Passeggiata is an Italian tradition of leisurely walking after dinner. It’s communal, slow-paced, and intentionally not a workout. Historically, it grew out of the old “corso”, the main street in Roman and later Italian towns, where people paraded, socialized, and showed off their best clothes.

“In terms of slowing down after dinner, I think the power of passeggiata is that it forces a change in behavior,” Dr. Daniels says. On a neurological (神经系统的) level, walking can calm your mind. “And many patients tell me the walk becomes a buffer between work stress, screens, and sleep. A few describe it as their off switch,” he says. “Slow, steady movement relaxes muscles that tighten when you sit all day and releases tension.”

“A short walk of about 10 to 15 minutes after eating also helps digestion. It decreases that heavy, stuffed feeling and supports digestion,” he says. “A walk as short as 10 minutes can lower post-meal blood sugar,” he adds. “Over time, repeated day after day, that modest habit contributes to better physical health, better sleep, and less nighttime stomachache.”

“The most important thing to remember about passeggiata is that it should be pleasant, social, and stress-free,” Dr. Okubadejo says. First, pick a companion you like walking with. “Talking will slow your pace and keep your back from tightening up,” he explains. Second, pick a route you look forward to. “Walking through the trees down a quiet street, by water, or through your favorite neighborhood will automatically lend itself to a straight and natural posture that doesn’t jar your back or knees,” he says.

Third, keep it brief and informal. “10 to 15 minutes can be enough time to open up the back and hips,” he says. “If you know you can stop after a few minutes, it takes away the mental ‘obligation’ factor.” Finally, listen to your body. “If someone has foot problems, we have to adapt the passeggiata,” he says. “Sometimes that means 5 minutes instead of 15 to start, very supportive shoes, smooth surfaces, and comfortable shoes.” Remember, the goal is a relaxed, repeatable experience.

1.1.What does the underlined word “buffer” in Paragraph 2 most likely mean?

A A workout.

B A barrier.

C A disease.

D A dinner.

解析：选B。B词义猜测题。第二段中 Dr. Daniels 提到散步成为工作压力、电子屏幕与睡眠之间的“buffer”，并进一步说明有人将其视为“off switch”（关机键）。结合语境，散步在此处起到的是隔绝压力、切换状态的过渡作用，因此最接近“屏障、缓冲物”的含义。文中第一段已明确 passeggiata“not a workout”，故 A 项“锻炼”直接与原文矛盾；C 项“疾病”和 D 项“晚餐”则与上下文逻辑无关，无法代入句中理解。只有 B 项能准确呼应后文的比喻义，故为正确选项。故选B。

2.2.What can we learn from Paragraph 3 about after-dinner walking?

A It eases the feeling of fullness.

B It cures serious stomachaches.

C It requires at least 30 minutes.

D It raises blood sugar at once.

解析：选A。A细节理解题。第三段明确指出了餐后散步对身体的两个直接益处：一是“decreases that heavy, stuffed feeling”（减轻饱胀沉重的感觉），二是“lower post-meal blood sugar”（降低餐后血糖）。A 项中的“eases the feeling of fullness”正是对前者的同义改写，因此正确。相比之下，B 项中的“cure”程度过重，原文仅提及“less nighttime stomachache”，并非治愈顽疾；C 项将原文的“10 to 15 minutes”篡改为“至少 30 分钟”，属于时间数据错误；D 项则完全颠倒了“降低血糖”的事实，表述为“升高”。综合判断，唯有 A 项忠实于原文信息。故选A。

3.3.Why does talking during the walk help the back according to Dr. Okubadejo?

A It makes the walk much longer.

B It forces people to look downward.

C It keeps the pace slow naturally.

D It stops body movement completely.

解析：选C。C推理判断题。 Dr. Okubadejo 在第四段解释交谈的作用时说“Talking will slow your pace and keep your back from tightening up”，即交谈能自然地放慢步伐，从而防止背部肌肉紧绷。基于这一描述可以推断，C 项“自然地保持慢速”是导致背部受益的直接原因。文中并未提及交谈会延长步行时间（A 项）或迫使低头（B 项），更没有暗示步行会停止（D 项），因此后三项均无原文依据。正确选项 C 是由原文行为逻辑合理推演而来。故选 C。

4.4.What does Dr. Okubadejo imply about people with foot problems?

A They never walk after dinner.

B They can make proper changes.

C They take medicine first.

D They need a 15-minute walk.

解析：选B。B推理判断题。针对足部不适者，Dr. Okubadejo 在末段提出了具体的调整建议，包括将时间从 15 分钟缩减为 5 分钟、选择支撑性好的鞋、走平坦路面等。这一系列建议的核心词是“adapt”（调整适应），意在说明这类人群无需彻底放弃散步，而是应做出恰当的个性化改变，故 B 项符合其隐含态度。A 项“从不散步”过于绝对，与医生鼓励调整的初衷相悖；C 项“先服药”在文中毫无涉及；D 项坚持“需要 15 分钟”则与缩短时长的建议正好相反。因此，B项是对原文信息最合理的推断。