新高考热点阅读8-健康（文章选自National Geographic）-2026届高考英语三轮复习专项

高考英语热点阅读——健康主题（文章选自National Geographic）4篇 Passage 1 Strengthening the Blood-Brain Barrier Can Prevent Brain Damage in Athletes​ A new study shows that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a kind of neurodegenerative disease that affects former contact sport athletes such as football players, rugby players and boxers, is probably caused by repeated head injuries that damage the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This finding opens up new ways to prevent and treat this terrible disease, which can only be diagnosed after the patient’s death at present.​ Researchers led by Matthew Campbell from Trinity College Dublin in Ireland scanned the brains of 47 retired contact sport athletes (who had retired for an average of 12 years). They compared these athletes with retired non-contact sport athletes and people with no sports background. The researchers injected a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent into the participants. This agent can only enter brain tissue if the BBB is damaged. The results showed that 17 contact sport athletes had obvious BBB leakage, while almost no contrast agent appeared in the brains of non-contact participants.​ Athletes with more serious BBB damage also performed worse in cognitive and memory tests. This shows that BBB damage is related to the main symptoms of CTE, such as thinking problems, memory loss, depression and emotional instability. The BBB is a dynamic system made of closely arranged cells, which lines the inner wall of brain blood vessels. The mechanical force from repeated head impacts can damage it, loosen the connections between cells and increase its permeability.​ Once the BBB is damaged, proteins, immune cells and inflammatory substances in the blood can enter the brain, causing inflammation and worsening the misfolding of tau protein—another typical feature of CTE. Autopsies of CTE patients also found signs of immune cell and blood protein infiltration, which further confirms this connection.​ At present, CTE can only be diagnosed by autopsy, which shows abnormal accumulation of tau protein in the brain. However, the MRI technique used in this study is expected to help diagnose living people with CTE symptoms and monitor active athletes at risk, though more research is needed to support this.​ The study results also point out a new treatment direction: developing drugs that can strengthen or repair the BBB. Existing drugs such as bevacizumab (which can reduce blood vessel leakage) and minocycline (which can fight brain inflammation), as well as new drugs being developed, may prevent or slow down the development of CTE through early intervention—before the tau protein damage becomes permanent.​ 1. What is the main cause of CTE according to the new study?（细节理解题）​ A. Old age and weak body.​ B. Repeated head injuries that damage the BBB.​ C. Lack of proper treatment after injuries.​ D. Too much training in contact sports.​ 2. How did the researchers carry out their study?（细节理解题）​ A. By testing the blood of different athletes.​ B. By comparing brain scans of different groups.​ C. By asking athletes about their health conditions.​ D. By studying the medical records of CTE patients.​ 3. What does the underlined word “permeability” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?（词义猜测题）A. The ability to let things pass through.​ B. The ability to keep things out.​ C. The ability to repair itself.​ D. The ability to stay stable.​ 4. What can we infer from the passage?（推理判断题）​ A. CTE can be easily diagnosed in living people now.​ B. Non-contact sport athletes will never get CTE.​ C. The MRI technique may help diagnose CTE in the future.​ D. BBB damage has no connection with memory loss.​ Passage 2 Why Exercise Burns Fewer Calories Than We Think​ Most people believe that more exercise means burning more calories and losing more weight. However, this common sense does not always hold true. In many scientific studies, exercise leads to much less weight loss than expected, which has confused researchers for a long time.​ One reason is that exercise often makes people feel hungrier, so they may eat more and make up for the calories burned. But there is another more surprising factor: energy compensation. A 2025 analysis showed that people only burned about one third of the extra calories they should have during exercise. For example, a run that should burn 500 calories only adds about 165 calories to their daily consumption. This is because the body reduces energy used in other activities to make up for the increased exercise, though the exact way is still unknown.​ The idea of energy compensation came from a 2012 study. It found that hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, who walk many miles every day to find food, burn almost the same number of calories as ordinary inactive people in developed countries. This can be explained by the constrained energy expenditure model: the body keeps total daily energy consumption within a narrow range by cutting energy in other physiological processes, such as blood circulation and digestion.​ Experts point out that energy compensation can happen in many ways. Some people may move more slowly or take more rest after exercise. Besides, the body may reduce energy in non-exercise activities, such as fidgeting, or slow down some body functions like immune and thyroid activities. However, not everyone has the same level of compensation—only half of the participants in one study showed clear signs of it, especially those with higher baseline energy expenditure.​ Some researchers disagree with the compensation theory. A recent study found that both inactive people and ultra-marathon runners burned more calories as they did more exercise, with no sign of compensation. They believe compensation may only happen when people are short of calories. In fact, the truth may lie between the two views.​ Experts warn that we should not ignore the benefits of exercise just because of energy compensation. Although exercise may not help lose much weight, it can help maintain weight, improve insulin sensitivity, lower inflammation and reduce the risk of diseases in later life. Being physically active is still very beneficial to our long-term health.​ 5. What is the main idea of the passage?（主旨大意题）​ A. Exercise has no effect on weight loss.​ B. Energy compensation explains why exercise burns fewer calories.​ C. Different people burn calories in different ways.​ D. The best way to lose weight is to reduce food intake. ​ 6. What does the underlined word “compensation” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?（词义猜测题）A. Making up for something lost.​ B. Increasing something quickly.​ C. Changing something suddenly.​ D. Keeping something balanced. ​ 7. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?（推理判断题）​ A. Hunter-gatherers burn more calories than inactive people.​ B. Everyone has the same level of energy compensation.​ C. Energy compensation may not happen when people have enough calories.​ D. Exercise is useless for weight loss and health. ​ 8. What is experts’ attitude towards exercise?（推理判断题）​ A. Doubtful.​ B. Critical.​ C. Supportive.​ D. Indifferent. ​ Passage 3 A Post-Meal Walk Benefits Your Brain and Body​ Eating not only provides energy for our body but also starts a series of physiological changes, especially in the short time after a meal. Studies show that even a gentle walk after eating can affect blood sugar control and the communication between the gut and the brain, helping the body process nutrients more effectively. This small daily habit has far-reaching benefits for our overall health.​ After eating, our body enters a "rest and digest" state, during which the gut and brain communicate closely. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins in food are broken down into nutrients and released into the blood. This period is a sensitive window for the gut-brain connection, which is also the best time to do some light exercise, according to experts.​ A leisurely post-meal walk brings many benefits to both the body and the brain. When we move, our muscles contract, which helps take sugar from the blood into cells. This process does not depend on insulin, making it especially helpful for the elderly, people with insulin resistance or those who eat a big dinner, when insulin works less well. It can reduce sharp rises in post-meal blood sugar and lighten the burden on the pancreas, thus protecting metabolic health and reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease.​ Besides metabolic benefits, post-meal movement also increases blood flow to digestive organs and helps the brain sense the body’s internal state. The vagus nerve, a key link between the gut and the brain, plays an important role in feeling full and managing emotions. Although scientists are still studying these connections, it is clear that post-meal walks support the communication between the brain and the body beyond digestion.​ The timing and intensity of post-meal movement do not need to be strict. Experts suggest that moving about 30 minutes after eating is ideal, but benefits start as soon as we begin to move. A 15-minute light walk can reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes, and a 10-minute walk right after a meal works as well as a 30-minute one later. Even short bouts of light walking can help, and we don’t need to sweat a lot.​ Consistency is the key to getting lasting benefits. Walking after meals every day can help maintain metabolic health. From an evolutionary point of view, humans are born to move after eating, which helps use energy instead of storing it. This small habit, though simple, can have a positive impact on our long-term health.​ 9.What is the key to getting lasting benefits from post-meal movement?（细节理解题）​ A. Doing it at a fixed time every day.​ B. Keeping it consistent daily.​ C. Doing it for more than 30 minutes each time.​ D. Doing it with other forms of exercise. 10. What does the underlined word "intensity" in Paragraph 6 probably mean?（词义猜测题）​ A. Speed.​ B. Duration.​ C. Strength.​ D. Frequency. ​ 11.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?（推理判断题）​ A. A post-meal walk works only for people with insulin resistance.​ B. We need to do intense exercise after meals to get benefits.​ C. The vagus nerve helps people control their appetite and mood.​ D. Post-meal movement can replace medication for diabetes. ​ 12.What is the main idea of the passage?（主旨大意题）​ A. How to keep healthy by doing daily exercise.​ A. A post-meal walk benefits the brain and body in many ways.​ B. The best time to do exercise every day.​ C. How to control blood sugar effectively. ​ Passage 4 The Long Journey to an HIV Vaccine​ In the 1980s, when virologist José Esparza and his colleagues began fighting the AIDS epidemic with the World Health Organization, they believed an HIV vaccine would be ready soon. Their confidence came from the success of vaccines for diseases like measles and smallpox, which work by prompting the body to produce antibodies. However, more than 30 years later, there is still no effective HIV vaccine, even though COVID-19 vaccines were developed in less than a year.​ The main reason is that HIV is much more complex than other viruses. It mutates very quickly, so the antibodies produced by the human body can never catch up. For example, a classic study found that antibodies from HIV-infected people are always 3 to 6 months behind the virus. Besides, early vaccine attempts failed repeatedly. A 2007 trial of a T-cell-based vaccine not only offered no protection but also increased the risk of infection. The only trial that showed some effect, done in Thailand in 2009, only reduced HIV infection by 31%, which was not enough for approval.​ Recent findings have brought new hope. At an international AIDS conference, researchers announced positive results from the first human trial of a new HIV vaccine strategy. They used an engineered protein nanoparticle to activate naïve B cells, which can develop into cells producing antibodies that fight multiple HIV strains. In the trial, 35 out of 36 participants had the expected immune response. However, experts warn that this is just a small step—an effective vaccine is still years away and may require multiple shots.​ Fortunately, the experience from COVID-19 vaccine development may help speed up the process. COVID-19 vaccines used the infrastructure built for HIV vaccine trials, and researchers are now working with mRNA technology to develop HIV vaccines faster. While there are still many challenges, including public attention and investment, the new trial results show that scientists are on the right track.​ Although the journey to an HIV vaccine has been long and full of setbacks, the recent progress gives people hope. With the help of new technology and the experience from fighting COVID-19, scientists may eventually develop an effective HIV vaccine to end the epidemic.​ 13.Why did Esparza and his colleagues think an HIV vaccine would come quickly in the 1980s?（细节理解题）​ A. They had rich experience in fighting AIDS.​ B. Vaccines for other diseases had achieved great success.​ C. They had found effective antibodies against HIV.​ D. HIV was much easier to tackle than other viruses.​ 14. What is the key reason why an HIV vaccine is hard to develop?（细节理解题）​ A. HIV mutates too quickly for antibodies to catch up.​ B. There is not enough investment in HIV research.​ C. Scientists lack advanced technology to study HIV.​ D. HIV does not trigger an immune response in the human body.​ 15.What can we infer from the passage?（推理判断题）​ A. The new vaccine trial has proved to be fully effective.​ B. COVID-19 vaccine technology helps HIV vaccine research.​ C. The 2009 Thai trial produced a fully effective HIV vaccine.​ D. An HIV vaccine will be available in the near future.​ 16.What is the main idea of the passage?（主旨大意题）​ A. The challenges of fighting the HIV epidemic.​ B. The differences between HIV and COVID-19 vaccines.​ C. The long process and recent progress in HIV vaccine research.​ D. The importance of international cooperation in vaccine research.​ Answers 1. B ​2.B ​3.A 4.C 5.B 6. A ​7. C 8. C 9.B 10.C ​ 11.C 12.B 13.B 14.A 15.B 16.C 主题词汇（背诵版） 英语阅读词汇短语汇总（健康类热点）​ Day1​ 1、 生僻词和短语（7个）​ • chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) （n.）慢性创伤性脑病（文中特指接触性运动运动员易患的神经退行性疾病）​ • blood-brain barrier (BBB) （n.）血脑屏障（大脑血管内壁的防护系统，文中核心研究对象）​ • neurodegenerative disease （n.）神经退行性疾病（CTE的所属类别，如阿尔茨海默病也属于此类）​ • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) （n.）磁共振成像（文中研究使用的脑部扫描技术）​ • contrast agent （n.）造影剂（MRI检查中注入的辅助试剂，用于检测BBB是否受损）​ • permeability （n.）通透性（文中指血脑屏障被破坏后，允许物质通过的能力）​ • tau protein（n.） tau蛋白（CTE患者大脑中异常堆积的蛋白质，核心特征）​ 2、 高考重点词汇和短语（12个：8个词汇+4个短语）​ （1） 核心词汇​ • prevent （v.）预防，阻止​ • damage（v./n.）损害，损伤​ • diagnose （v.）诊断​ • compare （v.）对比，比较​ • inject（v.）注射 • relate （v.）相关，联系​ • dynamic （adj.）动态的​ • cause （v./n.）引起，原因​ （2） 重点短语​ • open up new ways to 开辟新的……途径​ • be led by 由……带领​ • compare...with... 将……与……对比​ • line the inner wall of 排列在……的内壁 3、 拓展词汇和短语（7个）​ • cognitive （adj.）认知的​ • inflammatory （adj.）炎症的​ • infiltration （n.）渗透，浸润​ • physiological （adj.）生理的​ • metabolic （adj.）代谢的​ • pancreas （n.）胰腺​ • diabetes （n.）糖尿病​ Day 2 1、 生僻词和短语（7个）​ • autopsy （n.）尸检（目前CTE的唯一诊断方式）​ • bevacizumab （n.）贝伐珠单抗（文中提及的可减少血管渗漏的药物）​ • minocycline（n.）米诺环素（文中提及的可对抗脑部炎症的药物）​ • energy compensation （n.）能量补偿（文中核心理论，指身体通过减少其他活动能量消耗，弥补运动消耗的卡路里）​ • constrained energy expenditure model （n.）能量消耗约束模型（解释能量补偿现象的理论）• insulin sensitivity （n.）胰岛素敏感性（运动可改善的指标，与糖尿病风险相关）​ • vagus nerve （n.）迷走神经（连接肠道和大脑的关键神经，影响饱腹感和情绪）​ 2、 高考重点词汇和短语（12个：8个词汇+4个短语）​ （1） 核心词汇​ • worsen （v.）恶化，加重​ • expect （v.）期望，预计​ • develop （v.）研发，发展​ • reduce （v.）减少，降低​ • burn （v.）燃烧，消耗​ • confuse （v.）使困惑​ • compensate （v.）补偿，弥补 • consume （v.）消耗 （2） 重点短语​ • make up for 弥补，补偿​ • cut down on 减少，削减​ • point out指出​ • ignore the benefits of 忽视……的益处 3、 拓展词汇和短语（7个）​ • evolutionary （adj.）进化的 • epidemic （n./adj.）流行病；流行的​ • antibodies （n.）抗体​ • strains （n.）菌株，毒株​ • mRNA technology （n.）信使RNA技术 • investment （n.）投资 • leakage （n.）渗漏 Day3​ 1、 生僻词和短语​ • virologist（n.）病毒学家（研究HIV疫苗的核心研究者）​ • naïve B cells （n.）初始B细胞​ • protein nanoparticle （n.）蛋白质纳米颗粒 • immune response （n.）免疫反应（疫苗接种后身体产生的防御反应）​ • infrastructure （n.）基础设施​ 2、 高考重点词汇和短语 （1） 核心词汇​ • maintain（v.）维持，保持​ • improve （v.）改善，提高（高考核心，文中搭配：improve insulin sensitivity 改善胰岛素敏感性）​ • benefit（v./n.）有益于，益处​ • process （v.）处理，加工 • protect （v.）保护​ • risk （n./v.）风险，冒……风险​ • consistency （n.）坚持，一致性 • complex （adj.）复杂的 • mutate （v.）突变 （2） 重点短语​ • take...from...into... 将……从……带入…… • lighten the burden on 减轻……的负担 • play an important role in 在……中起重要作用​ • be ideal for 对……来说是理想的 3、 拓展词汇和短语（6个，剩余全部）​ • fidgeting （n.）坐立不安，小动作 • thyroid （n.）甲状腺 • hunter-gatherers （n.）狩猎采集者 • inactive（adj.）不活跃的，缺乏运动的 • ultra-marathon （n.）超级马拉松 • prompt （v.）促使，推动 1 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $