2 . Winning the silver medal at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in the United States, on Sunday, the Chinese women’s volleyball team enjoyed their best result in the tournament (联赛), with the key to the breakthrough being their unity and never-say-die spirit.

“I just feel that our team is more united than ever,” said Yuan Xinyue, Team China captain. “We support and help each other on the court. This is the most important reason behind our success. All of us should shoulder the responsibility of winning.”

She continued to say, “ We have firm determination, and we will keep moving forward. We cherish the road that we have walked. We will summarize events, and we will keep tackling the problems. We will also try hard and hold onto our dreams and the belief that the Chinese women’s volleyball team can be the best.”

Team China was one step away from gold, but the Turkish women’s team showed greater momentum (势头) in the final beating China 3-1. As the Chinese team only finished sixth at last year’s VNL, the second-place finish was a surprise to Chinese fans.

Sunday’s final attracted huge media attention and generated a series of trending topics on social media. While many joined in heated discussion about the final, many more expressed congratulations on the fast rise of the young women’s team.

“Although the Chinese women’s team wasn’t able to stand on the highest podium (领奖台) at the Volleyball Nations League, they still produced the best possible result by fighting together. Hand in hand, Team China players march forward together,” reported by China Sports Daily. “Team China was not among the favorites to reach the final of the VNL, but the team still managed to pocket a silver medal, which is huge progress compared to last year’s result. They proved all the doubters wrong, and they showed the world what a united team they are.”

Recent studies have shown the benefit — even necessity — of     1     (spend) time outdoors, both for kids     2     adults. Some argue that it can be any outdoor environment. Some say it has to be a “green” environment — one with trees and leaves. Most of the studies agree that kids who play outside are     3     (happy) and less anxious ( 焦虑的) than kids who spend more time indoors. While it’s unclear how     4     (exact) the mood improvements happen, there are a few things we do know about why nature is good     5     kids’ minds.

There are various ways     6     (explore) outdoor environments, from the backyard to the park, and letting a child choose how he treats nature     7     (mean) he has the ability to control his own actions. This style of play also allows kids to interact ( 互动) meaningfully with their environments. They can think more freely, design their own activities, and approach the world in     8     (interest) ways.

Most ways of interacting with nature include more exercise than sitting on the sofa. Kids don’t have to join the local soccer team or ride a bike through the park — even a walk will get their blood pumping ( 流通). Not only is exercise beneficial to kids’ bodies, but it seems to make     9     (they) more focused, which is especially beneficial for kids with ADHD ( 多动症).

So while screen time is the easier, more popular choice,     10     is important to set enough time for outdoor play.

5 . For people suffering from depression, there’s an all-natural treatment they should use — getting more exercise. It could help fight depression, even if people have a genetic risk, new research shows.

For the study, researchers collected information from nearly 8,000 people and found those with related genes were more likely to have depression over the next two years after examining them. But that was less likely for people who were more active at the study’s start, even if they had a family history of depression. Higher levels of physical activity helped protect even those with the highest genetic risk of depression.

Both high-intensity (高强度) exercise and low-intensity activities were associated with a reduced risk of depression. Adding four hours of exercise a week could lower the risk of a new episode (一段经历) of depression by 17%, according to the study. “Our findings strongly suggest that, when it comes to depression, being physically active has the potential to remove the added risk of future episodes in individuals who are genetically risky,” said lead author Karmel Choi. “On average, about 35 additional minutes of physical activity each day may help people to reduce their risk and protect against future depression episodes.”

Depression is a common mental illness globally, with more than 264 million people affected. “Depression is so ubiquitous, and that underlines the need for effective approaches that can impact as many people as possible,” Choi said. And mental health and primary care providers can use the findings to advise patients that there’s something meaningful they can do to lower their risk of depression.

Teenagers sometimes turn to extreme methods to slim down quickly in a society where being thin is often seen     1     being beautiful. According to a recent survey of senior high school students’ lifestyles, almost one fifth of teenagers     2     (regular) skip meals, one in ten over-exercise and four per cent even take weight-loss medicine. Experts are concerned about     3     (them) health. They are increasing their efforts to educate teenagers about the side     4     (effect) of losing weight too quickly. They have also warned them       5       using such extreme methods, which are harmful.

It is normal for teenagers to be slightly overweight and there is no reason     6       they should be worried. However, for those who are dangerously overweight, it is very important that they try to lose weight properly.

Therefore, it is important to have a healthy     7     (balance) diet since teenagers are still growing and their bodies need a lot of nutrition       8     (function) well. What’s more, they should keep regular hours and get plenty of exercise to stay     9     (energy) and fit. We strongly encourage teenagers to follow these lifestyle tips, because living well is the     10     (safe) and most effective way to get into shape.

7 . Trainers and parents saw children play sports at a young age and then saw them become professional. Many correlated the training to success. Competitive sports are good for young children because they teach children life skills, provide health benefits, and offer special opportunities.

To begin with, sports teach children life skills. A formal athlete stated, “I played soccer in high school and college and found team sports weren’t just about winning, but also about developing a solid ethic (行为准则), and learning why that’s important.” In short, playing highly competitive sports teaches kids many life skills like teamwork. People will have to use teamwork for the rest of their life, and sports can help them improve that skill. Taking part in sports can help develop a positive attitude towards life, which will help in the long run.

Sports are also good for kids because they provide health benefits. It is healthier for a kid to play a sport competitively than to waste time playing video games all day. Furthermore, a research group of University of California said, “96 percent of the participants said they enjoy their sports. They’re all loving life.” That is to say, kids playing highly competitive sports tend to enjoy life instead of doing something else like watching TV.

On the other hand, some people might argue that competitive sports are bad for young children because they are so time-consuming. However, the time spent is not “robbing” (剥夺) kids of their childhood, but offers special opportunities. Athletes can get success to live their dream life by playing sports. Even though sports are time-consuming, they offer distinctive opportunities.

In conclusion, competitive sports are good for children because they can provide wholesome benefits, create new experiences, and build skills that will last a lifetime.

9 . In the sport of track and field, athletes compete not only with one another but against themselves, and in each race they try to achieve the new personal best.

For one Nebraska teen running in what would likely to be his final cross-country outing before graduating from high school, his personal best turned out not to be marking the fastest time but displaying the biggest heart.

Although it was a long shot when he came out from the starting position last Thursday, Brandon Schutt from Bellevue East High School knew if his time was good enough that day, he still had the potential to qualify for the upcoming state meet. A mile into the 3.1-mile race, however, Schutt realized he wasn’t going to be able to keep up the necessary momentum(势头). Rather than risking injury, he slowed to a comfortable pace that would allow him to simply get pleasure from the moment and the day.

Meanwhile, Blake Cerveny from Omaha Burke High School was running a very different kind of race. Aiming to beat his own personal record, after a fast start, he continued to push himself hard. With less than 400 meters to go, Cerveny’s legs cramped up (抽筋), but he didn’t give up. Cerveny rose from the ground and continued on, only to fall again after another 150 meters and again. About 100 meters away from the finish line, he lay curled on the ground. His legs had simply given out.

Before Cerveny’s dad could reach his son, Brandon Schutt was at his side to offer a helping hand. The two completed the final meters of the course. Schutt even made sure the injured runner crossed the finish line first, securing his opponent a faster time.

In today’s competitive world, while the emphasis in athletics is so often on breaking records, it is inspiring to see an athlete like Brandon Schutt.

My dad is an enthusiastic (狂热的) runner who     1     (great) influenced me when I was young. So I was very sporty before the age of 14. However, when my family moved, my new school didn’t pay much attention     2     sports and had no after-school activities like football or running. Over the next few years, I     3     (stop) exercising apart from during Physical Education lessons at school. I looked like I was healthy; however, I was not.

One day, I was late for a bus, tried to run after it and in under a minute was out of breath! This made me realize how unfit I was.       4     (help) myself get in shape again, I made a(n)     5     (decide) that I would take up a kind of sport.

A friend of     6     (I) suggested a swimming pool close to my house     7     she goes to a few times a week. Now, I’m a swimming lover! I find swimming in the pool is very     8     (relax). I swim for     9     hour three times a week. I hope I will soon start to feel the benefits of regular exercise, and will become     10     (fit) than before.