【推荐1】It is no secret that physical activity is necessary to a person's well-being. Because children are continuously developing physically and emotionally, they are especially affected by the benefits of activity. Former First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move initiative reports that nearly one-third of US children are overweight or obese, and that "schools are a key setting for kids to get their 60 minutes of play with moderate activity, given the significant portion of time they spend there."

Physical education programs in schools directly benefit students' physical health. Regular exercise promotes muscles and bone development. In addition to participating in physical activity, students in P.E. learn the fundamentals of a healthful lifestyle, the building blocks upon which they can develop into healthy, knowledgeable adults.

Though the lack of attention on P.E. is often justified as an opportunity to spend more time in the classroom, studies show that physical activity contributes to improved academic performance. Regular activity during the school day is strongly associated with higher concentration levels. A statewide policy in North Carolina requires that children from kindergarten to eighth grade participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day.

Activities in P. E. help children develop healthful social interactions. From a young age, children learn cooperation through group activities and form a positive sense of identity as part of a team. Such group activities are continually important as children grow older. The International Platform on Sport and Development states that sport has been used as a practical tool to engage young people in their communities through volunteering, resulting in higher levels of leadership and community engagement among young people.

The benefits of P.E. to a child's mental health are both complex and comprehensive. Improved physical health, academics and social interactions all contribute to good mental health. Physical activity sets the stage for a good night's sleep, provides more energy to participate in hobbies and interact with others.

1. The first paragraph implies that___________.

A．most children are growing much fatter currently

B．schools should attach great importance to physical education

C．some schools have banned physical activity

D．most parents are dissatisfied with school education

2. Physical education is ignored in a way because___________.

A．students should have more time for study	B．children dislike taking physical activity
C．schools are worried about children's safety	D．less sporting equipment is available to school children

3. Which is NOT a benefit of P.E. classes?

A．They help you study attentively.	B．They provide you with a sound sleep.
C．They guarantee you a rosy future.	D．They promote your social skills.

【推荐2】Tips For Staying Active Over the Holidays

The holiday season is here, which for most people, signals a departure from their typical exercise regime（方式，管理制度）. Being physically active on a consistent basis can be challenging during this period especially as we travel to see relatives or host friends in our homes.     1     Exercise is also known to give you an energy boost and reduce stress levels. Considering these, you can take following tips for making physical activities regular in your lifestyle, through holidays and beyond.

    2    

This is the first rule of any sustainable exercise routine. If your workout feels like another task on your to-do list, it’ll be difficult to stick with. Therefore, be creative in identifying physical activities. Dance. Garden. Take a yoga class online. All of these count as physical activities, and even small amounts add up.

Find breaks to move throughout the day.

    3     Taking three 10-minute walks during the day —one in the morning, another during your lunch and another after dinner —produces similar benefits to spending 30 minutes at the gym. In other words, taking short movement breaks throughout your day makes for a more active lifestyle and helps meet your goals.

Make it a priority.

Most of us are managing countless responsibilities every day, so it’s vital to consider physical activities an important part of your day.    4     And, let others know when you’ll be busy exercising and how they can help you find time to do so. Having the support from others is an important element of success.

Be realistic.

Most are overly optimistic when first mapping out a workout plan. In fact, exercise isn’t necessarily at maximal intensity to be effective. Besides, you don’t have to exercise before, during and after work every day in order to hit your goals.    5    

A．Find something you enjoy.

B．Participate in various physical activities.

C．Exercise doesn’t have to take place in a gym.

D．Of course, it is realistic to avoid being injured in sports.

E．Instead, just put more movement into your current daily life.

F．However hard it seems, staying active can help not just your waistline.

G．Put it on your schedule, just as you make an appointment with a doctor.

【推荐3】It is probably the strangest sport anyone has ever invented. And at first sight, it looks like the easiest. Competitors have to do two things. The first is to stand still. The second is to place their hands anywhere on the body of a car, and keep it there.

This is where things start getting difficult. Lots of people are doing the same thing. And the winner of the “handathon” contest is the person who can carry on doing it for the longest time. That person gets to own the car.

It still seems to be an easy thing to do. At the beginning it is. Anyone can stand still. But when the contest has been going for four or five days, standing still seems like the most difficult job in the world. And keeping the hand in place over this time becomes an act of serious attention. After a few days, the hand seems to belong to someone else—someone who wants to go home and get some sleep.

Competitors are allowed to take a five-minute break every hour to eat, drink or do whatever else is necessary. No one is allowed to lean on the car for support. Winners need to be able to show great powers of attention. They also need to be able to develop special skills.

Maybe the popularity of the handathon is due to the fact that it is not necessary to be a trained athlete to enter. Competitors in the Longview handathon certainly don’t seem to do much preparation. Most say they will prepare by “getting lots of sleep”. Others say they will “eat healthy food” or “pray for success”. The whole event gives ordinary people the chance to do something interesting and win something in the end.

Handathons are competitions, but there is little rivalry (敌对) between competitors. They help each other out and keep each other’s spirits up. People who drop out early return with food, drink and encouragement.

1. What does the word “handathon” probably mean?

A．A sport involving walking a long distance.

B．A sport involving moving hands fast.

C．A sport involving keeping hands in place for long.

D．A sport involving holding up hands steadily for long.

2. What might make handathon seem to be the strangest sport?

A．It seems to be a very easy sport but in fact very difficult.

B．At first sight people think it obviously very difficult.

C．It is very interesting and an easy to all kinds of people.

D．It requires people to have strength instead of attention.

3. Why is handathon popular?

A．Specially trained athletes can enter the competition.

B．Competitors don’t need to make any preparations.

C．Anyone who is interested can be specially trained for it.

D．Ordinary people can have the chance to play and win something.

4. Which of the following is against the rule for handathon?

A．Standing still.

B．Changing the place of hands.

C．Placing hands in one place.

D．Taking a four-minute break.

【推荐1】Students in American schools learn from an early age to give presentations (演讲) as part of their regular classroom activities. Children as young as five years old often give brief talks about objects they bring in to school called ''show and tell'', and this training is a basis for later public speaking. Even so, many native English­speaking adults are afraid to speak or give presentations in front of a large group.

Speaking English in public meetings is necessary for many students and employees. The best way to improve is to practice public speaking in a friendly environment. Learners need to receive feedback about what they are doing well and about their mistakes. One group that gives members the chance to practice is Toastmasters. Toastmasters is an international organization that holds weekly meetings. At the meetings, members each give a speech and give others advice about their speeches and speaking style.

Charles LeBeau is a public speaking professor and consultant. He began his career in Japan in 1982. Currently, he teaches at two universities and at the Toshiba International Training Center. He has also written books on the subject.

English language learners around the world use his book Speaking of Speech. Speaking of Speech tells about a method of teaching public speaking for non­native speakers. Mr. LeBeau says a simple approach helps English learners.

''The approach that I've taken is to simplify and break it down. First if we look at a presentation, what's going on, there are basically three messages that the presenter is giving the audience, all simultaneously (同时). There's what I call the physical message. Physical message is basically body language. It's the way that my body, as a speaker, is talking to the audience. And then there's also the visual message. The visual messages are the slides that we now make and show the audience. The third message is the story message. The story message is the content of our presentation. So another way we can think of the story messages is that it's the verbal message, and it's what we say to the audience. The story message also includes how we organize our ideas to present to the audience. '' LeBeau said.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The best way to improve is to practice public speaking in an unfriendly environment.

B．Toastmasters is an international organization that holds meetings every two weeks.

C．Only non­native English speaking adults are afraid to give presentations in front of a large group.

D．At the meetings of Toastmasters, members give not only a speech but also advice.

2. The book Speaking of Speech by Charles LeBeau is mainly intended for ________．

A．children as young as five years old

B．non­native English speakers

C．native English speakers only

D．students in American schools

3. What are the three messages given in Mr. LeBeau's simple approach that helps English learners?
a．the physical message
b．the visual message
c．the story message
d．the verbal message
e．the basic body language

A．abc	B．bcd
C．abe	D．cde

4. Which could be the best title for this passage?

A．Necessity of Speaking English in Public Meetings

B．Toastmasters, an International Organization

C．Tips for Public Speaking

D．Charles LeBeau, a Public Speaking Professor and   Consultant

【推荐2】Obviously television has both advantages and disadvantages.
In the first place, television is not only a convenient source of entertainment, but also a very cheap one. With a TV set in the family people don’t have to pay for expensive seats at the theatre, the cinema, or the opera .All they have to do is to push a button or turn a knob, and they can see plays, films, operas and shows of every kind. Some people, however, think that this is where the danger lies. The television viewers need do nothing. He does not even have to use his legs if he has a remote control. He makes no choice and exercises, no judgment. He is completely passive and has everything presented to him without any effort in his part.
Television, it is often said, keeps one informed about current events and the latest developments in science and politics. The most distant countries and the strangest customs are brought right into one’s sitting room. It could be argued that the radio performs this service as well; but on television everything is much more living, much more real. Yet here again there is a danger. The television screen itself has a terrible, almost physical charm for us. We get so used to looking at the movements on it ,so dependent on its pictures, that it begins to control our lives. People are often heard to say that their television sets have broken down and that they have suddenly found that they have far more time to do things and that they have actually begin to talk to each other again. It makes one think, doesn’t it?
There are many other arguments for and against television. We must realize that television itself is neither good nor bad. It is the uses that it is put to that determine its value to society.
1. What is the major function of paragraph 1?

A．To cause the reader’s discussion

B．To introduce the theme of the whole passage

C．To summarize the whole passage

D．To tell the primary uses of TV

2. Television, as a source of entertainment, is ______.

A．not very convenient	B．very expensive
C．quite dangerous	D．very cheap

3. Why are some people against TV?

A．Because TV programs are not interesting.

B．Because TV viewers are totally passive.

C．Because TV prices are very high.

D．Because TV has both advantages and disadvantages.

4. One of the most obvious advantages of TV is that ______.

A．it keeps us informed

B．it is very cheap

C．it enables us to have a rest

D．it controls our lives

5. According to the passage, whether TV is good or not depends on _______ .

A．its quality	B．people’s attitude towards it
C．how we use it	D．when we use it