2 . One of the presents in my house this Christmas was a late 18th-century volume of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (大英百科全书). It is a window into the discoveries and thinking of the time. The encyclopaedia is an entertaining reminder of how _______ some of our current truths are bound to be. Certainties in areas we haven’t yet understood will look just as ridiculous as some of these in centuries to come. And one of those we are still remarkably _______ is the effect of food and exercise on our bodies. We’re surrounded by confident _______ on how to eat, how to avoid or reverse obesity (肥胖), and yet the advice seems pointless while the world gets fatter. Much of what we think we know is a pile of assumptions rather than _______ .

Our confusion is the theme of Spoon-Fed, a book by one of Britain’s leading nutrition researchers, Tim Spector of King’s College London. Its subtitle is: “Why almost everything we’ve been told about food is wrong.” It is a call for us to _______ more.

One by one Spector offers answers to recent food _______. Coffee can save our lives, he says. Three to four cups a day reduces the risk of heart disease and may cut the risk of death by 8 per cent. Butter does not damage our hearts, Spector argues, and salt is vital. Eggs have gone “from heroes to villains and back again”. Don’t say no to all red meat on _______ grounds; occasional small quantities of high-quality unprocessed meat provide important vitamins and iron and are “probably good for you“. Exercise is so good for longevity and happiness that it should be considered our No 1 drug, but the one thing for which it’s _______ useless is losing weight. Vitamin pills are a multibillion-pound industry with almost no proven _______ but which can cause real harm. Even vitamin D, which Spector used to study and believe in, he now _______.

Spector also offers more than a set of currently _______ tips. The science of nutrition has not been solved by him, as he would be the first to admit. His most _______ point is that there is no one size that fits all. Our bodies are complex, and our reactions are _______: yet nobody wants to pay for the research that might explain why.

Some combination of food choices, genes, environment and the chemical reactions generated by our microbiome — the unique microbe (微生物的) combinations in our body ― yes different _______ for each of us, leaving some lean and two thirds of us too fat. This is the territory Spector wants to explore further and which might just allow us to _______ the global trend to obesity, with all the risks we’ve witnessed this year.

3 . You may have heard the name of Parkrun. But you may not know it was founded by Paul Sinton-Herwitt, who was ______ the Royal Society of the Arts' Albert Medal in 2019. He got the honor for his __________ in the field of social improvement.

Parkruns are free, weekly, community __________ all around the world. The events are 5km and __________ on Saturday morning in parks and open spaces. It is a positive and inclusive __________ where there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is __________ to come along, whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or watch.

In 2004 Paul had lost his job and he was __________ in an accident. Down but not out, this was the time when the __________ of Parkrun first came to him. On 2nd October 2004,13 amateur runners arrived in Bushy Park, London. Parkrun was born. The first team _________ Paul and his wife Joanne together with a few of their friends. At that time, it was just called a time trial, the name Parkrun was not _________ until 2008, and no one knew what a phenomenon it would become.

The second Parkrun wasn't __________ until 2007. Shortly after Wimbledon, Richmond, Banstead and Leeds Hyde Parks started to host Parkruns. And then, __________ and the number of events have continued to grow. Parkrun is now a __________ phenomenon, represented in 21 different countries, stretching across five continents.

At the 2019 ceremony Paul gave a speech celebrating Parkrun, from the tiny _________ he planted fifteen years ago through to the worldwide movement. Paul went on to praise their movement of real people and communities, empowering themselves and those around them to do __________ things for themselves and one another.

4 . Ten fitness exercises you can do at home

Walking

An effective walking workout at home will help to strengthen your legs, while getting some low impact aerobic exercise as well. If you don’t have any stairs available, just walk around the house a few times —it may not be very exciting, but it will do the job!

Jumping jacks

These are always fun, as they bring back memories of being a kid! Who hasn’t done jumping jacks for fun as a child? Well, surprise —they are also great cardio exercises, and good for warming up, too.

Push-ups

These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people, but while they can be hard to do, you can find easier ways to do them. You don’t need to pretend you’re “Rocky”, and do them with one hand: just do what works for you. Do them on your knees, instead of keeping your legs straight. Or, do them by standing up against a wall. You will build up arm strength and work out muscles in your chest area.

Leg lifts

These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs. If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.

Crunches

It’s the best exercise for building up and strengthening belly muscles. When you’re just getting started, don’t worry about getting your head all the way up. So long as you’re going up until you feel the stretching of the muscles, you will see some benefit.

Jogging in place

Jogging is a great exercise for your heart. You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music. The only equipment you will require is a good pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress to your legs.

Squats

These are wonderful exercises for your legs and bottoms. You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you’re finding them to be too difficult. As long as you’re able to do a few repetitions, you will provide some benefit to your body.

Dancing

Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart. Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well, and give your overall feeling a boost.

6 . Exercise is good for physical and mental health, but with coronavirus cases surging across the country, exercising indoors with other people could increase your chance of infection. So, as gyms reopen across the country, here are some things to consider before heading for your workout.

Assess your own risk

It starts with you. You have to make your own assessment of how risky it is based on knowing your medical situation and whether you are someone who’s at high risk of infection. People aged 65 and over are at higher risk of getting a severe case of COVID-19.     1    , it may not be worth the risk.

Consider alternatives for working out

Exercise outdoors is a great low-risk alternative. When you are outside, it’s easier to control how close you get to other people.    2    . Outdoors you have sunlight which has been shown to quickly inactivate the virus. And outside airflow and humidity (湿度) help weaken it.

Assess your gym’s safety measures

There are things gyms can do to help decrease the risk of infection.    3    . Are they taking your temperature? Are you seeing them regularly clean equipment? And are staff and other clients in the gym wearing a mask?

Pay attention to air flow

Your best bet is going to be a gym that is larger, able to have windows open or have multiple floors or levels to allow for physical distancing. That’s because more space and more air flow decrease the concentration of the virus in the air and likely reduce the risk of transmission.    4    .

Location, location, location

    5    . Exercising indoors in hot spots where cases are surging is riskier than in areas with low infection rates, says Bruno Murtha. So check out this color coded tracker to look up the COVID-19 risk in your county, and nearby counties.

7 . It’s truly never too late to begin exercising, according to the researchers led by Pedro Saint-Maurice of the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Even for people who were “couch potatoes” in their youth, starting regular exercise in middle-age can still greatly cut the probability of death from any cause.

The study tracked the lifetime exercise patterns of more than 315,000 people. The investigators found that folks who’d exercised all their lives had a 36 percent lower risk of dying during the study period, compared to people who’d never exercised. But, perhaps surprisingly, people who’d been inactive in youth but decided to get more physical in their 40s and 50s saw almost the same decline—35 percent—in their probability of an early death.

The study also found that a mid-life start to physical activity seemed to cut the probability of death from the two major killers—heart disease and cancer. For people who began exercising in their 40s and 50s, rates of death from heart disease fell by 43 percent compared to people who’d never exercised, and the cancer death rate fell by 16 percent. Those declines were similar to those seen in people who’d exercised all their adult lives.

“This study, once again, indicates the importance of physical activity in relationship to one’s long-term mortality,” said Dr. Evelina Grayver. “Whether or not you start exercising when you are younger or older, the benefits will always be there. But starting exercising at a later age and still getting the same mortality benefit doesn’t mean that one should not exercise in younger years. Overall effects of continuous physical activity decrease the risk of an early death.”

The researchers also noted that while other research linking exercise to longevity has looked at physical activity at just one point in the lifetime, theirs is the first to examine the role of “participation in physical activity throughout the different stages of adulthood.” This new research demonstrates the crucial relationship between physical activity and the prevention of death at any age.

10 . Regular jogging (慢跑) can reduce your risk of health problems. If you’re new to jogging, getting started can seem a little difficult.     1    .

Fuel your body 2 hours before jogging

Eat a healthy meal rich in fruit and vegetables before jogging.    2    . It will also help muscle grow and repair. If you’re jogging for weight loss, try increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables. Reduce your intake of sugary food and drinks.

Warm up for 5 minutes before jogging

It’s very important to warm up before you jog.    3    .Some good warm-up exercises include doing knee lifts, side-stepping and climbing stairs. You may have heard that it’s important to stretch (拉伸) before you run, but stretching before exercise can put additional strain (拉紧) on your muscles. Therefore, focus on warming up before jogging.

    4    

Most people think how far and how long you run has to do with patience and a strong will. However, having the proper running form plays an important role in jogging. To make the most of your jogging, remember to keep your head straight and your muscles relaxed, avoid lifting your knees too high, and touch the ground lightly with the middle of your foot.

Cool down after your jogging

After jogging, you can avoid strain on your heart and muscles by doing cool-down exercise. Finish your jog with 5～10 minutes of walking.    5    , You should do deep stretches and hold each stretch for 15～30 seconds.