1 . I recently spent half a weekend sitting on the sofa watching the Davis Cup. I thought about going for a run, but I did not want to miss the rest of the match. Soon it was starting to get dark, so I did not bother (费神). Whenever I watch tennis, I think how nice it would be to play it regularly. But I have been thinking that for almost 20 years without actually setting foot on a court. The evidence would suggest that I’m not the only one.
When a country or city competes to host an international sporting event, it often promises that more people will take up sports as a result. London was no exception. Tessa Jowell, who helped to bid for (申办) the 2012 Olympics for London, said that by 2012 two million more people would be physically active. And 60 percent of young people would be doing at least five hours of sports per week.
In the end, just over one-third of people in Britain take part in sports once a week. A report on Olympic and Paralympic influences has said that a big change in participation levels simply has not happened.
Why isn’t there a big increase in people taking part in sports after most sporting events? Perhaps it is a mistake to assume a definite link between watching sports and playing it. While the games are on, they actually encourage people to do just the opposite — to spend whole sunny days not out playing sports, but inside sitting on the sofa with the curtains shut to stop the sun shining on the TV screen. We don’t expect half the audience of a hit musical to apply to drama school the next day, yet we seem to expect it of sporting events.
The high-level performances on show only remind people that they could never match the excellent athletes in their sporting achievements even if they trained full time.
Maybe participation in sports is not the right thing to expect after a major sporting event. The Olympics can do many things, but maybe this cannot necessarily be one of them.
1. How does the author introduce the topic?A.By sharing experiences. | B.By asking questions. |
C.By listing figures. | D.By analyzing causes. |
A.Watching sports is closely linked with playing it. |
B.Watching games discourages people from going out. |
C.Watching games encourages people to take part in sports. |
D.Half the audience of a hit musical will take part in drama soon. |
A.Do people like participating in sporting events? |
B.Do people prefer watching big sporting events? |
C.Do the Olympics encourage people to match athletes? |
D.Do big sporting events make us do more sport? |
A.Positive. | B.Negative. |
C.Uncertain. | D.Objective. |
2 . Competing in the Mongol Derby
Standing at the finishing line, 70-year-old Bob Long spent a while reflecting on the achievement he’d just made. Behind him was the wild, endless Mongolian grassland extending into the distance. This American had just become the oldest person to ever complete and win the Mongol Derby, the world’s longest horse race.
Long, a rider all his life, entered the race after being inspired by All the Wild Horses, a movie based on the exhausting event.
Fearing that he wouldn’t be able to complete it, he set about preparing his mind and body for this “hardest, toughest, most demanding thing you can do on a horse”, an annual 1,000-kilometer race that was recognized as the world’s longest horse race by The Guinness Book of Records in 2011. He confirmed his belief that preparation can surpass (超过;胜过) youth, as some of the other riders were less prepared.
Although Long had been riding horses for many years, the hardship and uncertainty of the task pushed him to his limit and forced him to depend entirely on his own will. The race organizers had provided an extensive support network to keep an eye on the participants from afar. Despite that, the physical pressure of riding such a long distance made simple things like squatting (蹲) down at the end of the day almost impossible.
Along the vast race course there were unpredictable circumstances beyond Long’s control, however well prepared he’d been. Weather was one of them, which could switch from heavy rain to burning sun unexpectedly.
Above all else, the biggest obstacle was the state of mind. Without a living soul in sight, Long was desperate for interaction, guidance, and comfort. This feeling of loneliness accounted for his hope that one of his fellow competitors would catch up.
Regardless of the hardship, Long felt a sort of spiritual adventure while traveling through the wilderness. He was provided with some memorable moments while connecting with nature. He also grew to love the country and the communities along the route.
Still holding the passion for riding, Long never dismisses the idea of competing in another Mongol Derby.
1. What distinguished Bob Long from other competitors in the Mongol Derby?A.He rode the whole race course alone. |
B.He completed the toughest part of the course. |
C.He was the oldest participant of the horse race. |
D.He was most likely to enter the competition again. |
A.His strong willpower. | B.His thorough preparation. |
C.His passion for nature. | D.An extensive support provided by the organizers. |
A.The changeable weather. |
B.The psychological condition in the course. |
C.The difficulty in finding the competitors. |
D.The physical demand of riding a long distance. |
A.An introduction to the Mongol Derby. |
B.A review of a film based on the longest horse race. |
C.The experience of the Mongol Derby’s oldest winner. |
D.The preparations before a long and difficult horse race. |
3 . If you want to improve your fitness, walking is a great choice.
Walk for at least 30 minutes 3 to 5 days a week.
If you only have a short period of time to walk, add force to work on your stamina. You can simply put a few books or solid objects in a backpack and carry that. Keep track of the amount of weight you’re carrying so you can increase it gradually.
Find ways to include walking in your regular routine.
Figure out how you can introduce more walking into your daily routine. For example, you might try using the stairs instead of the elevator.
Download a step-tracking or general fitness app.
A fitness app allows you to set goals for yourself to stay active and increase your walking stamina over time.
A.Carry weight while walking. |
B.Some trackers also allow you to compete with others. |
C.Go on a longer walk at least one day a week. |
D.It’s free, simple, and adaptable to your schedule. |
E.If the weather is unsuitable, use a stationary bike inside instead. |
F.Or you can park further away from shops and walk the distance. |
G.Going for regular walks improves your cardiovascular (心血管的) fitness gradually. |
4 . You probably consider calorie (卡路里) burning with training. You can get great calorie burning effects with the following exercises.
RunningRunning is one of the best calorie burners out there. An average person can burn anywhere from 500 to 1,000 calories in one hour of running. Speed and pace are all factors that can affect calorie burning. But running uses every muscle group in the body, allowing you to burn more calories.
High Intensity Interval (高强度间歇运动) Training (HIIT)If you want intensity, HIIT is right for you. This physical exercise involves working hard in intervals, then resting. Because your heart rate will stay at a high level, you’ll burn more calories in less time. On average, a person will burn 400 to 600 calories in 30 minutes.
Jumping ropeThis childhood activity can actually do wonders for your health. Jumping rope is great for strengthening the lower and upper body while training your balance and coordination (协调能力), because your mind has to work while you jump. Jumping rope can burn 600 to 1,000 calories in an hour.
SwimmingSwimming is a low-intensity form of exercise that also uses muscle groups of your body. In just 30 minutes of swimming, an average person can burn 200 to 300 calories. Swimming also helps to shape body, control blood pressure, and increase strength—all great reasons for you to jump into the water.
1. Which kind of exercise burns the most calories in an hour?A.Running. | B.Swimming. |
C.Jumping rope. | D.High Intensity Interval Training. |
A.Those who want to train their mind. | B.Those who want to have good balance. |
C.Those who want to control blood pressure. | D.Those who want to do low-intensity activities. |
A.To encourage people to compete in sports. | B.To teach people how to do exercise. |
C.To provide ways to burn calories. | D.To promote a healthy lifestyle. |
5 . Physical education, or gym class, 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 (肥胖症). 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 video games and computer activities, means many teens don’t get their required exercise. Physical education classes act as a public health measure to encourage activity and help teens have healthy weights.
Inactivity increases teens’ risk 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 hindered 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 activity 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.Helping teens learn to make good plans. |
B.Removing the stress faced by teens at school. |
C.Making teens think much of exercise later. |
D.Getting teens to encourage adults to exercise. |
A.Measured. | B.Prevented. | C.Shown. | D.Caused. |
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 |
A.How high school students can live a better life. |
B.How schools can help students love doing sports. |
C.Why some schools consider physical education important. |
D.Why high school students should receive physical education. |
6 . 2024 Illustration Competition
Enter the competition most respected and admired in the industry for creativity in illustration, the Communication Arts Illustration Competition. Selected by distinguished professionals, the winning entries will be distributed worldwide in the Communication Arts Illustration Annual and on commarts.com, ensuring important exposure of the creations. Each winner will receive a professionalized Award of Excellence, made from solid aluminum, and an award certificate. Communication Art’s Award of Excellence is one of the most desired awards. If chosen, winning places you in the highest ranks of your profession.
What To Enter With
Any illustration first published or produced from Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2024 is qualified. Entries may originate from any country. Descriptions in English are necessary for the judges to read.
Entries Can Be Submitted In The Following Formats
Digital Images: RGB images in JPG format with a maximum file size of 2 MB. GIF images may be livelier, but would be turned down, and so would the PNG ones.
Motion Entries: In MOV, MP4 or MPG format, with a maximum file size of 500 MB.
Illustration Competition Categories & Entry Fees
Category | Single illustration | Series of illustrations |
Books (covers, jackets, etc.) | $ 40 | $ 80 (limit of 5) |
Motion (media for films, videos, etc.) | $ 90 | $ 180 (limit of 3) |
Student Work | $ 20 (Image) $ 45 (Video) | $ 40 (Images, limit of 5) $ 90 (Video, limit of 3) |
For more categories, please download the category PDF.
Late Fees
Entries must be registered no later than Jan. 13, 2024. Entries registered after that date will be charged a fee of $10 each. No entries can be registered after Jan. 27, 2024.
1. What will the winner gain?A.A personalized award certificate. | B.Wide recognition in the industry. |
C.Exposure to world-famous works. | D.A bonus from Communication Arts. |
A.A student work from Argentina. |
B.A newly produced motion entry. |
C.A PNG image with a file size of 1 MB. |
D.A series for covers of three illustrations. |
A.$ 80. | B.$ 110. | C.$ 150. | D.$ 240. |
7 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.
Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular (心血管的)fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "
For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak (最大值的) cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.
A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.
These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.
"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.
1. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph?A.Positive effects of doing exercises. |
B.Exercises suitable for the middle-aged. |
C.Experimental studies on diseases. |
D.Advantages of sporty woman over man |
A.To predict their maximum heart rate. |
B.To assess their cardiovascular capacity |
C.To change their habits of working out |
D.To detect their potential health problems |
A.It aimed to find a cure for dementia. |
B.Data collection was a lengthy process. |
C.Some participants withdrew from it. |
D.The results were far from satisfactory. |
8 . Scientists are now digging into precisely why exercise holds so many benefits for our mental health and memory. The answer, studies say, lies in our brain chemistry.
Each time you work up a sweat, your body releases feel-good happy hormones (荷尔蒙), including endorphins, dopamine and endocannabinoids, the latter being responsible for the so-called runner’s high. Now researchers are also pointing to myokines (肌肉因子) as an important contributor to the mental health benefits of exercise. When our muscles contract, myokines are released into the bloodstream, helping your muscles and organs communicate. They think this communication increases resilience to stress, reduces symptoms of mental suffering and anxiety and has a direct effect on depression.
A 2021 scientific report published in Neuropharmacology showed evidence that myokines boost brain function, like improving memory and mood. “Myokines reduce systemic inflammation (炎症), which is especially beneficial for people with drug-resistant depression whose low mood is linked to high inflammation,” explains Dr Jennifer Heisz, an expert in brain health and associate professor in the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that treatment for depression can be much more effective when physical activity is added to the usual care. Participants found benefits after 12 weeks of exercising for 30 to 60 minutes a day. “While exercise is not a replacement for professional mental health treatment, physical activity can complement and enhance the effects of the treatment,” says lead researcher Ben Singh, a research fellow at the University of South Australia.
“It is amazing to consider how moving our bodies can heal our minds,” says Heisz. Whether you’re cycling, walking around your neighbourhood or doing yoga, getting sweaty is good for your body and mind. To get the biggest overall health boost, the key is to zero in on sports and activities you enjoy, so you’ll keep going back to them.
1. How do myokines boost our mental health?A.By bonding muscles with organs. |
B.By slowing down our bloodstream. |
C.By contracting muscles through the body. |
D.By releasing happy hormones in our brain. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Negative. |
C.Uncertain | D.Approving. |
A.Adapt to. | B.Give up. |
C.Focus on. | D.Put off. |
A.By making comparisons. |
B.By presenting research findings. |
C.By offering suggestions. |
D.By conducting some experiments. |
9 . Participating in art competitions is essential for students to gain formal recognition and impress college admission officers. Today, we have a list of art competitions on regional, national, and international scales.
EarthX Eco-Art Competition
It invites young artists aged 5-22 to create 2-D or 3-D art that illustrates the theme: Protectors for the Planet. The theme can be interpreted in various ways, including individuals taking action towards a more sustainable planet, or highlighting the efforts of environmental leaders working to sustain ecosystems.
Deadline: March 8, 2024
The Children’s Drawing Contest
Sponsored by International Certification Organization Network, the contest, whose theme this year is “Passing on Our Precious Earth to The Future”, invites children aged 7-15 worldwide to draw the kind of natural environment they would like to live in. 48 winners will receive special memorabilia. All entrants will receive a participation prize. Medium: Drawings with any type of paint, pastel, etc.
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Science without Borders Challenge
The competition is open to children and young people under the age of 16. We welcome entries from both groups and individuals to create art to promote public awareness of the need to preserve, protect, and restore nature. The theme is “The Sixth Extinction” and you can focus on the protection of endangered species. Acceptable media include paint, pencil, marker, crayon, ink, felt, and oil pastel.
Deadline: March 4, 2024
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the longest-running literary and art competition in the US, provides opportunities and academic awards for creative young people to express their talent. The theme this year is “Tell Your Climate Story”. Students in the 9th to 12th grades can submit poetry, fiction and nonfiction to show their understanding of environmental issues.
Deadline: June 10, 2024
1. On which date can participants send their entries to EarthX Eco-Art Competition?A.May 6, 2024. | B.March 15, 2024. | C.April 28, 2024. | D.February 9, 2024. |
A.EarthX Eco-Art Competition. | B.The Children’s Drawing Contest. |
C.Science without Borders Challenge. | D.The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. |
A.They target students under the age of 20. | B.They are about environmental protection. |
C.They require participants to write a story. | D.They only accept entries from individuals. |
10 . 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 |