1 . A study has found that a lifetime of regular exercise and activity can slow down the aging process (衰老过程). Researchers say that getting older should not necessarily mean becoming more weak or sick. Their research shows that a devotion to a life of movement and exercise may help us live not only longer, but also healthier.

For their study, the researchers looked at two groups. The first group was made up of 125 non-professional cyclists between the ages of 55 to 79. This group included 84 healthy men and 41 healthy women. We will call this group the “cyclists”.

Researchers then found 130 people to make up a second group. Within this group, 75 people were aged from 57 to 80. The other 55 were between the ages of 20 and 36. The people in this group were also healthy, but they did not exercise regularly. We will call this group the “non-exercisers”. Smokers, heavy drinkers of alcohol and people with other health issues were not included in the study.

Then, researchers gave both groups a series of tests. They tested their muscle mass (肌肉质量), muscular strength, percentage of body fat and the strength of their immune (免疫的) systems. Then the researchers compared the results of the two groups.

Results showed that the cyclists did not experience body changes usually regarded as a normal aging process. For example, they did not lose muscle mass or muscular strength. Also, their body fat did not increase with age.

The researchers also found something they had not expected. The study showed that the immune systems of the cyclists did not age either.

The researchers advise us all to find an exercise that we like in our lives.

2 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses （球场） in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.

There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.

Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.

3 . Playing sports offers you more than just physical benefits (好处).     1     The benefits are the same whether or not you’re good at sports. If you are not good enough to play competitively on a school team, you can play sports with your friends.

Making new friends.

Playing sports enables you to create friendships you otherwise might not have formed.     2     You play together happily and gradually know each other. Many times, the friendships you create on the field remain strong when you are not playing sports.

Understanding the value of health.

Taking part in sports improves your health in many ways.     3     This gets you thinking about what to eat and how to treat your body so as to achieve the highest performance levels. Thus, playing sports can lead to better eating habits and prevent you from becoming too fat.

Building team spirit.

Sports provide children with the important lesson of learning how to work in a team.     4     By working together they will learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and will be better able to decide and work out the best plan for the team. This will without doubt help them in their future lives and jobs as well.

    5    

Playing sports requires a lot of time and energy. Some may think this would take students’ attention away from schoolwork. However, the opposite is true. Sports require memorization, repetition and learning — skills that are directly relevant (有关的) to schoolwork.

4 . Benefits of Sports

Taking exercise is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from study and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven to improve general well-being.

    1     Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you take part. Nearly every sport requires physical activity and the skills needed to be competitive. Basketball players focus on strength training.     2     The training process helps encourage physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    3     Playing sports contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, high-five from a teammate, or handshake after a match really raises a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise the self-worth.     4     So after a game, it’s a better idea to ask “Did you enjoy the game?” rather than “Did you win?”

Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up leadership and responsibility.     5     Teamwork demands both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork will raise your responsibility and give you an opportunity to be a leader.

There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to take part in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!

The term “extreme sports”, which we might have seen on a magazine or a website,     1    (be) becoming more and more common as the concept of extreme sports gains     2     (popular). But what are extreme sports on earth?

During the 1970s and 1980s, the term was used for sports with high risks     3     (involve). Today, however, the sports also include activities that give a feeling of adventure without    4    (necessary) putting a participant’s life in danger. For every extreme sport, there is professional equipment that has been developed     5     (protect) your body, improve your performance and give you    6     advantage in the competition.

Extreme sports cover a wide range. Some     7     (develop) from familiar activities so far, like mountain biking, climbing and drag race. Some may not be well known. For instance, bouldering is a kind of rock climbing     8     no rope is used.     9     usually takes place in an area with large rocks or in climbing center.

Nowadays, such sports have become more popular     10     young people all over the world than ever before.

6 . All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy, happy and help them to live longer．

Sports change with the season. People play different games in winter and summer.

Games and sports often grow out of people’s work and everyday activities. The Arabs use horses or camels in much of their everyday life; they use them in their sports, too．

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．

Some sports or games go back to thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese boxing, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. People are inventing new sports or games all the time．

People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person’s character(性格). One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace(体面).

A swing (秋千) could be important for learning, according to one girls’ school. At Brighton Girls, a private school for children     1     (age) 4-18, a swing is to be installed in the sixth-form study center after some of the teenagers asked for one.

After some research, the headmistress, Rosie McColl, said she discovered a swing would be     2     (benefit). She said, “I knew     3     student in a previous school who used to go out and swing in a park between lessons.     4     (current), what we are doing is bringing the swing into the school     5     (help) build a culture. This leads to better results     6     students in terms of both their wellbeing and academic achievement.”

Recent studies show physical activity can improve brain function as well as calming the mind and body, at a time when     7     (anxious) among teenagers is at record levels. So far, McColl’s decision     8     (support) by parents, including Sam Cartwright-Hatton, a psychologist at Sussex University,     9     wrote a letter to the government before schools returned in September calling for new, more creative lessons to help children settle back into class.

McColl advises students     10     (prepare) for exams over the Christmas holiday to find a swing in a local park between revision classes. “No one is ever too old to go on the swings, to play, to think and to dream,” she said.

On a quiet morning, about 70 people were practicing the ancient art of tai chi, outside of the library in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are not    1     well-trained   group of exercisers,   but rather a class of participants who are    2    (most) homeless. The class focuses    3     (little) on mastering the exercise and more on    4    (build) a community. People have said the class relieves their stress, encourages them to get into a routine and make new friends.

Bernie   and Marita Hart, a    5    (retire) couple, began to run the free program   three years ago. They started it by approaching   homeless people    6     were pushing grocery carts near the Salt Lake City Public Library and inviting them to try    7     Hart said her   favorite part of the program has been watching the friendships among participants. They love seeing the positive impact the class    8    (have) on people's lives.

When the Harts are out of town, tai chi does not stop. Attendees take turns teaching the classes.

"Homeless people    9    (tell) what to do every place they go, but we want to encourage them   to   be    10    (leader)," Bernie   Hart   said. "They   don't   need   sympathy,   they   need something that works."

How Fit Are Young Teens?How often do you exercise? A new study finds that most kids ages 12 to 15 aren’t getting enough physical activity.     1    U.S. fitness guidelines recommend (推荐) an hour or more of physical activity every day. According to the study, only 1 in 4 U.S. kids meet the recommendation. Few kids in the survey met the guidelines for physical activity that raises the heart rate and makes you breathe harder. However, most of those kids said they did at least an hour of exercise at that level during the previous week.     2    The study found fat teens were less active than normal-weight girls and boys. Overweight girls were slightly less active than normal-weight girls.     3    “There’s always room for improvement,” said health expert Tala.     4     She also said the results provide useful information to help with fitness campaigns such asLet’s Move, which was launched by First Lady Michelle Obama. To inspire kids to eat right and get in shape, the First Lady visits schools and holds exercise events. She also calls on schools to offer regular gym classes.The research suggests kids who get physical education may get better grades.     5