4 . Being healthy is important. Often, we’re crazy about articles in health magazines talking about the latest popular diets, or advertisements that offer cures (疗法) for fatness that are often too good to be true. One of the latest crazy phenomena (现象) is intermittent fasting (间歇性禁食).
There are different ways of intermittent fasting.
Some people try intermittent fasting for weight management, and others use the method to deal with some conditions such as high cholesterol or arthritis.
As with many diets, it’s always wise to speak to your doctor or weight-loss professional before changing your eating habits. And, at the end of the day, it could just come down to what lifestyle choice suits you.
A.But what is intermittent fasting? |
B.However, this diet isn’t for everyone. |
C.Intermittent fasting has two main origins. |
D.Let’s look at some of the possible benefits. |
E.The idea of this is to reduce calories over a period. |
F.In a word, you should avoid turning to intermittent fasting blindly. |
G.You can eat normally on five days of a week and reduce calorie intake on the other two. |
5 . Taking exercise in a crowded, noisy gym will improve your muscle but may not make much difference in your stress level. By contrast, hiking improves not only your physical fitness level, but your mental health as well. “I hike with friends every week. Whether I am wandering down a flat path along a river or climbing a rock y mountain in the wilderness, hiking can be beneficial to me because it exposes (使接触) me to outdoor scenes such as mountain s and rivers, which can always offer me good ideas about paintings and music,” Marry Copper, a hiker said.
Experts agree that hiking reduces stress. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), hiking increases the body’s production of endorphins, a type of chemical that improves mood (情绪). Endorphins also help you sleep more soundly, which will lower your stress level. However, not all scientists agree that hiking raises your endorphin level. Instead, some researchers believe that hiking causes the release of the chemical norepinephrine, which helps make you less excited or upset.
The controversy (争议) is ongoing, but it is clear that however it happens, hiking is useful when you are feeling anxious. Hiking can also help improve your confidence. Walking down a path is a repetitive motion, which can lead your brain into relaxing; you may “zone out” to the point where you won’t be thinking about anything in particular. Being outside in the open air may also help you exercise better because most people do indoors; getting out from under a roof can lift your spirits.
Hiking may improve your mood more than a gym workout will, but your risks are also greater. People sometimes try to make their own way rather than stick to established paths. They are proud to say they like to have an adventure. However, people who try to do something new could be attacked by wildlife and get hurt and lost. So stick to the known roads and bring a cellphone with you, and always tell someone where and when you are going hiking, even if you have a partner going with you.
1. Why does Marry Copper like hiking?A.She dislikes exercising in the gym. | B.She can meet new friends when hiking. |
C.She can draw inspiration from nature. | D.She has the spirit of adventure in the wilderness. |
A.Scientists have reached an agreement. |
B.Sound sleep can increase the body’s endorphin level. |
C.Stress is caused by the body’s production of endorphin. |
D.The chemical norepinephrine could make people calm. |
A.Negative | B.Positive | C.Objective | D.Unclear |
A.How can hiking cause controversy? | B.Why do people like exercising outdoors? |
C.What do hikers like to do in the wilderness? | D.What benefits can hiking bring to people? |
6 . Have you ever thought how good it would be if an unfinished handwork project, which stopped because the owner passed away, could be lovingly completed?
Friends and knitters (编织者) Jennifer Simonic and Masey Kaplan started the Loose Ends Project in September 2022. The pair match “volunteer finishers” with unfinished projects online so they can carefully complete them and then return them to the people they were being made for.
It all started when founders, Simonic and Kaplan, realized that they had both been asked by friends to finish knitting hats, sweaters or other unfinished projects by their moms. When more friends asked them for help, they felt it would be a good idea to “have strangers be able to finish things for each other”.
Helping strangers this way, which also assists (帮助) them to get through their grieving process, was something that the two had happily agreed to do, understanding how wonderful it feels to be dressed in something a loved one has created.
Adding a moving couple of extra steps, once the finishers receive the project, they may highlight (突出) the last stitch (针) worked by the dead maker in a special way before they restart the work.
In just a few months, Loose Ends has built up a global team of over 7, 000 volunteers. New volunteers are asked to share their skill sets and interests. When Loose Ends receives a project, the founders determine a good fit based on these skills. The Loose Ends team will let the volunteers try the work to “check if they’re feeling it too”, as Simonic and Kaplan never want the work to be a boring task.
Volunteers do not charge for their work, while families are only asked to cover the delivery costs. The group tries to match projects to volunteers living nearby to reduce the delivery costs to the lowest.
1. What is the goal of the Loose Ends Project?A.To promote handwork art. | B.To sell handwork products online. |
C.To complete unfinished handwork projects. | D.To recycle good handwork projects. |
A.Touching | B.Amazing | C.Unforgettable | D.Painful |
A.They may make a special design for the last stitch. |
B.They may mark the original maker’s last stitch. |
C.They may add receivers’ information on them. |
D.They may sign their names on the works. |
A.Quick | B.Tiring | C.Safe | D.Thoughtful |
7 . This is the last Christmas that Faye and Matthew have spent in their house, which has already been sold. Faye and Matthew Gooding and their five young sons appear to have perfect lives. For the couple themselves, however, this “materially perfect world” was lacking in something—so now they are giving up all their possessions to travel around the world with their children. Most of their belongings have been given to their neighbors. Faye said, “It is a relief to get rid of so many possessions. Thankfully, our parents understand and support us.”
“I hesitated for a while because some friends think Faye and I are mad to give up so much. When we told the older boys, they were so excited that they were going to have so much time as a family. It made me realize the amount of toys or material possessions can’t replace time spent with our children. They’ve had to give away so many toys, bikes and books. My wife Faye was so determined to keep to our plan,” said Matthew.
They will leave this month and plan to start their travels in Sweden where they have friends. Faye said, “My older boys plot where we go next but we hope to see Europe and over two years travel as far as Japan, America, Bali and Thailand. We don’t plan to hire any tour guides. We just depend on a compass and local people to move in the right direction.”
Faye, who posts on Instagram as a mother of five boys, added, “It is a risk because we are giving up so much. I, however, even plan to quit my job after the travel. We can’t wait to spend more time with our sons without the stresses of everyday routines. We don’t know what will happen, but we do know if we didn’t do this we would always regret it.”
1. How will Faye and Matthew cover the travel costs?A.By selling their house. | B.By doing part-time jobs. |
C.By asking parents for help. | D.By borrowing from neighbors. |
A.Worried | B.Excited | C.Uncertain | D.Firm |
A.Faye | B.Matthew | C.The children | D.The tour guide |
A.A travel guidebook | B.A life journal | C.A paper | D.A diary |
8 . Many high school students look forward to volunteering abroad. Here are some programs that such students can consider.
Spring Break Voluntary Service
Through this program, you’ll volunteer to build schools and community centers in the Dominican Republic, and help with reforestation (重新造林) or water purification (净化) projects. You’ll also have the chance to spend some free time on beaches, and explore freshwater lakes and underwater caves. This eight-day program costs $1,899.
Tanzania Expedition
Raleigh International’s Tanzania Expedition includes an adventurous hike in the Southern Highlands, through which you can help out with some environmental projects, and also pick up wildness survival skills. Except for these, volunteer work includes planting trees, improving access to clean water, and helping with hygiene (卫生) awareness events. This expedition lasts five, seven, or ten weeks, starting at $2,595.
Volunteer in Sri Lanka
Plan My Gap Year (PMGY) is offering a Sri Lanka volunteering experience to travelers aged 16 and 17. For two weeks, you’ll explore and volunteer, with activities including visiting an elephant center, watching animals at Yala National Park, relaxing on the beach and volunteering for different projects which mainly focus on English teaching, elephants, and sea turtles. The cost starts at $1,599.
Volunteer in Morocco
Another volunteer opportunity perfect for teens is the Morocco program provided by Cross-Cultural Solutions, where you will be able to travel across this beautiful country for two or four weeks and help with education, health, technology, or sports leadership activities. The cost (including housing and meals, in-country transport handbooks, and more) starts at $750, plus a $249 registration fee (注册费).
1. What is special about Tanzania expedition?A.It includes a trip to a national park. |
B.It puts volunteering and adventure together. |
C.It aims to raise locals’ environmental awareness. |
D.It requires volunteers to be equipped with first aid skills. |
A.They are of the same lasting time. | B.They are for teens aged 16 and 17. |
C.They both stress environmental protection. | D.They offer volunteers chances to visit beaches. |
A.Pay a registration fee. | B.Work out an activity plan. |
C.Make a booking online. | D.Join Cross-Cultural Solutions. |
10 . Here in eastern Spain, human towers are very popular. The tower sometimes falls because it’s so high. I used to
My friend Tomeu was also part of our team. Tomeu had been a casteller before. “What if I’m not
It was our turn. We first made the
Our base was solid, so my father
“Have
Far below, I could hear the crowd’s cheering.
1.A.promise | B.hesitate | C.intend | D.pretend |
A.climbing | B.jumping | C.running | D.rolling |
A.prepared | B.responsible | C.anxious | D.famous |
A.pull | B.call | C.lift | D.push |
A.rule | B.list | C.link | D.base |
A.screen | B.circle | C.queue | D.barrier |
A.head | B.hands | C.legs | D.chest |
A.original | B.local | C.general | D.typical |
A.relaxed | B.adjusted | C.signaled | D.appealed |
A.faith | B.pleasure | C.patience | D.purpose |
A.casually | B.firmly | C.wildly | D.smoothly |
A.grew | B.swung | C.changed | D.broke |
A.introduce | B.enjoy | C.calm | D.save |
A.balance | B.presence | C.connection | D.duty |
A.unique | B.large | C.round | D.complete |