1 . 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.

2. Why did the scientists give mice drugs in their experiment?

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.

3. What does the underlined word “notion” mean?

A．Effect.

B．Goal.

C．Opinion.

D．Question

4. What can we know about regular workouts according to the UK’s National Health Service?

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.

3 . 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 studies 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). 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 computer games, means many teens don’t get their required exercise. PE classes act as a public health measure (措施) to encourage physical activities and help teens have healthy weights.

Not doing sports increases teens’ hazard 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 prevented 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 activities 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 ęxercise 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 “hazard” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Happiness.

B．Risk.

C．Safety.

D．Sadness.

3. According to the PCFSN, doing sport          .

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.

4 . Poetry Slam is a type of competition where people read their poems without props(道具), costumes or music. After performing, they get scores (0-10) from 5 judges. The judges can be anyone——they don’t even need to be poets! Scores are awarded based on how much each judge likes the poem.     1     Your poem doesn’t need to be a specific form of poetry. With that in mind, here are some common rules you’ll find in the competition.

Make it original. The written piece must be original.     2    

Time. Each poet has three minutes to perform. While reading your poem, make sure you finish it within three minutes.     3    

Simple.     4    Read and perform it for family and friends before completing. Ask them what is clear and what is not. Choose appropriate themes, like relationships, family-social problems, etc. Your poem should be clear and convey a message.

Rhythmic. Your poem should have a rhythm（韵律)that shows through your performance. A slam poem moves the audience through different emotions.     5    

A．Poets lose points for failing to meet limit.

B．The purpose of this judging process is to attract everyone to take part in it.

C．Your poem should be able to reach your audience the first time it is heard.

D．The highest and lowest scores are dropped and the middle three are kept.

E．The poem performed for the competition needs to be your own work.

F．How the poem is performed is at least as important as the content if not more.

G．Watch other Poetry Slams for encouragement, to get feedback and start competing in your own Poetry Slam.

5 . It is very obvious that some of the world's top-performing athletes have and feel something deep inside their core that regular athletes simply don't.     1     and are constantly pushing themselves to become better than yesterday. These athletes are the types of people that inspire and motivate other people to really give it their all and if you analyse them you will see that no matter how great they are, they are constantly trying to improve something new that is going to take them to the next level.

First of all, the pursuit (追求) of health and fitness should always start with goal setting.     2    , they have an exact picture of what they are trying to reach and they make sure that their goals are concrete and measurable, so they always have an idea of how far they are from their goals.

These athletes don't limit themselves when it comes to their health accomplishments.     3     even though they really don't know how they are going to reach them at first. They know that by setting high goals their motivation levels will explode and they will be even more fired up to find a way that will make them reach their “impossible” goals. For these guys, nothing is impossible when it comes to health and fitness.

    4     They push themselves as hard as they can and constantly try to reach new levels of success. For the outside world, it might be hard to understand how they can push themselves this hard, but for these super athletes, it is just a game.     5     that they don't even see it as work, they see the whole thing as fun.

A．Last but not least, they are extremely excited and driven by their goals.

B．They always give it their all.

C．Their goals excite and motivate them so much

D．They try their best to shape their bodies

E．Compared to regular athletes who don't set concrete (具体的) goals and monitor them

F．This is what really fuels and drives them when training

G．They set really high goals

6 . 阅读短文，并按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

How do students spend their spare time after finishing their homework? Watch TV, play computer games, or go outside to relax? Here's a good example.

Tim and Kerry Meek are both teachers. They live in the UK with their two daughters: eleven-year-old Amy and nine-year-old Ella. Recently, the Meek family has become the focus of the whole country after they completed 100 different outdoor activities in one year.

The Meek couple didn't want their children to spend all their free time in front of the TV and become "couch potatoes". So about one year ago, the Meeks decided that watching TV and playing computer games were not permitted. Instead, they set 100 tasks for the two girls to do outside. Although Mr. and Mrs. Meek are not outdoor activity fans, they took part in all the activities to encourage their daughters. It turns out that the two sisters really had a good time joining activities.

Every holiday and weekend, whether it's sunny, rainy or snowy, the Meeks' would set off to try the activities on their list, including hiking, sailing, climbing, skiing, and so on. The two little girls not only had a wonderful time, but also learned a lot of skills from the activities. They were even able to stand up in front of their school to give a talk for charity. "Our friends spend a lot of their free time doing things which are harmful to their health. Luckily, we've had the chance to experience something different." Amy and Ella also helped their parents to draw up a new list of challenges for the next 12 months.

1. Why did the Meeks become the focus of the UK? (no more than 10 words)
2. What does the underlined phrase "couch potatoes" mean? (no more than 15 words)
3. When did the Meeks go out to do the activities? (no more than 5 words)
4. What did the two little girls learn from the activities?(no more than 5 words)
5. What have you learnt from the story? (no more than 25 words)

7 . Once upon a time, when you first attended a youth sporting event, your parents probably weren't expecting you to become a professional athlete.They signed up for a basketball, football or swimming course for you in the hope that you might learn lessons about winning gentlemanly, losing with dignity(尊严)and insisting on it when things get hard. Yes, playing games is good exercise, but it is the life lessons that matter most.

For many of us, instead of looking to improve our minds and spirits, we began judging progress only by the size of our muscles or the numbers on a weighing machine. The thought that athletic competition is about greater life lessons and the building of character has been further undermined(削弱)by headlines about professional athletes.

“And yet there's still strong evidence that sports strongly improve certain personal qualities,” says Angela Lumpkin, Professor of the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Kansas. And that's true for athletes of any age.Amateur sports(业余体育运动)provide a safe place for competition. They also provide a practice ground for managing stress.

The advantages of taking part in a sport can seep(渗透)into your professional life, too. In basketball, for example, “Getting everyone to play the right role on the court is the key to success,” says Alan Arlt, the founder of the Life Time Fitness basketball program Ultimate Hoops. “That is certainly useful in the business world, where everyone understands their own role in the organization.” “In athletic events, you go through good and bad times often in the period of two hours,” says former NBA head coach Flip Saunders. “Do you have the calm manner to settle yourself down, or do you totally lose it and get thrown out of the game which hurts both you and your team？All of that on­court experience has a real effect on how you deal with real­life situations.”

1. What would parents expect when their children joined in sports?

A．To win as many games as possible.

B．To improve their health.

C．To make more friends.

D．To get through difficulties.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A．People play sports to build their character.

B．People still hold the idea that sports can keep us fit.

C．People keep playing sports to improve minds and spirits.

D．People pay more attention to the news of professional athletes.

3. Amateur sports are mentioned in Paragraph 3 in order to        .

A．support Lumpkin's idea

B．introduce the next topic

C．show another piece of evidence

D．show the main idea of the paragraph

4. According to the last paragraph, the sports experience has a real effect on        .

A．how to succeed in the future

B．how to keep calm in certain situations

C．how to deal with real­life situations

D．how to understand the role on the court

8 . Diana Nyad, born in 1949, is one of the world's greatest long-distance swimmers. She started as a speed swimmer, winning races in high school and dreaming of the Olympics. However, Nyad fell ill with heart disease before she could compete in the 1968 Olympic Games and had to spend three months in bed. By the time Nyad was better, she was unable to swim as fast as she had previously.

Nyad then turned from speed swimming to distance swimming. Her first race was 10 miles in the cold waters of Lake Ontario. Even though she came in tenth place, she was the first woman ever to complete the course. In 1974, Nyad set a record while swimming a 22-mile race in the Bay of Naples, Italy. That same year she tried to swim back and forth across Lake Ontario, a total of 64 miles. Nyad made it across the lake, but on the return trip, she lost consciousness and had to be pulled from the water. In 1975, she swam around Manhattan Island, a distance of 28 miles, in a record of 7 hours and 57 minutes. Three years later she swam 102 miles from the Bahamas to Florida.

In 2010, at the age of 61, Nyad announced she would swim from Cuba to Florida. In order to train, Nyad spent as many as 14 hours a day swimming in the ocean. The swim from Cuba to Florida would last at least 60 hours and cover 103 miles. Unfortunately, bad weather forced Nyad to wait until the next year. In 2011, Nyad attempted the swim but was blown off course after being in the water for 29 hours. Nyad attempted the swim again a few months later, but she had to stop because of too many jellyfish stings (海蜇蜇伤）.

Despite these setbacks, Nyad continues to preserve and plans to eventually make the Cuba-to-Florida swim. She has made a vow (誓言）to never stop swimming and wants other older Americans to understand that it is never too late to make one's dreams come true.

1. What made Nyad fail to participate in the 1968 Olympic Games? (No more than 5 words)
2. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about? (No more than 10 words)
3. How did Nyad make preparations for her swimming from Cuba to Florida? (No more than 15 words)
4. What does the underlined word “setbacks” in the last paragraph mean? (Only 1 word)
5. What inspiration do you learn from Nyad’s stories and experiences? (No more than 25 words)

9 . If a president and a philosopher credited the same secret for their success. would you try to follow it too? What if the secret was something you already knew how to do? In fact, you probably do it every day. Here's what Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: It is only ideas gained from walking that have any worth." Thomas Jefferson: “Walking is the best possible exercise.”

It's not just the two great minds who made a case for it as a prime creativity booster. Researchers have traced numerous connections between walking and generating ideas. A Stanford University study found that participants were 81 percent more creative when walking as opposed to sitting. You've probably heard the phrase Exercise your creativity, which refers to the brain as muscle. Our creative mindset is triggered by physical movement, which is exactly why walking-with your dog, a friend, or alone-feeds creative thinking.

But the scenery is almost as important as the sweat. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey reveals that Americans spend 87 percent of their time indoors. Being inside, you will be less energetic. Without energy, you can't wonder or create. Interrupting your routine with a walk can afford you fresh insights into problems or projects. Just by going outside, you are stepping out of your habitual surroundings and your comfort zone, which is necessary if you want to open your mind to new possibilities. When you can walk through a tree-filled neighborhood or down a busy street, you can't help but get distracted by the child pointing to a building you haven't even noticed before

Our brains work harder to process in different environments, so walking outside fosters our ability to glean new ideas. Research has shown that immersion (沉浸） in nature, and the corresponding disconnection from multimedia and technology, increased performance on a creative problem-solving task by a full 50 percent in a group of hikers.

So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking? Engage more closely with your surroundings. Turn off your phone and give yourself the chance to be present in the world, to hear conversations and natural sounds, to notice the way people move,the way the sun reflects in a pond. Walk not just for exercise. Walk for wonder.

1. What does the underlined phrase "the secret" in Paragraph I refer to?

A．Routine.

B．Walking.

C．Exercise.

D．Habit.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A．Being inside will make you get nowhere in creativity.

B．Walking outside opens your mind to new possibilities.

C．Fresh insights into problems are guaranteed by walking.

D．Staying outside helps you concentrate on your problem.

3. According to the passage, which of the following best contributes to creativity?

A．Wandering in a park.

B．Surfing the Internet.

C．Sleeping in a room.

D．Chatting with a friend.

4. What's the main idea of the passage?

A．Walking feeds creative thinking.

B．Walking builds up people's health.

C．Creative thinking is the key to success.

D．Creative thinking starts with a creative goal.

10 .     1     Involving yourself in an activity that makes you breathe a little more heavily will improve the development of your heart and lungs and help them work more effectively and efficiently. Another benefit of exercise is that it will improve your body's immune system, making you better prepared to fight off infection.

Every sport has its own specific health benefits.     2     It improves flexibility, balance and muscle strength. Of course, it's also a great way to cool down on a hot day!

Sport, as well as being a physical activity, has a mental aspect too.    3    Sport builds character and promotes the development of a number of qualities that are essential for a successful and fulfilling time. Firstly,sport requires self-discipline, as you have to set goals, make plans and keep going even without immediate rewards. Secondly, sport will encourage you to maintain a positive and balanced outlook. Everyone has their ups and downs. Participating in competitive sport help you better understand winning and losing.·     4    It will show you that you often need to rely on others for your success and that you also have a responsibility to contribute to the success of others.

The world of sport is full of exciting opportunities where you can discover who you really are.    5    

A．It's time to put on your sports shoes and go play!

B．It can also help you maintain a healthy body weight.

C．It can help define who you are and who you can become.

D．Finally, sport will help you understand the importance of teamwork.

E．Regular exercise contributes to the development of your muscles and joints.

F．Sport will not only make you feel energetic, but also improve your overall health.

G．Swimming,for example, is an excellent activity as it provides a full-body workout.