1   For the Jonas Brothers, 2005 was shaping up to be quite a year. The band was signed to a major record label and was performing in concerts around the country with stars like Kelly Clarkson and the Cheetah Girls. It seemed like nothing could go wrong. But that was about to change.

2   By the fall of that year, the group’s youngest member — Nick Jonas — started to not feel himself. He was extremely thirsty all the time, experiencing mood swings, and losing weight fast.

3   At first, his family thought the band’s busy touring schedule was to blame.But when Nick — 13 at the time — finally sought medical attention, doctors discovered that the problem was a lot more serious. He has a disease called type 1, or juvenile, diabetes.

Sugar Scare

4   Type 1 diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose. Your body’s cells use glucose as a source of energy.

5   Glucose is released into the blood during digestion. Then, the pancreas produces a substance called insulin that helps deliver the glucose to the cells.

6   In a person with type 1 diabetes, this process doesn’t work properly. The pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to usher glucose into the body’s cells. The sugar remains in the blood, causing dangerous symptoms.

Signs of Trouble

7   Nick’s symptoms — like drastic weight loss and mood swings — were typical of someone suffering from type 1 diabetes. When the body does not receive the sugar it needs to perform basic functions, it starts to break down fat and tissue for energy. This causes the person to lose weight and feel very tired and uneasy.

8   Left untreated, the disease can have disastrous effects. The extra blood sugar can damage kidneys, eyes, and blood vessels in the legs and feet.

9   Fortunately, diabetes is treatable. There’s no cure, but people with diabetes can inject insulin into their bodies to keep their blood-sugar levels under control.

Crash Course

10   When Nick discovered he had type 1 diabetes, he had to learn how to manage the disease. Since his body does not create enough insulin, Nick learned that he must inject the hormone into his body.

11   In addition, Nick must be careful about what he eats. He must avoid carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread and cereal because they are high in glucose. When Nick needs an energy boost from food, he relies on whole grains, vegetables, and fruit.

Sweet Sounds

12   It’s been more than three years since this Jonas brother was diagnosed with diabetes — and he’s come a long way. Now 16, Nick is hoping to be an inspiration to other kids who have the disease.

13   Nick and his brothers have partnered with organizations that raise money for diabetes research and help spread awareness about the disease. In a song called “A Little Bit Longer,” Nick describes his experience with diabetes. He says he wrote the song to encourage other kids who have type 1 diabetes not to feel alone and to have hope.

14   “My main message for kids who have diabetes is to continue to do what you want to do and don’t let it slow you down,” Nick says. “I made a commitment to myself that it wouldn’t slow me down, and it hasn’t.”    

   (534 words) 

1.For the Jonas Brothers, 2005 was shaping up to be quite a year. 

对乔纳斯兄弟而言，2005年有望成为不寻常的一年。

quite a year相当于quite a successful year。quite a后面如果直接跟名词，而没有形容词来修饰这个名词，那么某个形容词的意思往往隐含在词组之中。又如：

You put on quite a show. = You put on quite a nice show. 

你们演了一出很好的戏。

That is quite a sunset. = That is quite a splendid sunset. 

好壮观的日落画面。

2.But when Nick — 13 at the time — finally sought medical attention, doctors discovered that the problem was a lot more serious. 

但当尼克(当时是13岁)最终寻求医生治疗时，医生们却发现问题要严重得多。

句中两个破折号之间的13 at  the time 可以视作插入语。

3.He has a disease called type 1, or juvenile, diabetes.  

他患的病叫做一型糖尿病或儿童糖尿病。

juvenile是type 1的同位语，两者同是diabetes的修饰语。即：He has a disease called type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes.

4.By the fall of that year, the group’s youngest member — Nick Jonas — started to not feel himself.  

到了那年秋天，乐队中最年轻的成员尼克·乔纳斯开始感到身体不适。

句中破折号用来分隔同位语，即the group’s youngest member和Nick Jonas。

5.Nick’s symptoms — like drastic weight loss and mood swings — were typical of someone suffering from type 1 diabetes.  

尼克的症状──如体重急剧下降和情绪波动──正是一型糖尿病患者的典型症状。

破折号之间引入的是插入语，起举例说明的作用。这里破折号的用法类似逗号，但是比逗号更能突出插入的成分。

6.Left untreated, the disease can have disastrous effects. 

这种病如不治疗有可能产生灾难性的后果。

Left untreated 是一个表示假设的过去分词短语，相当于 If it is left untreated。

7.It’s been more than three years since this Jonas brother was diagnosed with diabetes — and he’s come a long way.

自这位乔纳斯兄弟被诊断患有糖尿病以来，已经过去三年多了──他已经好多了。

破折号引导一个附加说明的成分。

* Read the following paragraphs until you have learned them by heart.

Nick and his brothers have partnered with organizations that raise money for diabetes research and help spread awareness about the disease. In a song called “A Little Bit Longer,” Nick describes his experience with diabetes. He says he wrote the song to encourage other kids who have type 1 diabetes not to feel alone and to have hope.

 “My main message for kids who have diabetes is to continue to do what you want to do and don’t let it slow you down,” Nick says. “I made a commitment to myself that it wouldn’t slow me down, and it hasn’t.”