Is it better for our bodies to work out at certain times of the day? Scientists have known for some time that every tissue in our bodies contains a kind of biological clock that goes off in response to messages related to our daily exposure to light, food and sleep.
However, whether and how exercise timing might influence metabolic(新陈代谢的)health has been less clear, and the results of past experiments have not always agreed. A much-discussed 2019 study found that men with Type 2 diabetes(糖尿病)who completed a few minutes of high-intensity interval(间隔)sessions in the afternoon improved their blood-sugar control after two weeks. Patrick Schrauwen, a professor of nutrition and movement sciences read that 2019 study with interest. He had been studying exercise in people with Type 2 diabetes, but had not considered the possible role of timing. Now, seeing the varying impacts of the intense workouts, he wondered if the timing of workouts might similarly affect people’s metabolisms.
Incidentally, he and his colleagues had a ready-made source of data in their own prior experiment. Several years earlier, they had asked adult men at high risk for Type 2 diabetes to ride stationary bicycles at the lab three times a week for 12 weeks, while the researchers tracked their metabolic health. They also had noted when the riders showed up for their workouts. The researchers pulled data for the 12 men who consistently had worked out between 8 and 10 a.m. and compared them with another 20 who always exercised between 3 and 6 p.m. They found that the benefits of afternoon workouts far outweighed those of morning exercise.
He says, “This study does suggest that afternoon exercise may be more beneficial for people with disturbed metabolisms than the same exercise done earlier. The particular and most effective exercise for each of us will line up with our daily routines and exercise tendencies because exercise is good for us at any time of day — but only if we choose to keep doing it.”
1. What inspired Professor Schrauwen to consider the role of exercise timing in metabolic health?2. What did Schrauwen’s new study figure out?
3. Please decide whether the following statement is true or false and explain why.
Professor Schrauwen and his colleagues carried out the research by using newly-collected data.
4. As for exercising, what do you think is the most important? Why? (In about 40 words)
Born in 1928, Eugenio Monti, was the best young Italian skier of his generation. He became known as the Flying Redhead and won several national titles, but in 1951 an accident called an end to his skiing career. It was then that he switched to bobsleigh. In 1954 he won his first Italian championship and started to dominate the sport in Italy and be a force internationally for more than a decade. However, Monti is more widely remembered as the first athlete to be awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship displayed during the 1964 Winter Olympic Games.
At the 1964 Games in Innsbruck, Austria, Monti and his partner Sergio Siorpaes were the defending world champions, which made them favourites in the two-man event. Monti was desperate to add Olympic golds to his medal collection because he was 36 years old then and had already suffered serious problems with his knees, arguably running out of time to achieve his Olympic dreams. But they were in heated competition with the British team of Anthony Nash and Robin Dixon.
After two runs on the first day, the British led the field. On day two, however, a faulty axle (车轴) on the sled would have been sure to lead to their withdrawal, if it weren’t for Monti offering to lend them the bolt (螺栓) from his sled. The British pair went on to record the fastest time on that final run and won gold by just 0.12 seconds, while Monti and Siorpaes claimed the bronze.
Four days later in the four-man event, Monti’s selflessness towards his fellow competitors shone through for a second time when the rear axle on the Canadian team’s sled was damaged. Monti sent the Italian team’s mechanics to repair it, with the consequence that the Canadian team won gold, with Monti having to settle for another bronze.
Monti was recognised with the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship after the 1964 Winter Games. And four years later, at the age of 40, at the 1968 Games in Grenoble, Monti finally fulfilled his dream of being an Olympic champion.
1. What can be learned about Eugenio Monti from the passage?A.He completely failed in achieving medals at the 1964 Winter Games. |
B.He had achieved national and international golds in skiing before 1951. |
C.He helped Anthony Nash and Robin Dixon twice in Innsbruck, Austria. |
D.He was awarded the first Pierre de Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship. |
A.Sportsmen who have a strong fan base. |
B.Competitors who are expected to win. |
C.Athletes who receive better treatments. |
D.Players who are liked better by people. |
A.Generous and selfless. |
B.Curious and adaptable. |
C.Responsible and courageous. |
D.Persevering and hardworking. |
A.Eugenio Monti—the Flying Redhead |
B.Eugenio Monti—An Olympic Legend |
C.Eugenio Monti—A Real Bobsleigh Champion |
D.Eugenio Monti—An Athlete with Sportsmanship |
1. 推荐一款APP和推荐理由;
2. 给出运动建议。
注意:1. 词数100左右;
2. 开头和结尾已给出,不计入总词数。
Dear Jim,
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Yours,
Li Hua
4 . Some people prefer to have a bite to eat before hitting the gym, known as a fed workout. Others would like to wait until after exercising to refuel their bodies, called a fasted workout.
If you want energy and strength for an ideal workout, you need fuel. A fed workout will provide your body with power. Eating before exercise may help you sustain longer sessions and lift heavier weights.
Many fitness enthusiasts are not on board with this idea. They report feeling sick and inactive while trying to exercise after eating. With a fasted workout, you may not get the usual indigestion. Experts for fasted workouts further claim that eating afterwards makes your body use its fat reserves for energy, meaning you will burn more fat.
Deciding when to eat for an ideal workout is a personal choice. Both fasted workouts and fed activities have their benefits and shortcomings.
A.However, a fasted workout might not work for you. |
B.How your body will respond is based on your workout intensity. |
C.These benefits can result in burning more fat and shaping a slimmer body. |
D.To eat or not to eat, that is the question on many fitness enthusiasts’ minds. |
E.Think thoroughly and discuss with your fitness instructor before taking a choice. |
F.Knowing what to eat for an ideal workout is just as important as knowing when to eat. |
G.A person doing a 30-minute session a day may not have a problem with fasted workouts. |
5 . What is the best sport for your body type?
Just because someone has dreamt of playing football from childhood does not mean it is the best sport for him or her. Finding the sport your body is best suited to can make a big difference to how much you enjoy it and how good at it you are.
A person with an ectomorph body type is tall and slim with little fat or muscle. This person has narrow shoulders and hips, and thin arms and legs. Ectomorphs have difficulty putting on weight because of a fast metabolism (新陈代谢).
Mesomorph body types are the typical image of an athlete. Their arms and legs are muscular and they have broad shoulders and narrow hips. Mesomorphs can put on or lose weight easily and build muscle quickly.
A person who is an endomorph naturally carries more body fat. They are often short, with a high waist, and well developed upper arms and thighs.
It is important to note that the three body types are extremes. No one is 100% ectomorph or completely endomorph.
A.Everyone is a bit of a mix |
B.If you want to be a world champion |
C.If a person with this body type is very tall |
D.A person with this body type has more choice of sports |
E.For the same reason, it takes them longer to build muscle |
F.While it may seem that an endomorph will not be very athletic |
G.Endomorphs must work a little harder to maintain a perfect body weight |
6 . If you have an uphill hike, you may be worried about how your body will hold up over mile after mile. There are a few things you can do to keep the experience from being a painful one.
Uphill climbing requires hard work from your hamstrings. These powerful leg muscles work overtime. And if you'll be carrying a backpack, your upper body also plays a big part.
Depending on the length of the hike you're planning, you might increase your training.
As with any workout program, the key is to keep at it.
A.Warm-up is a must when jogging. |
B.This is the time to schedule that daily walk or jog. |
C.Jogging is a great way to have fun and stay in shape. |
D.You'll need the core muscles to carry your pack for hours. |
E.A little training, good planning, and a strong will can help. |
F.Now it's time to increase the difficulty of your daily walk or jog. |
G.You should make a promise to yourself that you'll at least get started. |
7 . Experts like to say the best form of exercise is whatever kind you’ll actually do. But that may not always be the case; new research finds that people who combine exercise with their social lives may be at an advantage over solitary(独自) exercisers. Tennis, badminton and soccer are all better for longevity(长寿) than cycling, swimming, jogging or gym exercise, according to the research.
The study was based on data from about 8,500 adults who were part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study. They completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire, which included questions about type and frequency of physical activity, and were monitored by the researchers for around 25 years, a period during which about 4,500 of the subjects died.
Tennis came out on top in the research. Compared with people sitting all day, those who reported playing tennis as their main form of exercise could expect to add 9.7 years to their life time, followed by badminton (6.2 years), soccer (4.7 years), cycling (3.7 years), swimming (3.4 years), jogging (3.2 years) and health-club activities (1.5 years).
Tennis likely took the top spot because “it’s very interactive,” says study co-author Dr. James O’Keefe, a physician at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. “At every point you’re talking. It’s just a very natural way to emotionally bond with people, besides getting your exercise.” But he adds that the study may not have been able to fully account for the fact that wealthier, better-educated people—who tend to be healthier to begin with—may be more likely to play tennis.
Activities like running and weight lifting still extend your life and offer plenty of other health benefits. But for the best possible benefits, O’Keefe says gym-goers may want to consider combining those workouts with activities that foster social connection.
O’Keefe, whose exercise typically includes running and weight lifting, says he’s even changed his own behavior because of the study: he and his family have taken up badminton.
“You can’t play badminton without feeling like a kid again,” he says. “It’s just pure fun.”
1. Which of the following is best for living a long life?A.Cycling. | B.Badminton. |
C.Swimming. | D.Gym exercise. |
A.About 8,500. | B.About 4,500. |
C.About 4000. | D.About 2500. |
A.Family life. | B.Social connections. |
C.Frequency of exercise. | D.Wealth and education. |
A.He puts the theory into practice. |
B.He plays badminton just for fun. |
C.He feels like playing badminton with kids. |
D.He takes more exercise than before. |