Increasingly over the past ten years, people—especially young people—have become aware of the need to change their eating habits, because much of the food they eat, particularly processed foods, is not good for health. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in natural foods: foods which do not contain chemical additives and which have not been affected by chemical fertilizers widely used in farming today. Natural foods, for example, include vegetables, fruit and grain which have been grown in soil that is rich in organic matter. In simple terms, this means that the soil has been nourished by unused vegetable matter, which provides it with essential vitamins and minerals. This in itself is a natural process compared with the use of chemicals and fertilizers, the main purpose of which is to increase the amount—but not the quality—of foods grown in commercial farming areas. Natural foods also include animals which have been allowed to feed and move freely in healthy pastures. Compare this with what happens in the mass production of poultry: there are battery farms, for example, where thousands of chickens live crowded together in one building and are fed on food which is little better than rubbish. Chickens kept in this way are not only tasteless as food: they also produce eggs which lack important vitamins. It is significant that nowadays fiber is considered to be an important part of a healthy diet. In white bread, for example, the fiber has been removed. But it is present in unrefined flour and of course in vegetables. It is interesting to note that in countries where the national diet contains large quantities of unrefined flour and vegetables, certain diseases are comparatively rare. Hence the emphasis places on the eating of whole meal bread and more vegetables by modern experts on “healthy eating“.

People have become more interested in natural foods because______.

A．they like changing their diet from time to time

B．they want to eat food that is more delicious

C．much of the food they eat is no longer considered to be healthy

D．they want to be fashionable

Soil that is rich in organic matter______.

A．has nothing nutritious added to it

B．is essential for producing fruit and vegetables

C．contains unused vegetable matter

D．has had chemicals and fertilizers added to it

According to the author, the use of chemicals and fertilizers______.

A．will not necessarily increase the production of foods

B．is a good way to improve the quality of foods

C．promotes the foods both in quality and in quantity

D．is no good for health

Chickens can be called “natural foods“ only when______.

A．they are delicious

B．they are fed on food little better than rubbish

C．they lay eggs rich in vitamins every day

D．they are allowed to move about and eat freely

Which of the following is considered good for healthy eating?

A．Unrefined flour and vegetables.

B．White bread and honey.

C．Canned beans and fruits.

D．Mass-produced chickens and eggs.