1 . Tai chi, a traditional form of Chinese martial art that combines slow, gentle movements and postures with mindfulness, is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. Now, a new research suggests it’s better than aerobic (有氧的) exercises for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension (高血压前期).
In the study, researchers in China employed 342 adults whose average age was 49. Roughly half the people participated in the supervised aerobic exercise, 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. Besides, 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. Fewer patients in the tai chi group went on to develop hypertension than in the aerobic exercise group.
So what’s it about tai chi that helps lower blood pressure? The practice tends to cause more of a response from the parasympathetic (副交感) nervous system, says Ruth Taylor-Piliae, a professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing, who wasn’t involved in the study. The parasympathetic nervous system is the network of nerves that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger.
Tai chi is appealing as it requires little space or equipment. “I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership,” Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime, anyplace and anywhere. It does provide that calming and relaxing effect.”
Studies have also shown practicing tai chi can help reduce the risk of falls, improve balance and walking speed in older adults, and reduce depression and anxiety. “But you have to have enough ‘dose’ of tai chi,” Taylor-Piliae says. “You can’t just do it one hour, one time.”
1. What happened to those practicing tai chi during the study?| A．Some began to have normal blood pressure. | B．Few aged in an unhealthy manner. |
| C．Many went on to develop prehypertension. | D．Most got nervous more easily. |
| A．It needs the least time of practice. | B．It produces a relaxing effect. |
| C．It puts the nervous system in order. | D．It makes its practicer inactive. |
| A．By combining it with dieting. | B．By exercising it as early as possible. |
| C．By practicing it consistently. | D．By balancing it with other workouts. |
| A．Tai Chi Serves as a Convenient Exercise | B．Tai Chi Is Getting Popular Among Foreigners |
| C．Tai Chi ls Critical to Stopping Falls Happening | D．Tai Chi Helps Reduce Blood Pressure Effectively |
2 . Two years ago, when I turned sixty, I began to think of my life at the age of ninety. If I were at that age, I would still want to stay in shape to enjoy life, getting a lot of
I called a nearby center, “Do you have aerobics (有氧运动) classes
When I came into the room, a woman
Although I
| A．success | B．pressure | C．struggle | D．pleasure |
| A．build | B．rent | C．lend | D．find |
| A．important | B．familiar | C．suitable | D．necessary |
| A．invited | B．comforted | C．promised | D．remembered |
| A．sure | B．easy | C．disappointed | D．hopeful |
| A．make up for | B．look down on | C．keep up with | D．sign up for |
| A．greeted | B．recognized | C．helped | D．introduced |
| A．relax | B．reduce | C．strengthen | D．use |
| A．guide | B．coach | C．member | D．teacher |
| A．Easily | B．Obviously | C．Frequently | D．Surprisingly |
| A．focus | B．problem | C．achievement | D．contribution |
| A．worked | B．debated | C．argued | D．chatted |
| A．absent | B．tired | C．unhappy | D．lonely |
| A．manage | B．fail | C．remind | D．continue |
| A．backgrounds | B．skills | C．connections | D．duties |
3 . Starting a daily running routine needs determination. Looking back on my old running routine, it wasn’t so much the passion that affected my sticking to a regular schedule — but it was the environment. There had to be no rain pouring down, there had to be not many people on the basketball court and the ambient (周围的) temperature had to be just right. Or maybe I was just making an excuse for myself not to get up at 5 in the morning?
I was quite successful at doing so when I was 15 and when it was summer. When I was overweight, I ate more snacks than the actual full meals in a day, and I hardly got off the sofa. One summer day, I decided that it was time to put a stop to the idea that I was just the fat kid. I didn’t want to put in that box anymore. There was a tipping point (临界点) where inspiration happened, and discipline (自律) just took over from there. I needed to make sure that I ran 10 laps of the park a day — this was the contract (契约) I made with myself that summer. And if I achieved that, I knew I’d be closer to my goal of being just a kid with normal weight.
Ten laps, six days a week — sometimes no breakfast, hardly a bite at dinner, one snack a day—this lasted two months. I’d lost over 30 pounds that summer, which was roughly a quarter of my body weight. Some days, I didn’t have the motivation. But the contract I made with myself kept reminding me — if I’d break it, would I even bother making future self-contracts anymore? There were sleepy days, and there were days when I should have rested my trembling knees, but discipline won over them all.
1. What do we know about the author’s past running routine?| A．It was made by the author’s parents. | B．It mainly depended on the environment. |
| C．It referred to many people at site. | D．It failed in the end. |
| A．The author didn’t live a healthy lifestyle. |
| B．Summer is a season for people to be fat. |
| C．Good eating habits could make one put on weight. |
| D．Getting up late made him a fat kid. |
| A．He felt looked down upon when he was fat. |
| B．He couldn’t find a right word to describe his size. |
| C．He made up his mind to achieve his goal of losing weight. |
| D．He was too fat to find the right size of clothes or shoes. |
| A．My Running Routine Was Affected by the Environment. |
| B．It Was Unpleasant to Be Overweight. |
| C．I Made a Contract on Running. |
| D．Discipline Helps Achieve My Goal. |
4 . I used to be bad at playing basketball. Gym class in middle school was the worst. I was always the last kid to be picked. The only reason why I was even picked at all was that I was good friends with the best player in the class.
In the eighth grade, I finally decided I was sick and tired of being a nonentity. I dedicated (奉献) that entire summer to getting better. I spent every day playing basketball, practising for hours in the gym. I remember playing pick-up games with one group of kids until they all eventually got tired and left. Then a whole different group of kids would come in and I’d play with them too.
After months of this devoted routine, something amazing started to happen. People began passing me the ball. They trusted me to take the shot. They even started picking me first to be on their team! The last game of organized basketball I ever played was the culmination (高潮) of all my hard work. Against a team far more talented than mine. I scored 27 points. We still lost, but I walked away from that game feeling like a total champion.
What I learned from those years of rejection and waiting to be picked was that life really isn’t any different. Most of us spend our lives waiting for opportunities to land in our laps. What’s worse, sometimes we feel entitled (使有权) to them. And when things don’t go our way — when no one picks us — we find something or someone to blame.
I could have complained when no one wanted me on their team. I could have convinced myself that I deserved to be picked. But I didn’t. Instead I took matters into my own hands and put in the work to become better.
Should we have our fate controlled by a few people who in most cases don’t even know us? I certainly don’t think so. We have a choice. We can choose to create something meaningful, and so move forward with our ideas.
1. What can we know about the author in the first paragraph?| A．He was always to be picked. |
| B．He was picked because of his good friend. |
| C．He was once crazy about playing basketball. |
| D．He used to be really good at playing basketball. |
| A．short person. | B．A superior player. |
| C．An important player. | D．An insignificant person. |
| A．People still refused to play with him. |
| B．Now he is good at playing basketball. |
| C．He gained people’s trust through his effort. |
| D．His team was defeated by a more talented one. |
5 . Artwork Competition — Create a Character!
Are you an artist? This may be the perfect competition held by Teen Ink to check your creative abilities. We want you to create your own character. You must create a backstory for the character and give it a name. Your character must be completely original.
Rules:
● You must be a teen (aged 13—19) with a Teen Ink account to enter.
● No improper content.
● Submissions (提交的材料) must be connected with the topic (Create a Character).
● The competition is open to all the individuals. Character must be your own — The character you create must be entirely your own idea and design. The backstory and name must be original as well. Ideas that do not belong to you will not be considered for the competition.
Guidelines and Details:
● All art types are accepted.
● There is no limit to the number of pieces you can submit.
● Give your character a name and backstory. Leave these in the “Author’s Comments” section of your submission.
How to Submit:
● Submit entries through our website. All entries submitted to Teen Ink are automatically (自动) considered for the competition. See our submission guidelines for more information.
● Include the words “Character Competition” in your submission’s title.
● Submit your reviews to the “Artwork” category on our site. Select the art type connected with what you are submitting. Hand in your entries before March 1, 2023.
Prizes:
Winners and honorable mentions will have their characters published in Teen Ink magazine. The overall winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.
1. What is the purpose of holding the artwork competition?| A．To increase the sales of Teen Ink. |
| B．To attract people of all ages to the activity. |
| C．To test the teenagers’ artistic creativity. |
| D．To praise the young artists for their talents |
| A．The works should be a team effort. |
| B．The participants should be under 13. |
| C．The content should be in connection with the subject. |
| D．A common account should be shared. |
| A．By submitting works on the webpage. |
| B．By handing in entries before April 10. |
| C．By posting entries to the magazine directly. |
| D．By sending in works titled “Character Competition”. |
6 . Being fit and healthy doesn’t mean you have to work out for hours a day and eat nothing but chicken and vegetables for every meal.
You always complain you are too busy to go to the gym or to prepare a healthy meal.
You should walk more instead of driving a car when going out. The key to lifelong fitness is to simply be more active and walk more every day. Try your best to walk whenever and wherever you can —to the superstore, to the office, or go for an after-dinner walk with your family.
Instead of always going to the movies or watching TV, you should take part in activities that keep you moving. You can go for a bike ride, go on a hike, or go to play sports with your family and friends, such as ping-pong and basketball.
| A．The list is endless. |
| B．Find ways to be close to nature. |
| C．Enough sleep is especially important. |
| D．Of course it’s not always possible to go to the gym. |
| E．However, for your health, you have to make a change. |
| F．In short, take every chance to walk as much as you can. |
| G．Actually, there are many good habits that will help you keep in shape. |
