1 . If you're looking for new and creative ways to get fit and stay healthy, the following clever apps can do everything for you except the exercise itself.
Hot5 Fitness Platform: iOS Cost: Free
From abs(腰腹训练)and core(核心力量), to yoga(瑜伽)and flexibility(柔韧性)and everything in between, this app contains workout pages and videos that are easy to follow. You can find workout videos of all varieties and difficulty levels that will give you a thorough workout in only five moves.
While most fitness app videos look like they were filmed in the 1980s, Hot5's are modern. The interface(界面)is also beautifully designed and user-friendly. It is to the point and clear-cut, saving you time by skipping the personal questionnaires and signing-up wart.
Zombies, Run! Platforms: iOS, Android Cost: 25 yuan
Yes, the zombie craze has already reached the fitness field. This action-packed app adds an element that is often missing from other workout apps—fun.
Zombies, Run!, which has a simplified version called Zombies, Run! SK Training, mixes games and stories into your run as you complete missions(任务)in a world full of zombies. Whether you're gathering supplies, saving a fellow human, or avoiding a crowd of the undead, this app adds excitement to your normal jog with imagination and competition.
Sleep Cycle Platforms: iOS Cost: 6 yuan
This app tracks your sleeping patterns by following your movements in bed, without having to spend a fortune on fitness trackers such as Jawbone Up. Based on your movements at night, the app wakes you up with soothing music when you're in the lightest stage of sleep, allowing a natural and easy transition(过渡)into your day. You'll also get detailed statistics telling when you were awake during the night, or in a deep or light sleep.
You can also add notes about your day - whether you had cottee, worked out, or were stressed-to better understand how your sleep is affected by different daily activities
RunKeeper Platforms: iOS, Android Cost: Free
This app allows you to track not only runs, but pretty much any kind of training you can think of-from walking to cycling to strength training and more. You can track your personal records and set goals for yourself, such as a weight loss goal or a distance goal. You can then view your progress over time.
RunKeeper also provides real-time coaching by giving you audible(可听的)updates on your pace, time, distance, and much more.
1. What can be concluded about these apps?| A．They all charge a small fee for their service. |
| B．They are all available on both iOS and Android. |
| C．They are designed for people who want to stay fit. |
| D．They can automatically track users' body movements. |
| A．It includes classic workout videos from the 1980s. |
| B．It offers instructions on many kinds of exercises. |
| C．It is specially designed for professional athletes. |
| D．It requires users to fill in personal questionnaires. |
| A．compare your sleep patterns with others |
| B．train yourself to wake up at a certain time |
| C．receive instructions on how to sleep well |
| D．find out what influences your sleep quality |
2 . In recent years, many Americans of both sexes and various ages have become interested in improving their bodies. They have become devoted to physical fitness. The need to exercise has almost become compulsive (禁不住的) with many persons who have a strong desire to be more physically fit.
By nature, Americans are enthusiastic (充满热情的) about their hobbies and pastimes. They apply this enthusiasm to jogging/running. As a result, there are running clubs to join and many books and magazines to read about running.
The desire to be physically fit is explained by a “passion” for good health. The high rate of heart attacks in the 1960s caused an increase on the part of the public in improving the human body. Middle-aged men especially suffer from heart attacks. Thus, they are one group more strongly interested in physical exercise. In fact, many doctors encourage their patients to become more physically active, especially those who have sedentary jobs. It is interesting to note that the rate of heart attacks began to decrease in the 1970s and it is still decreasing. Physical fitness currently enjoys a favored role in the United States. It is a new “love” that many Americans have cherished. Will it last long? Only time can tell-- or until another“new passion”comes along.
1. In recent years, many Americans have become interested in improving their bodies because _________.| A．they are enthusiastic about their hobbies and pastimes |
| B．there are many running clubs to join |
| C．they have a strong desire to be more physically fit |
| D．there are many books and magazines to read about running |
| A．jogging/running |
| B．joining running clubs |
| C．reading books and magazines about running |
| D．going in for all kinds of sports |
| A．are compulsive joggers |
| B．are more interested in taking physical exercise |
| C．are encouraged by their doctors to go in for jogging/running |
| D．are enthusiastic and energetic about hobbies and pastimes |
| A．involving physical work |
| B．needing much sitting |
| C．energy-consuming |
| D．secondary |
| A．Yes. |
| B．No. |
| C．Somebody can tell. |
| D．It is hard to tell. |
3 . Race walking (竞走) shares many fitness benefits with running, research shows, while most likely contributing to fewer injuries. It does, however, have its own problem.
Race walkers are conditioned athletes. The longest track and field event at the Summer Olympics is the 50-kilometer race walk, which is about five miles longer than the marathon. But the sport’s rules require that a race walker’s knees stay straight through most of the leg swing(摆动) and one foot remain in contact with the ground at all times. It’s this strange form that makes race walking such an attractive activity, however, says Jaclyn Norberg, an assistant professor of exercise science at Salem State University in Salem, Mass.
Like running, race walking is physically demanding, she says, According to most calculations, race walkers moving at a pace of six miles per hour would burn about 800 calories per hour, which is approximately twice as many as they would burn walking, although fewer than running, which would probably burn about 1,000 or more calories per hour.
However, race walking does not pound the body as much as running does, Dr. Norberg says. According to her research, runners hit the ground with as much as four times their body weight per step, while race walkers, who do not leave the ground, create only about 1.4 times their body weight with each step.
As a result, she says, some of the injuries associated with running, such as runner’s knee, are uncommon among race walkers. But the sport’s strange form does place considerable stress on the ankles and hips, so people with a history of such injuries might need to be cautious in adopting the sport. In fact, anyone wishing to try race walking should probably first consult a coach or experienced racer to learn proper techniques, she says. It takes some practice.
1. Why are race walkers conditioned athletes?| A．They must run long distances. | B．They have to follow special rules. |
| C．They are qualified for the marathon. | D．They are good at swinging their legs. |
| A．It’s less likely to cause knee injuries. | B．It’s less challenging physically. |
| C．It’s more effective in body building. | D．It’s more popular at the Olympics. |
| A．Hiring an experienced coach. | B．Having a medical checkup. |
| C．Getting experts’ opinions. | D．Doing regular exercises. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Objective. | D．Disapproval. |
4 . Tai chi is a wellness practice that combines slow, gentle movements and postures with mindfulness.
In the study, researchers in China randomly assigned 342 adults with prehypertension to one of two interventions. Roughly half the people participated in aerobic exercise, including jogging, climbing stairs and cycling.
After 12 months, those in the tai chi group saw bigger drops in their blood pressure than those in the aerobic exercise group. What’s more, nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to within normal range.
Tai chi is appealing as a form of exercise because it is low impact and requires little space or equipment. “I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership or special clohing, “ Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
| A．It can help reduce anxiety. |
| B．The other half was trained to practice tai chi. |
| C．It’s often called meditation (冥想) in motion. |
| D．So why does tai chi gain in popularity among people? |
| E．So what is it about tai chi that helps lower blood pressure? |
| F．By contrast, that number was 16% in the aerobic exercise group. |
| G．But you have to practice it consistently to gain the most benefit. |
5 . As the drought eased and the water cooled in late August, Barbara, 70, and me, at 71, decided to keep swimming. We have both read Bonnie Tsui’s Why We Swim, a fine book about cold-water swimming. We challenged ourselves to swim for as long as possible through September and into October.
I have long loved swimming, though the fear of being seen as fat has upset me. Cold-water swimming deepened my sense of well-being and let me use my body. It became a ritual Barbara and I developed as swimming sisters. When she returned to the United States, I did not know how I could continue our cold-water tradition. I wasn’t prepared to freeze alone.
There were larger commitments I could not remove. In the summer, we planned to cross from the cove to an island across the lake. I had to stay fit. We also planned to host a cold-water swimming race for locals in the fall. We would make it an annual event, so that, in our 80s, we might swim through October and into November.
With these plans in mind, I joined my local city pool. I had not been in a public pool for about 30 years. But my body said swim, my brain said swim and my heart, could not let go. So I went anyway.
I am swimming. I am alive to my love of the water, alive to my promise for the spring and the summer that will come. We are increasingly aware of the miracle of being able — bodied enough to share the cold — water wonder side by side.
1. Why was Why We Swim mentioned in Paragraph One?| A．To show it arouses their common interest to some degree. |
| B．To guide the author to learn to swim at such an old age. |
| C．To analyze the advantages of swimming in late August. |
| D．To teach people how to ease the pressure in the drought. |
| A．Promise. | B．Requirement. | C．Routine. | D．Standard. |
| A．She participated in a local swimming race. |
| B．She went to the gym to improve her strength. |
| C．She became a member of the local public pool. |
| D．She swam across the lake to the island herself. |
| A．Forever friendship among the two. |
| B．Passion for cold-water swimming. |
| C．Commitments for the annual event. |
| D．The benefits of routine swimming. |
6 . Like every gym class I have ever taken, I felt like the odd one out. Opening the door and glancing around the room, I seemed to be the only girl struggling. Everyone else, in their fitted tank tops and leggings, not a hair out of place, looked as if they belonged. I on the other hand, with my curly hair now wildly unleashed, oversized shirt, wondered why I had ever bothered to subject myself to a gym class.
Earlier that year, with a healthy dose of encouragement from my family, I decided to give fitness a real shot. I showed up to my university gym for spin class with my stomach in a bundle of nerves. The first time I tried to stand on the bike pedals, I felt my legs shake and immediately sat down. All the muscles I hadn’t used before creaked as they suddenly engaged in rapid movement. It wasn’t until the third class, when I smoothly transitioned to standing up on the bike, that I started to gain some confidence.
Eventually, as my comfort on the bike grew, I became less focused on how I looked and the exact movements my legs and arms were to engage in and more focused on looking inward. I had never considered myself athletic. But now, rather than agonize (感到痛苦) over my weight, I started to reflect in amazement at my body’s ability to lift groceries, move apartments and all the other countless tasks it did to keep my life moving forward.
Somewhere between being yelled at to squat lower, jump higher and push harder, gym class made me realize that while I was wrong about many things when it came to fitness, I was right about one important thing: What truly matters is showing up, not what you wear or your fitness abilities. Because once you show up, the rest gets easier, one sweaty adventure at a time.
1. How did the author feel when she first entered the gym class?| A．Excited. | B．Awkward. | C．Confident. | D．Bothered. |
| A．The changes to the author’s body. |
| B．The author’s passion for spin classes. |
| C．The author’s experience as a new gym-goer. |
| D．The reasons for the author’s entering gym classes. |
| A．She is in pretty good shape. |
| B．She cares more about her weight. |
| C．She is critical of her body’s ability. |
| D．She is proud of her body’s capability. |
| A．Pushing harder is good for you. |
| B．What you wear to the class matters the most. |
| C．Showing up plays a determining role in fitness. |
| D．Fitness abilities are more important than showing up. |
7 . Long after the coronavirus pandemic is declared over, another health plight(困境) could take its place: a mental health crisis, experts have warned. But according to a new study, practicing yoga may help to reduce the blues, at least somewhat.
Researchers with the University of South Australia, in a partnership with the Federal University of Santa Maria, UNSW Sydney, Kings College London, and Western Sydney University, conducted what is said to be the first “world study” on the mental health benefits of practicing yoga.
In a meta-analysis of 180 studies across six countries that involved some 1,080 participants-all of whom had a “formal diagnosis of a mental disorder, including depression and anxiety,” according to news release on the findings-researchers found that the participants’ mental health improved with “movement-based yoga,” with the benefits “being incremental(递增的) with the amount of yoga they practiced,” they said.
Movement-based yoga was defined by the researchers as “any form of yoga where participants are physically active at least 50 percent of the time, that is, forms of yoga that emphasize holding poses and flowing through series of poses,” according to the news release.
“As self-isolation continues and people find themselves working from home and unable to physically catch up with their friends and family, we’re likely to see more people feel lonely and disconnected,” said lead researcher and University of South Australia Ph.D. candidate Jacinta Brinsley, in a statement. “Exercise has always been a great strategy for people struggling with these feelings as it boosts both mood and health. But as gyms and exercise classes of all kinds are now closed — even jogging with a friend is strongly discouraged — people are looking for options, and this is where yoga can help.”
Our research shows that movement-based yoga improved symptoms of depression(or improved mental health) for people living with a range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, post-traumatic(创伤后) stress and major depression. “So, it’s very good news for people struggling in times of uncertainty,” Brinsley added.
1. Why did the scientists conduct the research?| A．To call on more people to practice yoga. |
| B．To test the seriousness of the mental health crisis. |
| C．To find out the effects of practicing yoga on mental health. |
| D．To warn people of the potential risk caused by the pandemic. |
| A．It demands high accuracy of poses. |
| B．It requires participants to move constantly. |
| C．It stresses the flow through poses after poses. |
| D．It makes up 50 percent of the time people spend on exercising. |
| A．They struggle with the strategy to exercise. |
| B．They grow tired of jogging with their friends. |
| C．They are too depressed to make other choices. |
| D．Routine exercise is not accessible for the moment. |
| A．Breakthrough in Times of Uncertainty |
| B．Yoga Helps Coronavirus-related Depression |
| C．How to Defeat Depression During the Pandemic |
| D．Benefits of Practicing Yoga on a Regular Basis |
8 . Do you love holidays but hate the increase in weight that follows? You are not alone.
Holidays are happy days with pleasure and delicious foods.Many people，however，are worried about the weight that comes along with these delicious foods.
With proper planning，though，it is possible to control your weight.The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much.You don’t have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy.The following suggestions may be of some help to you.
Don’t miss meals.Before you leave home for a feast (宴会)，have a small，lowfat snack.This may help to keep you from getting too excited before delicious foods.
Begin with clear soup and fruit or vegetables.
A large glass of water before you eat may help you feel full.
Use a small plate; a large plate will encourage you to have more than enough.
Better not have highfat foods.Dishes that look oily or creamy have much fat in them.
Choose lean meat.Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables.
If you have a sweet tooth，try mints(薄荷) and fruit.They don’t have fat content as cream and chocolate.
Don’t let exercise take a break during the holidays.A 20minute walk after a meal can help burn off excess calories(多余的热量).
1. Holidays are happy days with pleasure but they may .| A．bring weight problems |
| B．bring you much trouble in your life |
| C．make you worried about your foods |
| D．make you hate delicious foods |
| A．drink much water and have vegetables only |
| B．not eat too much food in high fat |
| C．not accept invitations to feasts |
| D．turn away from delicious foods |
| A．vegetables | B．water |
| C．calories of energy | D．physical exercise |
9 . Do you think you would work out more if you were offered money to do so? Science has shown that money can give people motivation to work out, but perhaps not in the way that you think.
According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine Journal, the best strategy isn’t offering money; it’s giving someone money, then threatening to take it away.
Researchers gave 281 people the goal of walking 7,000 steps every day over 13 weeks.
To motivate the people who took part to reach the goal, researchers divided them into three groups.
People in the first group received $1,40(9 yuan) each day as long as they finished 7,000 steps, the second group was only able to collect the $1.40 if they had reached 7,000 steps the day before, and the third group was given $42 at the beginning of each month and $1.40 was taken away every time someone failed to meet the goal.
The third group met their daily fitness goals 50 percent more often than the other two groups, showing that people were most motivated to walk by the fear of losing money.
“People are more motivated by losses than gains, and they like immediate gratification.” study author Dr Mitesh Patel, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the US, told CNN. “They want to be rewarded today, not next year or far into the future.”
Our brains tend to avoid wanting to lose things more than they try to get the benefits from gaining them, Patel explained. “It makes people think like the money is theirs to lose from day one.”
In addition, in most programs, many participants will drop out quickly and only the motivated will stay involved, Patel said.
“In ours, we were pleasantly surprised that 96 percent stayed.” he added.
The study provides evidence that what matters is not only the money incentive （激励）, but also how you think about them. This is important to how effective they are. The evidence could have a big effect on health promotion programs in the future, according to the study.
“Incentives themselves are not all you need,” Stephanie Pronk, a health and wellness consultant with the Aonplc corporation, told The Wall Street Journal. “It’s really important to change up the incentive design and keep people on their toes.”
1. According to Dr Mitesh Patel, the third group did better than the other two groups mostly because______.| A．they were satisfied with being paid immediately |
| B．they did not want the money they had gained to be taken away |
| C．they were able to get more money than the other two groups |
| D．they were given money at first while the others were not |
| A．prove that their program has been more successful |
| B．show that motivation mattered more in other programs |
| C．stress that they didn’t expert the result |
| D．make a further comparison between these programs |
| A．Incentives are of little importance in the process of getting fit. |
| B．Incentives and ways in which they are given are key to fitness programs. |
| C．People should keep fit actively instead of being motivated by incentives. |
| D．There are many ways to get people to feel motivated to work out more. |
| A．more benefits than losses should be obvious for participants |
| B．direct profits should be given rather than long-term ones |
| C．designers need to consider how people think about incentives |
| D．designers need to work out the right from of motivation |
10 . Good health and fitness are important to us.
Get support from other people. Reaching out to others who share similar goals will help you reach your goals faster. Join a Weight Watchers group or a local walk or running club in your area.
Work out while you're doing something else. Any activity that requires you to move your body is considered a workout.
| A．Drink and eat healthily. |
| B．Join a gym or take a yoga class. |
| C．Set short-term and long-term goals. |
| D．Try your best to achieve your goals. |
| E．Turn to other people for help when necessary. |
| F．But many people feel there's just not enough time. |
| G．Do the activities that you can do at the same time. |
