Scientists in Japan have developed electric chopsticks that are designed to help people cut down on salt. Though human bodies need salt, many people eat far too much of it, which is unhealthy. It’s well known that eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and so on. The special chopsticks use a tiny bit of electricity to make food seem saltier than it is.
Kirin, a Japanese company that sells food and drink, worked with researchers at Miyashita Laboratory to develop the chopsticks. The chopsticks have a battery pack that can be worn on the wrist (手腕). When the tips of the chopsticks are put in the mouth, a very light electric current (电流)—too small to be felt as a shock—changes the way the tongue (舌头) tastes certain chemicals.
Experiments showed that with the chopsticks, food could have up to 30% less salt and still taste just as salty. So far Kirin hasn’t announced plans to sell the chopsticks. But it is looking into ways the technology could be used with other eating utensils (餐具), including spoons.
【小题1】What’s the harm of eating too much salt?
| A．It can make the food less delicious. |
| B．It can make people not want to eat. |
| C．It can cause nose bleeding. |
| D．It can lead to high blood pressure. |
【小题2】What is the purpose of developing electric chopsticks?
| A．To help people cut down on salt. |
| B．To help people with heart disease eat healthily. |
| C．To help people realize the dangers of eating more salt. |
| D．To help people with high blood pressure. |
【小题3】Which of the following is NOT true about the chopsticks?
| A．The chopsticks are good for people’s health. |
| B．The chopsticks can’t be used without electricity. |
| C．Kirin doesn’t have any plan to sell the chopsticks. |
| D．The chopsticks can help people eat 30 percent less food. |
【小题4】What can we infer from the passage?
| A．No technology, no life. |
| B．Technology can change lives. |
| C．Chopsticks play an important role in our life. |
| D．The less salt you eat, the healthier you will be. |
【小题5】What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Eat less salt to become healthier |
| B．Cut down on salt with electric chopsticks |
| C．Use electric chopsticks to get healthier |
| D．Let’s buy electric chopsticks |
