1 . Want to reduce your risk for dementia (痴呆)? Turn on a step counter and start counting your steps — you’ll need between 3,800 and 9,800 each day to reduce your risk of mental decline, according to a new study.

People between the ages of 40 and 79 who took 9,826 steps per day were 50% less likely to develop dementia within seven years, the study found. Furthermore, people who walked with “purpose” — at a pace over 40 steps a minute — were able to cut their risk of dementia by 57% with just 6,315 steps a day.

Even people who walked approximately 3,800 steps a day at any speed cut their risk of dementia by 25%, the study also showed.

“That would be enough, at first, for sedentary (久坐不动的) individuals,” said study coauthor Borja del Pozo Cruz, a senior researcher in health sciences for the University of Cadiz. in Spain, in an email. “In fact, it is a message that doctors could use to motivate very sedentary older adults — 4,000 steps is very achievable by many, even those that are less fit or do not feel very motivated.” he added. “Perhaps, more active and fitter individuals should aim for 10,000 steps, where we see maximum effects.”

But there was a even more interesting result buried in the study, according to an editorial (社论) entitled “Is 112 the New 10,000?” published Tuesday in JAMA Neurology.

The largest reduction in dementia risk — 62% — was achieved by people who walked at a very brisk pace of 112 steps per minute for 30 minutes a day, the study found. Prior research has labeled 100 steps a minute (2.7 miles per hour) as a “quick and energetic” or moderate level of intensity.

The editorial argued that individuals looking to reduce their risk of dementia focus on their walking pace over their walked distance.

“We do agree this is a very interesting finding,” said del Pozo Cruz via email. “Our take is that intensity of stepping matters! Over and above volume. Technology could be used to track not only number of steps but also pace and so these types of metrics can also be included in commercial watches. More research is needed on this.”

China impressed the whole world with its smooth hosting of the 24th Olympic Winter Games. Beijing has thus become the first city to have     1     (success) hosted both a summer and winter games,     2     (make) a new history for the Olympics.

The mascots, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon,     3     (win) a place in people’s affections since then. It’s also a     4     (commerce) success. Bing Dwen Dwen is a panda with a high sense of science and technology. The inspiration came from traditional Chinese snack “ice-sugar gourd”, also     5     (know) as Tanghulu. Shuey Rhon Rhon is a Chinese lantern child     6     is ready to welcome friends from around the world for a big party.

In comparison with Beijing’s 2008 Summer Games, there is a     7     (tend) that China is more confident in     8     (it) and focuses more on the community with a shared future for mankind. It is time to present a modern China     9     ordinary Chinese people, especially the younger generation, to the world instead of always focusing on the country’s 5,000-year history.

Art, culture and sports all combine to make the Olympics     10     exciting and memorable lifetime event. Although they have finished, for China, it is just a new start to build up more connections with the world in the global communication and cooperation.

5 . Jeff Yoo, 35, from Canada started to post his climbing videos on Instagram in 2017 to share them with others. However, he closed his account to focus on his full-time work as an emergency doctor near the beginning of March 2020.

Yoo uses social media as a mental escape from stress working in the emergency room and to connect with other climbers around the world. But during the first COVID-19 wave, he and other climbers were criticized on the Internet for continuing to climb during the global lockdown. “At that time, social media contributed more stress to my life. Every time I opened the app, it added more stress to my already stress-filled life,” Yoo said. But due to his desire to continue sharing his passion for climbing and connect with others, Yoo reopened his Instagram account two or three weeks later.

Unlike most accomplished and full-time climbers who had begun training at a young age, Yoo got into the sport at the age of 25. Yoo thought that his story could serve as an example to prove that it’s possible for people who work other full-time jobs to also climb and go on wild adventures.

More importantly, Yoo, who was born in Canada with parents from South Korea, has always struggled to be a positive role model for younger ethnic minorities in his community. They often do not have equal opportunities to participate in organized sports or outdoor activities like climbing. “Asians are often misrepresented in North American culture and TV and I hope that my abilities in climbing and contributions as a doctor will positively represent Asians,” Yoo said.

8 . 36-year-old Andy decided to return to his favorite high school hobby—skateboarding. The only _______ he expected to encounter was his own ability to get back into the sport after so long. _______, the 340-pound skateboarder soon realized that was the least of his problems.

Andy's challenges began even _______ he stepped on a skateboard. He couldn't find any resources, like the type of boards to try, for _______ skaters. What Andy did find instead was a (an) _______ belief that plus-sized people should not be skating.

Determined to change people's _______ of plus- sized people in sports, Andy founded Chub Rollz—a skateboarding community for fat skaters. He knew not only did he need to get back into skating to prove people _______, but he needed to _______ a safe space where others can show themselves as well.

To inspire plus-sized people to _______ the fun sport, Andy made a list of recommended products for them and also hosted skateboarding classes to _______ beginners. The ________ to Chub Rollz was incredibly positive.

Following an article about his initiative in the San Francisco Chronicle (纪事报), Andy, received numerous messages from ________ expressing gratefulness for giving them the ________ to stand up to critics.

For those ________ to go after their desired activity due to their body size, Andy has this to say: “Never let others' opinions and self-doubt ruin the chance to ________ something new.”