1 . Physical fitness is today s hot topic. And wherever you turn, you hear something new. But is it all true?
The more you sweat the more fat you burn
This myth has encouraged people to work out in extreme heat or wear layers of clothes or rubber or plastic weight-loss suits in the hope of sweating fat off. Unfortunately, it’s water that you’re losing, not fat. When you first begin to exercise, you burn carbohydrates or sugars. To burn the fat, plan on working out at least 40 minutes.
No pains, no gains
Many people tend to overdo their exercise programs looking for quick results. Doing so, however, may result in your injury or sore (疼痛的) muscles. Your best bet is to start any exercise program slowly and gradually increase the workout. This gives people a good beginning without the pain or injury.
Exercise increases appetite
This is true for hard or intense (剧烈的) exercise that lasts for 60 minutes or longer. Gentle exercise that is less than 60 minutes, however, will probably reduce your appetite for one to two hours. Exercise always lowers blood sugar.
You can get fit in 10 minutes a week
This and similar claims are common, but untrue. There are no shortcuts to getting fit. Becoming fit takes work and the general rule is 20 minutes of aerobic activity three times a week. Consistency is the key. If you stop working out, your muscles will turn to fat. If you decrease your activity and continue to eat the same or more you may gain back the fat that you worked so hard to lose. It’s not, however because your muscles turned to fat. Muscles may atrophy(萎缩) but they won’t turn to fat. Muscle is muscle and fat is fat.
1. According to the writer, which of the following statements is TRUE?| A．Overdoing exercise results in quick effect. |
| B．The more people exercise, the higher blood sugar will be. |
| C．Your muscles will turn to fat when you exercise less. |
| D．Consistency is one of the best policies to get fit. |
| A．tell people how to resist the wrong opinions about exercise |
| B．educate people to exercise correctly |
| C．encourage people to get into the habit of exercising regularly |
| D．give people advice on how to lose weight |
| A．40 minutes a day | B．1 hour a day | C．1 hour a week | D．10 minutes a week |
Africa on G8 Agenda
The
London Wins
On July 6, 2005, London was being announced by the IOC in Singapore to be the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games. London now has the distinction of being the first city
3 . Getting good at a sport is difficult enough. Mastering one and then reinventing yourself after moving halfway across the world is another story, but Abigail Fernandes is doing just that. The 17-year-old student was a good shooter while studying in Britain. But when she moved back to Hong Kong, China, life suddenly felt a little empty without the eight hours a week of shooting training she’d become used to.
“I decided to go for a sport that might help me get fitter and allow me to protect myself in the future,” she explains. With its high intensity exercise, and chances to build strength, boxing fit the bill perfectly.
“Boxing teaches you patience, but best of all, a hunger to learn,” she said. “The values and lessons the sport teaches you can all be used in both your day-to-day life and education.”
Now, she has been boxing for just a little more than three years and loves the challenges that this sport offers. She trains 10 hours a week with her coach Jim, who has helped her to grow as an athlete (运动员) and a person.
Though she has made great progress, she thinks being able to deal with hits in the ring is her biggest challenge. “When you get hit in the ring, it’s so easy to burst into tears and give up, but this gets you nowhere,” she says. “I want to be able to take hits and accept them. These are skills that can only be learned through countless sessions of sparring (轻拳出击). The first time I sparred I cried, so I’m proud of myself for never turning down a sparring session,” she says.
Abigail says that though her training is pretty boring, she’ll keep practicing as she looks for a competition where she can put her skills to the test. “I have a long way to go,” she says, “but I want to learn everything this sport has to offer!”
1. When did Abigail start boxing?| A．When she studied in Britain. | B．Before she became a shooter. |
| C．After she came back to China. | D．While she traveled half the world. |
| A．To protect her family. | B．To prove her athletic ability. |
| C．To earn a living in the future. | D．To make her healthy and strong. |
| A．It is too dangerous. | B．It is a waste of time. |
| C．It changes her values. | D．It helps her in many ways. |
4 . As is often the case, it is human nature to lead a sedentary（久坐的）lifestyle and most of us are so involved in our busy schedules that we don't even notice our bad habits. Many worry about the right time or "right age" to start working out.
Master your mind. Most people argue that they are too tired or old to start exercising. Doing so is much easier than trying to change the busy lifestyle. Change your mindset and be more confident in improving your health.
Easy does it. Once you have chosen a fitness program, start slowly and increase it in stages. Begin with just a few minutes of gentle exercises and stretches.
Always warm up. Always remember to warm up your muscles before exercising. Gentle warm-ups will reduce your risk of injury, aches and pains, and increase blood circulation and flexibility.
Cool down. When you finish your routine, you need to cool your muscles and let your heart rate slow gradually.
| A．Don't overload your body. |
| B．Never ignore your potentials. |
| C．Tell your body to be more active and say, "I can do it." |
| D．However, nobody cares about what you have done for them. |
| E．Go next to some mild activity such as walking, jogging or cycling. |
| F．Cooling down will help your body to return to its pre-exercise level. |
| G．But it's never too late for them to start exercising and all they need is enough determination. |
5 . NASA Student Competitions
NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge
Teams of high school and college students are challenged to design and build a human-powered vehicle to travel across the simulated(模拟的) surface of another world. The course includes 14 roadblocks and 5 tasks, and teams must successfully follow NASA instructions. Each U.S. school may enter up to two teams. For international entries, no more than four teams from each country will be accepted.
International Team Registration Deadline: July 12
U.S. Team Registration Deadline: August 16
NASA Lunabotics Competition
Lunabotics challenges teams to design, build and run their autonomously operated robot, travel through simulated off-world areas and dig the simulated lunar soil. This challenge includes presentations and demonstrations, and a systems engineering paper explaining the methodology the team uses to design and build their robot.
Registration Deadline: July 18
NASA SUITS Design Challenge
NASA Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) gives students an authentic engineering design experience supporting NASA’s Artemis mission—landing American astronauts safely on the Moon by 2024! This activity challenges students to design and create spacesuit information displays within AR environments.
Proposal Deadline: July 25
2020 BIG Idea Challenge
NASA’s 2020 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge is open to teams of 5 to 20 students. Teams are challenged to submit proposals for sample lunar payloads(有效载荷) that demonstrate technology systems needed for exploration and science in the permanently shadowed regions in and near the Moon’s polar regions. Selected teams will receive awards from $50,000 to $180,000 to bring their ideas to life!
Entry Deadline: August 16
1. John, a student who is good at designing vehicles, can enter______________.| A．2020 BIG Idea Challenge | B．NASA Lunabotics Competition |
| C．NASA SUITS Design Challenge | D．NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge |
| A．They need to finish building their robot on July 18. |
| B．They have to complete a course of 5 tasks. |
| C．They need to create their own simulated environments. |
| D．They should write a paper showing how they build their robot. |
| A．They both require submitting proposals before August. |
| B．They both ask participants to bring their ideas to life. |
| C．They are both preparations for Moon exploration. |
| D．Both of them will present winners with big awards. |
Since childhood，I have
After my arrival on campus on the first day，I went for
The main rules that the teacher taught us were attitude，discipline (自律) and balance. I was taking every bit of the training
7 . The executive committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA，世界反兴奋剂组织) agreed to a series of tough measures against Russia on December 9. According to The Washington Post, it is the most severe punishment to date in the years-long Russian doping saga (兴奋剂事件).
Russia is prohibited from participating in all major international sports events in the next four years, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The country will also be banned from hosting any major sports events.
The reason for such severe punishment is that WADA believes the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) did not actively cooperate with its investigation. WADA also claims that the sample data submitted by the Moscow laboratory in January 2019 was incomplete and untrue. A great deal of data was deleted and changed.
Under the four-year ban, the Russian flag and anthem (国歌) are also prohibited from being displayed at major events. Only ''clean'' Russian athletes will be allowed to participate in international competitions under a neutral flag if they can provide the necessary proof.
Several countries and organizations have already upheld (支持) WADA's decision. The International Olympic Committee states that the decision is binding (有约束力的) and will also support the ruling (裁决) of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (国际体育仲裁法庭) in the future if Russia appeals. Norway said it would refuse Russia's participation in the Ski World Cup in2023.
The head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said the ruling against Russia was “too moderate” and that the failure to ban Russian athletes from participating in any sports event was a blow to international sports. Although RUSADA will have three weeks to appeal against WADA's decision, according to the reaction of other organizations, there is a high possibility that the penalties will be carried out.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said the country had every reason to appeal against the decision. ''The key thing, and everyone is in agreement here, any punishment has to be individual, has to be targeted based on what a particular individual has done. We can't have collective punishment, '' Putin stressed. ''We cannot punish people who have nothing to do what so ever with violations.''
Despite the ban, Russia will be able to compete at Euro 2020 — in which St. Petersburg will be a host city — as European football’s governing body UEFA is not defined as a ''major event organization. ''
1. What does the underlined word prohibit in paragraph 2 mean?| A．To forbid. | B．To force. | C．To encourage. | D．To urge. |
| A．In 2021 Russian can host some major sports events. |
| B．Under the ban, the Russian flag and anthem can be displayed at major events. |
| C．No Russian athletes will be allowed to participate in international competitions. |
| D．Russian president Vladimir Putin is against the punishment. |
| A．In a guidebook. | B．In a madcine journal. |
| C．In a science news report. | D．In a sports news report. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Objective. | C．Indifferent. | D．Puzzled. |
8 . It was the Olympic final day earlier this month, but this was an Olympics with a difference. Over the last five months, local and regional competitions have been held across Kenya for Maasai men of "warrior" age as part of the Maasai Olympics 2018. December 15 marked the final round with crowds gathering in Kimana, near the Amboseli National Park, about 200 km south of Narobi. Cash prizes and medals are in store for the winning individuals and communities.
International Charity Born Free Foundation is a main sponsor of the event which has been held every two years since 2012 to offer Maasai and warriors an alternative to(作为......
的替代)killing lions as part of their traditional ceremony. It was the idea of the Wildlife Charity Big Life Foundation and eight Maasai elders who wanted to "stop lion hunting by our warriors once and for all, making it a cultural taboo(禁忌)”.
"As soon as we understood the idea for the Maasai Olympics, we were attracted by the excitement, and inspired by the complete sense of this great plan," said Born Free Foundation's CEO Howard Jones. "As human populations grow and our wants seem to increase, with little sympathy for those other species with whom we share the planet, the pressing needed for coexistence is urgent. And examples of how this may be achieved are few and far between."
"About 2,000 lions remain in Kenya, and Born Free works to monitor the population, ease human-wildlife conflict and promote coexistence. "added Jones. “The Maasai live and work alongside lions and other wildlife, so they play a key role in their protection and conservation. However, the Maasai also have a 500-year-old tradition of hunting lions when men reach warrior age."
The Maasai Olympics were developed to encourage young men to compete in an organized sports competition based on their traditional warrior skills. They compete in six events (5,000 m, 800m, 200m, high jump, etc.) and there are also two events (1,500m and 100m) for women. As well as the competitive element, the event also aims to educate local people about conserving lions and other wildlife, and the importance of human-wildlife coexistence and tolerance.
1. What do we know about the Maasai Olympics according to the text?| A．They are only accessible to men. |
| B．They had been held four times by 2018. |
| C．They are held in the Amboseli National Park. |
| D．They honour winners with the title of hero. |
| A．It is primitive and unacceptable. |
| B．It is a proof of their being sympathetic. |
| C．It is the result of human-wildlife conflict. |
| D．It is highly regarded by Born Free Foundation. |
| A．To change the lifestyle of lions in Kenya. |
| B．To ease human-wildlife conflict in Kenya. |
| C．To monitor the population of lions in Kenya. |
| D．To promote coexistence of humans and lions in Kenya. |
| A．Humans and wildlife cannot benefit each other. |
| B．The Maasai should not interfere with wildlife. |
| C．Humans should live in harmony with wildlife. |
| D．The Masssai should not give up their old tradition. |
9 . Getting up in a cold winter morning is even a difficult thing to do and doing some exercise outdoors seems a tough task.
Running in the cold actually helps burn more calories compared to the same activity done indoors. Cold weather basically requires the body to work harder to achieve perfect temperature for efficient functioning.
Cold winter weather is a common excuse for people to get lazy and stay indoors. Some people also eat a whole lot when it’s cold outside.
Having depression or a sad mood is common during the winter months.
Running activities basically help the body become healthy and strong regardless of indoors or outdoors. The additional thing is that the body needs extra work to knock back the freezing temperatures.
| A．Good blood circulation promotes metabolism |
| B．Running outdoors is also good exercise for the heart |
| C．With this, people will not only become healthier but also happier |
| D．The changes lead to people feeling down during the cold winter months |
| E．However, running outdoors in winter may actually provide various benefits |
| F．Other people meanwhile tend to watch TV all day or sleep for longer periods |
| G．These feelings are regarded as a common phenomenon with those living in the north |
10 . Grandma’s Marathon doesn’t have the nationwide recognition. In Minnesota, though, people who’ve never run more than a few steps are familiar with the race.
While Grandma’s Marathon has been on my mind for years, I always found myself committed to a different race. When my sister mentioned she was signing up for the race last fall, I followed suit. It felt so far away at first, especially during those early training runs in the dead of winter. That changed once spring began. Before I knew it, the marathon day had arrived.
I’m no stranger to this, but nothing prepared me for Grandma’s Marathon mentally. Race day would be cold and rainy one day, then hot and sunny the next. Part of this has to do with the fact that Grandma’s Marathon is in June, the middle of Minnesota’s severe weather season, which typically witnesses the most thunderstorms.
Things weren’t looking great the night before the race. There was potential for thunderstorms, meaning race cancellation, and the temperature seemed a little hot. Everything changed when we woke up.
I’m not sure if it was because of the fog present through most of the morning, but the race course was just beautiful. We passed through gently rolling hills in quiet, wooded areas for much of the beginning. And the first time I saw Lake Superior, it nearly took my breath away. Even the finishing area was picturesque. I really had a good race that day.
I come from a family full of runners and many of us compete in the same events. The sad reality is that it’s rare that more than one of us will have a good race during the same competition until Grandma’s Marathon 2018. Finishing in a time of 3:26:18, I ran the second fastest.
1. What does the author intend to tell in the first two paragraphs?| A．The training for Grandma’s Marathon is easy. |
| B．The author ran Grandma’s Marathon for the first time. |
| C．The place where Grandma’s Marathon take place is far away. |
| D．Grandma’s Marathon is popular among the people in America. |
| A．Beautiful. | B．Tough. |
| C．Relaxing. | D．Interesting. |
| A．The weather on the race day was severe. |
| B．The author made full preparation for the race. |
| C．Things were not going smoothly along the race course. |
| D．The author got a good result in the Grandma’s Marathon. |
| A．Objective. | B．Puzzled. |
| C．Proud. | D．Worried. |
