible. | D．Using sun cream and eating tomatoes. |
| A．By giving an example. | B．By setting up a database. |
| C．By making a comparison. | D．By analyzing possible reasons. |
