1 . We all know that regular exercise is vitally important for both a healthy mind and body. Research has shown that just five minutes of exercise in a “green space” can help people to keep mentally healthy.

Let’s take a look at some ways to get close to nature and make them a part of your regular exercise routine.

Get on your bike

Cycling is a cheap, easy and fun way to get some good exercise in the outdoors. Try leaving your car at home and cycling to work one day, if that’s possible. Or get the family together and go on a weekend bike ride. Check out the local cycle paths before you go, and plan a safe route. Make sure you take some healthy snacks with you to keep your energy levels up.

Try some outdoor yoga

Practising yoga can be great for reducing anxiety and aiding relaxation, so why not take your yoga mat and try out some asanas (yoga postures) in the open air? Yoga is great for stretching tight muscles and increasing flexibility as well as improving mobility, control and breathing. Why not finish your practice with some quiet meditation to further calm the mind?

Go running

Instead of spending hours on the treadmill (跑步机), grab a friend and go off for a jog around your local park, or some nature trails. If you are used to running on a treadmill, you may find it harder at first, so make sure you have some good, supportive running shoes. You could also find out where your nearest parkrun events are. They are open to everyone, free, and are safe and easy to take part in.

1. What is needed to cycle with your family?

A．Having a healthy body.

B．Checking the bikes carefully.

C．Learning some survival skills.

D．Making preparations for it.

2. What’s the advantage of outdoor yoga?

A．Helping build muscles.

B．Making people peaceful.

C．Improving athletic ability.

D．Lowering blood pressure.

3. What can we know about parkrun events?

A．They are free of charge.

B．They offer running shoes.

C．Their tickets are easy to get.

D．Their treadmills are open to use.

2 . Many times, sports events can be really competitive Athletes go through great stress both in their training and during performance, all for that number one position. For one Spanish athlete, Ivan Anaya, it was exactly that respect for the great hard work and devotion to the sports that made him lose on purpose.

During a cross-country race in Burlada, Navarre, the Kenyan athlete Abel Mutai was well ahead of Ivan. But then, thinking he had already reached the finish line, he started slowing down in his pace. He still had 10 meters ahead of him. Anyone else in second position might have taken advantage of that mistake but not Ivan. Ivan stayed behind Abel, and using hand signals, he guided Abel to the finish line.

Later, Ivan spoke about his decision, which might stun many people. Ivan said, “I just did what I had to do. He was the rightful winner. He was far ahead of me and I couldn’t have caught him up if he hadn’t made a mistake. As soon as I saw he was stopping, I knew I wasn’t going to pass him.”

Ivan’s coach, former Spanish runner Martin Fiz, said he would not have thought to do the same thing. “It was a very good gesture (姿态) of honesty,” said Fiz. “A gesture that I myself wouldn’t have made. I certainly would have taken advantage of it to win.”

Ivan hoped it would spread a message about the importance of honesty. “But I also think that having done what I did has earned more fame than if I had won,” he added. “And that is very important, because today in all circles, in soccer and in society, honesty is a must for a person to go far.”

1. Why did Abel slow down during the race?

A．He wanted to lose on purpose.

B．He was waiting for Ivan Anaya.

C．He was too tired to keep running.

D．He thought he had reached the end.

2. Why did Ivan refuse to take advantage of Abel’s mistake?

A．He felt very sorry for Abel.

B．He still couldn’t catch up with Abel.

C．He thought that Abel deserved to win.

D．He didn’t know what happened to Abel.

3. What does the underlined word “stun” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Encourage.

B．Challenge.

C．Surprise.

D．Satisfy.

4. What does the author want to tell us through Ivan’s story?

A．Sports events can be really competitive.

B．Honesty is required in all fields of life.

C．Friendship is more important than winning.

D．Fairness is more important in competitions.

4 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word, for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Some people prefer     1    (watch) sport. This can either     2    (do) by going to a stadium, a local leisure centre, park or on the television. It is often cheaper to watch sport from the comfort of a person’s home than to visit the stadium or a special event. Some sports,     3     football and cricket (板球), are really popular in the United Kingdom but not in the USA. In the USA people often play basketball and baseball. Nowadays, people     4     suffer from any kind of disability are also encouraged to participate in sport and most sport equipment     5    (adapt) to suit the needs of a disabled person. This means sport is something that can     6     (enjoy) no matter the physical ability of the person.     7    (participate) in sporting activity     8     (encourage) by doctors and at schools     9    (give) the beneficial impact it has, and it is for this reason and the competitive nature of individuals     10     sport remains a very popular activity worldwide.

7 . Benefits of Sports

Doing sports is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from studies and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven beneficial to overall well-being.

The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious. Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you’re involved.     1     Basketball players focus on strength training; football players work on speed while track athletes train through longer runs. The training process helps promote physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    2     Playing sports also contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, a high five from a teammate, or a handshake after a match really boosts a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise self-worth.     3     So after a game, it’s a better idea to ask “Did you enjoy the game?” rather than “Did you win?”

Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up responsibility and leadership.     4     Teamwork involves both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork breeds responsibility and challenges you to be responsible for your actions. Being part of a team gives you an opportunity to be a leader.

Discipline is another social advantage. Most organized sports require a strict training and practice schedule. As a student-athlete, you need to balance studies and athletics.     5    

There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to get involved in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!

A．It’s not just your body that benefits from sports.

B．Therefore, playing sports is going to make you more fit.

C．But remember, a child’s self-worth should not be distinguished by victory or loss.

D．If you play group sports, you’ll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach.

E．Nearly every sport requires physical activities and the competitive skills.

F．Among these, learning how to function as part of a team is the most important advantage.

G．Only with strict discipline can you be successful both in the classroom and in the sports field.

9 . Physical education, or PE, isn’t required for all high school students. In some schools, it isn’t offered for some different reasons. But should high school students have physical education? The answer is certainly “yes”.

Today many people don’t do sports. But as is known to all, doing sports is very important for an adult. Teaching teens the importance of a healthy lifestyle and making fitness plans now can help teens put exercise in the first place as an adult.

High school isn’t that easy. Many students are under a lot of stress. Stress can be harmful to a student’s study and life. Doing sports can help them deal with stress better, helping them live a happier life at school.

The American Heart Association says that 10 million kids and teens suffer from obesity (肥胖症). Teens should get 60 minutes of physical activity per day to control their weight and to help their bones get stronger. The increase in activities that don’t get teens to move around, such as video games and computer activities, means many teens don’t get their required exercise. PE classes act as a public health measure to encourage physical activities and help teens have healthy weights.

Not doing sports increases teens’ risk of developing many diseases. An active lifestyle offers a good way of protection from these health problems. As much as 75 percent of health-care spending goes toward treating medical conditions that can be hindered by lifestyle changes,according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

According to the President’s Council on Fitness,Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN), students who performed five hours of physical activity each week improved their academic (学业的) performance. Students from programs with no physical activity, who used the extra time for classroom study, did not perform better on tests than those who gave up some study time in support of physical education.

1. According to paragraph 2, what does physical education in high school mean?

A．Making teens attach importance to exercise later.

B．Removing the stress faced by teens at school.

C．Getting teens to encourage adults to exercise.

D．Helping teens learn to make good plans.

2. What does the underlined word “hindered” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Measured.	B．Prevented.
C．Shown.	D．Caused.

3. According to the PCFSN, doing sports ________.

A．means making students choose between sports and studies

B．helps students make good use of all their time

C．means students adjust to their studies better

D．helps students do better in their studies

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Why high school students should receive physical education.

B．Why some schools consider physical education important.

C．How schools can help students love doing sports.

D．How high school students can live a better life.

10 . Years ago, I could not stick to exercising until I bought a CD called I Enjoy Exercise. I listened to it every day. I bought the CD because I wanted to run in a race and hopefully win!

I had assured my 10-year-old son Todd that I would run in a race with him. Unfortunately, however, when that race came, his left leg was hurt in a car accident. Without him running with me, although I took part in that race, I didn’t do quite well in it.

While Todd couldn’t run together with me because of his injury (受伤), he never forgot the promise I made for him. He was always asking me whether I would keep my promise when he recovered in the future. So I decided I was going to train and go all out to win the next race. What I needed was motivation (动力). It happened that one of my friends mentioned the CD which he liked very much, saying that he got a lot from the music in it when feeling down. So I bought it and listened to it while exercising every day.

What happened to my thinking was amazing as I listened to it daily. I started to think about the repeated words on the CD — “I enjoy exercise”. Instead of dreading exercise, I was thinking, “I enjoy exercise.”

I found out how important words are that we play in our minds every day. I went from a person who seldom exercised to someone who started to exercise daily. Just think how our lives will improve if we reflect on the uplifting words of the famous works. I have found the positive messages have greatly inspired me and then changed my life.

How did I do in that race, you might be thinking? I actually became the champion in my age group.

1. Why did the author take part in the race by herself?

A．She would like to win the race.

B．She had a good talent for running.

C．Her son got injured in a car accident.

D．Her son was unwilling to run with her.

2. How did the author get the motivation for training?

A．By recalling some inspiring stories.

B．By listening to the CD while running.

C．By getting timely help from her friend.

D．By forcing herself into keeping running.

3. What does the underlined word “dreading” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Fearing.	B．Improving.
C．Preferring.	D．Taking.

4. What message does the author intend to deliver to us?

A．It’s important to avoid injury while running.

B．The uplifting words make a difference to us.

C．Parents should get along well with children.

D．We can build up our bodies by regular exercise.