1 . Tai chi, a traditional, slow-moving form of Chinese martial art, is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. Now, new research suggests it’s better than more energetic aerobic exercises (有氧运动) for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension (高血压前期). Prehypertension is considered a warning sign that heart disease may be ahead, and it raises the risk of having a heart attack.

The new findings, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, add to a large body of research pointing to health benefits from tai chi.

In the study, researchers in China randomly assigned 342 adults with prehypertension to one of two interventions. The average age of participants was 49. Roughly half the people participated in aerobic exercises, including jogging, climbing stairs, brisk walking and cycling. The other half was trained to practice tai chi. Both groups got hour-long sessions four times a week.

After 12 months, those in the tai chi group saw bigger drops in their blood pressure than those in the aerobic exercise group. What’s more, nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to within normal range, compared with nearly 16% of people in the aerobic exercise group. And fewer patients in the tai chi group went on to develop hypertension than in the aerobic exercise group.

How does tai chi help lower blood pressure? The practice tends to cause more of a response from the parasympathetic nervous system (副交感神经系统), says Ruth Taylor-Piliae, a professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing, who was not involved in the study. The parasympathetic nervous system is the network of nerves that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger.

“I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership or special clothing,” Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere. And it does kind of provide that calming, relaxing effect.”

On a bright Saturday, my peaceful lunchtime was suddenly interrupted when my dad surprised me with an unplanned idea. I couldn’t hide my annoyance as what was supposed to be a relaxing Saturday turned into a day focused on football — a sport I wasn’t very excited about.

Many of my friends loved sports, while I preferred to find comfort in the pages of a good book rather than run around on a football court. My lack of interest resulted in average performance on the team, and I often felt like I was a problem for both my coach and teammates.

Things changed last week when our coach announced a coming match against the champions scheduled for a month later. The realization that this important game would have a big audience only made me more anxious. The fear of possibly letting down the team weighed on me.

Determined to make a positive impact, I decided to practice hard every day. My motivation came from wanting to help the team and to overcome the self-doubt affecting my performance.

As the match day approached, my teammates seemed unsure about including me in the lineup (阵容). I wouldn’t have minded sitting out, but the situations were different. With one player short, they reluctantly (不情愿地) included me, and The Thunder Strikers, our team, stepped onto the field to enjoy cheers from the crowd.

The pressure was intense. The game started, and within the ten minutes, I received a warning. Before long, the referee showed me a second yellow card, forcing me to leave the field. When I got back into the game, the score was tied, and the next goal would decide the winner.

As the ball came toward me, I felt a bit scared. My teammates seemed tired, and the other team really wanted to win. With great courage, I kicked the ball. The opponents (对手), maybe not expecting much from me because of my earlier struggles, were surprised when the ball went past the goalkeeper.

The Thunder Strikers won!

After this win, football became different for me.

4 . My fitness journey started when I couldn’t fit into my coats and weighed 176 pounds. This was my wake-up call. I was overweight, unhappy, and struggling to get back to health and happiness. I needed to be healthy again, so I decided to lose weight and regain control of my life.

I started working out and lost 40 pounds in two months. I was 33 with two kids. My journey started but I had much more to do. I ran marathons but grew bored of them, so I stepped up the challenge: and competed in triathlons (三项全能) for the next five years. I thought I discovered my passion. I’m a fierce competitor and enjoy racing even more. At 38, I was unable to compete and train at the level I desired. I was fearful of being lost and unhappy again.

As I was leaving the weights area one day, a girl asked if I competed in body building. I told her I didn’t and she said I should. This was the start of my new passion. I approached a bodybuilder at the gym and asked him about the sport and he convinced me to train for my first figure show.

I won every class I entered. I demanded a great deal from my body and aimed to improve before every competition, I maintained 10-11 percent body fat all year round. I have added 10 pounds: of muscle in the past four years.

Women over 40 needs to know that it’s possible to achieve our dreams. It’s about choices. Age isn’t a factor. If you want it, you have to work for it. If it were handed to you, it wouldn’t be sweet or unique.

I grew up playing sports. I played softball as a child and performed excellently on my high school field hockey teams. My husband, Kenny, was playing professional basketball overseas when we met and now he works in education and coaches youth and high school basketball.

Kenny and I weren’t surprised when our daughters, Kennedi and Kassadi, showed early athletic promise, Kennedi, our older daughter won a medal by age seven. Kassadi wasn’t far behind.     

I began to think we might have a future sports star on our hands, so I talked with Kenny about it and decided to make running a duty. We didn’t ask the girls if that’s what they wanted. Of course they did! Who wouldn’t want to use a God-given gift, to the fullest? Slowly but surely, running took over our lives. By the time Kennedi started middle school, our family life was full of all kinds of trains and race. And I also became stricter with them.   

"Faster! Move those legs!" I’d shout at Kennedi if she started falling behind. If the girls lost in a game, the car ride home was no fun..."Where was the effort on that last lap, Kassadi?" I’d demand." Kennedi, you were faster in practice last week. What happened?"

I had visions of college scholarships, maybe even the Olympics I did not imagine sitting in a doctor’s office almost now, staring at the medical equipment.

“Immediate surgery(手术)might be necessary, ” the doctor said," I’ve almost never seen this kind of injury in a child. And recovery can take a long time. She might not come back to racing."

The doctor kept talking, but I had a hard time following the words. Why did it happen to my child?

My feelings were mixed.

"Yes! You are indeed too demanding," Kennedi said.

8 . The History and Development of Soccer

Soccer, known as football in most of the world, is one of the most popular sports today. Let’s explore its history and how it developed and spread over the years.

It is said that the history of soccer dates back as far as 2500 B.C. in London. In China, the most relevant(相关的) is the Chinese game of Tsu’Chu(Cuju). Records of the game began during the Han Dynasty(206B.C.—220A.D.) and it may have been a training exercise for soldiers. Players kicked a small ball into a net between two bamboo poles. The use of hands was not allowed, but a player could use his feet and other parts of his body.

The modern shape of soccer was formed at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1848, the “Cambridge Rules”were established(建立) at Cambridge University. After they graduated, adult football clubs became more common, players could continue to play the ball.

The Football Association(FA) was created on October 26,1863. Over the years, more clubs joined the FA until the number reached 128 by 1887. In 1872, the first Football Association Cup was played in London. Other associations were formed, including the Football League in 1888 in the north and midlands of the country, and the first championship(冠军) league games were played.

It did not take long for other European countries to accept the British love for soccer. Leagues began popping up throughout the world: the Netherlands and Denmark in 1889, Argentina in 1893, Chile in 1895, Switzerland and Belgium in 1895, Italy in 1898, Germany and Uruguay in 1900,Hungary in 1901, and Finland in 1907. It was not until 1903 that France formed their league.

In 1930,the first-ever FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay. There were 41 members of FIFA at that time. Today it has over 200 members and the World Cup is one of the biggest events of the year.