I Background Information

Unit ThreeI.Background InformationDieting:“Diet” means the kind of food that someone eats every day. With the development of modern concept of health and fitness, more and more people come to admire a comparably swifter and thinner body image. Therefore, losing weight becomes more and more popular, and they start to “go on a diet”, which means to take a limited range and amount of food in order to get thinner. A diet for the purpose of losing weight might include foods with low sugar and fat.Getting healthier might be another purpose for “dieting”. People with certain health problems are always advised by their doctor to avoid certain foods or to add certain foods in their meals, thus, they are also on a diet.Britney SpearsBritney Spears was born Dec. 2, 1981, in Kentwood, a small town in Louisiana. Her professional career began at the ripe old age of 8. She was ultimately deemed too young for the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club (MMC), but one of the producers spotted her potential and helped her get an agent in New York. She spent the next three summers in the Big Apple studying at the off-Broadway Dance Center and at the Professional Performing Arts School.When Britney turned 11, she finally earned her mouse ears and became a full-fledged member of MMC for both the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Her years with MMC would turn out to be fortuitous for Britney.Following the cancellation of MMC in 1993, Britney returned home, where she went to regular high school for a year. Because of the strong performing desire she returned to New York to give singing another shot. An executive at Jive signed her to a development deal and hooked her up with Eric Foster White, a producer who had worked with Boyzone, Hi-Five, and Whitney Houston. By early 1998, Spears' first album for Jive was complete.The biggest day of young Britney's career thus far is likely Jan. 12, 1999 - the day...Baby, One More Time finally hit store shelves. After the final tallies were in, her debut had landed at theNo. 1 spot on the Billboard charts.She's planning to stay in the music world for a long time. "I want music to always be a part of my life," she told the cable channel. "It will always be a part of my life, and I just want to grow as a person each time each album comes out. I want to focus on my music right now and if film or something comes up, I'd go for it. But music will always be my main priority. Just like Madonna. I respect her so much because every time, she has changed, and I just totally admire that." Conscription:Germany has conscription for male citizens. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germanyand several special laws are regulating these duties and the exceptions. Men are obliged to serve nine months either in the military, which they can refuse, and do alternative civilian service, or honorary service (like any volunteer) for at least six years in a civil protection organization.Families of those who were oppressed by the Nazi regime (usually Jews) are exempt from conscription, though a small number do serve.Although the conscription is of a military nature, nowadays twice as many draftees refuse military service and serve in alternative services.Women are not part of the draft. They may join the military as volunteers or under the legal construction of a "voluntary conscript".Regime:The word regime (occasionally spelled "régime", particularly in older texts) refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature. It may also be used synonymously with "regimen", for example in the phrases "exercise regime" or "medical regime".In politics, a regime is the form of government: the set of rules, cultural or social norms, etc. that regulate the operation of government and its interactions with society. For instance, the United States has one of the oldest regimes still active in the world, dating to the ratification of its Constitution in 1789. Although modern usage often gives the term a negative connotation, like an authoritarian one, Webster's definition clearly states that the word "regime" refers simply to a form of government.The term is also used to distinguish what is actually being enforced from what is consideredlegitimate. Enforcement of an unconstitutional statute would be a regime but not a law.II. Language PointsText A1. There are thousands of TV shows, magazines, health food stores and gyms all associated with health and fitness. 与健康许有关的许多电视访谈节目，杂志，健康食品店和健身馆也就应运而生。