| A．On Tuesday. | B．On Friday. | C．On Sunday. |
Tai chi is a symbol of Chinese culture. It was first
Tai chi is a mix of breathing
Caitlin, a young German beginner, says, “Tai chi is a fun exercise, easy to learn, and you don’t have to be good
It’s best to learn tai chi from a teacher, so you can either look for local clubs
3 . As a short-distance track and field runner at high school and college, I often found myself wondering which of the eight or sometimes nine lanes (跑道) on the track was the fastest. It was conventional wisdom that the middle lanes — lanes three through six — were the best.
This idea, in a way, is baked into the rules of track and field. In events with multiple heats — from the college level all the way to the Olympics — the people who run faster times in earlier heats are assigned to middle lanes in later heats. In other words, the fastest runners are rewarded with what are, supposedly, better lane assignment (分配).
Using 20 years of track and field data from the International Association of Athletics Federations, I found that the long-held beliefs about lane advantages are not supported by the data. And in fact, for the 200-meter sprint (冲刺), the evidence suggests that lanes often regarded as the least desirable are actually the fastest.
In most races, the fastest runners are assigned to the middle lanes according to the competition rules. Not surprisingly, the fastest runners — who are in the middle lanes — often win. Are these racers winning because those lanes are the fastest or because those runners tend to be the fastest?
Next time you're watching any of the shorter track and field events in the Olympics, listen and see if anyone repeats the old adage that the middle lanes are the fastest. The data shows this isn't true, so if someone in the outside lanes takes a surprise gold, you'll know it is not because of their lane assignment, but because they were a slow qualifier (入围者).
1. What was the traditional belief in the track and field lanes?| A．All lanes were the same. |
| B．The inner lanes were the best. |
| C．The middle lanes were the best. |
| D．The outside lanes were the best. |
| A．By referring to long term data. |
| B．By using other research results. |
| C．By watching the latest sprinters' competition. |
| D．By experimenting which lane was the fastest. |
| A．Saying. | B．Style. |
| C．Package. | D．Stage. |
| A．Losing racers tend to be in the slowest lane. |
| B．Winning racers tend to be in the fastest lane. |
| C．Winning racers often run fastest. |
| D．Racers win because their lanes are the fastest. |
4 . Kite surfing is a sport that takes place on the surface of the water, on top of boards that are similar in design to wakeboards (尾波滑水板), with the surfer pulled by a kite. The popularity of kite surfing has grown, although it is rather difficult to master. Kite surfing uses the same equipment as kite boarding, but is generally given more to riding on top of waves, rather than on smaller lakes or other calm bodies of water.
Early experiments in kite transportation took place through the 19th century, and at the dawn of the 20th century Samuel Cody crossed the English Channel using kites and a small boat. Kite surfing itself, however, wasn’t really born until the late 1970s. Beginning in that decade, more people became involved in using kites for personal transport and sport. Kite technology itself advanced enormously during the 1970s, with kites becoming much more controllable.
The early kite surfing was rather accidental, but innovators continued to develop the technology to make it easier to control and safer. By the late 1990s, kite surfing was becoming popular off the coast of Maui, France and throughout the world. In 1997, a special kite system was built specifically for kite surfing, which helped kite surfing into the mainstream.
Because of the high speeds and the dangers, it is generally recommended that would-be kite surfers take at least a few basic classes to learn the fundamentals. The main attraction of kite surfing is the potential for amazing tricks. The kite allows the surfer to experience enormous jumps, flying through the air for large distances before hitting the water in a controlled fashion. Like skateboarding, kite surfing makes use of a number of board grabs, with complex tricks possible due to the long period of time the surfer can remain in the air.
1. What does the author mainly intend to tell us in Paragraph 1?| A．What is kite surfing. | B．Where to go kite surfing. |
| C．How to enjoy kite surfing. | D．Why people like kite surfing. |
| A．sport | B．experiment |
| C．entertainment | D．transportation |
| A．Kite surfing often leads to accidents. |
| B．Maui is home to kite surfing. |
| C．Kite control is the key to kite surfing. |
| D．Kite surfing came into being in the 1990s. |
| A．Its potential for tricks. | B．Its long time in the air. |
| C．Its speed across the water. | D．Its big distance over the water. |
| A．20 | B．30 | C．40 |
6 . It's not often to see a woman who’s seven months pregnant running a marathon. But Beatie Deutsch is anything but typical.
The 30-year-old mother of five is ranked as one of the top women marathon runners in the world and, as of today, has qualified for the 32nd Summer Olympics. What impresses people more deeply is that, unlike many Olympic hopefuls who have been training their whole lives, Deutsch only took up running four years ago.
Why did she train for a marathon? "I was really out of shape after having five kids," she said. "So I set the goal for myself of running a marathon and that helped me. I needed something to be motivated to get out there and train every day. I didn't ever expect it to take me to this."
The Israeli press has been tracking her with pride, calling her "Speedy Beatie". Hoping to add more purpose to her newfound fame, Deutsch uses her running as a way to raise money for a charity Beit Daniella. This nonprofit organization provides a recovery center for youths who are struggling with mental health issues.
That mission（使命）is helping fuel her Olympic dreams. At the Tiberias Marathon last month, Deutsch was the fastest woman in the race. This past September, she finished the Cape Town Marathon in two hours and thirty-six minutes. That's a few minutes shy of her personal best of two hours and twenty-nine minutes, a time that qualifies her for the Olympics. She will try to shave even more time off when she competes in the Rotterdam Marathon this April.
It's remarkable for someone who started her athletic career in her late 20s. "I always tell people to have big dreams, and set huge goals. Don't get caught up in the place where we are right now and have tunnel vision and are limited in what we see of ourselves," said Deutsch, who now travels the world as a motivational speaker.
1. What is the main reason for Deutsch's being impressive?| A．Her typical birth place. | B．Her five lovely children. |
| C．Her identity as a marathon runner | D．Her short time involved in running |
| A．Creative. | B．Caring. |
| C．Modest. | D．Adaptable. |
| A．Deutsch’s dream | B．Deutsch’s mission |
| C．Deutsch's achievement. | D．Deutsch's shy personality. |
| A．Life lies in movement. | B．Dream big and aim high |
| C．Interest is the best teacher. | D．Wealth is nothing without health. |
| A．Frank | B．Mary. | C．David. |
8 . Humans were made for walking. It's kind to our bodies and great for our waistlines. And best of all, it's a great way to see new things and meet new people!
Studies have shown that taking a walk every day significantly reduces your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure.
To get started, sit down with a map and make a plan. Ask yourself, what do you want to get out of walking apart from the health benefits? Do you want to meet other people? See new places? Get out into the wilderness or explore a city?
If walking alone is what you're after, ask about local hikes that get you out of town and into the wilderness or countryside.
From the benefits to your heart to your overall happiness, walking is just plain good for you.
| A．Want to explore a new city. |
| B．Want to improve your image |
| C．So, pick up a map and start walking |
| D．If you have time and are in the right mood |
| E．If making friends and socializing is your goal |
| F．It's also a good way to get fit and to stay in great shape |
| G．Knowing your purpose will help you decide on the type of walk you want to do |
Tai Chi Chuan,
Tai Chi is a term in the Chinese
Tai Chi is an unusual form of martial arts where we believe
Today, Tai Chi is so popular in the west. Some health professionals have regarded Tai Chi as one of the
10 . Older women who walk a little over three kilometers each day might live longer than less active women of the same age, a new study suggests.
Many Americans hoping to stay healthy set a daily goal of 10, 000 steps, or about eight kilometers. They often have this goal because they are wearing electronic devices which set that target, note researchers in the United States. Their findings appeared recently in the publication JAMA Internal Medicine.
But it is not clear how much intensity(强度)or speed matter when counting the health benefits of every step, the researchers write. They add that 10,000 steps per day might not be the right goal for everyone.
For the study, researchers observed 17,000 women, all in their early 70s. They asked the women to wear accelerometers for at least four days. Accelerometers are small devices that measure the number of steps and the intensity of movement. The researchers followed up with the women much later, around 4. 3 years later, on average. Since the beginning of the study, 504 women had died. Compared to women who took no more than 2, 718 steps daily, the women who took at least 4,363 steps per day were 41 percent less likely to die.
“Even a modest amount of steps is associated with lower death rates, "said I-Min Lee, the lead writer of a report on the study. "The rate of stepping did not matter in these older women: it was the number of steps that mattered.
The study had a few limitations. For example, the researchers only measured women’s movements once, at the start of the study period. It is possible that the women’s behaviors changed over time. Still, the results are "good news for older adults who may have difficulty walking at faster paces, "said Keith Diaz, a researcher at Columbia University. He was not involved in the study.
“Any walking is better than nothing, " Diaz said by email. "With even small amounts of walking, your risk of death will be sharply reduced "For those who have difficulty walking, other research shows that any form of aerobic activity provides health benefits," he added. "Swimming, bicycling or any form of activity that is continuous in nature will provide health benefits.
1. What conclusion can we come to from the text?| A．People who walk about 10,000 steps can live longer. |
| B．10,000 steps per day might be the right goal for people. |
| C．The more steps one walks per day, the longer life he may live. |
| D．The number of steps is important for a long life among older women. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By comparison. |
| C．By listing statistics. | D．By explaining reasons. |
| A．People who walk fast will get more health benefits. |
| B．If people have a habit of walking, the risk of death will be reduced. |
| C．People with walking difficulty can not benefit from activities |
| D．Activities such as swimming and bicycling are not as beneficial as walking. |
| A．A medical journal. | B．A news report. |
| C．A magazine about fashion. | D．A traveler brochure. |
