2 . As we age, even if we’re healthy, the heart just isn’t as efficient in processing oxygen as it used to be. In most people the first signs show up in their 50s or early 60s. And among people who don’t exercise, the changes can start even sooner.

“Think of a rubber band. In the beginning, it is flexible, but put it in a drawer for 20 years and it will become dry and easily broken,” says Dr. Ben Levine, a heart specialist at the University of Texas. That’s what happens to the heart. Fortunately for those in midlife, Levine is finding that even if you haven’t been an enthusiastic exerciser, getting in shape now may help improve your aging heart.

Levine and his research team selected volunteers aged between 45 and 64 who did not exercise much but were otherwise healthy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group participated in a program of nonaerobic (无氧) exercise—balance training and weight training—three times a week. The second group did high-intensity aerobic exercise under the guidance of a trainer for four or more days a week. After two years, the second group saw remarkable improvements in heart health.

“We took these 50-year-old hearts and turned the clock back to 30-or 35-year-old hearts,” says Levine. “And the reason they got so much stronger and fitter was that their hearts could now fill a lot better and pump (泵送) a lot more blood during exercise.” But the hearts of those who participated in less intense exercise didn’t change, he says.

“The sweet spot in life to start exercising, if you haven’t already, is in late middle age when the heart still has flexibility,” Levine says. “We put healthy 70-year-olds through a yearlong exercise training program, and nothing happened to them at all.”

Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, says Levine’s findings are a great start. But the study was small and needs to be repeated with far larger groups of people to determine exactly which aspects of an exercise routine make the biggest difference.

3 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.

Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular （心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "

For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak （最大值的） cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.

A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.

These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.

"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.

5 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make

Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.     1     , keep these things in mind to help you increase your chances of running success.

·Doing too much too soon

One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine     2     .

·     3    

Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.

·Not wearing the right equipment

    4    , it’s important that you wear properly for your workouts. The most important piece of equipment for running is a good pair of running shoes, so be sure to do some research before you purchase a pair. Visit a running specialty store and ask an employee to fit you for a shoe.

•Running through pain

    5     If something hurts when you run, you need to stop and treat the pain. Remember: It doesn’t make you less of a runner if you listen to your body to keep it healthy.

8 . It goes without saying that sitting at a desk for a majority of the day will hurt our health. But don’t worry because there is a solution! After spending much time investigating the different offers when it comes to exercise equipment suitable for the office, I’d like to reveal some of my top recommendations.

The awards ceremony for China’s Amazing Decade: My Story, a contest open to non-Chinese to share their stories about the nation over the past 10 years,    1    (hold) on Thursday in Beijing. A total of 60 works received awards at the event jointly     2    (organize) by China Daily and Bank of China.

The ceremony also saw the launch of the book My China Story: China in the Eyes of Foreign Youth, a compilation (汇编) of 27 essays     3    both English and Chinese from the contest in 2021, by authors from 18 countries.

Liu Weiling, editor-in-chief of China Daily, said the event showcased the great changes in the new age and the achievements of Chinese modernization over the past decade, presenting a     4    (rely), admirable and respectable image of China. “The authors are     5    (witness) and recorders of China’s development in the newer a,    6    quite a few of them are also participants in development over the past decade. When they take the vivid stories and experiences back to    7    (they) home countries, it will benefit the people of those countries and promote cultural exchanges,” he said.

Chang Cai,    8    Australian visiting scholar at Nanjing Agricultural University     9    received second prize in the contest, shared her story of participating in a veterinary epidemiology (兽医流行病学) training project in China,    10    (involve) tens of thousands of veterinary officials and academics from more than 30 universities.

10 . In 1986, I watched my first soccer match on my parents’ big box television. I was six, and ever since then, I have dreamed of attending the World Cup.

This year, I traveled to Brazil to make my dream a reality. The first match I attended was between Australia and Spain. Within minutes of walking into the stadium, I found myself surrounded by the excited fans, talking and cheering together. Unlike what one normally sees on the news, this match was mainly peaceful except for one fight. When the fight started, the whole section began chanting(呼喊)with one voice, asking those fighting to stop. When they didn’t, the rabble-rousers were sent out by security guards minutes later.

What struck me about the games I attended was the sense of camaraderie. I met soccer fans from different countries. Sometimes we were cheering for the same team and sometimes for opposite teams, but that didn’t stop us from becoming friends. The stands were not divided between teams, and the interaction was often spirit-lifting.

I also watched the game in Sao Paulo that ousted(淘汰)Brazil from the World Cup. I was with friends at a large bar which hosted a mix of Brazilian and German supporters. As Germany scored one goal after another, the sadness and even tears were visible on the faces of Brazilians. But German fans came to the Brazilians to comfort them and apologize that the game was ending with such a big gap. Everyone was hoping for a good match.

What I love about the World Cup is that it provides a chance for people to learn about other countries and cultures. People learn about the countries of the teams they support and about their opponents’ history and culture. Soccer is a game that not only gives people the chance to learn about each other but also has the potential to unite people.

Sports can be a dividing force, but the true spirit of sports is about unity and fun. The matches at this World Cup have been exactly that so far, and I hope it remains so.