1 . The last attempt of Ken Campbell to run could date back to high school. When his wife, Susan, injured her foot, she needed support to rejoin her running group, so Campbell went along to keep her company in the recovery. “We were just walking at the beginning,” he says, “I was heavy, and weighed over 90kg.” But as the weeks and months passed, the weight fell away, Susan recovered and Campbell’s abilities grew. At the age of 63, he ran 50 km, and at 70, he completed a 100 km ultramarathon (超长距离马拉松赛跑).
So how does someone with no experience of running become an ultradistance runner in his 60s and 70s? Susan had run marathons (马拉松比赛) before her injury, but for Campbell, the turning point came when Susan’s Fleet Feet running group started training near their home.
Campbell went out to visit Susan’s group, and “the paths were a terrible mess. It had been raining, and I was slipping, sliding and falling. But I thought, well, I like this a lot.” What he liked above all was the feeling of “being wrapped by the path, being hugged by the closeness of the plants and the nearness of the river”.
Running the 100 km ultramarathon took Campbell 16 hours. When Campbell crossed the finish line, Susan handed him a 100 km sticker to display on the back of his truck. “It is a public statement that you are part of this community,” he says. “Wherever we park, I see a line of vehicles with their various stickers and I feel that we are a community.”
Campbell suffered from arthritis before he started running, and was “waiting for knee replacement”, but for now, he no longer needs an operation. It can put an end to the running—but the “sense of wellbeing and achievement will carry me on forever,” he says, “If I can’t run, I will walk.”
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．Why Campbell attempted to run marathon. |
| B．What led to Campbell’s weight loss. |
| C．What made Campbell start running. |
| D．What Campbell did for Susan’s recovery. |
| A．His visit to Susan’s group. | B．Feeling free in nature. |
| C．Falling down when training. | D．Susan’s starting training. |
| A．A sense of achievement. | B．Encouragement from his wife. |
| C．A sense of belonging. | D．Display of his happiness. |
| A．Well begun is half done. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. | D．It is never too late to begin. |
2 . Teenagers have long been told that being active and taking part in various sports is good for their health. But new research suggests that too much sport for teenagers could negatively affect their well-being just as much as too little sport.
Researchers from Switzerland say their study suggests that 14 hours of physical activity a week is best for promoting good health in teenagers. However, they found that more than 14 hours appears to be detrimental to their health. To reach their findings, the researchers surveyed more than 1,245 teenagers aged between 16 and 20 from Switzerland.
All participants were required to answer questions on height and weight, sports practice, sports injuries and well-being. Their well-being was assessed(评估) using the World Health Organization (WHO) Well-Being Index,and the average well-being score for all participants was 17.
The researchers divided sports participation into low (0—3.5 hours a week), average (3.6— 10.5 hours), high (10.6— 17.5 hours), and very high (more than 17.5 hours).The researchers found that participants in the low and very high activity groups were more than twice as likely to have well-being scores below 13, compared with participants in the average group. The researchers found that the highest well-being scores were gotten by participants who carried cut around 14 hours of physical activity a week, but exercising beyond 14 hours resulted in lower well-being scores.
Commenting on their findings, the researchers say physical activity has been connected with positive emotional well-being, reduced sadness, anxiety and stress disorders, and improved self-respect in teenagers.
The researchers suggest that their study stresses the importance for physicians caring for teenagers to check their level of sports practice and ask them about their well-being. Teenagers probably need a supportive and closer follow-up of their health and well-being. The findings can provide information for guideline groups who produce recommendations on sports practice for teenagers.
1. What does the underlined word “detrimental” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Useless. | B．Important. | C．Reasonable. | D．Harmful. |
| A．To much sport is less healthy than what is traditionally believed. |
| B．Both low and high sports participation help teenagers improve confidence. |
| C．Very high activity groups tend to get higher well-being scores. |
| D．Low spirit participation is proved to be the cause of obesity. |
| A．A research paper. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．A business report. | D．A fitness diary. |
| A．Measures to improve teenagers’ well-being. |
| B．Concerns of physicians about teenagers' well-being. |
| C．Importance of physical activities on teenagers'well-being. |
| D．Relationship between sports participation and teenagers' well-being. |
3 . The village super league, or “Cun Chao” in Chinese, is a soccer game among different villages in Rongjiang county, Guizhou Province, and it is so down-to-earth but popular that it has attracted not only the attention of football legend Michael Owen but also millions of Chinese netizens (网民), who are paying attention to this non-professional football league.
The players come from a variety of backgrounds. They are vendors, drivers, students, carpenters, tilers, former butchers, and brick factory workers. Their ages range from 15 to over 40 years old. At the game site, representatives wearing various traditional national costumes play national musical instruments and enter the field with the players, and perform songs and dances.
“This kind of football game is natural and with ‘pureness’ and it is driven by the love of the ordinary people not the economic benefits. The game is providing not only values of sports, but also a way of socializing with low costs,” an expert noted. This kind of atmosphere is very rarely seen and is treasured, especially for people in urban areas who are getting increasingly busy and under great work pressure, and when they look at the fun, relaxing and down-to-earth way of life in the countryside, they will naturally be interested, experts said. There is at least one good effect brought by the “Cun Chao” to Chinese soccer—to make more people see the pureness of joy and encourage them to play soccer.
Today, more and more grassroots sports events are held in the mountains and are using sports as a medium to showcase the unique charm of the local area, reflecting an energetic lifestyle filled with agricultural activities and rural fun.
1. Why does the author mention Michael Owen in Paragraph 1?| A．To show he is a household name in China. |
| B．To voice his view on modern soccer game. |
| C．To show the great popularity (流行) of “Cun Chao”. |
| D．To stress the importance of “Cun Chao”. |
| A．They are from all walks of life. |
| B．Seniors are welcome to join the team. |
| C．They are able to play national musical instruments. |
| D．They wear traditional costumes on the soccer field. |
| A．Slow-paced (慢节奏的). | B．Highly stressed. |
| C．High-cost. | D．Nonprofitable. |
| A．The village super league wins the hearts of Chinese. |
| B．The village super league: From nobody to somebody. |
| C．The village super league bridges the countryside and the city. |
| D．The village super league promises the future of Chinese soccer. |
This sightseeing walking tour shows you Washington DC's most iconic sights with a fitness class built in! We explore the nation's park and the National Mall by foot, stop for multiple sports and wellness activities along the way. Are you the kind of person who goes to the hotel gym even while traveling? Do you love to go on a jo g in the morning? Join us for a tour that will get your heart beating!
What To Expect●John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Take photos from the scenic observation deck!
10 minutes·Admission Ticket Free
●Lincoln MemorialRun the steps, take photos and do a guided workout!
15 minutes·Admission Ticket Free
●Washington MonumentAt the base of the monument, we have another guided fitness activity!
20 minutes·Admission Ticket Free
●National MallOn America's lawn, we do our final guided fitness activity in Washington DC's most scenic location!
30 minutes·Admission Ticket Free
Additional Information●Confirmation will be received at time of booking
●Not recommended for travelers with back problems and pregnant（怀孕的） travelers
●No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
This tour will have at most 50 travelers
●No age under 18 and over 65Cancellation (取消) Policy
It is non-refundable (不可退还的) and cannot be changed for any reason. If you must, the money you paid will not be returned. This experience requires good weather. If it's canceled due to poor weather, you'll be offered a full refund.
1. Where will travelers spend the most time during the tour?| A．National Mall. | B．Lincoln Memorial. |
| C．Washington Monument. | D．John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. |
| A．there is a heavy rain | B．you give up the tour halfway |
| C．you cancel the tour a day earlier | D．you make changes just before the start |
| A．It is free. | B．It offers hotels with gyms. |
| C．It includes at least 60 visitors. | D．It connects sightseeing with exercise. |
5 . You know that short walk to the shops and back? It’s about 10 minutes each way and you don’t know if you can be glad to make the trip, but that one short walk could save you from an early death, a new research by Cambridge University shows. In fact, as many as one in 10 early deaths could be prevented if everyone managed at least half the recommended level of physical activity.
Risks of diseases such as heart disease, strokes (中风) — which were responsible for 17.9 million deaths per year in 2019 — and various cancers are all reduced with this simple short walk. This easy lifestyle change was also noted in an earlier study in January, 2023, so you really should give it a go.
By carrying out studies among a total of over 30 million participants, the latest Cambridge research found that just 75 minutes of exercise a week can reduce the risk of cancer by 7%. It was also enough to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular (心血管的) disease by 17%.
Professor James Woodcock from the MRC Epidemiology Unit said, “We know that physical activity, such as walking or cycling, is good for you, especially if you feel it raises your heart rate. But what we’ve found is that there are many benefits to heart health and reducing your risk of cancer even if you can only manage 10 minutes every day.”
It goes without saying that doing the recommended 150 minutes per week is more beneficial than just 75 minutes. Around one in six early deaths would be prevented with the two plus hours of exercise, while 11% of cases of cardiovascular disease and 5% of cases of cancer would be avoided.
So what are you waiting for? Boots were made for walking.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The simplicity of a short walk. |
| B．The reason for people’s death. |
| C．The benefits of doing exercise. |
| D．The change in people’s lifestyle. |
| A．Walking can always raise people’s heart rate. |
| B．People need at least 75 minutes’ exercise a day. |
| C．Physical activity is not that necessary for people. |
| D．10 minutes’ exercise a day can make a difference. |
| A．By telling stories. | B．By listing numbers. |
| C．By describing the processes. | D．By referring to previous researches. |
| A．To advise people to exercise. | B．To uncover the secrets of health. |
| C．To remind people of some diseases. | D．To compare different ways of exercise. |
6 . Knowing how many kilometers or miles per hour you’ll likely cover while hiking is of great importance.
If you’re not sure what your average hiking speed is, don’t worry.
It can be worked out as follows. One hour for every 3 miles plus an additional hour for every 600m of ascent (升高). So let’s say you wanted to know how long it would take to hike 6 miles with an elevation gain of 1,200m. That’s 2 hours for the distance and another 2 hours for the ascent, for a total of 4 hours.
| A．Note that’s only your hiking time. |
| B．There’s an easy way to work it out. |
| C．Your hiking speed isn’t an exact science. |
| D．It can ensure that you safely reach your destination. |
| E．But some hiking places do require you to use your upper body too. |
| F．Consider how to increase your hiking speed on and off the mountain. |
| G．One of the best ways to hike faster is to train when you’re not hiking. |
7 . I hesitated when my friend suggested that we join the school’s new Tai Chi club. I used to think that tai chi was for the elderly. However, the first class changed my previous understanding of tai chi. A year later, I can say that tai chi has had a huge impact on me.
The first few tai chi classes were fun and easy, and the moves with descriptive names really caught my imagination, like “white crane spreading its wings” and “golden rooster standing on one leg.” When I asked my coach where these interesting names came from, he told me about the history of tai chi. Zhang Sanfeng, a 13th-century Taoist, was said to have invented tai chi after drawing inspiration from a fight between a snake and a bird. However, nowadays people tend to believe that Chen Wangting, a 17th-century master of Chinese martial arts, developed tai chi based on martial arts skills.
After the first few basic tai chi lessons, I found myself bored and aching from doing the same slow moves over and over again. Fortunately, my coach taught me how to relax my muscles and focus on peace of mind during ever, day practice. With these requirements of tai chi in mind, I found to my satisfaction that my balance and flexibility slowly improved, that I was able to do more difficult moves, and that my love for tai chi returned stronger than ever.
Meanwhile, I started to explore the ancient Chinese culture behind tai chi. I discovered that tai chi is deeply rooted in the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, which are believed to form the the unity of opposite. Neither can exist independent of the other. The practice of tai chi aims to keep the balance of yin and yang in the body through opposite movements: forwards and backwards, up and down, left and right, breathing in and breathing out. Ultimately, tai chi brings about a state of physical balance and mental peace.
The experience of a year of tai chi has affected my everyday life positively. I sleep more soundly at night, and feel more energetic during the day. I feel happier and more confident. Tai chi has taught me to relax my mind, enabling me to stay calm in stressful situations. I am sure I will continue to practise tai chi and enjoy the benefits it has brought me.
1. Why did the author join the Tai Chi Club?| A．Because of his friend’s advice. | B．Because of his interest in it. |
| C．Because of the school’s request. | D．Because of his parents’ suggestion. |
| A．Quick and beautiful. | B．Quick and free. |
| C．Slow and beautiful. | D．Slow and boring. |
| A．Tai chi is influenced by Laozi’s philosophy of water. |
| B．Tai chi can have a positive effect in people’s lives. |
| C．You can find the origin of tai chi in the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang. |
| D．Tai chi can make people feel energetic and confident. |
| A．Finally | B．Sometimes | C．Firstly | D．Constantly |
8 . “The Worthington Christian defeated the Westerville North by 2—1 in an Ohio boys’ soccer game on Saturday.” That’s according to a story that appeared last month in The Columbus Dispatch. That lead was written not by a sportswriter, but by an artificial intelligence (AI) tool.
Many news organizations are now examining how AI might be used in their work. But if they begin their “experimenting” with high school sports because they are less momentous than war, peace, climate change and politics, they may miss something crucial. Nothing may be more important to the students who play high school sports, and to their families, neighborhoods, and sometimes, the whole town. That next game is what the students train for, work toward, and dream about. Someday, almost all student athletes will go on to have jobs in front of screens, in office parks, at schools, in hospitals or on construction sites. They may suffer blows and setbacks. But the high school games they played and watched, as well as their hopes and cheers, will stay vivid in their memories.
I have a small idea. If newspapers will no longer send staff reporters to cover high school games, why not hire high school student journalists? News organizations can pay students an hourly wage to cover high school games. The young reporters might learn how to be fair to all sides, write vividly, and attract readers. That’s what some celebrities in sports did, and do.
And think of the great writers who were inspired by sports: Hemingway on fishing, Bernard Malamud and Marianne Moore on baseball, Chen Zhongshi on football, and CLR James on cricket, who said, “There can be raw pain and bleeding where so many thousands see the inevitable (不可避免的) ups and downs of only a game.” A good high school writer, unlike a robot, could tell readers not just the score, but the stories of the game.
1. Why is the lead mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To introduce an original idea. | B．To show AI’s wide application. |
| C．To bring in the opinion about AI. | D．To stress AI’s importance to news. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Eye-catching. | C．Competitive. | D．Far-reaching. |
| A．Rich in contents. | B．Fair in comments. |
| C．Centered on results. | D．Targeted on readers. |
| A．News Organizations Are Abusing AI | B．High Schoolers Can Do What AI Can’t |
| C．Great Writers Are Crazy About Sports | D．AI Ruins High School Students’ Memory |
9 . Benefits of Walking in Cold Weather
As winter blankets the world in a coat of ice and fresh cold air, the idea of going outdoors fora walk might seem less attractive.
Strengthened Immune System
Remaining in colder temperatures can actually improve your immune (免疫的) system. As your body adapts to the cold, it produces more white blood cells.
High Spirits
The winter blues, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), can affect many individuals during the colder months. Fortunately, walking in cold weather has been linked to improved emotion and reduced signs of sadness. The fresh air and physical activity inspire the production of endorphins, the body’s natural emotion enhancers (增强剂).
Improved health and energy level
Cold-weather walking can provide an excellent heart workout. The combination of light movement and the body’s reaction to the cold increases heart health by improving circulation (血液循环) and lowering blood pressure. Over time, this can make your blood system healthier.
So, as the winter winds blow and snowflakes fall, consider wearing your warm clothes and taking a walk outside.
| A．The cold weather does not cost energy. |
| B．They play a key role in fighting off diseases. |
| C．Winter, especially, is an opportunity to go slowly. |
| D．They leave you feeling more positive and excited. |
| E．However, don’t let the cold temperatures prevent you. |
| F．Let each walk be a big step towards a healthier, happier you. |
| G．The benefits of walking in cold weather go beyond physical health. |
10 . A study led by the University of Granada has made sure for the first time the number of steps at which most people can get health benefits. The study has provided the first scientific evidence for how many steps you need to take per day to reduce the risk of premature (过早的) death: about 8,000 steps. Given the length of a human step, taking 8,000 steps is just like walking about 6.4 kilometers a day.
The researchers conducted a systematic literature review and analysis of data from twelve international studies involving more than 110,000 participants. The results are in line with other recent studies, which show that health benefits are got at about 8,000 steps.
“What makes our study different is that, for the first time, we set clear step aims. It shows that measurable benefits can be got with small increases in the number of steps per day, and that for people with low levels of physical activity, every additional 500 steps improves their health. This is good news because not everyone can walk almost 8,000 steps a day, at least not at first, so you can set small, reachable goals and gradually make progress and increase the number of steps per day,” explains Esmée Bakker, one of the lead authors of the study.
So, should we stop walking when we reach around nine thousand steps? “Absolutely not,” Francisco B. Ortega, another lead author of the study, said firmly. “More steps are never bad. Our study showed that even as many as 16.000 steps a day does not pose a risk; on the contrary, there are additional benefits compared to walking 7,000-9,000 steps a day.”
The study gives people clear and easily measurable goals. Here lies the importance of the study—to provide simple and concrete (具体的) aims for the number of daily steps that people can easily measure with their phones or smartwatches, and thereby contribute to people’s health.
1. What can we learn about the study according to paragraph 1?| A．Its findings were based on scientific evidence. |
| B．It explored the length of a human step. |
| C．It proved the benefits of walking. |
| D．It found a new way to prevent premature death. |
| A．The number of steps is becoming larger. |
| B．The number of steps is about 8,000 steps a day. |
| C．The number of the whole steps is about 500 steps. |
| D．The number of steps with a small increase can get benefits. |
| A．To recommend a way to keep healthy. |
| B．To show the significance of the study. |
| C．To encourage people to walk more steps. |
| D．To prove the contribution of modern technology. |
| A．Education. | B．Sports. | C．Health. | D．Environment. |
