【推荐1】If you think that running marathons will help you live a long and healthy life, new research may come as a shock. According to a recent scientific study, people who do a very strenuous workout are as likely to die as people who do no exercise at all.

Scientists in Denmark have been studying over 1,000 joggers and non­joggers for 12 years. The death rates from the sample group indicate that people who jog at a moderate pace two or three times a week for less than two and a half hours in total are least likely to die. The best speed to jog at was found to be about 5 miles per hour. The research suggests that people who jog more than three times a week or at higher speeds of over 7 mph die at the same rate as non­joggers. The scientists think that this is because strenuous exercise causes structural changes to the heart and arteries. Over time, this can cause serious injuries.

Peter Schnohr, a researcher in Copenhagen, said, “If your goal is to decrease risk of death and improve life expectancy, jogging a few times a week at a moderate pace is a good strategy. Anything more is just unnecessary, and it may be harmful.”

The implications of this are that moderate forms of exercise such as tai chi, yoga and brisk walking may be better for us than “iron man” events, triathlons and long­distance running and cycling. According to Jacob Louis Marott, another researcher involved in the study, “You don’t actually have to do that much to have a good impact on your health.And perhaps you shouldn’t actually do too much.”

1. The underlined word “strenuous” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．hard

B．regular

C．practical

D．flexible

2. A series of numbers are presented in Paragraph 2 to_______.

A．suggest giving up jogging	B．show risks of doing sports
C．provide supportive evidence	D．introduce the research process

3. According to the scientists, why is too much exerise harmful?

A．It may injure the heart and arteries	B．It can exhaust tie body and soul
C．It will bring too much pressure	D．It might cause worse exercise performance

4. What can be learned from the passage?

A．No exercise at all is the best choice.	B．More exercise means a healthier life.
C．Marathon runners are least likely to die.	D．Proper exercise results in good health.

【推荐2】Sometimes, we need a little help and get back to a state of mindfulness when it comes to taking care of our physical and mental health. Wellness vacations are on the rise.

■ Ketanga Fitness          When: April 6—10            Where: Phoenix, Arizona

What: Sweat it out surrounded by the red rocks of Arizona’s desert. P. E. Club owner Nedra Lopez leads a mixture of high and low intensity workouts in the mornings and evenings. During breaks, guests will have plenty of time to explore the desert. After your last workout class, you can hit the town for dinner and drinks.

■Rksolid Retreat (静修)   When: April 15—22            Where: Oahu, Hawaii

What: What better excuses to relax yourself in Hawaii than a retreat led by Barry’s Bootcamp star Rebecca Kennedy? During your week-long journey to Oahu, you’ll surf, climb waterfalls, and hike the Stairway to Heaven trail. In between all those workouts, Kennedy creates a special stretch and recovery class so you won’t skip a beat next day.

■ Wellness Immersion (沉浸)   When: August                                   Where:   Amanbagh, India

What: The Amanbagh hotel offers 4—21 day programs focusing on immersion courses that focus on relieving stress from people’s body. Activities include hikes overlooking beautiful gorges, yoga and meditation sessions, and meals made with organic, locally harvested produce.

■Mile High Run Club          When: August 18—28                  Where:   Reykjavik, Iceland

What: After landing in Reykjavik, runners can work towards their best time in the annual marathon, half marathon, or 10K. After a race, you’ll relax your muscles in the geothermal Blue Lagoon spa and hit the ground running again with guided runs through Thorsmark National Park. Do we even have to mention Saltarello’s crazy glacier views?

1. Which vacation will you choose if you want to visit desert?

A．Ketanga Fitness.	B．Rksolid Retreat.
C．Wellness Immersion.	D．Mile High Run Club.

2. What do the four vacations have in common?

A．Men are the target vacationers.

B．They are available all year round.

C．Courses and classes are arranged during them.

D．They are combinations of wellness and scenery.

3. What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To promote marathon events.

B．To advertise some P. E. clubs.

C．To introduce some wellness vacations.

D．To attract more tourists to come to America.

【推荐3】When you go for a run outside, chances are that you’ll find litter all around you. Do you just go past it, or do you stop and pick it up? If you choose the latter, you’re part of the latest fitness trend that’s sweeping the West: plogging.

The word “plogging” combines the Swedish phrase “plocka upp” (pick up) with the English word “jogging”.

Running – especially marathons – is often associated with good causes. And plogging, which combines environmentalism with fitness, has become the new poster boy for the environmentally-friendly runner. All a plogger needs is a trash bag, and ideally a pair of gloves to protect their hands.

The process of collecting garbage is simple, but it sheds light on serious environmental issues. “When I usually walk through the streets of New York, the sight of newspapers, lost hats, and shattered glass doesn’t bother me,” Matthew Sedacca of Men’s Health magazine wrote. “But when I was plogging and focused on trash collecting, the amount of garbage strewn (散布) across the sidewalks and along the pavement was kind of shocking.”

While collecting garbage, ploggers learn to classify and dispose of it correctly too. Laura Lindberg, a plogger who lives in New Jersey, US, always keeps a note of what she’s collected in her mind. This way, she knows what can stay in her trash bag and what can go in a nearby recycling bin.

It may be difficult to measure the sense of self-satisfaction that comes from making the world a cleaner, greener and more beautiful place, but the health benefits of plogging are easy to see. According to the Swedish fitness app Lifesum, a 30-minute plogging burns around 288 calories, compared to 235 calories burned from just jogging.

So the next time you go out jogging, why not carry a trash bag and collect some litter along the way? Your body and the environment will thank you.

1. What can we learn about “plogging” from paragraph 1 to 3?

A．Plogging is becoming a tendency throughout the world.

B．A plogger should take a pair of gloves for protection.

C．A plogger can contribute to environmental protection.

D．Plogging is often connected with running especially marathons.

2. What does the underlined phrase “shed light on” in paragraph 4 most probably mean?

A．To pick something up.

B．To make something clear.

C．To do good to something.

D．To take advantage of something.

3. The author presents his ideas mainly by      .

A．setting down general rules

B．drawing a comparison

C．making assumptions

D．giving examples

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．We should assist ploggers to classify rubbish correctly.

B．Ploggers need keep a note of what they’ve collected.

C．Plogging helps burn more calories than jogging only.

D．The joy from plogging outweighs the health benefits.

【推荐1】We normally think of bacteria as our enemies. But they aren’t all bad. Our bodies are full of them and it turns out we can’t live without them. From the moment we’re born, we acquire, and develop an internal ecosystem of symbiotic bacteria and other microbes (微生物) -they are interdependent players in our body. In fact, there are roughly as many microbial cells in our bodies as human cells. This microbial world is called our microbiome (微生物组).

While some microbes can make us ill, we need our microbiome to survive. Combined, they are every bit as essential as our heart, our lungs, or our brain. Most of the microbiome is found in our gut (肠道). They are essential for digestion and help regulate hormones and boost our immune system.

A healthy collection of microbes seems to be vital for our well-being, protecting against some of the biggest health threats. On the other hand, having an unhealthy microbiome may be a contributing factor for many common diseases. Our modern lifestyles, western diets and overuse of antibiotics might all be having a harmful effect on our internal ecology.

So how do you develop a healthy microbiome in the gut? Well, it seems that the more diverse your microbial population is, the better. And the best way to increase your diversity is to eat a wide range of plant-based foods. Research shows that people who have at least 30 plant-based elements in their diet every week have a wider range of bacteria in their gut, and that’s linked to better weight management, better heart heath and better mental health. One easy way to boost your numbers is to add a teaspoon of mixed seeds to your breakfast.

The influence of your gut microbes goes a lot further than you might think. In the last 20 years, we’ve learned that they communicate constantly with the brain, perhaps even having control over your mood and emotions.

1. Which can best replace the underlined word symbiotic in the first paragraph?

A．Coexisting.

B．Beneficial.

C．Special.

D．Complicated.

2. Which statement might the author agree with?

A．Plant-based diets make people healthier.

B．Microbiome is more important than our brain.

C．There's some link between the diversity of bacteria and health.

D．The overuse of antibiotics leads to distinct increase in microbiome.

3. What might be discussed after the last paragraph?

A．Examples of gut microbes.

B．Gut microbes and mental welling-being.

C．Interactions of microbes in our body.

D．Ways to identify beneficial gut microbes.

4. What's the best title for the passage?

A．Gut microbes: Fighters in the body

B．The microbiome: A cure of all diseases

C．Gut microbes: Protectors of mental health

D．The microbiome: A contributor to our health

【推荐3】Live longer

Everyone wants to live longer. We try to exercise, eat right and get enough sleep. But other things can also help us to live a longer, happier and healthier life.

Use your mind.

Actively using your mind will cut your risk of developing dementia (痴呆) in half.     1     Memorize phone numbers in your cellphone, and make calls without using your speed dial. As you put goods into your cart(购物车), add them up in your head.

    2    

If you watch TV while you are eating, you may eat more, which may lead to weight gain. Studies suggest that families who watch TV while eating also eat fewer vegetables and fruit.

Chew(嚼碎) your food.

When you eat, chew your food completely. That makes it easier for your body to use the food’s nutrients. Also, it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain it’s full.    3    

Make time for yourself.

We all have plenty of stress in our daily lives.     4    . Take an exercise class. Start a new hobby. Do something you really enjoy.

It ’s not about me.

If you want to live longer, help others. Studies show that volunteering increases your lifespan (寿命).    5    . And having lots of friends around, especially in old age, helps you live longer.

A．Have dinner out with friends.

B．It also builds your social network.

C．Think of fun games to play by yourself.

D．If you eat more slowly, you may eat less.

E．Don’ t eat and watch TV at the same time.

F．Cut the risk of cancer by using sunscreen.

G．Be sure to find some ways to reduce that stress.

【推荐1】I look around and can’t recognize where I am. It seems familiar but distant. I see my friends gathered by a stage where music is playing and I run over. As I begin running towards them, they become further and further away. I keep calling for them, but no one hears me. I start hearing a distant alarm-like sound and I am transported away. I woke up in a daze (茫然) sitting in my bed.

“Oh, it was only a dream,” I said to myself. I have always had vivid and intense dreams. Sometimes, it feels like I haven’t even slept because I have been living out my dreams during my sleep.

Today, dreaming is being studied even more than ever. Some say that dreams are how your receptors (受体) make sense of random thoughts while you sleep. Some say that you can’t dream of a face you have never seen before, so everyone you see in your dreams you have at least laid eyes on at one time or another.

Other people think dreams are ways of expressing stress or internal feelings you may be experiencing. A lot of people say that they have dreams about being chased (追逐).

A common interpretation of the “being chased” dream is that you are feeling threatened. Some dream interpretation sites say you should try to reflect on what or who is chasing you to get a better idea of what is making you feel this way.

Another dream that is often experienced is flying. This dream has a much more positive interpretation, which is that you are feeling free or have broken out of a bad situation such as a relationship turned sour or a job you hate.

Unfortunately, if you even remember your dreams at all, you forget half of your dream within five minutes of waking up and within 10 minutes, you usually forget 90 percent of it.

Dreamologists, people who devote time to the study and interpretation of dreams, suggest if you want to try to remember and study your dreams you should keep a journal beside your bed and jot down what you dreamt as soon as you wake up so you can reflect on it later.

1. Dreams of “being chased” occur because ________.

A．you are feeling threatened

B．you just quit a job you hate

C．your friends are far away from you when in need

D．your receptors is always thinking while you sleep

2. Why should we keep a journal beside your bed to reflect on dreams?

A．We need to chase those people who appeared in our dreams.

B．We usually forget 90 percent of dreams within 10 minutes.

C．It can help us get out of the intense dreams.

D．It can help us sleep well without dreams.

3. Where can we read this article?

A．In a poster.	B．In a physics book.
C．In a traveling magazine.	D．In a science newspaper.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Why am I Always Dreaming	B．How Is My Dream Created
C．What do My Dreams Mean	D．How to Avoid Dreams

【推荐3】Having an older brother comes with plenty of benefits. Big brothers tend to look out for their younger siblings, and except for the occasional rocky moment here and there, many siblings enjoy life-long close relationships. However, a new study finds an interesting downside: children with older brothers take longer when it comes to developing language skills.

The study, led by a group of researchers in Paris, France, builds upon a former research which showed that having older siblings is associated with poor linguistic development. Now, researchers say they have come to a more specific conclusion: only children with an older brother have these linguistic difficulties.

One would think that children with older brothers would grow up around more conversation on a daily basis, thus speeding up their language development. Yet researchers say such children actually take longer than their older brothers to begin developing these skills. Researchers studied more than 1,000 children from birth to the age of five-and-a-half years old. Each child’s language skills were tested at ages 2, 3, and 5.5, using tests specially designed to measure numerous aspects of language development. What the research team discovered was significant: children with an older brother had, on average, a two-month delay in their language development compared to studied children with an older sister.

As far as explaining this, researchers have put forward two hypotheses. The first is that older sisters tend to talk more often than older brothers, which would make up for parents being less present than they were for their first child. The second hypothesis is that older sisters usually compete with their siblings less than older brothers for their parents’ attention.

Up till now, the study’s authors say they can’t say for certain why children with older brothers have a harder time developing language skills. In the future they would like to know if culture or location affects these results.

1. What does the underlined phrase“rocky moment”in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Sadness.

B．Quarrel.

C．Excitement.

D．Peace.

2. Why did the Paris researchers carry out the study?

A．To find how kids learn from their siblings.

B．To further research into a former study result.

C．To explore the newest trend of linguistic world.

D．To investigate the situation of kids’language skills.

3. Which of the following did the researchers find in kids with siblings?

A．Children with older brothers were less active.

B．Siblings are less helpful to them than other people.

C．Kids with older sisters developed their language better.

D．Older children got more chances to talk to their parents.

【推荐1】Inspiration 4, as the mission is called, is indeed impressive, the first time “normal people” with minimal training will leave the planet, enter orbit, and return to Earth days later — a considerable advancement from the 11-minute joy ride Jeff Bezos took in July. But despite the lofty name, don’t be fooled: Inspiration, is not the victory for everyone that it presents itself to be.

I’ve been hugely critical of the billionaire space race, which incautiously pollutes our atmosphere and has the enormous opportunity cost of time, money, resources, and energy that could go toward more urgent planetary issues, like world hunger and global poverty. Clean energy research, sustainable transportation innovations, and the creation of high-paying jobs in green sectors would do far more for the average non-billionaire than a rocket ship ever will.

Still, we’re being tricked and get convinced that SpaceX’s civilian mission is “inspiring” because its passengers aren’t professionals. The Falcon 9 rocket was chartered by businessman Jared lsaacman, who has successfully shaped the mission as a worthy cause for Wednesday’s voyage is part of a large fundraising effort for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

As for his guests, lsaacman is taking St. Jude physician assistant Hayley Arceneaux; Sian Proctor, a passed-over finalist from NASA’s astronaut program; and Chris Sembooski, who was gifted his spot after his friend won it in a raffle. No doubt, the primary reason for the journey is marketing for private space travel.

It’s hard not to be won over! But that’s also the point. “Civilian” missions like Inspiration make space travel appear to be “accessible to all”, despite the fact that spaceflight will be “a hobby only reserved for billionaires and cent-millionaires for many years to come,” as Business Insider writes. Yet if space tourism companies can get the general public to support them, then they’ve effectively gotten us to buy into something that does not actually do any good to us. Additionally, whenever something earnestly asks you to consider it an “inspiration”, it’s always good to ask yourself why.

1. According to the passage, Inspiration 4 is ________.

A．the first civilian mission to orbit the earth

B．a minute-long joy ride to leave the planet

C．the first space trip for people without training

D．an impressive spaceflight experienced by professionals

2. The underlined word “lofty”" in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.

A．interesting

B．noble

C．common

D．original

3. Which of the following statements on Inspiration4 does the author agree with?

A．It slows the creation of high-paying jobs	B．It worsens world hunger and global poverty.
C．It wastes time, money, resources and energy.	D．It accelerates the research process of clean energy.

4. Which of the following is the best title of the article?

A．Space trip: Inspiration for Civilians	B．Inspiration4: Not Really an Inspiration
C．Space tourism: A Privilege for Billionaires	D．Private Spaceflight: A Worthy Cause for All

【推荐2】Greek Festival and Roman Festival

You will be sent to a group.

As a member of the group, you will take part in at least ONE of the following activities.

1. Compete in an Olympic event.

Sign up with your English teacher, and remember space is limited for each event, so don’t delay. See the list under “Olympic Events” below.

2. Make Greek or Roman food.

Mrs. Jones has a list of recipes (食谱) from ancient Greece and Rome. You may make American food, but be sure to give it a Greek or Roman name. For example, call your chocolate cake “Zeus’s Delight.” This is a great way to practice your skills in the kitchen.

3. Create a work of art for the museum.

Be sure your artwork reflects (反映) ancient Greek or Roman culture. Artwork may include sculptures, paintings, drawings, or models. The museum is a great place to show off your artistic talent.

4. Perform an original opera, song, or dance for the talent show.

Rewrite your favorite Greek myth (神话) using modern language, or change the words of a popular song to tell a Greek or Roman tale. To try out, you must perform for a group of teachers. This audition (试演) helps the teachers choose the BEST performance groups for the talent show.

5. OLYMPIC EVENTS:

Hercules Throw — Throw a football through a hoop (铁箍) 20 feet away.

Three-Headed Race — Three people line up with touching legs tied. Then they run the distance of the gym.

6. This schedule will clear up confusion and help groups know where to go.

Group Number	1:00-1:25	1:30-1:55	2:00-2:25	2:30-3:30
I	Olympics/Gym	Museum/Library	Food Court/ Cafeteria	Talent Show/Auditorium (礼堂) All teams Hurry! No seats reserved.
II	Food Court/ Cafeteria	Olympics/Gym	Museum/Library
III	Museum/Library	Food Court/ Cafeteria	Olympics/Gym

1. What can we learn about the food activity from Section 2?

A．Greek or Roman names must be used.

B．American foods are not allowed.

C．Food sharing is not allowed.

D．New recipes must be created.

2. Which piece of art would be shown in the museum?

A．A drawing of an ancient Indian city.

B．A model of ancient Egyptian furniture.

C．sculpture of ancient German buildings.

D．A painting of the ancient Olympic games.

3. What can we learn from Section 5?

A．Different physical competitions are offered.

B．Skills in throwing are needed in these games.

C．Partners are required for activity participation.

D．Runners will be good candidates for winning.

4. Where does Group I go after observing the artwork according to Section 6,?

A．To practice dance steps.

B．To taste the food items.

C．To watch the talent show.

D．To compete in Olympic events.

5. What is the main purpose of this passage?

A．To train students in clothing design.

B．To inform students of their choices.

C．To persuade students to write songs.

D．To show the students’ talents.

【推荐3】Revealed to the world by the famous British explorer, Dr David Livingstone, in 1855, the Victoria Falls are one of Africa’s best-known natural wonders. They form a natural border between Zimbabwe (津巴布韦) and Zambia (赞比亚).
The falls are named after Queen Victoria by Livingstone. They were known to the native people in the 18th century as: "the smoke that thunders". The waterfall is formed as the two-kilometer-wide Zambezi River spills (溅) over the edge of its giant stone riverbed and falls into the gorge (山谷) below. At their highest point, the Victoria Falls drop a distance of 108m, almost twice as far as the Niagara Falls. As much as 546 million cubic meters of water per minute falls over the edge from that height.
Viewing the falls from the Zambian side means that visitors can follow a path that goes right up to the falls. The falls can also be viewed from the Boiling Pot, right in the depths of the gorge at the bottom of the falls. The 111-meter-high Victoria Falls Bridge, a railway crossing, is now a popular place for Bungee jumping. It can be crossed on foot for excellent views of the falls and the winding blue-green waters of the Zambezi River. It is also possible to see the falls from a plane.
The area around the falls is a major game-viewing place. The best time to view the Victoria Falls is between December and July, when the water level is the highest. Contact Addresses Tourist Centre, Livingstone, Zambia Tel: (03) 321 404E-mail: zntb@zamnet.zm Website: www.zambiatourism.com。
1. The author of the passage is likely to be ______.

A．a government officer	B．a tourist guide
C．a traveler	D．a teacher

2. According to the passage, we know that the Victoria Falls ________.

A．are the best place to enjoy Bungee jumping

B．drop twice as far as the Niagara Falls

C．are a man-made wonder in Africa

D．were discovered by a British man

3. How many ways did the author mention to view the falls?

A．2.

B．3.

C．4.

D．5.

4. The purpose of the passage is to ______.

A．introduce a famous natural wonder —the Victoria Falls

B．tell us the discovery of the Victoria Falls

C．show how the Victoria Falls are formed

D．advise travelers to come to the Victoria Falls