天气与食欲有什么关系？

    In the sweaty, sticky, dog days of summer, you may notice that you’re not as hungry as you are in cooler weather. But what’s the connection between temperature and appetite? 

    The influence of temperature on appetite has long been observed by scientists. “What we know is, people in colder environments eat more calories,” Allison Childress, a registered dietitian and associate professor at Texas Tech University, told Live Science. There’s a basic biological reason for this. Calories are a unit of energy; burning them off can release heat, helping people maintain their body heat in colder climates. But as the winter gives way to warmer weather, people notice that they are a lot less hungry — a trend Childress has seen in both her clinical practice and in the broader scientific literature. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon, however, are unclear. Many factors influence caloric intake, Childress said.

    Matt Carter, a neuroscientist at Williams College in Massachusetts, agreed. Many variables — including hormones (激素), proteins and environmental factors — affect how and why we feel hungry and, ultimately, why that feeling diminishes on hotter days, Carter said.

    Our bodies are always trying to keep internal conditions stable. This is called homeostasis (内环境稳定). It’s why we sweat in the sun or drink water after a workout. Hunger is also homeostatic; we feel hungry when our body is low on calories and feel full after eating a meal, keeping our inner physiological state balanced.

    Hot or not, appetite is a complex balance — a way that our bodies are in sync with the environment. “Eating and drinking are things that seem like they just happen,” Carter said. “But really, behind the scenes, the brain is precisely measuring the need for calories, for water, for the best body temperature. And I think that’s amazing.”

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1.Why do people in colder environments eat more calories according to Allison Childress?

A They need more energy to stay warm.

B They digest food more quickly due to cold weather.

C Calories help them maintain body weight.

D Cold temperatures increase their energy levels naturally.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“There’s a basic biological reason for this. Calories are a unit of energy; burning them off can release heat, helping people maintain their body heat in colder climates.”可知，生活在较冷的气候环境中的人摄入的卡路里更多，这有一个基本的生物学原因：卡路里是能量的单位，燃烧它们可以释放热量，帮助人们在寒冷的气温里保持体温。故选A。

2.Which of the following has the same meaning as the underlined word “diminishes”?

A Increases.

B Reduces.

C Disappears.

D Delays.

解析：选B。B 词义猜测题。根据第一段的“you’re not as hungry as you are in cooler weather”第二段的“as the winter gives way to warmer weather, people notice that they are a lot less hungry”和划线部分前文的“affect how and why we feel hungry”可知，天气变暖，人们也注意到他们不那么饿了；随后作者通过卡特的观点提出许多变量，包括激素、蛋白质和环境因素，都会影响我们感到饥饿的方式和原因，即解释了为什么饥饿的感觉在炎热的日子里会减弱。故选B。

3.Which of the following statements best explains the concept of homeostasis as it relates to hunger?

A Eating and drinking are automatic processes unrelated to homeostasis.

B We only feel hungry when our body temperature drops.

C Our brain measures how much food we need precisely.

D Our bodies adjust internal conditions to match external ones.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第四段第一句“Our bodies are always trying to keep internal conditions stable.”我们的身体总是试图保持内部条件的稳定。并结合后文“Hunger is also homeostatic; we feel hungry when our body is low on calories and feel full after eating a meal, keeping our inner physiological state balanced.”饥饿也是自我平衡的；当我们的身体低热量时，我们会感到饥饿，吃完一顿饭后会感到饱腹，这样就能保持我们内部的生理状态平衡。由此可知，我们的身体会调整内部环境以适应外部环境。故选D。

4.Which of the following articles may this passage be taken from?

A What factors are affecting our hunger in hot weather?

B Are eating and drinking natural things?

C Why do you feel less hungry when it’s hot out?

D Why is it best not to have treats like ice cream in heat?

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。结合文章第一段最后一句“But what’s the connection between temperature and appetite?”并通读全文可知，本文主要讲述了高温天气让食欲降低的相关研究。C项的“为什么天气热的时候你感觉不那么饿？”符合。故选C。