英国政府宣布，将把叶酸添加到英国面粉中，以帮助预防婴儿的先天性脊柱缺陷。

Women are already advised to take folic acid before and during pregnancy, but many don’t. It’s important because getting enough of this B vitamin cuts the risk of a baby being born with spina bifida or other neural tube defects.

早已有专家建议女性在孕前和孕期服用叶酸，但许多人并未照做。这其实很重要，因为摄入足量这种 B 族维生素可以降低婴儿出生时患脊柱裂和其它神经管缺陷的风险。

Mandatory fortification will mean everyone eating foods like bread in the UK, will get a dose. There was a concern that for some people, particularly the elderly, boosting folic acid might have unintended negative consequences, such as covering up the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

强制加强叶酸摄入意味着在英国，每个吃面包等食物的人都会摄入一定的剂量。有人担心，对于一些人，特别是老年人来说，增加叶酸摄入量可能会产生意想不到的负面后果，比如可能会掩盖维生素 B12缺乏症的症状。

But the government’s independent advisory body has looked at all the evidence and is satisfied fortification is the right thing to do.

但英国政府的独立咨询机构已经研究了所有证据，并认为加强叶酸摄入是正确的决策。

词汇表

spina bifida 脊柱裂
neural 神经系统的
mandatory 强制的
fortification 强化
unintended 无意的
symptoms 症状
deficiency 缺乏，缺少
evidence 证据

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. What does taking folic acid help reduce the risk of in newborn babies?

2. True or false? People will be able to choose if they have folic acid added to their bread.

3. Why was there a concern that elderly people might not benefit from the boost in folic acid?

4. When are women normally advised to take folic acid?

答案  

1. What does taking folic acid help reduce the risk of in newborn babies?
Getting enough of this B vitamin (folic acid) cuts the risk of a baby being born with spina bifida or other neural tube defects.

2. True or false? People will be able to choose if they have folic acid added to their bread.
False. Adding folic acid to bread will be mandatory.

3. Why was there a concern that elderly people might not benefit from the boost in folic acid?
There was a concern that boosting folic acid would cover up the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

4. When are women normally advised to take folic acid?
Women are advised to take folic acid before and during pregnancy.