1 . With the weather warming up, the desire to kick-start a new fitness routine is very real. But after months locked indoors, you may feel as though you’re lack of exercise.
Pick something you both love.
If you love Pilates but your partner is all about lifting heavy weights, working out together might seem like an impossible task. While you can both stick to the activities you love,
Getting sweaty doesn’t sound like the most comfortable of activities, but there are things you can do to make it as enjoyable as possible. Invest in active wear that not only feels good but looks good, too. Dressing in workout gear that you’re excited about can make the difference on days when motivation might be lacking.
Be supportive and have fun.
Trying a new outdoor fitness route, or running in front of strangers along the sand, can be a little discouraging, even if you’re doing it with the one you love,
And remember to have fun: trying something new is tricky but finding something you both love and enjoy means you’ll have a healthy habit for life.
| A．Feel good with fitness preparation. |
| B．Dress comfortably and properly to feel good. |
| C．So how do you get motivated to get active once more? |
| D．choose some exercises that require very little equipment. |
| E．so remind your partner that you're in it together and stay supportive. |
| F．make time to start something new together or work towards a common goal. |
| G．Sunscreen, too, is a must-have when choosing to exercise together on the beach. |
2 . Fast walkers may live longer than dawdlers (缓慢的人)— regardless of their weight, a new study suggests.
Researchers at Leicester University analyzed data on 474, 919 people with an average age of 52 in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2016. They found women who walked briskly had a life expectancy of 86.7 to 87.8 years old, and men who kept up the pace had a life expectancy of 85.2 to 86.8. Slow walkers hadn’t much encouraging prospects (前景): women had a life expectancy of 72.4, and men of 64.8 years old, if they were more leisurely in their movements. According to the paper, published last week, that ratio held true even if the fast walkers were severely overweight. It does not necessarily mean fast walkers will live longer. Experts say it suggests walking speed could be a simple way for doctors to judge their patients’ general health alongside other tests.
It is hardly the first study holding up walking speed as a powerful evidence that appears to improve and determine our health.
In 2011, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study by Stephanie Studenski, who found the same: walking speed was a reliable predictor of life expectancy.
In 2013, US researchers found walking pace was linked to lower heart disease risk and longer life expectancy. In 2018, a study from the University of Sydney found picking up your walking pace to even an “average speed” could cut your risk of premature death by a fifth.
And Tom Yates, the physical activity professor at Leicester who's behind the latest study, has been publishing findings on this connection for years.
In 2017, he analyzed the same UK Biobank data and found walking speed appeared to affect the risk of dying from heart disease — concluding that the slowest walkers were twice as likely to suffer a heart-related death compared to quick walkers.
1. What does the underlined word “briskly” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Casually. | B．Quickly. | C．Actively. | D．Energetically. |
| A．Most fast walkers are overweight. |
| B．Fast walkers have a simple way of living. |
| C．Walking speed can help doctors know about their patients’ general health. |
| D．Doctors will surely have better ways to cure their patients of their illness. |
| A．Walking slowly is bad for people's health. |
| B．Walking speed can predict a person’s life expectancy. |
| C．People won't die early by increasing their walking pace. |
| D．Lower heart disease risk is determined partly by walking pace. |
| A．Fast Walkers May Have a Long Life Expectancy |
| B．Life Expectancy Is Determined by Exercise |
| C．Researchers Try to Improve Life Expectancy |
| D．The Public Doubt Researches on Walking Speed |
3 . The Netherlands is the only country in the world with more bicycles than residents. By 2022, the Netherlands has had a total of about 23 million bicycles, with an ownership rate of 1.35 bikes per person. One study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that in the Netherlands cycling prevents about 6,500 early deaths each year, and that Dutch people have 1.5 years longer life expectancy (预期寿命) due to cycling.
“The time spent cycling was about 74 minutes per week for Dutch adults aged 20 to 90 years old. The time was fairly stable over adulthood and reached its apex in the early days of retirement, in one’s 60s. The death rate reduction, which was a direct result of the average time spent cycling for a certain age group, was therefore also the highest among the seniors who just retired,” said Jeremy Smith, an expert from NIH.
What is it that makes cycling so beneficial? Obviously, cycling is a form of exercise. It is a great form of cardio (有氧的) exercise, which gets your heart pumping and helps strengthen the heart muscles. Doing cardio exercise may also help lower your blood pressure.
Furthermore, solid evidence proves the link between cycling and better thinking skills. Even younger adults claim that a bike ride helps shift their thinking to a higher level — and research backs them up. In one small study, young men are required to cycle for 30 minutes every day for 3 weeks. They also completed a series of cognitive (认知的) tests before and afterward. After cycling, they scored higher on memory, reasoning and planning, and they were able to finish the tests more rapidly than before.
Besides all the benefits mentioned above, cycling, as many Dutch put it, is a way of life. In their simplest form, bikes are tools for travelling. But they’re so much more. They are cognitive improvement, environmental protection, satisfaction and an expression of freedom. They bring people of the same passion together and connect them to a greater journey of life.
1. Why does the author list figures in paragraph 1?| A．To compare the number of residents and bikes. |
| B．To illustrate the link between health and cycling. |
| C．To indicate the urgency for green transportation. |
| D．To emphasize the accuracy of the study by NIH. |
| A．Target. | B．Peak. | C．Destination. | D．Potential. |
| A．It justifies the mental benefits of cycling. |
| B．It teaches practical skills about cycling. |
| C．It improves the critical thinking of young men. |
| D．It compares cognitive levels among different people. |
| A．Netherlands: A Country With Better Health |
| B．Netherlands: The Bicycle Capital of the World |
| C．Cycling: An Activity Bringing People Together |
| D．Cycling: An Activity Improving Your Health and More |
4 . Winter is often a low point for outdoor lovers, as cold weather pushes them indoors. However, winter can be a beautiful time of year for a winter trail walk.
Generally, winter walking presents dangers.
Above all, you should dress warmly. The best way to dress for cold weather exercise is to wear more layers. When you warm up from the exercise, you can take off layers so you will never become over heated.
Shoes are a very important aspect of winter walking. Instead of using regular shoes on a winter walk, consider trying a pair of snowshoes, a fun way to enjoy your trail.
| A．Nor will you suffer from being too cold. |
| B．Stay focused while you are out walking. |
| C．You may find your favorite trail closed during the winter. |
| D．You will be more steady on the snow and get a better workout. |
| E．So why not continue to spend time outside, taking winter trail walks? |
| F．The severer the weather is, the more careful you need to be when walking. |
| G．A trail that normally gets lots of traffic may be empty during the winter. |
5 . The World Health Organization (WHO) says that 80% of the world’s teens don’t get enough exercise to live healthy lives. The report, published in The Lancet, was based on research done with students aged 11 to 17 in 146 different countries. The WHO has been studying teen activity levels since 2001.
Doctors say 60 minutes’ daily exercise is needed for teens to build up their bone and muscle strength.
One big reason for the lack of activity in today’s teens is technology, such as smartphones, computers and TVs.
The WHO warns that teens need to do less playing in the digital world, and more playing in the real world. Teens should take part in sports, whether on official teams or just playing around on the playground. Exercise can also be built into a normal day’s activities.
| A．Opinions are divided on this issue. |
| B．Activity levels vary with countries. |
| C．Everyday workout also benefits them academically. |
| D．However, not much is reported to have changed since then. |
| E．Many teens find it hard to pull themselves away from them. |
| F．It’s also hugely important for the health of the heart and lungs. |
| G．For many people, walking or biking to school is one way to make that happen. |
6 . Rene Campbell has devoted most of her life to shaping her figure into one completely against what society thinks a woman should look like.
“I was always very insecure about my body image, as everyone seemed to know for sure that women needed to look a certain way,” she says when reflecting on her motivation to transform herself.
However, building her dream body—gaining over 85 pounds, going from a size 8 to 14—has had its challenges, too. “
“I gradually learn to ignore others’ voices and become committed to the training. It is a very big shift for me, and it has won me plenty of awards.
| A．She was constantly feeling under pressure. |
| B．Women have to pay a huge price to build a slim figure. |
| C．It does bring a sense of confidence and mental strength. |
| D．The body of super-muscular women is considered unwelcome. |
| E．Luckily, Campbell was chosen to shoot for one of the magazines. |
| F．People don’t understand why women would want to be muscular. |
| G．Purely by chance, Campbell attended a women’s bodybuilding show. |
7 . Regular jogging (慢跑) can reduce your risk of health problems. If you’re new to jogging, getting started can seem a little difficult.
Fuel your body 2 hours before jogging
Eat a healthy meal rich in fruit and vegetables before jogging.
Warm up for 5 minutes before jogging
It’s very important to warm up before you jog.
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.
| A．Breathe regularly as you jog |
| B．Practise proper forms while jogging |
| C．Healthy food can give you enough energy |
| D．Then do some gentle stretches to relax your muscles |
| E．Spend at least 5 minutes doing a warm-up before jogging |
| F．However, if you plan ahead, you’ll see the benefits of jogging |
| G．You can try the following steps to form your healthy jogging habit |
8 . Why we should exercise as a family
We've all heard the saying "The family that plays together stays together." Enjoying quality family time is important and working out together could be the perfect solution. It's never too early to introduce healthy lifestyle choices, whether you leave the car at home and walk to school or enjoy a family cycle at the weekend.
Set rewards for achievements. Taking the kids to the park is such a fun and easy thing to do. Try setting them tasks. If they manage to do all the tasks, allow them a certain amount of TV or gaming time if that's what they like to do!
Find a hobby they enjoy. One of the most important things is to find a healthy hobby that they love.
Find exercise friends. Perhaps there's a family nearby with kids the same age. See if they would like to exercise together.
| A．This will motivate everyone. |
| B．Don't be a competitive Mum or Dad! |
| C．Support the kids with encouragement. |
| D．Avoid making the reward about food or drink! |
| E．They're more likely to be fit and healthy later in life. |
| F．Ask them what they fancy giving a try and, within reason, let them! |
| G．Working out together as a family is one of the most beneficial things you can do. |
9 . Better grades might be found on the playground. A new study of elementary-age children shows that those who were not part of an after-school exercise program tended to pack on a particular type of body fat that can have deleterious impacts on brain health and thinking. But prevention and treatment could be as simple as playing more games of tag (捉迷藏，捉人游戏).
Most children do not meet the federal health guidelines for exercise, which call for at least an hour of it a day for anyone under the age of 18. Physical inactivity can result in weight gain especially around the midsection-including visceral (内脏的) fat, a type of tissue deep inside the abdomen (腹部) that is known to increase inflammation (炎症) throughout the body. It is also linked to heightened risks for diabetes and cardiovascular complications (并发症) even in children, and may contribute to declining brain function. Obese adults often perform worse than people of normal weight on tests of thinking skills.
But little has been known about visceral fat and brain health in children. For a soon-to-be-published study, researchers from Northeastern University in Boston and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaion tracked hundreds of 8-to-10-year-old children in a nine-month after-school exercise program in Urbana. Every day, one group of children played tag and other active games for about 70 minutes. The subjects in a control group continued with their normal lives, with the promise that they could join the program the following year. All the children completed tests of fitness, body composition and cognitive skills at the start and end of the program. The researchers did not ask the children to change their diets.
After the trial the exercising children who were obese at the study’s onset had less visceral fat relative to their starting weight, even if they remained overweight. They also showed significant improvements in their scores on a computerized test that measures how well children pay attention, process information and avoid being impulsive. Notably a similar effect was observed in children whose weight was normal at the start. Across the board the more visceral fat a child shed during the nine months of play, the better he or she performed on the test.
The children in the control group, in contrast had generally added to their visceral fat; this was particularly true among those who were already obese. They gained on average, four times as much visceral fat as the normal-weight children in the control group, and also did not perform as well on the subsequent test. Lauren Raine, a postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University who conducted the study with Charles Hillman and others, says that the trial was designed to study aerobic fitness and children’s ability to think not the relation of abdominal flab to inflammation. But a reduction in overall inflammation very likely plays a role because it is thought to be unhealthy for the brain. More broadly, Raine says the study suggests that getting children to run around won’t just enhance their bodies-it might also improve their report cards.
1. What does the word “deleterious” in Paragraph One probably mean?| A．inevitable | B．vigilant | C．harmful | D．beneficial |
| A．games may help reduce visceral fat in children and thus improve their brain power |
| B．obesity contributes to declining brain function in children |
| C．children have fewer weight-related health and medical problems than adults |
| D．obese children have trouble staying focused and paying attention |
| A．to find the relationships between physical activity and health in children |
| B．to discover the relationships between obesity and health problems in children |
| C．to understand and assess the risks of obesity in young children in school |
| D．to understand how games affect children in terms of academic performances |
| A．Visceral Fat And Sugar-Heavy Diet Harms Your Brain |
| B．Losing Fat, Gaining Brain Power, on the Playground |
| C．This Is What Weight Loss Does To Your Brain |
| D．Why children Shouldn’t Sit Still Under the Age of Eighteen |
10 . When people think about improving their physical fitness, they often neglect (忽视) balance. Good balance is a necessary part of being physically fit and key to living a long life, according to a research. It’s important for everyone, no matter your age.
Older adults are most affected by poor balance. Falls are the leading cause of injury and death for those 65 and older, with nearly 30% in this age group reporting at least one fall in 2018, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But younger adults frequently fall down, too.
Forty-eight percent of young adults reported falling at least once during one 16-week study. The falls most commonly happened during sports activities, with women in the study reporting more falls and fall-related injuries than men.
Falls within the previous two years were reported by 18% of young adults (ages 20 to 45) in another study published in the journal BMC Public Health. That figure (数据) compared with 21% of middle-aged adults (46 to 65) reporting falls and 35% of those over 65. While falls among young adults were often connected with sports, falls by the middle-aged group were typically related to health problems and physical changes.
Many factors (因素) can affect your balance outside of age, such as vision changes, brain injuries, overweight and a general lack of physical fitness. Even if you have no risk factors, simply neglecting to work regularly on your balance will result in increased instability (不稳定性).
“Our body is conditioned to lose what we don’t regularly use and practice, and balance is no different,” said a researcher.
1. What role does a good balance play in our lives?| A．It helps us live a healthy and long life. |
| B．It enables us to build a perfect shape. |
| C．It protects us from getting seriously sick. |
| D．It has the power to make us look young. |
| A．By having a discussion. | B．By giving a list of figures. |
| C．By raising questions. | D．By following the time order. |
| A．When a health problem comes up. | B．When working regularly. |
| C．When a physical change appears. | D．When joining in a sport. |
| A．We are naturally born with balance. |
| B．We should manage our body properly. |
| C．Our body is used to working in its own way. |
| D．We’ll lose our balance if we don’t practise it often. |
