Tai chi, a traditional, slow-moving form of Chinese physical exercise, is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. New research has been conducted to determine whether tai chi has an influence on lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension (高血压前期).
In the study, Chinese scientists put 342 adults with prehypertension into two groups. The average age of people taking part in the study was 49. About half the participants (参与者) took part in aerobic exercise, including jogging, climbing stairs and cycling. The other half was trained to practice tai chi. Both groups got hour-long exercises four times a week.
Nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to be normal, compared with nearly 16% of people in the aerobic exercise group. And fewer patients in the tai chi group went on to develop high blood pressure than patients in the aerobic exercise group.
So what is it about tai chi that helps lower blood pressure? “The practice tends to get more of a response from the parasympathetic (副交感的) nervous system, which is the network of nerves that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger,” says Ruth Taylor-Piliae, a professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing.
“I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership, you don’t have to have special clothing,” Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime and anyplace. And it does provide a calming and relaxing effect.”
Evidence suggests it can also help protect against cognitive fall and even improve memory. But you have to practice it continually to get the most benefit.
1. What is the function of paragraph 1?A.To offer some examples. | B.To explain a definition. |
C.To introduce the topic. | D.To give people suggestions. |
A.They were divided into two groups. | B.They suffered from heart disease. |
C.They were 49 years old. | D.They got exercises five times a week. |
A.It can make people calm down. |
B.It requires training and specialized equipment. |
C.It has no influence on the parasympathetic nervous system. |
D.It is suitable for individuals with aerobic exercise experience. |
A.A Traditional Sport | B.The Benefits of Aerobic Exercise |
C.Exploring Chinese Physical Exercise | D.Managing Blood Pressure with Tai Chi |
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【推荐1】It’s no wonder they call her Iron Gran. At the age of 76, she’s the UK’s oldest female Ironman triathlete (铁人三项运动员), and has lost count of the number of marathons she has run. Just as incredible is the fact that Edwina Brocklesby or “Eddie” as she’s known only took up running in her 50s. With her boundless energy and infectious smile she inspires everyone she meets.
As well as her personal achievements, the super-granny also launched the charity Silverfit in 2013. It promotes sport for older people and started with events in London’s parks and has since grown to have 2,000 members. Silverfit offers a range of activities to the over-45s. To make sure no one is excluded due to cost, membership is only £12 per year. As Eddie says: “It’s absolutely essential with our aging population that—they age healthily and that they have fun doing so. Our core message is that it’s never too late to start exercising.”
Len Bass, 76, has been coming along for two years. He wanted to get fit after surviving stomach cancer that left him barely able to walk. Within weeks of joining he had begun to see a difference. “I was bent over when I started, but by the end of the first month I could run up hills. Thanks to Silverfit, today I am really fit, I am off all medication.”
And Marjorie Barnes, 62, from Dulwich added: “I had terrible back problems, and was walking with a stick when a friend recommended Silverfit. I joined Silverfit and within a year I’d alleviated (减轻) my back problems and even entered the London half marathon. I’ve got my freedom back and it’s all down to the wonderful Eddie. She’s amazing.”
Eddie’s personal drive to get fit was driven by her husband’s sudden death in his 50s. Now Eddie has completed at least 12 marathons. “Running with friends helped me dramatically after I lost my husband. My advice would be to make the best of your life, and have fun.”
1. What can we learn about Eddie?A.She came to running late. |
B.She is the oldest marathon runner. |
C.She broke the record for a marathon. |
D.She always goes on trips to scenic spots. |
A.To kill her leisure time. |
B.To raise money for her career. |
C.To support Ironman triathletes. |
D.To encourage the old to exercise. |
A.It helped him realize his marathon dream. |
B.It freed him from his medication. |
C.It helped him make a friend. |
D.It became a burden to him. |
A.Uninteresting. | B.Unbearable. | C.Inspiring. | D.Complex. |
【推荐2】More than 30,000 people went to the White House on Monday for the 136th Easter Egg Roll (复活节滚彩蛋). President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama held the event by inviting thousands of kids to color and look for eggs. The theme(主题) of the day was “Hop Into Healthy, Swing Into Shape.” It was part of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” program to reduce obesity rates (肥胖率) among American kids. Mrs. Obama spoke to young reporters about her goal(目标) to get children to eat right and keep moving.
“We are working to make sure that kids born today grow up healthy, learn how to have balanced meals, and get more physical activity into their lives,” she said.
Mrs. Obama said she wants children across the nation to understand that "exercise isn't just hard work, it's play. If you’re running around with your dog, you're getting exercise. If you walk up the stairs, that's exercise, But if you’re sitting in front of the TV or on a computer game, you're not exercising.”
The First Lady said that for kids who have balanced meals most of the time, having a special snack, like chocolate, will not hurt." And if you are active, you can splurge (挥霍) a little more," she said. Mrs. Obama’s favorite "splurge food" is French fries. But she balances her splurging by exercising almost every day. She loves to play tennis and she practices yoga.
“A lot of kids look up to(敬仰) athletes, and I think it's important for athletes to share their good habits,” Mrs. Obama said. "Kids aren’t just going to wake up and be LeBron James. He's practicing and eating right and working out and training. Our athletes can be really good messengers to kids who look up to them--they can say to kids, 'If you really want to be like me, then you really do need to eat your vegetables.’”
1. The purpose of the “Let’s Move!” program is to_______ .A.help kids keep healthy | B.train more young reporters |
C.encourage kids to eat more eggs | D.invite kids to visit the White House |
A.you don' t hurt yourself | B.you have a special snack |
C.you never eat French fries | D.you eat right and stay active |
A.All kids want to be LeBron James. |
B.It is very easy to form good habits. |
C.Athletes can set a good example for kids. |
D.Kids like the messages the athletes give them. |
【推荐3】Soccer legend: They told me girls couldn't play this game
Note: Michelle Akers was a player on the US Women's National Teams who won World Cup titles in 1991 (where she won the Golden Hoot as top scorer) and 1999.
(CNN) — In third grade, I shared my dream along with my favorite football with the class, and as I proudly finished my speech, my teacher responded, "Michelle, girls cannot play football" to which I answered, "Yes, I can." I wouldn’t let it go, landing myself in the principal's office, trying not to cry. Soon, my mom arrived. “God help me now,” I thought ... until I heard her say to both my teacher and the principal, “How dare you tell my daughter what she can or cannot do.”
On Wednesday, all the world (myself included) will watch the 2019 US Women's National Team — Women's World Cup champions. I'm also thinking about how they — like I — got to the place where they lifted that trophy. To me, the 2019 World Cup and above all, this team, has taken the stories and dreams of the USWNT full circle.
It goes like this: First, you dream. Next, you play. Then, you inspire a legacy.
So many years ago, I dreamed of being a Pittsburgh Steeler. But many of the players on this 2019 World Champion USA Team sat in stadiums or watched games on TV in 1999 and dreamed of playing for the USWNT. No one could tell them they couldn't — they could see for themselves that it was possible.
They have now not only won a World Cup, but have turned their dreams into action. Dreams of being the best in the world. Dreams of equality and equal opportunity. And the actions to back them up and make them real for the people who come after them. They are demanding respect and equality from the powers that be because they know what it is to achieve more than just a trophy.
That, for me, is so very powerful. What this 2019 World Champion team demands for themselves — and put first in their lives — will be their biggest message of change: Respect. Equal opportunity. Team and family. Individual choice. Excellence. Into a new era.
And I am grateful to be celebrating them in their much deserved ticker-tape parade in the Canyon of Heroes in NYC.
1. What's the attitude of Michelle's mom towards her dream?A.Funny. | B.Supportive. | C.Ambiguous. | D.Carefree. |
A.Michelle is coaching and encouraging the team. | B.Michelle together with her team won the trophy. |
C.The team carries the same dreams as Michelle's | D.The team didn't fail Michelle's great expectation. |
A.She set an example to women football players. |
B.She won the Golden Boot in 1999. |
C.She retired from her team in 2019. |
D.She recognized inequality to women in football. |
A.Dream, Play and Inspire | B.Woman Football Develops |
C.Football Counts More than Ever | D.Equal Playing Field Is More than Men's |
【推荐1】Everyone likes talking about weather. When people meet, they usually say something like “Isn't it a nice day?” or “Do you think it will rain?”
Different people often want different weather. When a farmer needs water, he hopes it will rain. When people want to take a trip, they hope it will be sunny soon.
How will be the weather? Many people think they can tell it. But they often have different ideas. Some may say, “It's cloudy in the east. It will rain tomorrow.” But others may say, “No, it will be sunny tomorrow.” So people like the weather report. It sometimes makes mistakes Still, it can tell many things about the weather.
1. When people meet, they usually say something about .A.their clothes | B.food | C.their work | D.weather |
A.different people often want different weather | B.farmers always want rain |
C.sunny weather is good for a trip | D.people like to take a trip |
A.don't know the weather tomorrow | B.have different ideas about the weather |
C.don't like the weather report | D.do different things in different weather |
A.People don't need it now. | B.It's interesting to watch it. |
C.It's still useful. | D.It's not useful at all. |
【推荐2】In the West, some people believe that personality can be predicted(预测) according to the time of the year the person was born. From China comes the belief that the year of birth influences one’s personality. In the past century, a new belief has arisen: the idea that personality is related to one’s ABO blood type. People with blood type A, for example, are considered more likely to be serious, hard-working, and quiet, while people with blood type O are likely to be popular and outgoing, yet often unable to finish what they start. Though this belief continues to be strong, some people question whether it is true.
The blood-type personality theory(理论) started in Japan in 1927 when Furukawa Takehi noticed personality similarities and differences among his workers. This idea soon went out of fashion, but was brought back by a Japanese television host named Toshitaka Nomi in the 1970s. The belief is still strong in Japan and is increasingly popular in neighboring countries. Some young Koreans have taken to the theory. A recent study showed 76 percent of Koreans aged between13 and 64 believing in the blood-type personality connection. Though most Asians might believe in the blood-type theory, for many it seems harmless and not something to be taken too seriously.
Is the belief true? The scientists in Asia largely dismiss the belief as a modern-day superstition(迷信). Most studies have failed to find any strong connection between blood and personality. Generally, scientists warn against making predictions or important decisions based on this questionable theory.
1. The writer uses blood type A and O as an example to explain ________.A.the connection between personality and blood type |
B.the relationship between the two blood types |
C.the influence of blood type on one’s behavior |
D.the difference between the two blood types |
A.It was lightly believed. | B.It was brought to them. |
C.They liked and accepted it. | D.They stole the idea from others |
A.Most scientists in Asia don’t believe in the theory. |
B.The blood-type theory began in Japan in the 1970s. |
C.The blood-type personality theory is about blood type. |
D.People don’t change their personality to match the theory. |
【推荐3】Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have reported evidence that Mars was warmer and wetter long ago than it is today. The Caltech scientists say they have directly established the temperature of Mars four billion years ago. At least, they established the surface temperature on part of the planet at that time. The researchers say it is the first such evidence to be discovered and presented.
The Caltech scientists say carbonate minerals formed on Mars at about eighteen degrees Celsius. They reached the finding after studying a meteorite that had its beginnings near the Martian surface.
Today, the average temperature on Mars is sixty-three degrees below zero Celsius.The finding was reported on the website of the National Academy of Sciences. Caltech Assistant Professor Woody Fischer helped to prepare the report. He says eighteen degrees Celsius is not especially cold or hot. He says this makes the finding extremely interesting. Knowing the temperature can give scientists an idea of the climate on Mars long ago. It can also help them decide whether the planet had liquid water. Spacecraft orbiting Mars have shown what appear to be rivers, lakebeds and mineral deposits. These pictures suggest that, at one time, water did flow there. Mars Rover vehicles and other spacecraft have confirmed the information.
Caltech Geology Professor John Eiler was another writer of the report. He says knowing the temperature of Mars from long ago provides valuable information. It shows that early in the planet's history, at least part of Mars could support a climate like that of Earth.
The meteorite the scientists examined is one of the oldest known rocks in the world. It is called the Allan Hills meteorite. Its name came from the place in Antarctica where it was found in 1984. The meteorite is believed to have blown loose from the Mars' surface when another space rock struck its "home."
1. The underlined word “establish” in Paragraph 1 probably means “________”.A.to make people accept a belief | B.to set up |
C.to start having a relationship with others | D.to discover or prove |
A.By using spacecraft orbiting Mars. | B.By studying Allan Hills meteorite. |
C.By studying a meteorite on the Martian surface. | D.By studying minerals gathered on Mars |
A.Measuring the temperature of Mars. |
B.Finding where human beings will probably land on Mars. |
C.Confirming that there is water flowing on Mars. |
D.Taking photos of the surface of Mars. |
A.From where it was found on the earth. | B.From its original place on Mars. |
C.From the name of the scientist who found it. | D.From the name of the aircraft that discovered it |
A.In a biography of scientists. | B.In a geography magazine. |
C.In a science report. | D.In an environment report. |
【推荐1】It comes in waves. These are not calming waves, with their consistent slapping of the shore, and seafoam coasting over the rocks and sand. These are whipping waves, ones that crush sandcastles and soak the beach in its toxic waters.
It’s that feeling of embarrassment, sitting in class and tunneling down through everything you’ve ever done wrong before — on your anxious bench — wondering when someone will make a time machine. Maybe those thoughts consist of something embarrassing you said as a kid. Or that one time someone caught you dancing in a public bathroom. But what about the other way around? Do you look back and laugh at them and their actions? Do you even remember that or is it just a side detail in your mind?
All of these things re late to“respectable manners”, disciplining your actions, and dulling happiness. It doesn’t focus or highlight growth. Instead, it tears down joy allowing for self-ridicule. If you allow growth and happiness for those other people, why don’t you deserve it for yourself?
Embarrassment is a lighter shade of shame — a shame formed from the perception of others and what opinions they might have. It all comes down to society: the boiling pot of expectations placed upon us. The perfection — an expectation that seems to grow with each year that passes — riddles its waters. But does it matter that much? Should we dull happiness when it’s a moment of minor importance? Then we’re left to question what we should be embarrassed about, what embarrassment is, and why it happens.
Embarrassment and happiness don’t work together; they are the opposites of each other. Unfortunately, we can’t choose our emotions, but we can choose how we live and how we think of others. Thinking back on embarrassing memories, how many of them are of other people? Probably few to none. It’s the same way for everyone else. We are all living our own little lives. No one else can remember that embarrassing moment you dwell on every night, so why should you?
1. What’s the function of paragraph 1?A.To describe a natural phenomenon. |
B.To picture embarrassment in waves. |
C.To introduce the topic with a vivid figure of speech. |
D.To launch a debate against the feeling of embarrassment. |
A.Unrealistic time machine. | B.Demanding social expectations. |
C.A face-saving sense of self-discipline. | D.Top priority on growth and happiness. |
A.It is opposed to happiness. | B.It can be controlled out of question. |
C.It is seen as slightly shameful. | D.It must be remembered by other people. |
A.Awkwardness is a stepping stone. |
B.Joy flowers when embarrassment fades. |
C.Embrace embarrassment, and enhance growth. |
D.In the dance of life, awkward moments make the music. |
【推荐2】Young children who have experienced compassionate (有同情心的) love and empathy (认同感) from their mothers may be more willing to turn thoughts into action by being generous to others, a University of California, Davis’ study suggests.
In lab studies, children tested at ages 4 and 6 showed more willingness to give up the tokens (代金券) they had earned to fictional children in need when two conditions were present—if they showed bodily changes when given the opportunity to share and had experienced positive parenting that modeled such kindness. The study initially included 74 preschool-age children and their mothers. They were invited back two years later, resulting in 54 mother-child pairs whose behaviors and reactions were analyzed when the children were 6.
“At both ages, children with better physiological regulation and with mothers who expressed stronger compassionate love were likely to donate more of their earnings,” said Paul Hastings, UC Davis professor of psychology. “Compassionate mothers likely develop emotionally close relationships with their children while also providing an early example of satisfying the needs of others,” researchers said in the study, published in November in Frontiers in Psychology” Emotion Science.
In each lab exercise, after attaching a monitor to record children’s heart-rate activity, the examiner told the children they would be earning tokens for a variety of activities, and that the tokens could be turned in for a prize. The tokens were put into a box, and each child eventually earned 20 prize tokens. Then before the session ended, children were told they could donate all or part of their tokens to other children.
Taken together, the findings showed that children’s generosity is supported by the combination of their socialization experiences—their mothers’ compassionate love—and their physiological regulation, and that these work like “internal and external supports for the ability to act prosocially that build on each other”.
In addition to observing the children’s propensity (习性) to donate their game earnings, Hastings suggested that “being in a calmer state after sharing could reinforce (加强) the generous behavior that produced that good feeling.”
1. How do young children loved by their mother tend to become in later years?A.Considerate. | B.Emotional. |
C.Generous. | D.Optimistic. |
A.The process of the research. | B.The result of the experiment. |
C.The reactions of the children. | D.The importance of Mom’s love. |
A.Their moms love them deeply. | B.They donate the tokens easily. |
C.They behave physiologically. | D.They are calmer after sharing. |
A.What Contributes to Generosity? |
B.The More You Give, the Calmer You Will Be |
C.Do You Prefer to Receive or Give? |
D.More Giving, Less Receiving |
It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone. This communication is very important in children’s growing up, because friends can discuss something. These things are difficult to tell their family members.
However, parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. Have you ever thought of the following questions?
Who chooses your friends?
Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?
Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like?
1. Many teenagers think that ____ can understand them better.
A.friends | B.brothers | C.sisters | D.parents |
A.stay alone at home |
B.fight with their parents |
C.discuss it with their friends |
D.go to their brothers and sisters for help |
A.You are welcome to discuss the questions with us. |
B.We have got no idea, so your answers are welcome. |
C.Your answers are always right. |
D.You can give us all the right answers. |
A.Parents should choose friends for their children |
B.Children should choose everything they like |
C.Parents should understand their children better |
D.Teenagers should only go to their friends for help |
A.give information for the parents to make their own judgment (判断) |
B.give advice to children who want to choose their friends |
C.help parents to find better friends for their children |
D.get some information from many readers |