1 . The popularity of niche（小众的）sports has increased, thanks in large part to pop culture interest. From the traditional Japanese martial arts to ancient Greek combat sports. Here are some trendy options you won't want to miss.

Kendo

This Japanese martial art is gaining popularity in China, partly because of Japanese sports manga（日本漫画）series such as One Piece（海贼王）. In many major cities, it's not uncommon to see young athletes carrying the bamboo swords used for Kendo.

Kendo is a form of swordsmanship（剑术）that requires concentration, discipline and constant repetition, but the benefit goes beyond physical fitness. According to the South China Morning Post, practicing kendo can effectively relieve stress and relax one's mind.

Boxing

Some of the greatest English-language writers, like Ernest Hemingway, Jack London and TS Eliot, were hardcore boxers. After reading their portrayals of tough boxers, some readers have been inspired to pick up their own pair of boxing gloves and enter the ring.

Boxing is more than just a workout. Sure, it can give you a lean and strong body. But according to boxing expert Hollywood Hino, it's a kind of addiction as well. Boxing gives you "the challenge of learning technique, as well as the general empowering feeling of hitting something", he told Yahoo Sports.

Parkour

The James Bond blockbuster Casino Royale (2006) introduced parkour to the mainstream, with an intense action scene that shows Bond using skills to go through an urban landscape. That's parkour in a nutshell: the art of moving quickly and creatively through unconventional obstacle courses. Parkour gives young people a way to improve themselves, both physically and psychologically.

1. Which of the following is the benefit of practicing kendo?

A．Popularity.	B．Concentration
C．Easiness.	D．Constant repetition.

2. Some readers would pick up their boxing gloves after reading Hemingway's works because__________.

A．Hemingway was a hardcore boxer.

B．boxing could give them a lean and strong body.

C．boxing gave them the challenge of learning technique.

D．they were encouraged by the spirits of tough boxers created by Hemingway

3. If you want to move quickly and go through obstacle courses in a city, you may choose__________.

A．ancient Greek combat sports	B．parkour
C．boxing	D．kendo

2 . A study has found that a lifetime of regular exercise and activity can slow down the aging process and a life of movement and exercise may help us live longer and healthier.

For their study, the researchers looked at two groups. The first group was made up of 125 non-professional cyclists between the ages of 55 and 79. This group included 84 healthy men and 41 healthy women. We will call this group the “cyclists”.

Researchers then found 130 people to make up a second group. Within this group, 75 people were aged from 57 to 80. The other 55 were between the ages of 20 to 36. The people in this group were also healthy, but they didn’t exercise regularly. We will call this group the "non-exercisers". Smokers, heavy drinkers of alcohol (酒) and people with other health problems were not included in the study.

Then, researchers gave both groups a series of tests. They tested their muscle mass (肌肉质量) , muscular strength, percentages of body fat and the strength of their immune systems (免疫系统). Then the researchers compared the results of the two groups.

Results showed that the cyclists didn’t experience body changes usually regarded as a normal aging process. For example, they didn’t lose muscle mass or muscular strength. Also, their body fat didn’t increase with age. The researchers also found something they had not expected. The study showed that the immune systems of the cyclists didn’t age either. The researchers advise us all to find an exercise that we like in our lives.

1. How did the researchers carry out the study?

A．By listing lots of example.

B．By reasoning the possible results.

C．By discussing people’s different habits.

D．By comparing two groups of subjects (调查对象).

2. What can we know about the research?

A．Smokers could also join in the study.

B．People taking part in the study were all healthy.

C．The “cyclists” group included 130 professional cyclists.

D．The “non-exercisers” group were between the ages of 57 and 80.

3. Which was an unexpected result to the researchers?

A．The non-exercisers put on weight easily.

B．The cyclists had a normal aging process.

C．The cyclists’ immune systems changed little.

D．The non-exercisers’ immune systems were easy to break down.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Healthy People Need More Exercise

B．Take an Exercise — the More, the Better

C．A Lifetime of Exercise Slows Down the Aging Process

D．Cycling Is the Best Way to Slow Down the Aging Process

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

According to a review of evidence in a medical journal, runners live three years     1    (long) than non-runners. You don't have to run fast or for long    2    (see)the benefit. You may drink, smoke, be overweight and still reduce your risk of     3     (die) early by running. While running regularly can't make you live forever, the review says it     4     (be) more effective at lengthening life    5     walking, cycling or swimming. Two of the authors of the review also made a study published in 2014    6    showed a mere five to 10 minutes A day of running reduced the risk of heart disease and early deaths from all     7    (cause).

The best exercise is one that you enjoy and will do. But otherwise…   it's probably running. To avoid knee pain, you can run on soft surfaces, do exercises to    8    (strength)your leg muscles(肌肉),avoid hills and get good running shoes. Running is cheap, easy and it's always    9    (energy).If you are time poor, you need run for only half the time to get the same benefits as other sports, so perhaps we should all give    10    a try.