1 . Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with NO MORE THAN 10 words.

Starting exercise

You want to start doing exercise? Congratulations! You have just taken your first step towards a new and improved you!

Most people assume that regular exercise does wonders for the body and mind—but what exactly are its health benefits? To start with, physical activity increases the efficiency of your heart and lungs. During exercise, your heart and lungs must work harder. This extra effort makes them grow stronger over the long term. Moreover, exercise is good for your mental health. Working out can help you reduce stress and get over negative feelings.

Exercise is any activity that gets your body moving. Exercise doesn’t have to mean breaking a sweat at the gym or running a marathon. Any physical activity counts towards improving your health — something is always better than nothing. If you are just starting exercise for the first time, remember to start at a level that is comfortable for you.

Scientists have long known that what you eat can make or break a workout and possibly affect your fitness results. Like cars that run on petrol, your body burns carbohydrates (碳水化合物) for energy. Foods like noodles, rice, fruit and vegetables give your body plenty of carbohydrates to keep up your energy during a long workout. To help your muscles recover and repair themselves after exercise, you need to eat foods rich in protein, such as fish, eggs and milk products.

Choose the right clothing and shoes for the exercise and physical activity you plan to do is also important. To prevent injury, make sure your clothes and footwear are both comfortable and safe. What’s more, remember to warm up before exercising and stretch at the end of your workout.

So, now you know the benefits of exercise and how to do it safely and effectively. What are you waiting for?

Starting exercise	1	Physical benefits
		Mental benefits
	Starting at a comfortable level
	2
	3	4
		Warm up before and stretch after exercising

2 .

A．Find another scale.	B．Develop a fitness routine.
C．Try another workout programme.	D．Wait for the right time to exercise.

3 . Running is a great form of exercise. However, running under certain conditions can cause a variety of injuries.

The National Running Association recently released the results of its latest survey on common running injuries, as illustrated in the picture on the right. According to the survey results, the most reported cases are related to knee injury and muscle pull, with the former occurring a little less frequently. About a quarter of the respondents say they have had plantar fasciitis, The number of respondents suffering from Achilles tendonitis or shin splints is nearly twice that of those with stress fracture, which is also what fewest respondents report.

There are two main causes of running injury: structural imbalance and training volume. Structural imbalance occurs when a certain muscle group is weak and requires other muscle groups to help. The body adapts to stresses and becomes stronger. This is the basic principle of training. However, if you push too fast or run too far, you can stress the body in such a way that it never has time to fully recover. Training progression and moderation are the keys to avoiding overuse injury.

Here are several ways to avoid running injury.

● Prepare your body for running by walking.

● Understand your body type and be patient.

● Follow a sensible training plan or find a coach.

● Wear the right shoes.

The cause of the injury is not easy to diagnose. For example, a foot problem can cause a problem in the knees or back. Finding and treating the cause of a running injury is the job of a trained doctor. More importantly, listen to your body and recognize the signs of overtraining so that you can avoid running injury.

1. Which group of injuries best fits the blanks numbered ①, ②, ③ and ④ in the picture?

A．① knee injury; ② muscle pull; ③ stress fracture; ④ shin splints

B．① muscle pull; ② knee injury; ③ stress fracture; ④ Achilles tendonitis

C．① knee injury; ② muscle pull; ③ shin splints; ④ stress fracture

D．① muscle pull; ② knee injury; ③ Achilles tendonitis; ④ stress fracture

2. According to the passage, which of the following leads to structural imbalance?

A．Using some muscles more intensely than others.

B．Training weak muscles more often than strong ones.

C．Adapting your body to stresses slowly.

D．Giving your body little time to recover.

3. According to the passage, if you want to find out why your back and knees hurt after running. you had better _____.

A．turn to a coach for help	B．consult a trained doctor
C．understand your body type first	D．wear another pair of running shoes

4 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. ancestors B. commanding C. equipment D. financial   E. imitating   F. inspiration G. intense H. push I. reservations J. restricted   K. shaking

Our lifestyles mean that most of us aren’t using our muscles properly. As small children we squat, crawl and leap around freely, but the older we get, the more     1     our movements become and many of our muscles get little action as we sit at desks or in cars. Occasionally we hit the gym, where we use machines to work on specific muscles rather than the whole body. Now a new form of fitness, a(n)     2     workout based on simple animal movements such as crawling, is taking off. Its Australian founder, Nathan Helberg, has been using it with the military police forces, schoolchildren and even prisoners. He took his     3     from martial arts break-dancing, the animal world and the dance movements of indigenous people, and developed Zuu.

There are around 100 animal movements although beginners start with 25-that work muscles, joints and ligaments as well as improving heart and lung fitness. Zuu needs no     4     and little space. The idea is to train your body to do the kinds of activities that our     5     had to do in daily life. It’s quick, it tops up your strength and it’s not aiming to give you big muscles. In exchange for the publicity from article, Nathan offers me a master class alongside two of his trainers, which would otherwise be beyond my     6     means! I am attracted by the prospect of doing things I haven’t done since my pre-school years.

In class, I try a frog squat and a bear crawl. Each movement lasts for 30 seconds (for my benefit-as you get fitter, you keep on for 45 seconds). By the end I’m     7     with exhaustion. Despite my initial     8    , by the end of my class, I have started to enjoy myself. Mind you, it’s hard not to laugh when you’re     9     a bear! I thought I was in reasonably good shape-I run 5 km three times a week-but after this I realize how little I     10     myself normally. Nathan has promised that I could increase my upper body strength by 30% in just six weeks by doing classes. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

5 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. afford B. attention C. beneficial D. incredibly E. lowers F. memory G. opposite H. priority I. regularly J. schedule K. significant

How Does Exercise Improve Academic Performance?

You already know that regular exercise is important for controlling weight and avoiding a variety of health conditions. But it can also improve your academic performance. As an expert said, “What we know is that students who exercise     1    , at least 3 times a week, graduate at higher rates than those who do not exercise.”

It’s tempting to think you’re so busy that you can’t     2     to exercise. However, the exact     3     is true: you will have to deal with many problems because of lack of exercise. Even if you can’t spare 30 minutes, 5- or 10-minute exercises during the course of the day could make a     4     difference in your academic performance. Five-minute walking every hour had a positive impact on mood, fatigue (极度疲劳), and hunger at the end of a day. This may be particularly     5     to students who also work a full-time job and study in the evening and nighttime hours.

Exercise     6     stress and anxiety while increasing focus. A study by researchers at the University of Illinois found that physical activity increased the ability of elementary school students to pay     7    , and also increased their academic performance.

Exercise also improves academic performance in other ways. 1. Exercise requires time management. Arranging for exercise forces students to also     8     study time and this teaches them the importance of block timing, and urges them to give     9     to their studies. 2. Exercise reduces stress. These reductions are very important to students, because too much stress is bad to memory production and your ability to seep: two key things needed to score high on exams. 3. Exercise leads to a better quality of sleep. Better sleep means moving your studies from short term to long term     10     during REM, a period of sleep. That way, on test day you remember that tiny fact that gets you the scores you need.

6 . Winter is a great time to experiment with new sports. The key is to find one that matches your interests and natural abilities. If you like to walk, keep walking—on snowshoes. If you want to try an endurance sport, go for cross-country skiing. Besides, snowboarding is just great fun.

Not satisfied with these? Try downhill skiing, then. Downhill skiing is not as hard as it used to be—shorter, lightweight, curved skis make any beginner feel like an Olympic winner. These newer skis—along with another type of equipment called ski boards, which are even shorter than skis—help you control your speed and body movements.

Consider testing the latest high-tech skis or snowboards? Check with your local sports shops or the rental places at the ski mountains about sample programmes.

You could also try sledding. Use a wood-framed sled with steel runners or a plastic sled to head down a snowy hill. If you prefer ice to snow, think hockey or figure skating.

Runners can also train during the winter in spite of wet or slippery roads. One of the easiest sports around, snowshoeing can be excellent cold-weather cross-training for runners and cyclists—or anyone wanting to take a wintry walk in the woods. Snowshoes are smaller, lighter, and better than ever. If you want to try them out, you may be able to rent a pair for a day at many of the larger outdoor or sporting goods stores.

Whatever sport you choose, don’t rely on a friend for instruction. You wouldn’t let an inexperienced doctor perform a brain operation on you, but why let one teach you to ski or skate? That’s what instructors are for—to help newcomers start out right. Instructors can give you advice about equipment, techniques, safety, and dealing with injuries if they do happen to you.

Above all, if you want to progress, invest your time in learning the basic skills thoroughly. Everything else you do as a skier, boarder, or skater will be built on these first skills.

1. How many different types of sports are mentioned in the FIRST TWO paragraphs?

A．Six.

B．Five.

C．Four.

D．Three.

2. What do we learn from the passage?

A．Runners and cyclists cannot train because of the wet or slippery roads in winter.

B．Downhill skiing used to be more difficult to learn because of the old-fashioned skis.

C．People cann’t rent snowshoes for a day at their local sports shops or the rental places.

D．In general, first skills are more important in skiing than in snowboarding or skating.

3. Who are the most likely readers of the passage?

A．High school students.	B．Physical educators.
C．Winter sports lovers.	D．Professional athletes.

7 . Whether it is tossing the Frisbee (掷飞盘) on the campus or representing your town in the local baseball league, sports remain prevalent in American society.

Athletics begin at a young age. As they learn to walk and talk, kids in America also learn to run, throw and kick. They are _________ to sports at a young age so that they form a habit of remaining _________ and fit, while also _________ themselves. Most towns offer a “Parks and Recreation” program, which sponsors various educational physical activities, such as sports summer camps or monthly hikes. _________, towns often create youth leagues that _________ children to complete against other towns. These programs, run by volunteers, stress not only skill development, but also values of _________ and enjoyment no matter what the outcome.

Athletics continue at more _________ levels throughout elementary school to university, with extracurricular programs playing a development role and training students to perhaps even eventually become _________.

At the professional level, spectator sports have become a staple (重要部分) of American tradition and culture. Families and friends gather around the television or endure hours of _________ to support their favorite teams, while these athletes are made into international celebrities.

Professional sports in the U.S. are largely __________ by the Big Four Leagues: the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Hockey League (NHL). With teams __________ major cities, these spectator sports draw large crowds and are followed almost __________ by some fans.

Soccer has __________ to rise to prominence in America; however, with their performance in the 2010 World Cup and more exposure to Europeans teams through the arrival of star such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry, Major League Soccer (MLS) in America as a spectator sport has certainly __________.

International competition is rare and often considered not as __________ as the domestic leagues. However, during the Olympics and the World Cup, Americans do rally around their countrymen to perform at the international level.

1.

A．exposed

B．treated

C．devoted

D．attributed

2.

A．young

B．active

C．hopeful

D．positive

3.

A．enjoying

B．pushing

C．supporting

D．protecting

4.

A．For example

B．However

C．Consequently

D．Furthermore

5.

A．force

B．warn

C．allow

D．advise

6.

A．sportsmanship

B．curiosity

C．creativity

D．citizenship

7.

A．friendly

B．amateur

C．competitive

D．international

8.

A．winners

B．professionals

C．managers

D．rivals

9.

A．competition

B．traffic

C．labor

D．argument

10.

A．divided

B．dominated

C．owned

D．followed

11.

A．entering

B．representing

C．sponsoring

D．occupying

12.

A．blindly

B．secretly

C．religiously

D．leisurely

13.

A．attempted

B．refused

C．aimed

D．struggled

14.

A．decreased

B．remained

C．slowed

D．grown

15.

A．predictable

B．respectable

C．significant

D．extensive