More Than 15 Percent of the World's Population Have High Blood
Pressure
CNN新闻：超过15%的世界人口患有高血压
燕山大学 刘立军
TRANSCRIPT
(Q1) Scientists said Imperial College London recently studied world blood pressure statistics between 1975 and 2015, and here's what they found: 1.13 billion people, more than 15 percent of the world's population now have high blood pressure. That's almost twice the number of people affected 40 years ago, but this is also because the world population has increased in the last 40 years and gotten older. (Q2) Those with higher blood pressure today tend to live in poorer parts of the world.
(Q3) What causes elevated blood pressure? Lots of salt and potassium in diets, pollution and exposure to lead, and bad nutrition in childhood.
(Q4) High blood pressure can increase your risk of strokes, heart, and kidney disease. (Q5) But blood pressures aren't rising everywhere. Rates have dropped in the U.S. and Canada. Experts say better food options and health services have helped.
Adapted from http://www.chinavoa.com/show-8546-237609-1.html
VOCABULARY
1. potassium n. 钾 Potassium is a soft silvery-white chemical element, which occurs mainly in compounds. These compounds are used in making such things as glass, soap, and fertilizers.
2. lead n. 铅 Lead is a soft, grey, heavy metal. 例如：
drinking water supplied by old-fashioned lead pipes 由老式铅管输送的饮用水
QUESTIONS
Listen to the news and mark the following statements T (true) or F (false). Correct any that are false.
1. Research conducted by scientists of Imperial College London shows that more than 15 percent of the world's population now have high blood pressure.
2. Those with higher blood pressure today probably live in poorer parts of the world.
3. Lots of salt and potassium in diets, pollution and exposure to lead, and bad nutrition in childhood are the factors which might cause blood pressure.
4. High blood pressure can increase the risk of getting strokes, heart, and kidney disease.
5. But blood pressures are rising everywhere in the world, including the U.S. and Canada.
KEY
QUESTION | T / F | |
1 | T | Scientists said Imperial College London recently studied world blood pressure statistics between 1975 and 2015, and here’s what they found: 1.13 billion people, more than 15 percent of the world’s population now have high blood pressure. |
2 | T | Those with higher blood pressure today tend to live in poorer parts of the world. |
3 | T | What causes elevated blood pressure? Lots of salt and potassium in diets, pollution and exposure to lead, and bad nutrition in childhood. |
4 | T | High blood pressure can increase your risk of strokes, heart, and kidney disease. |
5 | F | But blood pressures aren’t rising everywhere. Rates have dropped in the U.S. and Canada. |