1 . Benefits of Sports
Doing sports is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from studies and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven beneficial to overall well-being.
The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious. Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you’re involved.
Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up responsibility and leadership.
Discipline is another social advantage. Most organized sports require a strict training and practice schedule. As a student-athlete, you need to balance studies and athletics.
There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to get involved in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!
A.It’s not just your body that benefits from sports. |
B.Therefore, playing sports is going to make you more fit. |
C.But remember, a child’s self-worth should not be distinguished by victory or loss. |
D.If you play group sports, you’ll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach. |
E.Nearly every sport requires physical activities and the competitive skills. |
F.Among these, learning how to function as part of a team is the most important advantage. |
G.Only with strict discipline can you be successful both in the classroom and in the sports field. |
2 . All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer.
Some sports or game go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese Kungfu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet.
People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game together they often become good friends.
A.And think of people in cold countries. |
B.Sports help to train a person’s character. |
C.People aren’t inventing new sports or games. |
D.Many people like to watch others play games. |
E.People are inventing new sports or games all the time. |
F.Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere take part in them. |
G.Not a few people participate in different sports competitions themselves. |
3 . Human bodies were actually designed for walking, a wonderful form of exercise at no cost. It’s kind to our bodies and great for our waistlines.
Probably you already love to walk, but you’re getting bored of tracing the same old route day after day, or maybe you’re new to walking and aren’t sure how to get started.
Call up your friends and schedule walks with them if socializing is your aim.
From the benefits to your heart to your overall happiness, walking is just plain good for you.
A.This month, pick up a map and start walking. |
B.Ask your friends where they like to walk and just go there. |
C.You may as well consider heading to a new city for a change. |
D.Either way, it’s time to accept the idea of walking with a purpose. |
E.Recently, science has proved that walking is good for your body shape. |
F.And best of all, it’s a great way to see new things and meet new people! |
G.If you’re after walking alone, ask about local hikes that get you away from the crowd. |
4 . Fitness Magazine recently ran an article titled “Five Reasons to Thank Your Workout Partner.” One reason was: “You’ll actually show up if you know someone is waiting for you at the gym, ” while another read: “
So, how do you find a workout partner?
First of all, decide what you want from that person.
You might think about posting what you are looking for on social media, but it probably won’t result in a useful response.
My partner posted her request on the notice board of a local park. Her notice included what kind of training she wanted to do, how many days a week and how many hours she wanted to spend on each session, and her age. It also listed her favorite sports and activities, and provided her phone number.
You and your partner will probably have different skills.
A.Your first meeting may be a little awkward. |
B.A workout partner usually needs to live close by. |
C.You’ll work harder if you train with someone else. |
D.Do you want to be a better athlete in your favorite sport? |
E.How can you write a good “seeking training partner” notice? |
F.Just accept your differences and learn to work with each other. |
G.Any notice for a training partner should include such information. |
5 . Until quarantine (隔离期) ends, we are left picturing what sport we might do: working out at the gym, playing on a competitive sports team, swimming, biking, or rock climbing. However, we don’t often think of martial arts as possible activities; instead, we rule it out because we think it’s dangerous, uncommon, and even, impossible. Martial arts aren’t considered a sport, right?
Well, here’s some good news: you’re wrong! Martial arts aren’t much more common than people think, and you can start learning at any age. Practicing martial arts is a great way to keep in shape, both physically and mentally. They’re much less boring and much less arduous sport than they’re usually described as in movies, so do not worry that they need a lot of effort.
Martial arts generally require you to focus on the position and movement of every one of your legs and arms, sometimes even your breathing too. Think about it: when you leave the gym, your mental state has improved and you are much calmer. This is because you’ve only paid attention to one activity. It is a great way to clear your head. And practicing it can help you learn to stay more focused, which is the greatest advantage of martial arts training.
Martial arts also improve your coordination (协调性), and greatly improve your posture (姿势). I have personally seen students go from slouching (没精打采) to walking tall with their shoulders back in just a couple of months.
There are many styles and countless kinds of martial arts. Whichever one you like better, know that all of them are good choices.
1. What can we know about martial arts from the first two paragraphs?A.They often have people hurt. | B.They are difficult to practice. |
C.People have a wrong view on it. | D.People practice them more often. |
A.Interesting. | B.Difficult. | C.Friendly. | D.Exciting. |
A.Adjusting the breath. | B.Enjoying one’s free time. |
C.Correcting the movement. | D.Keeping one’s attention. |
A.They are not sports. | B.They attracted many teenagers. |
C.They are beneficial and helpful. | D.They were invented to protect others. |
6 . Is It a Healthy Interest?
The Guinness Book of World Records describes Ranulph Fiennes as the world’s greatest living explorer. His journeys include the first polar circumnavigation (极地环行) and the first unsupported crossing of the Antarctic continent on foot. So when he suffered a heart attack, it came as something of a surprise.
Exercise is highly beneficial as it reduces both the pulse (脉搏) rate and the blood pressure so reducing stress on the heart as it brings blood round the body. It also helps to keep the artery (动脉) walls more elastic (有弹性的).
But can you push yourself too much? On the subject of exercise, it is good to take several parts of “moderate” exercise a week,which is a little more than quick walking. “We need to be careful when we’re doing extreme sports,” says expert Len Almond. “Extreme stress can make almost impossible demands on the body’s ability to recover. The stress of extreme sports forces biochemical changes in the body, and the physical response to that kind of activity will be too extreme.”
We all know how the Olympics began. The man who ran 26 miles from the town of Marathon to Athens with news of a victory died as soon as he arrived,and the cause of his sudden death might be the heart attack. Further research was done by scientists. They studied cyclists (自行车运动员) on a race that covers 230km with a height change of 5,500m. They were interested in one particular enzyme (酶), high concentrations of which are found in those who have suffered a heart attack. The scientists found that levels of this chemical increased in most of the cyclists who completed the race. The largest increases were seen in the fastest cyclists who had trained the hardest.
Most of us will never put our bodies to such extreme sports. But if, when you hear about someone like Fiennes,you ask whether exercise is worth it. I advise you to consider your own condition. Personally, I agree with the saying: “Run not to add years to your life but to add life to your years.”
1. According to the passage, taking exercise can_______ .A.speed up the heart rate | B.increase stress on the heart |
C.reduce the blood pressure | D.keep the artery walls straight |
A.Our bodies can easily deal with physical stress. |
B.Playing extreme sports is harmful to the human body. |
C.We need a long period of recovery after extreme sports. |
D.There is more to learn about the effect of physical stress. |
A.To suggest a different area of research. |
B.To support the activity of taking part in sports. |
C.To explain the effect of a height change on cyclists. |
D.To prove that extreme sports may cause heart attacks. |
A.helps you have a regular life | B.adds years to your life |
C.should be done in moderation | D.will be worth the effort |
7 . One major reason Americans don’t get enough exercise is that they feel they don’t have enough time. It can be difficult to squeeze in the 75 minutes of aerobic (有氧的) exercise per week that federal guidelines recommend.
In a new analysis of 14 studies, researchers tracked deaths among more than 232,000 people from the U.S., Denmark, the U.K. and China over at least five years, and compared the findings with people’s self-reports about how much they ran. People who said they ran any amount were less likely to die than those who didn’t run at all.
The analysis is the latest to illustrate the benefits of running on the human body. It’s what we evolved (进化) to do.
A.People may no longer hunt wild animals for their next meal. |
B.The physical demands of running affect our body in a beneficial way. |
C.Some people run to prevent disease, and others run because it makes them feel better. |
D.Runners were 27% less likely to die for any reason, compared with nonrunners. |
E.But researchers point out, to infer something like that, they need the whole population measured. |
F.But new research suggests people may be able to get life-lengthening benefits by running for far less time. |
G.The good news is that running more than 50 minutes per week wasn’t linked to additional protections against dying. |
8 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. 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. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. 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. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. 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 for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?A.Cycling around a lake. |
B.Motor racing in the desert. |
C.Playing basketball in a gym. |
D.Swimming in a sports center. |
A.It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
B.It causes water shortages around the world. |
C.It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes. |
D.It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green. |
A.it is an outdoor sport |
B.it improves our health |
C.it uses fewer resources |
D.it is recommended by experts |
A.show us the function of major sports |
B.encourage us to go in for green sports |
C.discuss the major influence of popular sports |
D.introduce different types of environment-friendly sports |
9 . Before there was the written word, there was the language of dance. Dance expresses love and hate, joy and sorrow, life and death, and everything else in between.
“I adore dancing,” says Lester Bridges, the owner of a dance studio in Iowa. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.” Bridges runs dance classes for all ages. “Teaching dance is wonderful.
So, do we dance in order to make ourselves feel better, calmer, healthier? Andrea Hillier says, “Dance, like the pattern of a beating heart, is life. Even after all these years, I want to get better and better.
A.So why do we dance? |
B.Dance in the U.S. is everywhere. |
C.If you like dancing outdoors, come to America. |
D.My older students say it makes them feel young. |
E.I keep practicing even when I’m extremely tired. |
F.Dancing seems to change their feeling completely. |
G.They stayed up all night long singing and dancing. |
10 . If you are already making the time to exercise, it is good indeed! With such busy lives, it can be hard to try and find the time to work out.
Your productivity is improved. Exercising makes you more awake and ready to handle whatever is ahead of you for the day.
Your metabolism(新陈代谢) gets a head start.
There are a lot of benefits to working out, especially in the mornings. Set your alarm clock an hour early and push yourself to work out! You will feel energized all day long.
A.You will stick to your diet. |
B.Your quality of sleep improves. |
C.You prefer healthy food to fast food. |
D.There is no reason you should exercise in the morning. |
E.You can keep your head clear for 4-10 hours after exercise. |
F.After you exercise, you continue to burn calories throughout the day. |
G.If you are planning to do exercise regularly, or you’re doing it now, then listen up! |