1 . Benefits of Walking in Cold Weather

As winter blankets the world in a coat of ice and fresh cold air, the idea of going outdoors fora walk might seem less attractive.     1     Walking in cold weather comes with a lot of health benefits that might just make it the perfect season to put on your shoes and hit the roadway.

Strengthened Immune System

Remaining in colder temperatures can actually improve your immune (免疫的) system. As your body adapts to the cold, it produces more white blood cells.     2     Regular cold-weather walks might help make a strong er immune reaction, letting you stay healthier throughout the winter season.

High Spirits

The winter blues, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), can affect many individuals during the colder months. Fortunately, walking in cold weather has been linked to improved emotion and reduced signs of sadness. The fresh air and physical activity inspire the production of endorphins, the body’s natural emotion enhancers (增强剂).     3    

Improved health and energy level

Cold-weather walking can provide an excellent heart workout. The combination of light movement and the body’s reaction to the cold increases heart health by improving circulation (血液循环) and lowering blood pressure. Over time, this can make your blood system healthier.

    4     Instead, walking in the fresh air can make your senses energetic and increase overall energy levels. The physical activity and stay in natural light work together to reduce feelings of tiredness, leaving you feeling more active and ready to deal with the day.

So, as the winter winds blow and snowflakes fall, consider wearing your warm clothes and taking a walk outside.     5     It is also helpful to mental wellbeing and overall energy.

A．The cold weather does not cost energy.

B．They play a key role in fighting off diseases.

C．Winter, especially, is an opportunity to go slowly.

D．They leave you feeling more positive and excited.

E．However, don’t let the cold temperatures prevent you.

F．Let each walk be a big step towards a healthier, happier you.

G．The benefits of walking in cold weather go beyond physical health.

2 . A study led by the University of Granada has made sure for the first time the number of steps at which most people can get health benefits. The study has provided the first scientific evidence for how many steps you need to take per day to reduce the risk of premature (过早的) death: about 8,000 steps. Given the length of a human step, taking 8,000 steps is just like walking about 6.4 kilometers a day.

The researchers conducted a systematic literature review and analysis of data from twelve international studies involving more than 110,000 participants. The results are in line with other recent studies, which show that health benefits are got at about 8,000 steps.

“What makes our study different is that, for the first time, we set clear step aims. It shows that measurable benefits can be got with small increases in the number of steps per day, and that for people with low levels of physical activity, every additional 500 steps improves their health. This is good news because not everyone can walk almost 8,000 steps a day, at least not at first, so you can set small, reachable goals and gradually make progress and increase the number of steps per day,” explains Esmée Bakker, one of the lead authors of the study.

So, should we stop walking when we reach around nine thousand steps? “Absolutely not,”   Francisco B. Ortega, another lead author of the study, said firmly. “More steps are never bad. Our study showed that even as many as 16.000 steps a day does not pose a risk; on the contrary, there are additional benefits compared to walking 7,000-9,000 steps a day.”

The study gives people clear and easily measurable goals. Here lies the importance of the study—to provide simple and concrete (具体的) aims for the number of daily steps that people can easily measure with their phones or smartwatches, and thereby contribute to people’s health.

1. What can we learn about the study according to paragraph 1?

A．Its findings were based on scientific evidence.

B．It explored the length of a human step.

C．It proved the benefits of walking.

D．It found a new way to prevent premature death.

2. What does the underlined word “This”   in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The number of steps is becoming larger.

B．The number of steps is about 8,000 steps a day.

C．The number of the whole steps is about 500 steps.

D．The number of steps with a small increase can get benefits.

3. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To recommend a way to keep healthy.

B．To show the significance of the study.

C．To encourage people to walk more steps.

D．To prove the contribution of modern technology.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Education.

B．Sports.

C．Health.

D．Environment.

3 . Including a healthy diet and exercise in one’s busy schedule isn’t that easy. Yet Martina Laird, 31, managed to do so.

I’ve always loved power walking. I was in theatre in Stratford a few years ago and used to walk along a disused railway line. The sights are beautiful and it was so relaxing a type of walking meditation (沉思) with headphones on. I find gyms terrible and boring. I can’t see the point in getting a personal trainer. I don’t like the idea of having someone beside me while I exercise.

I don’t own a car, which means I walk everywhere. It really keeps me fit. I’d love to get a mountain bike. Bristol, where we film, has so many hills that cycling back from work each day would be an amazing exercise on its own.

I love fine food, but I don’t eat red meat or dairy products (奶制品). Cutting out bread has also made an amazing difference to my health. I have so much more energy. I always stick to healthy food and make my own juices for breakfast. When it’s freezing cold, I make my soups and take them to work. But I’m not perfect. I have my days of reaching for the biscuits. I also like to eat candies in the evening. They have left a bad influence on my teeth. I really want to stop and I’m giving it a try.

I’m really happy with my health and I’m about 75% happy with myself. But like any woman, I still a little admire that other 25%. As a woman in this profession, you can’t help comparing yourself to your workmates. There’s some pressure to be thin on TV, but I’m a role model and I don’t want to put out the message to young viewers that being underweight is healthy. You can only make the most of what you’ve got.

1. What exercise does Martina dream of?

A．Power walking.	B．Riding bicycles.
C．Training in the gym.	D．Climbing mountains.

2. Which of the following does Martina mean to quit?

A．Red meat.

B．Dairy products.

C．Candies.

D．Juices.

3. What is Martina’s profession?

A．She is an athlete.	B．She is an actress.
C．She is a personal trainer.	D．She is a fashion designer.

4. What may be the text?

A．An advertisement.	B．A health instruction.
C．A self-introduction.	D．An interview report.

4 . What if you could look at all the things you do daily — walking from room to room, preparing a presentation at your desk, running up and down stairs to deliver washed clothes or taking a jog around the neighborhood—and know which ones will best help or hurt your brain?

A new study attempted to answer that question by fixing activity monitors to the legs of nearly 4,500 participants(参与者)in the United Kingdom and tracking their 24-hour movements for seven days. Researchers then examined how participants’ behavior affected their short-term memory, problem-solving and processing skills.

Here’s the good news: People who spent even small amounts of time on more energetic activities — as little as 6 to 9 minutes — compared to sitting, sleeping or gentle activities, had higher cognition (认知) scores.

Middle physical activity is typically defined (定义) as quick walking or bicycling or running up and down stairs. Energetic movement, such as quick dancing, jogging, running, swimming and biking up a hill, will increase your heart rate and breathing.

The study found doing just under 10 minutes of middle to energetic exercise each day improved the participants’ working memory but had its biggest effect on operative processes such as planning and organization.

There is bad news as well: Spending more time sleeping, sitting or doing only gentle movement was connected to a negative (负面的) effect on the brain. The study found cognition reduced 1% to 2% after replacing an equal part of middle to energetic physical activity with eight minutes of still behavior, six minutes of light activities or seven minutes of sleep.

That change is only a connection, not a cause and effect, due to the observational methods of the study. Additional studies need to be done to prove these findings and understand the role o each type of activity. However, the study highlights how even very small differences in people’ daily movement — less than 10 minutes — are connected to quite great changes in our cognitive health.

1. What’s the author’s purpose in writing paragraph 1?

A．To present some useful activities.	B．To explain a situation.
C．To attract the readers’ attention.	D．To find the answer to a question.

2. What is the best for the brain’s function according to the text?

A．Sitting still.	B．Deep sleep.
C．Light activities.	D．Energetic exercise.

3. What can we know about the study from the last paragraph?

A．Its results need further confirmation.

B．It finds not all middle activities are beneficial.

C．Its observational methods are different from others.

D．It shows no relationship between exercise and the brain.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Physical Activity Types and Cognition	B．Arrangement for Things You Do Daily
C．Definition of Types of Physical Activity	D．The Positive and Negative Effects on Brain

5 . In 2009, Kevin Pearce was at the height of his professional snowboarding career and was preparing for the Winter Olympics. But during training, he struck his head on the edge of a halfpipe. It changed the course of the then 22-year-old’s life. He had to relearn how to walk and talk and basically start over. His older brother Adam gave up his job and moved across the country to help him through recovery. Kevin eventually started doing yoga, and his family saw how it positively changed him and gave him a sense of hope.

“I remember so clearly I came out of the first yoga class with Kevin and just saw in his face this new expression, this new person,” Adam Pearce said. “We would like to figure out why and how that just happened.”

Brain injury affects the lives of millions of Americans each year, including many who are living with long-term brain-injury-related disabilities (残疾). Wanting to bring hope and cure to others through yoga, Adam and Kevin co-founded the LoveYourBrain Foundation in 2014. The nonprofit offers week-long retreats (静修) and community-based yoga classes across the United States for people who have brain injury as well as their caregivers. The organization aims to finally make a safe space and a supportive community where people with brain injury can be treated together.

The organization also trains yoga teachers, giving them knowledge on how to work with those who have brain injury, and works with hospitals to add yoga into recovery treatments early on. To date, LoveYourBrain has reached more than 35,000 people.

“Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we’d be here almost 13 years after Kevin’s accident,” Adam said. “What this has taught me is that injury and unpleasant situations can be a powerful pathway for deeper learning and growth.”

1. What stopped Kevin Pearce taking part in the Winter Olympics?

A．Adam’s joblessness.	B．His serious brain injury.
C．Changes in his plan.	D．His new interest in yoga.

2. What did Kevin think of yoga probably?

A．True hope for recovery.	B．A new job for a disabled man.
C．An excuse to escape from reality.	D．Access to further education.

3. How does Adam find the effect of yoga on Kevin?

A．Worrying.	B．Doubtful.
C．Impressive.	D．Controllable.

4. What is the final aim of the LoveYourBrain Foundation?

A．To train as many yoga teachers as possible.

B．To set up a special hospital for curing brain injury.

C．To help hospitals find new ways to prevent brain injury.

D．To establish a special site for brain injury treatment.

6 . Setting a new personal max is a great way to chart your progress toward your fitness goals.

    1    One useful step is to improve VO: max(最大摄氧量), which is a measure of w much oxygen your body can take in and use during exercise. The more oxygen your body can put to use while you work out, the better your performance will be, whether you’re running a long-distance race or playing a sport like tennis or soccer.

    2    The first is to build up your aerobic(有氧)base,which is achieved by doing a lot of lower-intensity(低强度)aerobic work. In running,that would mean a lot of long, slow miles, with the goal of building up your distance over time.Doing this increases your overall aerobic capacity(容量)which in turn will help your body be much better at taking in and using oxygen.

Exercise physiologist and Ironman coach Alan Couzens is rich in his experience working with athletes.    3    In it he claims that the largest gains in VO₂max tend to come when their training plan includes a lot of lower-intensity aerobic work.

In addition to these long,slow miles, you’ll want to add to some more traditional“VO₂ max”workouts, which feature short bursts of high-intensity work at 90-95% of your maximum heart rate.    4    

However,although it can be attractive (and feel good) to push yourself every time you exercise，high-intensity intervals(间歇)should only contain a small percentage of your overall workout routine.     5     As Jason Fitzgerald wrote for Outside Magazine, you should avoid long-time work at a VO₂ max level, as it is tough on the body.Instead,he advises,“Save most of these intense, specific workouts for the final step of training when you’re sharpening for a race.”

A．So what’s the easiest way to do that?

B．What is the VO max that is accepted during exercise?

C．He has had a well-known post in a blog for SimpliFaster.

D．These short, intense bursts will help further push your body’s abilities.

E．There are two general strategies that are helpful for improving your VO2Max.

F．If your performance improves, that’s a sign that your VO max has improved too.

G．If you are preparing for a race,for example, you want to avoid overdoing them too soon.

7 . At 70 years old and nearly 200 pounds heavy, Joan MacDonald’s health was deteriorating (恶化) rapidly. Her amazing body transformation inspired thousands!

She was taking a cocktail of medications (药物) to address her many illnesses: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and acid reflux. While many would say that it’s normal for people at her age, Joan knew there had to be a better way. Doctors said she had to make adjustments to her lifestyle, or else, she would have to take increased dosages of these medications.

Although Joan couldn’t remember the last time she really thought about her health, she knew it was time for that body transformation. Joan watched her mom take medication after medication, and she didn’t want to end up that way.

Joan began with small changes, including walking, practicing yoga, and lifting weights. After six months of hard work, Joan was able to shed 45 pounds. Ever since she started working out and eating more healthily in 2017, this tough woman has managed to lose a total of 50 pounds! Her routine involves hitting the gym five days a week, doing weightlifting, and doing 15 to 30 minutes of sports.

While Joan admitted to struggling with the technology at first, she refused to throw in the towel. Since she carried out these changes in her life, Joan has felt so much better. She’s gotten off her medications and her arthritis is not as bothersome as before.

Now, Joan is inspiring women of all ages worldwide by proving to them that it’s never too late to change. Her advice to other women who want to make a change but don’t know how to is “to believe that it is possible! Even though you can’t turn back the clock, you can wind it up again.”

1. What do people usually think of Joan’s illnesses?

A．They should be cured immediately.	B．They are completely avoidable.
C．They are nearly harmless to health.	D．They are common for people in their 70s.

2. Why is Joan’s mother mentioned in the text?

A．To share Joan’s mother’s late life.	B．To show the origin of Joan’s illnesses.
C．To explain Joan’s motivation to change.	D．To stress the importance of health.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The efforts Joan has made.	B．Joan’s gift for sports.
C．The challenges Joan has met.	D．Joan’s favorite activities.

4. What can we learn from Joan’s story?

A．Where there is life, there is hope.	B．Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.
C．The good seaman is known in bad weather.	D．All things are difficult before they are easy.

8 . During the pandemic, when going to the gym wasn’t a safe option, people began exploring virtual workouts (虚拟训练) from home. Many of them now say they won’t go back. It has helped many people.

Linda Munson, 56, has worked a desk jol from home since the shutdown. She’s never been much of a gym person. In 2021, she was hospitalized with COVID and diagnosed with diabetes (糖尿病). When her doctor told her she needed to focus more on her health, she said she couldn’t do it. The doctor said, “Well, we’ll wait for you to have a heart attack.” That was her wake-up call. She started walking.

One day, her son brought home a VR headset called an Oculus Quest. Munson discovered the popular fitness app Supernatural and was hooked. Supernatural lets you swing your arms at targets or stretch with a coach in front of you and in your ear while you’re listening to music.

Linda Munson exercises in her living room. She takes a deep breath after using Supernatural, saying many Supernatural users post selfies in a Facebook group after a workout and cheer for each other.

Currently, Supernatural membership offers hundreds of workouts and costs $179 per year. The Ocults Quest headset needed to access it is $299. A handful of other workout apps made for VR headsets are a bit cheaper. “It’s worth it,” Munson says. She lost 50 pounds in a year and didn’t have to take diabetes medicine and can now play with her active grandchildren in her yard.

1. Why did people explore virtual workouts according to paragraph 1?

A．It is not secure to go to the gym.	B．It is too expensive to go to the gym.
C．It is out of fashion to go to the gym.	D．It costs too much time to go to the gym.

2. When did Linda Munson realize she had to exercise?

A．When she suffered a heart attack.

B．When she was diagnosed with diabetes.

C．When she has worked a desk job from home.

D．When her doctor predicted she would suffer a heart attack.

3. Why did Linda Munson start to use Supernatural?

A．Her son advised her to use it.

B．Her doctor forced her to use it.

C．She became interested in it by accident.

D．Her grandchildren wanted her to play with them.

4. What is Linda Munson’s attitude towards the app?

A．Negative.	B．Approving.
C．Doubtful.	D．Disappointed.

9 . China Daily正在开展一项过国民运动调查，报告显示，健走已成为中国人最常见的运动。请根据图表中的调查结果写一篇短文投稿，内容要点：
1.描述调查结果；
2.分析健走最受欢迎的原因；
3.说明你的看法。
注意：词数100左右；短文题目已写好。

Most Popular Types of Exercise Among Chinese

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10 . The Growing Popularity of Cycling

They say once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. Most of us learnt when we were kids, and many still strap (系好) on our helmets, put our feet on the pedals , and shoot off for a ride around the streets. In recent times, cycling has seen a boost in popularity.     1    

First, let’s look at the health benefits. Cycling can improve your cardiovascular (心血管的) health and burm excess body fat. Strengthening your leg muscles in your calves (小腿肚) and thighs (大腿).     2     A long ride in the countryside could help you to clear your mind, or de-stress. But it’s not only about your body and mind— there are also some plus sides for your wallet’s health.

Cycling can be a great way to commute (通勤) or get about town.     3     If you do drive into work, sometimes finding somewhere to park can be a nightmare, whereas finding somewhere to chain your bike up can be much simpler. Then, on the train, there are changes at stations and other commuters speaking loudly on their phones to deal with. And if you’re worried about safety, there are designated cycle lanes in many major cities. Wearing high-visibility clothing is another way to improve your safety when cycling on the roads.

    4     It can help you to reduce your carbon footprint. Not pumping out fumes into the atmosphere is better for the planet and your own environment.

So, whether people want to cycle for their health, getting about town, their wallet, the environment, or a combination of all of them—    5    

A．The popularity of cycling is on the rise.

B．By cycling, you save money on fuel or train fares.

C．Finally, cycling can also be good for the environment.

D．Cycling except for transport, also can be used for fitness.

E．And cycling’s benefits aren’t just physical, but mental as well.

F．What makes it so appealing to people to straddle their bikes once again?

G．I feel very relaxed by cycling, but the body was able to quickly reach the amount of exercise!