I am very glad that you can share with me about what your after-school life is like.

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Yours,

Li Hua

4 . After moving into my mother’s home to look after her following an illness, I found myself thinking about my _______. It was clear that I _______ to find something that would help me _______ the house more often.

I found my _______ while standing in line at the store checkout one sunny spring day. Red words on the cover of a magazine caught my _______, “Walk Off Weight!”

After _______ about the advantages of walking, I knew I had found the perfect_________that would not only make me spend more time outdoors, but would also help me keep_______.

I didn’t start walking four miles right away; I began_________.After a few weeks, I________from walking two miles every day to between four and six miles every day, My________increased from about three miles per hour to over four.

It wasn’t long before I began to notice the many________in both my physical and emotional health.

I lost________.The extra fat I’d been carrying around my stomach disappeared My body was________up and became more shape. Even my back pain had________!

The advantages to my emotional health were also great. My spirits lifted with each passing day I could hardly________to get up each morning. With more self-confidence, I also found myself to be more sociable and that I began to________meeting new people.

________for my mother became less of a tiring task. Feeling________, 1 was able to look after her with great enthusiasm. I________her to try to become as healthy and as happy as I felt.

5 .     1       However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses（球场）in good condition.     2     For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.

    3     Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit.     4     Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.

Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements（代替物）for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces.     5     And best of all, it’s free.

7 . Are you wondering whether it’s worth going for a little jog? Don’t hesitate, and get your sports shoes on. A new study shows that proper running lowers the risk of death before the normal time.

In an analysis of 14 previous studies from the US and Denmark, the group of researchers from institutes in Australia and Finland concluded that increasing running participation would probably lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity. The studies involved 232,149 participants over time periods ranging from 5. 5 to 35 years.

On the whole, people running any distance were associated with a 27% lower risk of death from all causes than those who did not, the study shows. Running was also related with a 30% and 23% lower risk of death from cardiovascular(心血管的)disease and cancer, respectively.

Previous studies had concluded “inconsistent findings” about whether running could lower the risk of premature death, according to the researchers. Lead researcher Jim White, a professor at Victoria University in Melbourne, told CNN: “Our recent findings may encourage physically inactive individuals to take up running and those who already run to keep on doing it.”

He added that doctors may be encouraged by our findings to promote running as a part of “lifestyle medicine”. In their paper, which will be published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the researchers say health professionals are sometimes wary of promoting running because vigorous(剧烈的)use of it has been linked with sudden heart death.

Jim and his team deny this by noting that the benefit of running outweighs the risk. However, they did say advice should be given on a case-by-case basis, as running might not be appropriate for everyone. Although running has a clear health benefit, the researchers point out that higher “doses” of running may not reduce the risk of premature death further. According to the WHO’s guidelines, adults aged between 18 and 64 should take 150 minutes of gentle exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.

8 . For the first time in 10 years, the United States government has changed its guidance on how much exercise people need to stay healthy and when they should start.

For children and teens

The new guidance states that the most important time for children to begin exercising is between the ages of 3 and 5.     1     That could be light activities, moderate activities, or even vigorous(剧烈的)activities.

Doctors say it is important to start young.They add that from birth to age 5, a child’s brain develops more than at any other time in life.     2     Also, children who start exercising at a young age are more likely to establish healthy behaviors they will continue into adulthood.

But that does not mean putting a small kid on a treadmill(跑步机)or other exercise equipment.     3       After all, it's a kid’s nature to play freely and happily.

    4     But it shouldn’t be less than one hour a day three times a week.Their activities should mostly be aerobic(有氧的)exercise, such as biking, swimming or running, which can strengthen the heart and lungs.Such exercise should also include muscle-and-bone-strengthening activities；such as climbing trees or playground equipment and playing sports.

For adults

For adults, the guidelines recommend exercising 150 minutes a week. That could be walking, gardening, dancing, etc.    5     Experts say that even short amounts of aerobic exercise can provide health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, reducing anxiety and improving sleep.

9 . Roller coasters are fast and exciting. But passing a painful kidney (肾) stones is not. The process is painful and can take a long time. But American researchers have found that a roller coaster ride just might help those suffering from a kidney stone. They say such rides help patients pass the stones with a 70 percent success rate.

David Wartinger led the study. He found that where the person sits on the roller coaster can make a big difference. He said, “In the pilot study, sitting in the last car of the roller coaster showed about a 64 percent passage rate. Sitting in the first few cars only had a 16 percent success rate.”

It also mattered where the stones were located in the kidney. The researchers found that stones located in the upper part of the kidney model were passed 100 percent.

When it comes to passing kidney stones, not all roller coasters are equal. The researchers used 174 kidney stones of differing shapes, sizes and weights to see if each model worked on the same ride and on two other roller coasters. They found that Big Thunder Mountain was the only one that worked. The other two roller coasters both failed the test. Wartinger said the other rides were too fast and too violent. The movement forced the stones against the side of the kidney. He said that the ideal roller coaster is rough and quick with some twists and turns.

Wartinger thinks roller coaster rides could also be used as a preventative measure. He said that a yearly ride on a roller coaster could even prevent stones from developing. “You need to heed the warnings before going on a roller coaster,” he said. “If you have a kidney stone, but are otherwise healthy and meet the requirements of the ride, patients should try it.”

He adds that it’s definitely a lower cost alternative to other treatments. And riding a roller coaster is definitely more fun!

10 . It’s cold and dark outside, and your bed is so warm and comfortable. Going for a run seems like such a bad idea. But before you hide your running shoes, it might be worth giving that crazy idea a go.

According to The Huffington Post, an outdoor run in winter, as opposed to one on a treadmill (跑步机), burns more calories because the body is working hard to regulate (调节) its core temperature. Furthermore, research shows that race times are faster in cold weather than in warmer temperatures—and quicker runs burn more calories. Similarly, cold weather also makes the heart work harder to distribute blood through the body, making that vital muscle even stronger.

Outdoor exercise also turns up your energy and rids you of the stress and depression that build up every day. The heat and humidity in the summer can drag you down and tire you faster, but cold weather is refreshing. It adjusts you to your surroundings, making you feel alive.

Of course, the threat of smog in some built-up areas is a further hurdle to winter exercise. Heart attacks, stroke, lung cancer and asthma are all dangers of running in smog. The combination of air pollution and exercise increases the potential problems. If you do choose to run outside on smoggy days, take a path in a park or residential area to avoid car exhaust (尾气), and go early in the morning, before rush hour. But staying inside on smoggy days and waiting for the next clear day to run is best.