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2016 ‫מועד אפריל‬ - 47 - ‫ פרק שני‬- ‫ אנגלית‬

Reading Comprehension

This part consists of two passages, each followed by several related questions. For each
question, choose the most appropriate answer based on the text.

Text I (Questions 13-17)

(1) Salt is as essential for human life as water. It provides two crucial substances,
sodium and chloride, both of which must be maintained at specific concentrations for
the body to function properly. Sodium plays a critical role in muscle contraction
(including heartbeat), nerve impulses, the digestion of body-building protein, and the

(5) regulation of the body's water content. Chloride helps maintain proper blood volume,
blood pressure and acid-base balance in the body. Because salt is lost through
perspiration, people who engage in intense physical activity must take care to replace
both water and salt in order to remain properly hydrated. There is also evidence that
salt has curative properties. It has been used to treat a variety of conditions, from

(10) chronic fatigue syndrome to asthma. Indeed, for many people, just being in a salty
environment, such as near the ocean or in a special "salt room", can be therapeutic.

Nonetheless, excessive consumption of salt can be problematic and even dangerous.
Medical evidence proves that too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and increase
the risk of cardiovascular disease. In Japan, where more salt is consumed than

(15) anywhere else in the world, strokes – which are caused in part by high blood pressure –
are the leading cause of death. Moreover, high concentrations of salt irritate the

stomach lining and may even trigger stomach cancer.

How much salt is enough, then? According to the United Kingdom Food Standards
Agency, the Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) for adults is 6 grams. This is very little: it
(20) is the equivalent of one teaspoonful, much of which is already present in the processed

foods we buy at the supermarket. So most of us would do well to take the salt shaker
off the dinner table and learn to enjoy the natural flavor of foods.

Questions

13. A good title for this text would be -

(1) Salt: A Matter of Taste
(2) Salt: The Many Risks
(3) Salt: Finding the Balance
(4) Salt: A Therapeutic Treatment

)‫© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר‬

.‫ בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה‬- ‫ כולה או חלקים ממנה‬- ‫ או ללמדה‬,‫אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי‬