Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each question from 31 to 40.
[I] Sticker shock at the grocery store is making it harder for American adults to maintain a healthy diet, according to a nationally representative survey by the Pew Research Center. [II] The impact is greater among lower-income individuals, with 47% saying they struggle to afford healthy meals, compared to just 15% of upper-income adults. [III] However, middle- and upper-income groups are also affected. [IV]
Part of the issue lies in the reliance on a Western diet that emphasizes costly animal products like meat and dairy, noted Dr. David Katz, founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative. He emphasized that affordable, nutritious options like beans, lentils, and grains can improve diet quality while reducing cost. Drinking more water instead of sugary beverages also contributes to better health. According to Katz, the real challenge is not prices but a lack of understanding of food labels.
Taste is the most important factor in choosing food, with 83% of adults saying it is extremely or very important, according to the survey. Fewer than half said the same about the healthiness of food. According to Yam, taste ranks highest across all demographics, followed by cost, healthiness, and convenience.
Low cost, convenience, and taste are typical features of ultraprocessed foods, which are designed by manufacturers using sugar, salt, fat, and additives to maximize appeal. A 2019 study estimated that about 71% of the U.S. food supply may be ultraprocessed. These foods often include ingredients rarely used in home cooking and additives meant to enhance taste and appearance. Studies link higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods to increased risk of chronic conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even premature death.
In contrast, research shows that switching to a plant-based diet like the Mediterranean diet can improve health at any age. According to Dr. Frank Hu of Harvard, adopting healthy eating patterns can significantly reduce premature deaths, and people have flexibility in how they shape their diets as long as they focus on more plant-based foods and limit red meat, processed meats, added sugar, and sodium.
(Adapted from CNN)
Question 31: Where in paragraph 1 does the following sentence best fit?
Ninety percent of U.S. adults say healthy food prices have increased in recent years, and 69% report that rising food costs make it difficult to eat healthily.
A. [I] B. [II] C. [III] D. [IV]
