1 . 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. |
2 . During the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, there was a lot of talk about the environmental efforts taken. Athletes slept on beds made from recycled cardboard. The medals were produced out of old appliances such as smartphones and laptops. Over 90% of Japanese cities, towns and villages participated in the two-year effort to collect recycled materials to produce 5000 medals. Eighty tons of small electrical devices were collected to make this project successful.
With the 2024 Olympics Games underway in Paris, new environmental efforts are coming into play. Observers will sit on chairs made of plastic recycled from local bins. This decision was made due to a lack of unused raw materials to make new seats, so the eco-construction firm Le Pave turned to make the seats out of waste. Around 11,000 seats will be made from recycled materials.
The plastic collection for Paris 2024 has been carried out in the region’s schools, and over five million coloured bottle caps have been recovered Moreover, 80% of the 100 tons of recycled plastic needed to make the seats come from the yellow bins collections. This is all part of the Paris 2024 “zero waste” strategy to limit single-use plastic usage and encourage a circular economy.
The Olympic Games organizers are planning to make the Paris 2024 Games the greenest Olympic Games yet. They seek to apply a carbon-neutral approach that will lessen the climate impact of the Games by predicting, avoiding, reducing and balancing emissions (排放) and encouraging others to get involved. The Summer Games have released 3.6 million tons of carbon emissions in previous years. The Paris 2024 Games has set a carbon budget of 1.5 million tons which includes the emissions from construction, transportation and operations of the Games.
These plans are ambitious but are achievable. If Paris 2024 successfully reduces emissions and promotes a circular economy, it might set the standard for future Olympic and Paralympic Games, despite where they are held.
1. What were the 2020 Olympics medals made from?| A．Raw metal. | B．Reused plastic. |
| C．Used electronic devices. | D．Recycled cardboard. |
| A．To stop carbon emissions. |
| B．To make seats for athletes. |
| C．To restrict single-use plastic usage. |
| D．To collect coloured bottle caps. |
| A．Decrease of carbon emissions. |
| B．Limitation to single-use plastics. |
| C．Promotion of recycling in school. |
| D．Encouragement of a circular economy. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Negative. | C．Unclear. | D．Favorable. |
3 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make
Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.
·Doing too much too soon
One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine
·
Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.
·Not wearing the right equipment
•Running through pain
| A．Not taking rest days |
| B．If you’re just starting out |
| C．Comparing yourself to others |
| D．Running can be uncomfortable at times |
| E．It’s important not to use the same muscles |
| F．While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running |
| G．Experts suggest increasing your running distance by no more than 10% each week |
4 . A pacer is someone who runs in races or marathons to help set the pace for runners. There are different types of pacers. A race pacer usually carries a sign highlighting a specific competition time for a race. He helps runners reach their goals without relying on technology, such as a smart watch or GPS. Professional pacers are used in long-distance races. They run at different sections of the race to inspire runners. A record pacer helps a professional runner set a new record, who often leads the race for a predetermined distance at a predetermined pace.
A runner being paced runs directly following a pacer. Having a pacer can be helpful for a long-distance runner because researches show that it takes more energy to lead in a race all through the race than to follow another runner. The pacer takes on the responsibility of timing and establishing the pace so the runner only has to focus on his own running. Having a pacer as a guide in a long race can take some of the stress and pressure off by keeping an even pace. The pacer may also provide encouragement along the way to work towards the goal.
There are times, though, when running with a pacer can be more stressful than beneficial for a runner — especially for amateur runners. Not having taken professional training, you set a goal to run a particular pace, but then you realize this may not be the best speed for you. In some cases, the pacer is running too quickly for what you can stand. Other times, you could misjudge your abilities and run a slower pace than what your body can bear.
It is important to note that you don’t have to stay with a pacer just because you started with him. If you feel strong at the end and want to finish faster, you can run ahead. Or if he is too fast, you could slow down and maybe even join the slower pace group behind you.
1. What does a record pacer do?| A．He provides technical support. |
| B．He helps a runner keep the record. |
| C．He offers medical help to a runner. |
| D．He leads a professional runner at a speed set beforehand. |
| A．Injured. | B．Legendary. | C．Unprofessional. | D．Graceful. |
| A．Changing pacers from time to time. |
| B．Following the pacer strictly all through the race. |
| C．Giving up something and preparing for a breakthrough. |
| D．Listening to your body and doing what feels right for you. |
| A．Sport and fitness. | B．Science and technology. |
| C．History and culture. | D．Health and lifestyle. |
5 . The first time I realized that I had a love for sports competitions was during the Field Day in elementary school. Small for my age, and more of a bookworm than a sports lover, I had suffered that special humiliation of being picked last for various gym teams. The Field Day, which focused on individual skills, was different. In the Softball Throw event, I got my first taste of sporting victory. Credit goes to the example of my first coach, my father. He lifted weights every morning at home. He bought us all baseball gloves and hats, and in the warm months, we spent hours playing catch.
Once I got to sixth grade and switched to private school, our entire student body was assigned to either the Red or the White team. Throughout the year, we competed against each other in various games and exercises for points. I eventually became president of The Committee of Games. I also played on the field hockey team and the basketball team. And at home, playing tennis, skating, skiing and biking were simply normal things we did. During the break time, magazines were also quite popular for us teens. These regularly featured articles on physical exercise. Somehow, my college roommate and I took up the habit of completing Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) exercises every day, a practice that continued into my marriage, when we had no spare money to use to join a gym.
So, though it shocks some of our friends, that early foundation continued in adulthood into a sports and fitness focus, considered important even on vacation. I still love reading and the arts, too. As far as I’m concerned, life is the richest with my feet in both worlds.
1. What does the underlined word “humiliation” mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Stress. | B．Threat. | C．Shame. | D．Glory. |
| A．Her confidence in her sports skills. | B．The efforts she put into exercising. |
| C．Her advanced sports gloves and hats. | D．The strong influence of her father. |
| A．She changed the focus into reading. | B．She stuck to working out. |
| C．She regularly exercised on weekends. | D．She joined Royal Canadian Air Force. |
| A．To express her love for sports. | B．To show her father’s guidance on sports. |
| C．To stress the advantages of physical exercise. | D．To share her childhood memories about sports. |
6 . Many know the importance of properly warming up and preparing to exercise, but experts say that including a cool down routine is just as important. According to the Mayo Clinic, cooling down allows for your body to recover and return to its normal, pre-exercise state.
Though cooling down isn’t proven to reduce muscle stiffness (僵硬) or pain, it can prevent dizziness and allow your heart rate and breathing to ease back to a normal rate, Harvard Medical School reports. Phyllis Mammarelli, a personal trainer at the Shenango Valley YMCA in Sharon, Pennsylvania, works with each of her clients on a cool down routine as she says it’s a beneficial part of exercising.
“Cooling down allows your body to gradually return to a low-intensity activity level, slowly reducing your respiratory (呼吸的) and heart rate until it’s equalized and back to normal,” she says.
Skipping the recovery phase of a workout isn’t proven to be harmful to your body, but Mammarelli warns that without cooling down, the body will take longer to return back to the low-intensity activity level you began your workout with.
There are also non-threatening side effects that could occur as a result of forgoing a cool down. Mammarelli warns that blood can gather or pool in your lower extremities (四肢) and lead to dizziness and fainting. Other side effects include your muscle pain and stiffness, which can occur 24-28 hours after your workout. These side effects are mostly seen in the elderly or those with cardiovascular (心血管的) disease and can be eased by warming up and cooling down.
Allow five to 10 minutes at the conclusion of your workout for a cool-down routine. During this period, continue your workout session, but at a much-reduced rate. If you’re pressed for time during your works or unsure how to allow your body to recover, Mammarelli suggests stretching muscles in a pain-free range of motion.
Adding a few additional minutes to your workout for cooling down may seem like an inconvenience, but the benefits outweigh the cost of finding extra time in your schedule.
1. What is the proven benefit of cooling down?| A．Easing muscle pain. | B．Protecting your heart. |
| C．Guarding against dizziness. | D．Decreasing muscle stiffness. |
| A．abandoning. | B．improving. | C．employing. | D．forgetting. |
| A．Stop working out to avoid injury. | B．Skip cooling down to save time. |
| C．Practice cooling down after exercising. | D．Stretch your muscles when convenient. |
| A．Potential clients of fitness centers. | B．Personal trainers working at the gym. |
| C．Readers who are interested in working out. | D．People suffering from muscle stiffness and pain. |
7 . Winning the silver medal at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in the United States, on Sunday, the Chinese women’s volleyball team enjoyed their best result in the tournament (联赛), with the key to the breakthrough being their unity and never-say-die spirit.
“I just feel that our team is more united than ever,” said Yuan Xinyue, Team China captain. “We support and help each other on the court. This is the most important reason behind our success. All of us should shoulder the responsibility of winning.”
She continued to say, “ We have firm determination, and we will keep moving forward. We cherish the road that we have walked. We will summarize events, and we will keep tackling the problems. We will also try hard and hold onto our dreams and the belief that the Chinese women’s volleyball team can be the best.”
Team China was one step away from gold, but the Turkish women’s team showed greater momentum (势头) in the final beating China 3-1. As the Chinese team only finished sixth at last year’s VNL, the second-place finish was a surprise to Chinese fans.
Sunday’s final attracted huge media attention and generated a series of trending topics on social media. While many joined in heated discussion about the final, many more expressed congratulations on the fast rise of the young women’s team.
“Although the Chinese women’s team wasn’t able to stand on the highest podium (领奖台) at the Volleyball Nations League, they still produced the best possible result by fighting together. Hand in hand, Team China players march forward together,” reported by China Sports Daily. “Team China was not among the favorites to reach the final of the VNL, but the team still managed to pocket a silver medal, which is huge progress compared to last year’s result. They proved all the doubters wrong, and they showed the world what a united team they are.”
1. How can we best describe Team China’s performance in the tournament?| A．Overconfident. | B．United. | C．Disappointing. | D．Careless. |
| A．Checking out. | B．Bringing about. | C．Giving up. | D．Dealing with. |
| A．People were concerned about Team China because it lost the game. |
| B．Team China played very hard in the tournament and won the first prize. |
| C．Team China has made significant advances though not pocketing the gold medal. |
| D．Team China didn’t try their best. |
| A．Team China shines in silver medal success |
| B．Team China not among favorites to reach final |
| C．Chinese women’s volleyball team plays against Turkish team |
| D．Team China wins the game |
8 . Can exercise during childhood protect you against memory loss many years later? Exercise early in life seems to have lifelong benefits for the brain, in rats at least.
“This is an animal study, but it shows that physical activity at a young age is very important — not just for physical development, but for the whole lifelong track of cognitive (认知的) development during ageing,” says Martin of the University of Toronto, Canada. “In humans, it may put off the appearance of Alzheimer’s (阿兹海默症) symptoms, possibly to the point of preventing them.”
Martin’s team divided 80 young male rats into two equal groups, and placed running wheels in the cages of one group for a period of six weeks. Around four months later — when the rats had reached middle age — the team taught all the rats to connect an electric shock with being in a specific box. When placed in the box, they froze with fear.
Two weeks later, the team tested the rats in three situations: exactly the same box in the same room, the same box with the room arranged differently, and a completely different box in a different room.
The rats without access (途径) to a running wheel when they were young now froze the same percentage of times in each of these situations, suggesting they couldn’t remember which one was dangerous. But those that had been able to run in their youth froze 40 to 50 percent less in both changed box settings.
“The results suggest the amount of physical activity when we’re young, at least for rats, has influence on brain and cognitive health — in the form of better memories — when we’re older,” says Arthur Kramer of Northeastern University in Boston, who has found that, in humans, exercise improves the growth of new brain cells.
1. The study shows that ______.| A．physical activity is important for physical health |
B．exercise when young can prevent memory loss when older in rats |
| C．using the running wheels is of benefit to the rats’ growth |
| D．physical activity can prevent human’s Alzheimer’s symptoms |
| A．Benefit. | B．Development. | C．Exercise. | D．Study . |
| A．By analyzing causes. | B．By giving an example. |
| C．By showing differences. | D．By describing the process. |
| A．Surprised. | B．Critical (批判性的). | C．Objective. | D．Doubtful. |
9 . It’s common nowadays for people to schedule a fitness plan. Whatever the drive behind it, whether health-related, performance-related or just plain vainglory (虚荣心), it is not uncommon for people to take regular exercise.
But if you’ve never done it before, what’s the best way to go about it? Well, many people make use of a PT — that’s a personal trainer. This might be because they’re wet behind the ears or maybe they just don’t want the trouble of designing their own workout plan. A PT will create a plan based on the aim of an individual. They will tailor it to your current abilities and, better still, they will teach you how to move in a proper way.
However, the trade-off with a PT is the price. Each hourly session can be steep considering the double whammy of having to pay both the PT and membership of the gym. If you are at all strapped for cash then regular sessions might be out of your budget.
So what’s left? Well, if you have the grit for it, you can make your own plan. It’s relatively easy to do if you have the know-how. But before you do, here are some basic pointers.
First, keep your fitness goal in mind. Are you looking to slim down, bulk up, or get shredded? Whatever it is, make sure you choose to be in pursuit of that goal. Next, do your research. Social media is full of fitness videos and advice. Watch as many as possible, but make sure to be critical of them — everyone has a different body. Finally, keep your feet on the ground. Be patient with yourself and set realistic goals — it takes at least three months to see realistic body changes. A good workout is difficult and challenging, but never painful. Pain means you are damaging yourself.
1. What drives people to go to the gym?| A．To keep a fit figure. | B．To make friends. |
| C．To avoid vainglory. | D．To become a celebrity. |
| A．A student short of budget. | B．A busy workaholic. |
| C．A green hand in exercise. | D．A professional athlete. |
| A．Bear in mind our fitness goals. | B．Be a member of the gym. |
| C．Set a training timeline. | D．Watch latest fitness videos. |
| A．The necessity of exercise. | B．How to make a fitness plan. |
| C．The practical skills of workout. | D．How to be a personal trainer. |
10 . Good health is the most valuable thing a person can have, but one cannot take good health for granted.
Proper nutrition (营养) is important for good health. Your body cannot work well unless it receives the proper kind of “fuel” (燃料).
Finally, get plenty of exercise.
If everybody were to eat the right food, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly, the world would be a happier and healthier place.
| A．Drink cold drinks on a cold day. |
| B．We would all live to be much older and wiser. |
| C．Don’t eat too much food with lots of sugar and fat. |
| D．Getting the proper amount of sleep is also important. |
| E．Secondhand smoke is harmful to children as they develop. |
| F．It is important to remember that the body needs proper care in order to be healthy. |
| G．Exercise firms the body, strengthens the muscles, and prevents you from gaining weight. |
