Pillow fighting is moving out of the bedroom and into the boxing ring. The Pillow Fight Championship, or PFC, plans to hold
Steve Williams had the idea of
The male and female athletes in January’s event come
Since many people grew up pillow fighting with friends or relatives, Williams
“You can call it
2 . Reasons to Put on Your Rollerblades and Hit the Pavement
Rollerblading (旱冰) is great for building balance, strengthening muscles, and improving mental health. It’s also a cheap, fun, and eco-friendly way to get your daily exercise in.
It’s fun
We all know that we should be exercising several times a week, and picking a workout that is fun naturally motivates us to get up and get going.
It’s cheap
Rollerblading is also a great exercise choice because it costs very little.
It’s eco-friendly
Skater and climate activist, Gerhard Ladstatte explains why he started Friday Night Skating, a free street skating event. “We want to move without burning fuel.” People looking for an oil-free way to get to a workplace that isn’t too far from home, while combining daily exercise into their routine, can consider rollerblading to work.
It’s good for your mental health
Like any form of aerobic exercise, skating is associated with a number of wellness benefits.
A.In other words, rollerblading has it all. |
B.Exercise and fresh air can reduce stress. |
C.Not only is skating cheap, it also benefits nature. |
D.All you need is a pair of skates and some safety equipment. |
E.Rollerblading is an exciting way to get in fresh air and exercise. |
F.It’s easy to see why so many people are discovering the joys of skating. |
G.Unlike a bicycle, you don’t need to find a place to store your skates while you work. |
3 . Running is often tiring and a lot of hard work, but nothing beats the feeling you get after finishing a long workout around the track.
But while it’s long been believed that endorphins (内啡肽) —chemicals in the body that cause happiness—are behind the so-called “runner’s high”, a study suggested that there may be more to this phenomenon than we previously knew.
According to a recent study published by a group of scientists from several German universities, a group of chemicals called endocannabinoids (内源性大麻素) may actually be responsible for this familiar great feeling.
To test this theory, the scientists turned to mice. Both mice and humans release high levels of endorphins and endocannabinoids after exercise. After exercising on running wheels, the mice seemed happy and relaxed and displayed no signs of anxiety. But after being given a drug to block their endorphins, the mice’s behavior didn’t seem to change. However, when their endocannabinoids were blocked with a different drug, their runners’ high symptoms seemed to fade.
“The long-held notion of endorphins being responsible for the runner’s high is false. Endorphins are effective pain relievers, but only when it comes to the pain in your body and muscles you feel after working out,” Patrick Lucas Austin wrote on science blog Lifchacker.
Similar studies are yet to be carried out on humans, but it’s already known that exercise is a highly effective way to get rid of stress or anxiety. The UK’s National Health Service even prescribes (开药 方) exercise to patients who are suffering from depression. “Being depressed can leave you feeling low in energy, which might put you off being more active. Regular exercise can improve your mood if you have depression, and its especially useful for people with mild to moderate (中等的) depression,” it wrote on its website.
It seems like nothing can beat that feeling we get after a good workout, even if we don’t fully understand where it comes from. At least if we’re feeling down, we know that all we have to do is to put on our running shoes.
1. What did scientists from German universities recently discover?A.Working out is a highly effective way to treat depression. |
B.The runner’s high could be caused by endocannabinoids. |
C.Endorphins may contribute to one’s high spirits after running. |
D.The level of endorphins and endocannabinoids could affect one’s mood. |
A.To find what reduces the runner’s high symptoms. |
B.To see the specific symptoms of the runner’s high. |
C.To identify what is responsible for the runner’s high. |
D.To test what influences the level of endocannabinoids released. |
A.Effect. | B.Goal. | C.Opinion. | D.Question |
A.They can help ease depression symptoms. |
B.They are the best way to treat depression. |
C.They only work for those with serious depression. |
D.They can help people completely recover from depression. |
Sports Day was getting close in the school. All the children were very excited and were practicing for the big race. John, one of the fast runners of the school, was confident that he would win for he was not doing anything at all. “You have to work hard to come first in the race John. You are not practicing at all,” said John’s mother.
“Mom, you know how fast I am! Why should I waste my time running? Only I will win; no one else will win!”said John. “John, you may be right but talent (天赋) without hard work is not good at all. This laziness of yours will cost you greatly,” his mother warned him. John just laughed. He was so confident that he would win the trophy (奖杯) as no one else in his class was as fast as he was!.
Tim, a classmate of John, was also participating (参加) in the running race. He was not a fast runner. However, he practiced till late at night and had developed great endurance (持久力) to run the race.
There were a few days left for the Sports Day but John did not practice at all. On the other hand, Tim practiced day and night.
The Sports Day was almost around the corner but John was confident that no one could beat him and had not practiced at all. But Tim with his hard work had become a very great runner.
At last, the Sports Day arrived. All the students showed up on the ground to cheer their favorites. The coach blew the whistle (口哨) and everyone began to run toward the finishing line. It was so exciting. John and Tim left all the racers far behind. Both of them were neck to neck.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右;2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Suddenly, John went ahead of Tim.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________John’s mother came up to Tim and praised him for his hard work.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . More scientists are exploring cellular senescence(衰老)—a state in which cells(细胞)no longer divide. Senescent cells, which build up in older bodies, have a link to age-related conditions such as dementia(痴呆) disease.
Scientists are exploring drugs that treat senescent cells. But the most promising tool against the bad effects of senescent cells, experts say, is exercise.
Today, LeBrasseur, who directs a center on aging at Mayo, says exercise is “the most promising tool that we have” for good health in late life, and its power spreads to our cells. Research suggests exercise prevents the buildup of senescent cells, helping the immune(免疫的)system clear them and fight the cell damage that can affect aging.
Last year, LeBrasseur led a study that provided the first sign in humans that exercise greatly affected senescence. It cut signs in the bloodstream of the effects of senescent cells in the body.
After a 12-week exercise program, researchers found that older adults had cut signs of senescence and improved body strength, physical ability and reported health. A recent study collects even more facts—in animals and humans—for exercise as a treatment to fight against senescence cells.
While such studies are not well-known outside scientific circles, many older adults connect exercise with youthfulness. Farmer Mike Gale, 81, put in a track and field throwing circle on his large farm in California. He and some of his friends throw the discus(铁饼) and use other exercise equipment. “I'd like to be competing in my 90s,” Gale says. “Why not?”
95-year-old Richard Soller says exercise keeps him fit enough to deal with what comes his way—including the discovery that his wife of 62 years had developed dementia. The two sometimes walk the streets of their neighborhood together, holding hands. “Do as much as you can,” he says. “That should be the goal for anyone to stay healthy.”
1. What do we know about LeBrasseur?A.He discovered the cause of aging. | B.He developed drugs to treat aging. |
C.He tested with animals and humans. | D.He firstly proved exercise stops aging. |
A.Uncertain. | B.Confident. | C.Doubtful. | D.Anxious. |
A.To support his or her ideas. | B.To encourage people to exercise. |
C.To praise him for his true love. | D.To introduce activities for the old. |
A.Aging Secret Comes to Light | B.Aging Diseases Seriously Affect Health |
C.Exercise Is Best Tool Against Aging | D.Elderly People Can Also Live Active Life |
I yawned (打哈欠)as I got off the last step of the bus. I had woken early that morning, and had not been able to sleep on the long ride from Riverside High, thinking about that day’s race, the Eye Opener. I had never raced in a state-wide race before. Over thirty high school teams ran, along with quite a few colleges. The rest of my team and I unloaded the bus, and we relaxed and waited for our race patiently.
“Start warming up,” our coach told us, roughly forty-five minutes after we arrived. After finishing our stretches, we headed over to the starting line, eager for the race to begin.
The starter walked to the middle of the field. “There will be two commands,” his voice boomed, ‘‘Runners set, then the gun. If you hear another shot, return to the starting line to start again. ” My heart raced as I got my legs ready to race.
“Runners set!” the starter shouted Bam! The gun fired, and he rushed out of our way. Adrenaline (肾上腺素)rushed through my body as I raced through the mass of runners. As I rounded the first turn, my schoolmates greeted me with heartening shouts. Then, in what felt like only one minute, I arrived at the one mile mark.
“6’10”, a man declared as I ran by. I tried to ignore him, but my legs began to burn as I realized I had run a mile and still had two to go. I slowed down my pace, for I knew the second mile was the worst of all three. Minutes later, I felt horrible. My legs ached, feeling like lead blocks. My vision was clouded as sweat dropped down into my eyes, and my arms felt as if they would fall off if I swung them one more time. Just as I almost reached my limit, a boy passed me. He also seemed to have lost strength but soon he was a little ahead of me.
注意:1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I gathered up my strength to speed up but suddenly fell to the ground.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In the last mile, seeing the athletes passing us one by one, I asked the boy to run without me.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . When 36-year-old Andy Duran decided to return to his favorite high school hobby-skateboarding— in January 2021,the only problem he expected to run into was his own ability to get back into the sport after the long break. However, the 340-pound skateboarder from Oakland, California, soon realized that was the least of his problems.
Duran’s problems began before he even stepped on a skateboard. “I couldn’t find any resources (资源) for fat skaters, what types of boards to try, or where to buy branded (名牌的) shirts in sizes 2XL or 3XL,” he says.
What Duran did find instead was an unfounded belief that fat people should not be skating. “I started to find people who were saying that if you’ re over 190 pounds you shouldn’t be on a skateboard, or that the board won’t support you,” he says.
Determined to do something to change that, Duran founded Chub Rollz— a skating and skateboarding community for overweight skaters. “If you feel like your size makes you feel uncomfortable about skating with others, you are welcome to skate with us,” Duran says.
Duran created a list of recommended (推荐的) products for fat skaters. He also held skating and skateboarding classes to teach beginners. He received a lot of messages from strangers expressing gratitude. “This means so much to me; I didn’t think I could skate,” said one. “A person at the skate shop laughed at me, but this club makes me feel like I can still do it,” wrote another.
Though encouraged, Duran believes a lot more needs to be done to change the idea that fat bodies can’t do and aren’t interested in the activity. He thinks that is simply not true. “I want to see more changes in communities. Maybe skate shops have more training for creating a more welcoming environment for all types of skaters or boards to be made in different sizes,” he explains.
1. What difficulty did Duran have when he decided to start skateboarding again?A.He couldn’t afford a branded skateboard. |
B.He couldn’t find proper products for him. |
C.He realized the board couldn’t support him. |
D.He found it hard for him to step on a skateboard. |
A.He wrote them encouraging messages. |
B.He found them excellent teachers. |
C.He raised money for them. |
D.He started a club for them. |
A.Worries. | B.Thanks. | C.Pride. | D.Doubt. |
A.More members will join Chub Rollz. |
B.More support will be given to fat skaters. |
C.Skate shops will provide more affordable boards. |
D.There will be more communities like Chub Rollz. |
8 . “My Edinburgh” photography competition
Edinburgh Libraries invites you to take part in the “My Edinburgh” competition on Edinburgh Collected. Add a photo of your favourite place in Edinburgh to Edinburgh Collected and tell us what makes it special to you.
The photography competition is free to enter but all entries must be entered via the Edinburgh Collected website (www.edinburghcollected.org). The competition is open to all, students and professionals alike. Your photo might show the place that offers your favourite view of the city, your favourite park, street, or local pub. It doesn’t matter, so long as you tell us what makes that place special to you.
Entries will be judged by a group of experts from Edinburgh College of Art, Museums and Galleries Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University. Entries will be judged on their photographic qualities as well as descriptions.
The closing date for entries is 31 August and winners will be chosen in September.
We will give a canvas print (照片帆布油画) for1st, 2nd and 3rd place entries and the winner will also receive a voucher for a Jessops Academy Photography Course.
Entrants must create an account with Edinburgh Collected to upload your photo(s). There is no limit to the number of entries you can upload, but there will be only one winning entry per entrant.
1. What do we know about the photography competition?A.It asks entrants to pay to enter. | B.It is held by Edinburgh College of Art. |
C.It is only for professional photographers. | D.It accepts photos of a place in Edinburgh. |
A.Prize money. | B.A canvas print. |
C.A voucher for photography courses. | D.A chance to visit Edinburgh Napier University. |
A.Enter only one photo. | B.Send the entry by email. |
C.Upload the entry before 31 September. | D.Create an account with Edinburgh Collected. |
9 . I am a girl, but I was born to be a rebel (叛逆者). I like games that can be
Wrestling (摔跤) is
Every Saturday morning, I got out of bed early to go and watch my brother
For three years, I
My last
I was so excited. I was sure I would win. My heart was beating hard when the match started. I could see
A.interesting | B.surprising | C.dangerous | D.famous |
A.usually | B.ever | C.hardly | D.never |
A.agreed | B.pretended | C.decided | D.happened |
A.roll | B.run | C.fight | D.wrestle |
A.boys | B.girls | C.teammates | D.friends |
A.way | B.life | C.work | D.study |
A.beat | B.hit | C.knocked | D.hurt |
A.shouting | B.smiling | C.laughing | D.crying |
A.chance | B.match | C.try | D.sport |
A.anything | B.nothing | C.everything | D.something |
A.won | B.lost | C.led | D.gained |
A.hands | B.players | C.lights | D.photos |
A.from | B.after | C.on | D.through |
A.dream | B.plan | C.goal | D.story |
A.said | B.heard | C.learned | D.noticed |
10 . All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer.
Some sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese wushu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet.
People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game together they often become good friends.
A.And think of people in cold countries. |
B.Sports help to train a person’s character. |
C.Not a few people like sports in the world. |
D.Many people like to watch others play games. |
E.People aren’t inventing new sports or games. |
F.Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere take part in them. |
G.People are inventing new sports or games all the time. |