【推荐1】It comes as no surprise that exercise is good for your health. Positive changes happen to your body before, during, and after a workout.     1    

Build up your body

There are quite a few scientific reasons to do strength training. It makes muscles (肌肉) bigger and bones stronger, thus lowering the risk for certain diseases. Running is an easy but effective way to help build your muscles.     2     But a recent study found that a short run can benefit the legs in the short term. And for now, experts say running has more benefits than risks.

Improve your brainpower

Exercise can help your brain, not just your body. Physical activity helps brain cells (细胞) grow.     3     That’s because physical exercise quickly increases a person's heart rate and carries more blood to the brain, improving the brainpower.

Establish a mind-body connection

Too much stress can lead to inflammation (炎症).    4     But simple mind-body exercises like yoga can not only reduce inflammation but also lower the risk of depression. New research shows they can even change your genes to fight off poor health. Research proves that even just 15 minutes a day of practicing mindfulness seems to do the trick.

    5     National guidelines recommend more than two hours of physical activity each week. But science says people who pack that amount into one or two days get about the same benefits. Either way, get moving is the key!

A．It is the body’s painful response to injury and overuse.

B．Mindful exercises can improve your long-term well-being.

C．Then what is the proper amount of exercise you should take?

D．And moving more appears to lower the chances of memory loss.

E．Recent research shows more detail about the benefits of exercise.

F．Exercise can also help people deal better with anger and feel happier.

G．Some believe the activity can damage the knees or cause other injuries.

【推荐2】For the last six years, speed walking has now become part of my daily routine. I am always keen to do it regularly without a break. Even though I am neither a physician nor a specialist in medical science, I am fully aware that exercise, especially speed walking, helps maintain health and lowers the chance of falling ill.

I urge everybody to speed walk on a daily basis, with one day off a week, or at least to do it three times a week. I managed to burn around 17 kg of fat after taking up speed walking. This should also be accompanied with a change in diet. We need to reduce how much we eat and avoid junk food, sweets and carbonate drinks. Reducing the amount of food we eat in the evening by around 80 per cent and increasing how much water we drink are also good practice. Overeating should also be avoided.

I usually walk at a speed of 1 km per 8.5 minutes. It will initially make me tired. However, over time it will become a habit and an addiction.

This type of exercise will help you sleep and give you an appetite. It will make you physically fit and help burn fat and calories. Speed walking makes you healthy and everyone can find time to walk. The problem is that some people do not plan their days and do not, therefore, find time. We can gain health and social benefits from speed walking. It will help change our lifestyles, fight diabetes(糖尿病), and other illnesses.

Arguments such as “I am too old and obese to walk” do not hold water. People of any age who speed walk will see the benefits within a couple of months. Walking outdoors is ideal and it is best done in the company of friends.

1. Which sentence is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Speed walking helps patients recover from illness.

B．The author thinks everybody should speed walk every day.

C．The author suggests reducing the amount of food we eat by around 80 per cent.

D．The author walks at a speed of more than 100 metres per minute.

2. We can infer from the fourth paragraph that　　　　.

A．speed walking possibly leads to an eating disorder

B．many people are too busy to have a fast walk every day

C．more calories and fat will result in some serious illness

D．speed walking can effectively cure kinds of diseases

3. What does the underlined part “hold water” mean?

A．Make sense.

B．Work out.

C．Have a drink.

D．Build up.

【推荐3】As is often the case, it is human nature to lead a sedentary（久坐的）lifestyle and most of us are so involved in our busy schedules that we don't even notice our bad habits. Many worry about the right time or "right age" to start working out.     1     Here're some practical tips to help you get fit.

Master your mind. Most people argue that they are too tired or old to start exercising. Doing so is much easier than trying to change the busy lifestyle. Change your mindset and be more confident in improving your health.     2    

Easy does it. Once you have chosen a fitness program, start slowly and increase it in stages. Begin with just a few minutes of gentle exercises and stretches.     3     About 30 minutes should be devoted to your workout. As your body starts to respond and your muscles get used to the exercises, you can gradually increase the length of your workout.

Always warm up. Always remember to warm up your muscles before exercising. Gentle warm-ups will reduce your risk of injury, aches and pains, and increase blood circulation and flexibility.

    4     There's no quick access to getting fit. It's a common mistake to do too much too soon. If you don't know how to balance your needs and your expectations, you might seriously injure your muscles or just create stress.

Cool down. When you finish your routine, you need to cool your muscles and let your heart rate slow gradually.     5    

A．Don't overload your body.

B．Never ignore your potentials.

C．Tell your body to be more active and say, "I can do it."

D．However, nobody cares about what you have done for them.

E．Go next to some mild activity such as walking, jogging or cycling.

F．Cooling down will help your body to return to its pre-exercise level.

G．But it's never too late for them to start exercising and all they need is enough determination.

【推荐1】Our brain is a remarkably powerful tool. It is able to provide yon with much more thinking abilities if you learn how to develop it in the most efficient way.     1    

● Try to give your habits a fresh start from time to time.

For instance, stand on another foot when getting out of bed. You can also switch to holding a tooth brush with a hand you’ve never used for this purpose before.     2     All of those simple (yet amusing) tasks will help you to increase your brain’s activity.

● Learn how to get proper rest in order to work efficiently.

Deep healthy sleep increases brain power and contributes to attention focusing. A lack of sleep or its derangement (紊乱) may affect mental activities and remarkably decrease its functional level.     3    

● Do outdoor exercise.

It is scientifically proven that a reasonable outdoor exercise forces your brain to produce new cells. There’s no need to become an athlete, but a bit of jogging around the building will definitely do you no harm.

●     4    

Walnuts (核桃) are the best snack for a brain—they even share a similar shape. Five walnuts a day provide enough lecithin (卵磷脂) for improving brain activity and memory. Don’t drink too much alcohol, for it isn’t good brain food.     5     It is a part of a brain responsible for memory and spatial orientation. And well, a drunk man simply looks pitiful and foolish.

A．Eat food with limitation.

B．Choose the best brain food.

C．Alcohol does harm to health.

D．Alcohol destroys hippocampus.

E．Here are some simple ways to increase brain activity.

F．Scientists recommend a period of 6 to 8 hours of daily sleep.

G．Give it a go and experiment with the way you’re not used to walking.

【推荐2】Do you know the following expressions?

Homeric laughter

The “Homer” in this expression is the Greek poet who wrote The Iliad and the Odyssey. People laugh differently. Some laugh silently, while others tend to laugh loudly. “Homeric laughter” refers to laughter of the latter (后者) kind. It is at times uncontrollable, and the entire body shakes during the process. This kind of laughter is called Homeric laughter because this is how the gods laughed in Homer’s classics.

Faustian bargain

According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life. The devil(魔鬼), Mephistopheles, promises him that in exchange for his soul, he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge. Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul is condemned to the hell (下地狱). A “Faustian bargain” therefore is a deal that finally results in one’s ruin. It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration.

A three-ring circus (马戏团)

When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion. There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed. The expression comes from the world of entertainment — the circus. The area where the artists perform their acts is called the “ring”. In the past, some of the circuses were so grand that they had three acts taking place simultaneously in three different “rings”. The audience had to decide which “ring” they wanted to focus on.

In the swim (of things)

When someone is in the swim of things, the individual is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in “I’ve been ill, but soon I’ll be back in the swim of things.” In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word “swim” to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty. So, if you are a fisherman and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be “in the swim”!

1. According to the text, Homeric laughter ________.

A．was the way Homer laughed

B．means nervous, silent laughter

C．is a way to show disagreement

D．comes from a Greek poet’s works

2. If a person makes a Faustian bargain, ________.

A．he might come to a bad end

B．he would be considered clever

C．his life would become satisfying

D．he would gain power and knowledge

3. What do we learn about the expression “in the swim (of things)”?

A．It means having a lot of things to do.

B．It has nothing to do with swimming.

C．Originally it was used to refer to “going fishing”.

D．Patients use it to express their desire for health.

【推荐3】When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, yes, and drink all of them. Then you're ready for an adventure.

Researchers from the University of Sussex in England say they have found for the first time experimental evidence that sour tastes lead to more risk-taking behaviour in a paper published on 7 June, 2019.

In the study, 168 volunteers from the UK and Vietnam were given a 20ml solution representing one of the five main taste groups: bitter, salty, sour, sweet and umami. The tasters then took part in a computerized test that measures risk-taking: they got paid to blow up a digital balloon. The more air in the balloon, the more money they could get; they could cash out whenever they wanted. But if the balloon popped or exploded? Bye   bye , potential winnings.

When the researchers studied the performance of the volunteers, they found the people who'd tasted sour were much more likely to keep pumping up the balloon compared with people who'd gotten a taste of the other solutions. On average, sour tasters were 39% more likely to push the balloon to its limits than sweet tasters, 20.50% more than bitter, 16.03% more than salty and 40.29% more than umami.

This finding makes a degree of sense—without taking risks, we don't learn anything new. And it is obvious that people with disorders such as anxiety and depression are unwilling to take risks. So, the researchers argue, if you have these disorders, maybe adding more sour foods into your diet could help keep that aversion in check. Then you'd be more likely to take chances, like talking to a stranger, and that will lead to self-improvement.

1. Where does this passage most probably come from?

A．A travel guide.	B．A novel.
C．A magazine.	D．A poster.

2. What can we learn about the volunteers?

A．They came from the University of Sussex in England.

B．They got one taste drink after they filled up a balloon.

C．Those who blew up a digital balloon got more money.

D．Sour tasters were likely to push the balloon to its limits.

3. This finding may be more helpful to the people who               .

A．are in a negative mood

B．like to drink lemonade

C．joined in the experiment

D．like talking to strangers

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Good Tastes Encourage Adventures.

B．Sour Tastes Make You Risk-taking.

C．Lemonade Does Good to Health.

D．Sour Foods Keep You Happy.

【推荐1】       If you wanted to make a Disney-style animation of, say, Reggie, a spirited rabbit, planning to save his forest, you’d have a lead animator draw the extremes of the action: Reggie looking intensely focused, and then proudly announcing, “There’s a new hero in the forest!” Then you’d bring in an in-betweener — that is, the animator who draws all the comprehensive frames that bridge the major actions.
       In-betweeners don’t get the glory, but without them cartoons would hop from one emotional peak to another, missing connective grace. Burny Mattinson (1935-2023) started his career at the Walt Disney Company in the mail room, and, even though he had no formal training in animation, he was given a swing at in-betweening just six months later.
       His first big assignment was to in-between the wagging of a dog’s tail. Disney animation was famous for its silky elegance, owing in no small part to the skill of its in-betweeners, and, thanks to Mattinson, the tail practically glided from side to side.
       Mattinson had wanted to be an animator ever since his mother had taken him to see” Pinocchio” at a theatre when he was six. In a bold move, Mattinson showed up at the Disney Studios gate with his portfolio (作品) as soon as he finished high school. The magical part of this story is that, instead of shooing him away, the security guard liked his drawings and called the head of personnel to take a look.
       Thus, Mattinson became a messenger at Disney, beginning a career that would eventually make him the employee with the longest service at the company. He had joined the company at a golden moment. Listing the films that he worked on is a little like listing the entire output of the Walt Disney Company over the past six decades: Sleeping Beauty, “The Lion King,” and on and on.
       Mattinson was, perhaps, one of the last of an almost extinct genotype - the happy company man, the lifer. He never had an employer besides Disney. When asked what Mattinson enjoyed doing outside of his life at Disney, his son said, “He just loved his work.”
1. What role do in-betweeners play in animation production?

A．Design the storyline.	B．Draw the background.
C．Invent extreme actions.	D．Generate smooth motion.

2. Which of the following can best describe Mattinson’s path to Disney?

A．Unconventional.

B．Typical.

C．Illegal.

D．Accidental.

3. What makes Mattinson exceptional in Disney’s history?

A．His lifelong dedication to Disney.	B．His detailed work as an in-betweener.
C．His passion for animation beyond work.	D．His pioneering role in Disney animation.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．A lifer in the Disney	B．In-betweeners’ role in animation
C．A bold move to Disney	D．A glorious career

【推荐2】Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, “Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us.” That “quite” saddened me. I thought he was saying “we’re kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else.” Then I discovered that in American English “quite” sometimes means “very”, while in British English it means “fairly”.

So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don’t just mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures.

Some of the differences may be only on the surface——dress, food and hours of work——while others may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences and accepting them, like the climate, while getting on with business.

Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be troubling, like punctuality. If you invite people to a party at 7 o'clock your quests will consider it polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the American Midwest, an hour early in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening in Greece. I prefer not to use the word “late” because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive. It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country.

1. The author was unhappy as mentioned in paragraph 1 because he thought ________

A．The American bank didn’t think much of him.

B．The American bank might hire another person.

C．It’s difficult to get used to American culture.

D．It’s easy to understand Americans.

2. The word “highlight” in paragraph 2 probably means

A．encourages	B．helps to narrow
C．increase	D．stress

3. According to the author, what should we do with most cultural differences?

A．Ask the native people for help.	B．Understand and accept them.
C．Do things in our own ways.	D．Do in-depth research.

4. When invited to a party the people who are usually punctual are ________ .

A．Italians	B．Germans
C．Greeks	D．the British

【推荐3】Our body’s response is an important part of an emotional reaction to any event. If you’ve been criticized in public and found your face heated and your heart pounding, you’ve experienced your body’s reaction to shame.

Sometimes what you’re feeling is clear and consistent with what you’re saying. You might say “welcome” as you greet a guest with a smile. But at other times, we mask our emotions from the people around us. There are many reasons to hide how you’re feeling. You don’t want to rock the boat in a strict teachers class or you don’t want to hurt a friend’s feelings. You simply want to smooth situations over.

Even when you don’t communicate your feelings in spoken words, you may still be giving information with your body. Arms across your chest when you approach that new teacher? Looking down when you speak to your friend? These gestures are all important expressions of an emotion. Try understanding what others are communicating with their bodies. Notice things like eye contact, rate of speech and posture. How does their verbal communication match their body language? How about you? Try tuning in to your own body. How do you think others see you? Is that consistent with how you feel? Is it how you want to feel?

Body language communication is a two-way street. It communicates to others what you are feeling, but it also has a powerful effect on your own emotional state. Changing your body and posture can affect how you feel. Sit up in the meeting and you might find yourself more focused. Take a deep breath and you feel less anxious.

The body and your body language is a great field to dig into, especially if hiding how you feel has become habitual for you. Over time, if you become practiced in hiding your feelings, you may begin to hide them from yourself, too. Then the consequence can be losing contact with your own emotions. That’s actually harmful to your mental health.

1. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．make trouble	B．study
C．apologize	D．go boating

2. How does the author explain his ideas in the third paragraph?

A．By listing data.	B．By giving examples.
C．By providing definitions.	D．By analyzing previous results.

3. The author uses the example of taking a deep breath to show ________.

A．the significance of taking exercise

B．the necessity of hiding our feelings

C．the effects of body movements on our feelings

D．the importance of using postures in communication

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．We should practice controlling our feelings.

B．Body language is hard for us to understand.

C．We may try to record our feelings more often.

D．Hiding feelings for long does harm to our health.

【推荐2】SWITZERLAND TRIP PLANNING

Best Time to Go

Like any other country, you can visit Switzerland at any time of the year and have a fantastic time. However, there’s always a ‘best’ time for what you want to do there so it is always worth checking the seasons. It all depends on what your planned activities are. If you are intending to ski and snowboard, best to go when the snow is at its peak time. Activity in Switzerland can be broken down into three tourist seasons: Low Season (Oct. —Mar.), Mid Season! Apr. —Jun. & Sep.) and High Season (Jul., Aug. & Dec. —Apr. / In this season, everything is open and busy, and watch your budget).

Rough Budget

Switzerland is an expensive country to travel around but it is possible to travel here for approximately $ 70—100 per day if you stay in hostels, cook most of your meals and use local transport only when necessary. You’ll find that food is quite expensive as well as accommodation. However, the entire experience is 100% worth it. Here’s a rough cost of basic commodities.

Accommodation
Budget: $ 30—60 dorms / $ 80—120 budget hotels
Mid-range: $ 150—200
Splurge: $ 250—350+

Food (Typical Meal For One)
Self-catering lunch; $ 10—25
Restaurant: $ 20 lunch / $ 40 dinner
Very nice restaurant: $ 60+

Transport
City Buses: $ 2. 50—5
Intercity Trains: $ 25—50

Exciting Things to Do in Switzerland

With so much to see and do in Switzerland, planning a trip can be tough. Here are the things that we highly recommend doing in Interlaken as it is the adventure capital of Switzerland!

Whether you like skydiving, paragliding, or going on a jet boat, Interlaken offers everything and more for all adventure-seekers and anyone who loves the outdoors. Skydiving in Switzerland is a BUCKET LIST come true for any adventure-seeker. It is absolutely incredible and is something we highly recommend. So check out our full article on things to do in Interlaken for some ideas and see all the adventurous activities available in the area this year!

1. Which can contribute to your budget of $ 70 — 100 per day when traveling in Switzerland?

A．Choosing hotels for accommodation.	B．Cooking meals as much as you can.
C．Adopting local means of transport.	D．Attempting to travel in peak seasons.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．You can enjoy yourself to the fullest when going skiing any time in Switzerland.

B．Interlaken also offers water activities besides adventure activities like skydiving.

C．Both accommodation and hiking in the mountain are expensive in Switzerland.

D．Planning a trip in Interlaken can be tough because the activities are dangerous.

3. Where is this article most probably from?

A．A geography book about Switzerland.	B．An English textbook.
C．A composition on Switzerland.	D．A travel brochure.

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1. Which is the feature of the GO?

A．It removes noises.	B．It has separate on/off buttons.
C．It includes small batteries.	D．It focuses on practical functions.

2. Why does the author refer to Karen?

A．To prove the GO’s popularity.	B．To explain the GO's function.
C．To convey the family's amazement.	D．To show the GO's high performance

3. How much do you pay for a pair of the GO?

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