1 . Sportsmen in the running races of the Olympics are great athletes, but even the slow runners of the running world — joggers in the park — have good health. A study out this week in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds that even 5 to 10 minutes a day of slow running is enough to extend life by several years, compared with not running at all.
The new study focused on a group of more than 55, 000 men and women aged 18 to 100. About a quarter of them were runners. Over 15 years, those who ran just 50 minutes a week or fewer at a slow speed were less likely to die from either cardiovascular (心血管的) disease or other causes, compared with those who didn’t run at all.
The study suggests relatively low efforts are necessary to benefit from jogging, but it can be better to exercise more often. “A little bit is good but a little more is probably better,” says Dr. Aaron Baggish. A 2013 study in Denmark suggested that the secret of maximum longevity is up to 2. 5 hours of running a week.
Although running can make you less likely to have cardiovascular disease, it doesn’t entirely take the risk away from you. “There is no question that the healthier you are and the more exercise you do, the longer you’ll live and the better your quality of life will be,” Dr. Baggish says. “But it doesn’t mean you’ll never get sick.”
“Many long-term runners do not run because they want to live longer,” Dr. Baggish notes. “They run because it makes them feel better every day.”
For these runners, the cost of feeling good can be injuries, so Dr. Baggish supports the value of what he calls “active rest.” His belief, not supported by any recent research, is that it’s a good idea to spend 25% of exercise time over the course of a year running at a slow speed or doing other activities like swimming or biking.
1. What does the new study mainly show us?| A．The best way to run. | B．The best time to run. |
| C．The importance of running. | D．The popularity of running. |
| A．It can result from running often. | B．It’s not completely preventable. |
| C．It’s not so serious as most people think. | D．It can be treated by some kind of exercise. |
| A．Staying active all the time. | B．Swimming more, run less. |
| C．Having a big rest after doing sports. | D．Taking a little light exercise. |
| A．Health. | B．Business. | C．Society. | D．Medicine. |
2 . You’ve probably tried easy center-city Beijing rides if you enjoy riding. Now it’s time to level up your rides so they will take you out into the countryside and attractive mountains.
Death Valley
Approximate distance: 100 km loop (环线)
It may sound terrifying, but Beijing’s cyclists named this northern route “Death Valley” on account of the huge tomb it passes, not the number of on-road accidents it has seen. In reality, it’s the closest, mostly car-free loop to the city center and great for really stretching your legs.
Tuesdays/Thursday TTT
Approximate distance: 54 km loop
While it’s not particularly scenic, there are few traffic lights, and the roads are not too busy and have adequate bike lanes on each side, making it a relatively trouble-free ride. If you’d like to ride with a group, seek out early morning Beijing rider groups and join them on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 5 a. m. or 6 a. m. depending on the season.
The Verse
Approximate distance: 120 km loop
It passes a cafe with good (although expensive) food, and even high-end accommodation, but the best part is their super welcoming attitude towards cyclists. It’s a hike that is well worth the effort, as you are rewarded with amazing views of the Great Wall upon arrival, and a ride back that is mostly downhill.
Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park
Approximate distance: 700 km loop
This park is the closest place for riders to enjoy the Grand Canal from Beijing. The Grand Canal is a true wonder in China, and one of the greatest civil engineering projects in history. The oldest parts of it date back to the 5th century BC. It will be a fun ride here.
1. How does the route Death Valley get its name?| A．It offers deadly loops for cars. | B．It is located in an isolated place. |
| C．It involves passing a large tomb. | D．It witnesses numerous accidents for cyclists. |
| A．Death Valley. | B．Tuesdays/Thursday TTT. |
| C．The Verse. | D．Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park. |
| A．A downhill ride. | B．Second-to-none cafes. |
| C．Adequate bike lanes. | D．A view of historical sites. |
3 . Are you preparing for a big test? If so, you may want to go playing some basketball in between hitting the books. Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and Science University, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels (血管), including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr Cameron is sure that this allows people who exercise to think better. As she says, “while we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can actually cause physical changes in the brain.”
The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. Even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a scientist, also believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in primary school or high school can result from a lack of movement as babies. “Babies need movement that encourages and excites their five senses. They need to set up a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to connect physical activity with higher learning，” says Margaret.
Older people can develop their brains as well. Cornell University studied a group of seniors who have a shortterm memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for babies exercise for older people should not be too simple. Learning some new skills or actions, such as with yoga or taichi helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time. For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main aim is to increase the brain’s flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as two to three hours of exercise a week.
1. What is the connection between exercise and brain development?| A．Exercise helps make our blood vessels. |
| B．Physical exercise helps us think better. |
| C．Exercise prevents us having brain diseases. |
| D．More physical exercises enlarge our brains. |
| A．Whether they are excited or not depends on movements. |
| B．A lack of movement results from their learning disabilities. |
| C．The more frequently they move, the cleverer they become. |
| D．The more activities they do, the greater their brains develop. |
| A．It helps them memorise quicker. |
| B．It decreases the heart rate. |
| C．It includes learning new actions. |
| D．It can be done in groups. |
| A．3 hours per week. | B．4.2 hours per week. |
| C．1 hour per day. | D．40 hours per month. |
4 . Race walking shares many fitness benefits with running, research shows, while most likely contributing to fewer injuries. It does, however, have its own problem.
Race walkers are conditioned athletes. The longest track and field event at the Summer Olympics is the 50-kilometer race walk, which is about five miles longer than the marathon. But the sport’s rules require that a race walker’s knees stay straight through most of the leg swing and one foot remain in contact with the ground at all times. It’s this strange form that makes race walking such an attractive activity, however, says Jaclyn Norberg, an assistant professor of exercise science at Salem State University in Salem, Mass.
Like running, race walking is physically demanding, she says. According to most calculations, race walkers moving at a pace of six miles per hour would burn about 800 calories per hour, which is approximately twice as many as they would burn walking, although fewer than running, which would probably burn about 1,0000 or more calories per hour.
However, race walking does not pound the body as much as running does, Dr. Norberg says. According to her research, runners hit the ground with as much as four times their body weight per step, while race walkers, who do not leave the ground, create only about 1.4 times their body weight with each step.
As a result, she says, some of the injuries associated with running, such as runner’s knee, are uncommon among race walkers. But the sport’s strange form does place considerable stress on the ankles and hips, so people with a history of such injuries might want to be cautious in adopting the sport. In fact, anyone wishing to try race walking should probably first consult a coach or experienced racer to learn proper technique, she says. It takes some practice.
1. Why are race walkers conditioned athletes?| A．They must run long distances. |
| B．They have to follow special rules. |
| C．They are qualified for the marathon. |
| D．They are good at swinging their legs. |
| A．It’s less challenging physically. |
| B．It’s more popular at the Olympics. |
| C．It’s less likely to cause knee injuries. |
| D．It’s more effective in body building. |
| A．Doing regular exercises. | B．Having a medical checkup. |
| C．Hiring an experienced coach. | D．Getting experts’ opinions. |
| A．Objective. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Tolerant. | D．Supportive. |
