A little exercise is better than none
Exercise is good for us. It reduces the risk of dying from all causes, including cancer and heart disease. This is according to the World Health Organisation. But many people who work on weekdays have little time for exercise.
So, they might try to do something to increase their heart rates over the weekend go for a long run, take a bike ride, hike in the mountains or do a strenuous chore around the house, such as raking leaves , shoveling snow or digging a garden.
We sometimes call people who exercise only on Saturdays and Sundays “weekend warriors (战士)”. But is it healthy to avoid exercise during the workweek and then try to fit it all in during the weekend?
A new study suggests that, yes, it is healthy: Even weekend warriors may reduce their risk of cancer and cardiovascular (心血管的) disease.
Australian researchers at the University of Sydney conducted the study. It took place over a nine-year period.
During that time, the researchers looked at the self-reported exercise habits and health examinations of more than 63,000 adults in England and Scotland. Then they connected that information to mortality—or, death—records.
The researchers found that people who exercised only one or two days a week improved their chances of living longer than people who did not exercise at all. Even those who are very overweight—or, obese—could extend their lives by exercising a couple of days per week. Exercises included playing sports and taking a brisk walk.
First, let’s look at cancer. When compared to those who did not exercise at all , weekend warriors had an 18 percent lower risk of dying from cancer.
As for cardiovascular disease, weekend warriors had a 40 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than inactive people, or so-called “couch potatoes”. Couch potatoes are people who don’t exercise. They simply sit all day like potatoes.
In other words, their health improves even if they don’t meet the suggested weekly amount of physical activity. However, to be in the best health, Stamatakis says, more exercise is better.
The WHO suggests that the average adult get at least 150 minutes of moderate (中等的) to intense activity per week. For the best results, the organisation suggests 75 minutes per week of vigorous (高强度的) physical activity.
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2 . The Biggest Stadiums in the World
People have been pouring into stadiums since the days of ancient Greece. In around 80 A.D., the Romans built the Colosseum, which remains the world’s best known stadium and continues to inform contemporary design. Rome’s Colosseum was 157 feet tall and had 80 entrances, seating 50,000 people. However, that was small fry compared with the city’s Circus Maximus, which accommodated around 250,000 people.
These days, safety regulations-not to mention the modern sports fan’s desire for a good view and comfortable seat — tend to keep stadium capacities (容量) slightly lower. Even soccer fans tend to have a seat each; gone are the days of thousands standing to watch the match.
For the biggest stadiums in the world, we have used data supplied by the World Atlas list so far, which ranks them by their stated permanent capacity, as well as updated information from official stadium websites.
All these stadiums are still functional, still open and still hosting the biggest events in world sport.
·Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang D.P.R. Korea. Capacity: 150,000. Opened: May 1,1989.
·Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U. S. Capacity: 107,601. Opened: October 1, 1927.
·Beaver Stadium, State College, Pennsylvania, U. S. Capacity: 106,572. Opened: September 17, 1960.
·Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio, U. S. Capacity: 104,944. Opened: October 7,1922.
·Kyle Field, College Station, Texas, U. S. Capacity: 102,512. Opened: September 24, 1927.
1. How many people could the Circus Maximus hold?| A．104,944. | B．107,601. | C．About 150,000. | D．About 250,000. |
| A．Michigan Stadium. | B．Beaver Stadium. | C．Ohio Stadium. | D．Kyle Field. |
| A．They host big games. | B．They have become tourist attractions. |
| C．They were built by Americans. | D．They are favored by architects. |
