1. Which exercise is too hard for the woman?
| A．Playing badminton. | B．Running. | C．Doing yoga. |
| A．The woman. | B．The man. | C．Rachel. |
| A．Some sports shoes. | B．Some yoga clothes. | C．A badminton racket. |
Two years ago, Song Fei’s muscle pain was getting worse, despite years of gym exercise. A month after
China’s taijiquan has become
This integration of traditional wisdom into modern lifestyles
Attention, Orange and Washington county residents: If you’ve ever wanted your middle schoolers to put down their phones and take a walk in the woods, we’ve got
Starting
The reserve,
4 . I remember the first time I saw a skateboarder roll past me when I was 14 in the early 90s. The skater wove in and out of the schoolchildren. He moved in such a smooth and cool way. He flowed through the crowds in the same way that water finds its natural route. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. Why walk to school when you could skate? After serious saving and a request for early birthday funds, I found myself in the skate shop and got my first skateboard.
What I didn’t know then was that this first attempt was the beginning of a voyage that would never end. Information and experiences were exchanged and shared with friends. Videos of legendary professionals — Mark Gonzales, Rodney Mullen, Chris Miller — were circulated and pored over. After making a thorough study, I realized that dedication and perseverance played a great role in skateboarding.
Skateboarding forever changes the way you see urban spaces. The 1960s architectural eyesores (碍眼的建筑) become a creative challenge which awaits the unusual exploration of a skater. With the streets as your playground, loyal friendships are formed. You wander like a wolf pack, hunting out new challenges and opportunities. And when you journey further into the unknown architectural skate spots around the globe, you know endless good times await. You’re a global conqueror aboard four wheels and seven layers of plywood (胶合板).
There are no short cuts in the sport. As a creative culture, skateboarding is big business for sure, but the ability to flow confidently on a skateboard is no easy thing to achieve. To succeed at anything worth hard work, you need patience and perseverance — skateboarding is no different.
I’m now 36, and, as I continue to age, my adventures as a skateboarder will go on. While tricks come and go for the most part, it’s the feeling of smoothly moving through time and space that inspires a skateboarder on. Skateboarding is an extension of play and of that, I shall never tire.
1. Why did the author set foot on a skateboard at first?| A．Because he got a skateboard as a birthday gift. |
| B．Because he was interested in the culture of skateboarding. |
| C．Because he was impressed by a stranger’s skateboarding skills. |
| D．Because he wanted a unique means of transportation to go to school, |
| A．Warmly welcomed. | B．Highly praised. |
| C．Fully expected. | D．Carefully studied. |
| A．Confidence and courage. | B．Devotion and continuous effort. |
| C．Information and experience. | D．Talent and social skills. |
| A．Why I Love Skateboarding | B．How I Learnt Skateboarding |
| C．Who Inspired Me to Skateboard | D．What I Learn from Skateboarding |
5 . It’s well known that weightlifting can strengthen our muscles. Now, there’s increasing evidence that strengthening the muscles we use to breathe is beneficial too. New research shows that daily muscle training helps promote heart health and reduces high blood pressure.
“The muscles we use to breathe tend to shrink as we get older,” explains researcher Daniel, a physiologist at the University of Colorado Boulder. To test what happens when these muscles are given a good workout, he and his colleagues recruited healthy volunteers aged 18 to 82 to try a daily five-minute technique using a resistance-breathing training device. When people breathe into it, the device provides resistance, making it harder to breathe. “We found that doing 30 breaths per day for six weeks lowers blood pressure by about 9 mmHg,” Daniel says. According to Joyner, a physician at the Mayo Clinic who studies how the nervous system regulates blood pressure, that is the type of reduction with a blood pressure drug.
So, how exactly does breath training lower blood pressure? Daniel points to the role of endothelial (内皮的) cells, which help widen our blood vessels (血管) and promote good blood flow. “What we found was that six weeks of the training will increase endothelial l function by about 45%,”Daniel explains.
The new study builds on a previous study and adds to the evidence that the training is beneficial for adults of all ages. Before the results came in, Daniel had suspected that young, health y adults might not benefit as much. “But we saw strong effects,” Daniel says, pointing to a significant decline in blood pressure for participants of all ages. He says the finding suggests the training could help healthy young people prevent heart disease and the rise in blood pressure that tends to occur with aging.
The technique is not intended to replace exercise, he cautions, or to replace medicine for people with high blood pressure. Instead, Daniel says, “it would be a good additional prevention for people who are doing other healthy lifestyle approaches already.”
1. Who was most likely to be a volunteer in the study?| A．An adult working nearby. | B．A pupil from a local school. |
| C．A senior with heart disease. | D．A backpacker staying for 2 weeks. |
| A．giving the muscles a good workout. | B．doing 30 breaths per day for six weeks. |
| C．regulating blood pressure by the nerves. | D．lowering blood pressure by about 9 mmHg. |
| A．It was far from satisfactory. | B．It confirmed Daniel’s doubt. |
| C．It was contrary to the previous study. | D．It was beyond Daniel’s expectation. |
| A．Muscle training to promote our health. | B．Weightlifting to strengthen our muscles. |
| C．Daily breath training to reduce blood pressure. | D．Lifestyle approaches to preventing blood diseases. |
6 . Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation (PPIE) was started in 1987 to raise money by organizing running events for local schools. Based in Pleasanton, California, a suburb of San Francisco, the non-profit organization recently hosted a family-focused fitness event for the community. “Our event helps to bring the community together,” said Mindy Louie, events and outreach manager for PPIE. “We have more than 3,000 participants, hard-working volunteers and viewers.”
This year’s fitness event took place on April 30 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. It featured races of two miles, five kilometers and ten kilometers. A new Kids Challenge consisted of a quarter-mile run to encourage younger children to participate. When asked to describe the run, 11-year-old Jeremy Louie said, “Fun, exciting and enjoyable.” Jeremy added that he was happy to help support his school.
PPIE supports all 15 schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District, which include more than 14, 500 students and 800 teachers and staff. The nonprofit organization tries to fund programs affected by budget cuts, while encouraging fitness and athleticism. To date, the PPIE has raised over $1 million for the school district.
A local runners’ group called the BURN Youth Development (B. Y. D.) participated in the fundraising. The B.Y.D. has since grown to more than 100 youth members, 30 of whom ran in April’s PPIE event. Jerry Wu, the group’s founder and lead coach, explained that the B.Y.D. was born to keep kids running. “Watching them running strongly and happily makes me smile every time,” Jerry said.
Jerry encourages teamwork and teaches the students valuable running techniques. As a B.Y.D. member, Ollie Gu, an eighth grader, was one of the top finishers in the ten-kilometer run. He completed the race in 40 minutes and 46 seconds and won first place in the 12-to-15 year-old age group. “The race was extremely rewarding,” Ollie said. “I’m looking forward to it next year.”
1. Which race was recently created?| A．A ten-kilometer run. | B．A quarter-mile run. |
| C．A five-kilometer run. | D．A two-mile run. |
| A．To stress the great influence of PPIE. |
| B．To show a small budget for education. |
| C．To introduce the school district in brief. |
| D．To advertise the organization’s programs. |
| A．Their duties as athletes. | B．Their feelings as coaches. |
| C．Their recognition of the B.Y.D. | D．Their anticipation of the next run. |
| A．Sports volunteers. | B．Young sportsmen. |
| C．Running with teachers. | D．Racing for education. |
7 . People who walk briskly (迅速地) for two and a half hours a week have a 25 percent lower risk of depression, according to a study. Researchers from Cambridge University found that physical activity in line with government guidelines was also linked to better mental health. Their paper, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that even those who managed half the recommended amount had an 18 percent lower risk of depression than those who did nothing.
Dr Matt Pearce, first author on the paper, said, “The key message of the paper is that risk of depression is substantially lower for individuals who are physically active, and that most of these lower benefits occur at levels below the current health recommendations. Physical activity should therefore be encouraged to improve mental health even in inactive individuals who struggle to reach current recommendations.”
The research combined data from 15 earlier studies, with 191,130 participants, all looking at the relationship between depression and physical activity. Since the study was observational in nature, it cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
The researchers found “only minor additional benefits” to mental health when people were physically active beyond the recommended levels. Professor James Woodcock, a senior author on the paper, said, “There are two key features of this relationship: firstly, that the biggest difference in the risk of depression was seen when comparing those reporting no activity with those reporting a small amount”. “Even ten minutes a day appears to make a big difference. Secondly, that there appear to be minimal additional benefits of doing high volumes of activity.”
The researchers said there were likely to be multiple reasons for their findings, including exercise activating certain networks in the brain and body, releasing feel good hormones called endorphins (内啡肽). Besides, people who are physically active usually sleep better, a key component of protecting your mental health. It might also be that improvements to individuals’ body image from being more active, and increases in social interaction during activity played a role. Getting out in green spaces was another likely factor to boost mood, with many studies linking the use of green spaces and lower depression risks.
1. What did the researchers from Cambridge University discover?| A．Physical activity can reduce depression. |
| B．Brisk walking should be recommended. |
| C．Doing exercise can boost overall health. |
| D．Moderation is the key in physical activity. |
| A．By repeating 15 earlier experiments. |
| B．By analyzing data from 15 previous studies. |
| C．By proving the cause-and-effect relationship. |
| D．By collecting data from 191,130 participants. |
| A．A small amount of physical activity can work wonders. |
| B．Extra physical activity might do harm to people’s health. |
| C．It is highly recommended to take high volumes of exercise. |
| D．A 10-minute workout every day brings the biggest difference. |
| A．Endorphins activate certain parts in the brain. |
| B．Green spaces are helpful in lifting one’s spirits. |
| C．Stable mental health can improve sleep quality. |
| D．Improved body image increases social interaction. |
8 . You’ve probably heard countless times how exercise is “good for you”. But did you know that it can improve your mood too?
Exercising regularly can help prevent weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Exercises like jumping or lifting weights can help keep your bones strong. Also, when you exercise, your body makes chemicals that help you feel good. Exercise lowers your chances of depression and decreases feelings of anxiety.
Considering all the health benefits of being physically active, it’s easy to see why doing exercise is wise. And the great thing is that it’s never too late to start.
However, sometimes you may find it hard to keep exercising regularly.
| A．Even small things can count as exercise |
| B．Everyone can benefit from moving more and sitting less |
| C．Exercise benefits every part of the body, including the mind |
| D．Sports and activities that encourage flexibility are easy to find |
| E．One of the biggest reasons people drop an exercise program is a lack of interest |
| F．Plus, exercise can give you a sense of accomplishment after you achieve a goal |
| G．Strengthening the heart, muscles and bones isn’t the only important goal of exercise |
9 . Don’t miss out-save￡100 pp
We don’t think an excuse is required, but here is one of many great reasons why you should book your next ski holiday now-our saver week discount is coming to an end! All of our holidays are discounted by￡100 per person every week in January and mid-March.
Why do we recommend January skiing?
Undoubtedly your primary concern when choosing a ski holiday is the snow. With temperatures at their coldest and slopes (斜坡) at their quietest, it’s safe to say good snow conditions are almost guaranteed.
New year, new gear! For those of you renting equipment and/or clothing, you can be sure to find some brand new hire ready to carve through that fresh January powder.
If you’re looking to avoid the busy school holidays, you’ve hit a jackpot. The slopes are empty and you don’t have to wait long!
If you’re unsure about January, mid-March skiing could be for you.
March has an excellent track record for snowfall and you’re guaranteed to spend most lunch times bathing in the sun! March can offer the best of both worlds with fresh snow and blue bird days.
Similarly to January holidays, March is often far quieter than December and February periods. Remember, the sooner you can get up those lifts, the sooner you can slide down the freshly cleaned pistes (滑雪道).
We’re confident we have a ski holiday perfect for you. Don’t wait though, book before the end of the month to save ￡100 pp. Call us now at 0208 875 1957!
1. What is the major concern of people who want to take a ski holiday?| A．Price range. | B．Snow conditions. |
| C．Temperature changes. | D．Equipment rental. |
| A．It is far quieter than January. |
| B．It can help avoid busy school holidays. |
| C．It has a record for the lowest temperature. |
| D．It guarantees both fresh snow and sunny days. |
| A．To spread knowledge about skiing. |
| B．To encourage more people to ski. |
| C．To offer skiers some suggestions. |
| D．To advertise a ski holiday discount. |
10 . No Excuse Workout
Nobody likes a complicated workout program. Too often you find yourself buying highly complex programs which take up hours upon hours of your week.
That stops today.
No Excuse Workout is a new workout DVD that includes2 DVDs each packed with10 short, intense(激烈的) workouts. Every workout is exactly 4 minutes long, broken down into 8 specific sets. Each set lasts for 30 seconds——20 seconds of intense exercise and 10 seconds of rest.
All you have to do is follow along with Ryan as he takes you through these quick, effective, four-minute workouts.
After years of research, scientists have discovered that the key to burning fat and building muscles is not longer workouts. Instead, it’s the right combination of correct exercises——intense bursts with short rests. This is known as “interval training”. For more information, read The Science Behind High Intensity Interval Training.
No Excuse Workout DVD#l:10 Dumbbell(哑铃) Workouts
When you work out with Ryan in the first DVD, you’ll use inexpensive dumbbells in 10 different muscle-building, fat-burning workouts.
No Excuse Workout DVD #2:10 Bodyweight Training Workouts
This DVD is your secret to uncovering the lean, sculpted(雕塑般的) body.
No equipment needed! Most of the workouts are done on the ground.
Pop them in your DVD player and you won’t need one or two hours some people spend every day to get in shape.
Get these DVDs today for just $14.95.
1. What is a selling point of No Excuse Workout?| A．It includes a dumbbell as a gift. |
| B．It saves you lots of time on exercise. |
| C．It urges you to accept a healthy lifestyle. |
| D．It introduces to you some personal trainers. |
| A．40 minutes. | B．45 minutes. | C．60 minutes. | D．80 minutes. |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By using recommendations. |
| C．By giving scientific support. | D．By charging a cheap price. |
