Section C

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.

　　Do you know that Americans buy over 14 billion [36] gallons of soft drinks every year? That’s the same as everyone drinking 576 cans a year, or almost two cans a day. Does this sound like your life style? Some teenagers [37] claim they need a Coke to [38] start off the day. Many students [39] include a soft drink as part of their lunch at school. And it’s very common to [40] grab a can out of the fridge to drink with your dinner.

　　If you’re a teenage boy, you’re in the group of the biggest soft drink [41] consumers in the nation! Teenage boys may rank high in soft drink [42] consumption, but they rank low when it comes to other parts of the food pyramid. Only 11% of boys and 16% of girls eat the [43] recommended amount of fruit each day, and only 36% of boys and 14% of girls get the right amount of calcium. [44] Will soft drinks give you strong bones? No way!

　　The advertising has obviously worked, but we might experience more health problems as a result of the amount of soft drinks we consume. Drinking soft drinks instead of milk may increase the chance of osteoporosis, a disease which weakens your bones. [45] The added calories, coupled with less exercise, can also put on the pounds, putting you at risk for diseases like diabetes. Your teeth are also in danger. Not even two trips to the dentist a year can save you from the potential damage from too many soft drinks. [46] There’s a high concentration of sugar in soft drinks and when that sugar sits on your teeth for any length of time, it can cause tooth decay.