This morning, while tidying up my office, I found an open box of packaged chocolate cookies that I’d bought sometime last year. The use-by date had come and gone more than eight months ago. Curious, I took a small bite. They still tasted pretty good.

Welcome to the world of ultra-processed (超加工) foods. And we’re eating a lot of them. Ultra-processed foods currently make up nearly 60% of what the typical adult eats, and nearly 70% of what kids eat. They include everything from cookies and sodas to packaged breads and frozen meals, even ice creams. You might not realize you’re eating one, but look close and you’ll see many ingredients you wouldn’t find in your kitchen.

And a large and growing amount of evidence has consistently linked overconsumption of ultra-processed foods to poor health outcomes. “Too much of it leads to obesity and type two diabetes (糖尿病) and heart disease and cancer.” says Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University, who has spent decades studying the links between diet and chronic disease (慢性病).

One reason ultra-processed foods likely lead to health issues seems obvious: They tend to be low in fiber and high in calories, salt, added sugar and fat, which are all linked with poor health outcomes when eaten too much.

Eventually, Gardner says the burden of making healthier food choices shouldn’t fall completely on consumers-especially when it comes to setting kids up for better health long term. “It does need the whole society to pay attention to this, to work together, including the food industry and the government, to be able to reduce the amount of ultra-processed food our kids are consuming in their day,” he says.

【小题1】What does the author want to say in the second paragraphs?

A．Ultra-processed foods preserve the flavor long.

B．Ultra-processed foods have become a big part of our diet.

C．Convenience explains the popularity of ultra-processed foods.

D．A lot of health problems result from consumption of ultra-processed foods.

【小题2】What does the underlined word “overconsumption” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Overproduction.

B．Overselling.

C．Overstore.

D．Overeating.

【小题3】What is a result of too much ultra-processed food in people’s lives?

A．Fewer diseases.	B．Health problems.
C．Dietary changes.	D．Market competition.

【小题4】What is Gardner’s suggestion for making kids healthier in the long term?

A．Punish the food industry.	B．Reduce kids’ consumption.
C．Unite efforts from all sides.	D．Make smarter food choices.