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. |
| 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. |
2 . Benefits of Sports
Doing sports is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from studies and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven beneficial to overall well-being.
The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious. Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you’re involved.
Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up responsibility and leadership.
Discipline is another social advantage. Most organized sports require a strict training and practice schedule. As a student-athlete, you need to balance studies and athletics.
There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to get involved in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!
| A．It’s not just your body that benefits from sports. |
| B．Therefore, playing sports is going to make you more fit. |
| C．But remember, a child’s self-worth should not be distinguished by victory or loss. |
| D．If you play group sports, you’ll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach. |
| E．Nearly every sport requires physical activities and the competitive skills. |
| F．Among these, learning how to function as part of a team is the most important advantage. |
| G．Only with strict discipline can you be successful both in the classroom and in the sports field. |
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 |
| A．Happiness. | B．Risk. | C．Safety. | D．Sadness. |
| 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．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 . Although most games have winners and losers, the goal of sports is not to win every game. The real goals include getting exercise, having fun, and learning important social skills, like sportsmanship.
Good sportsmanship is all about respect. Good sports (有体育精神的人) respect their teammates and also their opponents. They respect their coaches, and they also respect the referees or other officials involved in their games.
Kids usually learn sportsmanship good and bad from the adults in their lives.
Learning good sportsmanship is important because it helps you develop an attitude of graciousness (礼貌) and respect that will carry over into all the other areas of your life.
So be a good sport in whatever you do!
| A．Good sportsmanship can be shown in many ways. |
| B．However, bad sportsmanship is all about disrespect. |
| C．Players’ parents and coaches set examples that kids tend to follow. |
| D．We can be good sports by encouraging others but not laughing at them. |
| E．Starting as a good sport earlier will help you be a good sport as you get old. |
| F．If you’re a good sport on the field, you’ll also likely be a good sport in the classroom. |
| G．The example you set can be a powerful teaching tool for others. |
5 . All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer. Many people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TVs to watch the games. Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins.
Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy! And think of people in cold countries. Think how many people love to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada. 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. They are about one hundred years old. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water－skiing is one of the newest in the family of sports.
People from different countries often become good friends after a game together. Sports help them to understand each other. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace．
1. Why do people all over the world enjoy sports?| A．Because they want to keep healthy. | B．Because they are happy. |
| C．Because they want to live longer. | D．All the above. |
| A．their favorite team wins | B．they win the game |
| C．they get the good news | D．they can’t help themselves |
| A．Water－skiing. | B．Basketball. |
| C．Volleyball. | D．Jumping. |
| A．they train their character in the game | B．they understand each other |
| C．they are friendly to each other | D．they help each other |
6 . The modern Olympics, which appeared in ancient Greece as many as 3,000 years ago, have become the world’s most important sporting competition. From the 8th century B. C. to the 4th century A. D., the the ancient Olympics were held every four years in Olympia in honor of the god Zeus. The first modern Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, and featured 280 participants from 13 nations, competing in 43 events. Since 1994, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have been held separately every two years. The 2020 Summer Olympics, delayed one year because of the COVID-19, was held in Japan in 2021.
The ancient Olympics were held every four years between August 6 and September 19 during a festival honoring Zeus. The Games were named for their location (位置) at Olympia, a place near the western coast in southern Greece. Their influence was so great that ancient historians began to measure time by the Olympic Games held every four years.
After the Roman Empire conquered (征服) Greece in the mid-2nd century B.C., the Games continued, but their standards and quality dropped. For example from 67 A. D., the Emperor Nero entered an Olympic horse race, announcing himself the winner even after he fell off his horse during the event. In 393 A. D., Emperor Theodosius Ⅰ ended the ancient Olympic tradition.
It was another 1,500 years before the Games rose again, largely thanks to the efforts of Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) of France. Working hard at the development of physical education, the young man became inspired by the idea of creating a modern Olympic Games after visiting the ancient Olympic building. In November 1892, at a meeting of the Union des Sports Athlétiques in Paris, Coubertin suggested the idea of making the Olympics an international athletic competition held every four years. Two years later, he got the approval (批准) he needed to found the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ), which would become the governing body of the modern Olympic Games.
1. What do we know about the modern Olympics?| A．The modern Olympics became famous in the 18th century. |
| B．The first Winter Olympics was held in 1994. |
| C．The first modern Olympics dates back to 1896. |
| D．The latest Winter Olympics will delay for two years. |
| A．Every year. | B．Every other year. |
| C．Every three years. | D．Every four years. |
| A．In 393 A. D. | B．In 67 A. D. |
| C．In the mid-2nd century B. C. | D．About 1,500 years ago. |
| A．The ancient Olympics |
| B．The modern Olympics |
| C．The Olympics developed through years |
| D．The Olympics are popular in modern time |
7 . Until quarantine (隔离期) ends, we are left picturing what sport we might do: working out at the gym, playing on a competitive sports team, swimming, biking, or rock climbing. However, we don’t often think of martial arts as possible activities; instead, we rule it out because we think it’s dangerous, uncommon, and even, impossible. Martial arts aren’t considered a sport, right?
Well, here’s some good news: you’re wrong! Martial arts aren’t much more common than people think, and you can start learning at any age. Practicing martial arts is a great way to keep in shape, both physically and mentally. They’re much less boring and much less arduous sport than they’re usually described as in movies, so do not worry that they need a lot of effort.
Martial arts generally require you to focus on the position and movement of every one of your legs and arms, sometimes even your breathing too. Think about it: when you leave the gym, your mental state has improved and you are much calmer. This is because you’ve only paid attention to one activity. It is a great way to clear your head. And practicing it can help you learn to stay more focused, which is the greatest advantage of martial arts training.
Martial arts also improve your coordination (协调性), and greatly improve your posture (姿势). I have personally seen students go from slouching (没精打采) to walking tall with their shoulders back in just a couple of months.
There are many styles and countless kinds of martial arts. Whichever one you like better, know that all of them are good choices.
1. What can we know about martial arts from the first two paragraphs?| A．They often have people hurt. | B．They are difficult to practice. |
| C．People have a wrong view on it. | D．People practice them more often. |
| A．Interesting. | B．Difficult. | C．Friendly. | D．Exciting. |
| A．Adjusting the breath. | B．Enjoying one’s free time. |
| C．Correcting the movement. | D．Keeping one’s attention. |
| A．They are not sports. | B．They attracted many teenagers. |
| C．They are beneficial and helpful. | D．They were invented to protect others. |
8 . WELCOME TO THE 2021 HAL LEONARD VOCAL COMPETITION
The annual Hal Leonard Vocal Competition was founded in 2011 to encourage young singers from all over United States and Canada, from children through college undergraduates. Thousands of singers have participated in the competition, with top placing videos from 35 states and provinces, and over 40 colleges and universities. The Hal Leonard Vocal Competition was one of the first music competitions held entirely on YouTube.
This year with many singers studying at home and unable to meet in person with teachers, we hope the 2021 Hal Leonard Vocal Competition can be a rewarding project for all participants to experience growth, community, and enrichment. The competition offers a thread of connection between all singers who enter, by seeing and hearing their peers (同龄人) online.
The rules of the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition have alwa ys required that a recorded accompaniment (伴奏) must be an official Hal Leonard recording. Because of the special circumstances we are in, for the 2021 competition, we will allow a singer to use an accompaniment recording made that is not an official Hal Leonard recording, provided that the accompaniment recorded matches exactly the edition of the songs from books chosen on the required repertoire (全部曲目) list. The accompaniment must be piano or keyboard only.
Unlike almost every other music competition, there is no entry fee in the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition. We deliberately want young singers from any location in North America to be able to enter, without the expense of travel to an audition (试镜) site. And singers can view and hear others on YouTube from around the US and Canada who are in their own age group. Voice teachers have told us that it is instructive to hear hundreds of singers from other studios.
It is important to us to encourage the study of art song as well as musical theatre, with four age categories for each ：
• Children, 12 and under
• Early Teens, 13-15
• High School, 16-18
• College Undergraduates/Young Adults, 18-23
1. What does the competition allow participants to do?| A．Meet their teachers personally. | B．Hear people of their age online. |
| C．Receive videos of famous singers. | D．Get some gifted books on singing. |
| A．Travel to an audition site ahead of time. |
| B．Prepare and record some original songs. |
| C．Use non-official Hal Leonard recording. |
| D．Provide accompaniment to the entry song. |
| A．It is free to participate. | B．It is held on YouTube. |
| C．It is attended by students. | D．It can be watched online. |
9 . 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. |
10 . There are a number of sports writers who are now widely regarded as some of the best sports journalists of our time. Here are five of the most well-known sports writers.
Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated
Rick Reilly became famous as the back page columnist (专栏作家) for Sports Illustrated magazine. Then he moved to ESPN in 2008 and began working as a columnist for their website — ESPN.com. Now he has his own show with ESPN, and he also contributes articles to ABC sports.
Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe
Bob Ryan rose through the ranks thanks to his skill and knowledge about basketball. He very soon became known as a guru of the sport, writing an impressively large number of articles about The Boston Celtics — a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in Boston, Massachusetts.
John Feinstein of The Washington Post
John Feinstein is primarily a columnist with The Washington Post but during his long career he has published two best-selling sports books A Good Walk Spoiled and A Season on the Brink. He is a regular with the Golf Channel and has a very popular blog called Feinstein on the Brink.
Joaquin Henson of The Philippine Star
Joaquin Henson started out his sports journalism career in 1973 and became popular through his column Sporting Chance, which has been published in The Philippine Star since the 80’s. He has given a number of catchy nicknames to some of the most famous sporting stars of our time.
William Rhoden of The New York Times
Apart from being a columnist with The New York Times since the 80’s, William Rhoden is a respected sports journalist known for his two books Forty Million Dollar Slaves and Third and a Mile. Both books deal with the problems that face black athletes in the field of sport.
1. Before working for ESPN, Rick Reilly _____.| A．was a regular with the Golf Channel | B．started his column Sporting Chance |
| C．wrote articles for Sports Illustrated | D．worked as a sports talk show host |
| A．have worked as writers for ten years | B．work as columnists and write books |
| C．like to give nicknames to sporting stars | D．are known as columnists for ABC sports |
| A．Useful tips for a sports journalist | B．How to be a newspaper columnist |
| C．Newspapers that influence us a lot | D．Famous and popular sports writers |
