What you need to know about ‘aspartame’

admin 2023年10月1日

Beginner

Health & Lifestyle, Health & Lifestyle - Beginner

©U.S. FDA

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。

Do you like sweet beverages?
Have you heard of ‘aspartame’?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。

link /lingk/

[noun] – a connection between two things
The scientists discovered a strong link between smoking and lung cancer.

cancer /KAN-ser/

[noun] – a serious disease that is caused when cells in the body grow in a way that is uncontrolled and not normal, killing normal cells and often causing death
Regular screenings for breast cancer are recommended for early detection.

announcement /uh-NOUNS-muhnt/

[noun] – something that someone says officially, giving information about something
The company’s announcement of a new product launch generated excitement among customers.

approve /uh-PROOV/

[verb] – to accept, allow, or officially agree to something
The board of directors approved the new budget proposal.

publish /PUHB-lish/

[verb] – to make information available to people, especially in a book, magazine, or newspaper, or to produce and sell a book, magazine, or newspaper
The scientific journal will publish the groundbreaking research findings next month.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。

Aspartame, a sweetener found in many foods and fizzy drinks, might be classified as “possibly carcinogenic” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This means it could have a potential link to cancer, but it’s not clear how risky it really is. Interestingly, other things like aloe vera, diesel, and pickled Asian vegetables also fall into this category. The IARC made this announcement on July 14.

Aspartame is super sweet—about 200 times sweeter than sugar—which is why it’s used in calorie-free sweeteners. You can find it in diet drinks, gum, some yogurts, and popular drinks like Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Pepsi Max, and 7 Up Free. Shockingly, it’s in about 6,000 different food products.

Even though aspartame is approved by food safety authorities, there’s still controversy. The IARC checked out lots of studies on aspartame and its link to cancer. So, while it may be called “possibly carcinogenic,” it doesn’t tell us exactly how risky it is. The IARC and another expert group made announcements on July 14 and published their findings in a journal called Lancet Oncology.

True or False:

Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.

文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。

Aspartame has been definitively classified as a carcinogen by the IARC.
Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar.
The risk of cancer associated with aspartame is well-established and understood.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic.”
Aspartame is not widely used and is only found in a few food products.

Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct word from the table then fill in the blanks.

適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。

link

cancer

announcement

approve

publish

His family has been affected by ______, so he actively supports cancer research organizations.
The regulatory agency has the authority to _______ or reject new drug applications based on safety.
The magazine will soon _______ an interview with the famous actor about his latest film.
The government’s ____________ of tax cuts brought relief to many citizens.
Regular exercise has been shown to have a positive ____ to overall health and well-being.