1 . 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. |
2 . A new study has found that braving the cold maybe a good way to help burn off some fat.
The research was carried out by scientists at Canada’s Laurentian University and focused on high-intensity interval training(HIIT). This format has grown in popularity of late due to the fat-burning benefits it brings, and the team set out to explore how temperature might influence its effects.
The study involved 11 overweight adults who took part in two HIIT sessions a week apart. One of these was carried out in a “thermoneutral” environment with temperatures of around 70 °F(21℃),and the other at a cold 32 °F(0℃). The sessions consisted of 10 separate cycling race at 90 percent effort lasting one minute, followed by 90-second “recovery” periods of cycling at30 percent intensity.
After each session, the participants cooled down by gently cycling or walking, ate a nutrition bar before going to sleep and enjoyed a high-fat breakfast the morning after. During these sessions, the scientists monitored skin temperature, core body temperature, heart rate and the amount of oxygen. Blood samples were also drawn to help calculate fat burning rates following the breakfast the next day.
“The present study found that high-intensity exercise in the cold increased lipid oxidation (脂质氧化) by 358 percent in comparison to high-intensity exercise in a thermoneutral environment,”the team writes.
The authors also note that the idea that cold temperatures help us burn more fat during exercise will need further investigation (调查), though the first-of-a-kind study does indicate it’s a possibility worth pursuing.
1. What is good for burning off fat according to the study?| A．Cold food. | B．Low temperature. |
| C．Hard workout. | D．Cycling race. |
| A．Introduction to the study. |
| B．Some data in the study. |
| C．The participants in the study. |
| D．The process of the study. |
| A．Further study needs to be done. |
| B．Doing exercise burns more fat. |
| C．The efforts of scientists are in vain. |
| D．The study result is unreasonable. |
| A．High-intensity Workouts Help Burn off Extra Calories |
| B．Cycling in the Cold Is a Great Way to Build upYour Body |
| C．Study Shows Fat-burning Potential of Exercising in the Cold |
| D．Researchers Have Found More Fat-burning Workouts |
3 . A lot of teenagers in middle school want to do more sports.
Watching TV and playing video games are becoming more and more popular among teenagers.
One of the biggest problems in our society today is obesity，and it's not just a problem with adults. More and more kids are becoming overweight.
Encouraging teenagers to do more sports also benefits parents. It is a great way for parents to show they love their kids.
Doing sports is a great way for teenagers to get out of the house，get moving，make friends and keep healthy. So why not join in and get into sports today？
| A．They may find new friends in this way |
| B．Doing sports helps teenagers grow faster |
| C．They prefer to stay at home rather than go out |
| D．Joining in a team sport will help teenagers get some exercise without feeling pressured to lose weight |
| E．Teenagers want to be stronger through doing sports |
| F．Parents can play with them and help them practice sports |
| G．Many do it because they think it will make them become more popular |
4 . The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) included on December 17, 2020 China's Tai Chi on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was announced during the online meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held from December 14 to 19 in Kingston, capital of Jamaica.
“Born in the mid-17th century in a small village named Chenjiagou located in Central China's Henan province, Tai Chi is not only a kind of traditional Wushu integrated with slow movements and deep breathing, but is also deeply rooted in many areas of Chinese culture, such as medicine and philosophy,” Zhu Xianghua says, who is the son of the famous Tai Chi master Zhu Tiancai.
Although it has spread to more than 150 countries and regions, attracting more than 100 million people to practice, the idea that Tai Chi is for the elderly has stopped many young people practicing the ancient Wushu. They think of it as a slow exercise, which is specially made and better suited for their grandparents. Instead, many young people are turning to the Indian practice of yoga to relieve stress, which was placed on the UNESCO's List in 2019.
In order to promote Tai Chi, joint efforts have been made from individuals and the Chinese government in the last decades. Xi'an Jiaotong University requires students to learn Tai Chi. Wang Yunbing, a professor in the university's sports center, stressed that Tai Chi is not only good physical exercise-researchers from the American College of Rheumatology find that it can help manage several diseases but is also conned ted to ancient Chinese civilization. Since 2014, the World Tai Chi Championships have been held every two years by the International Wushu Federation. It provides a platform for communication and learning between the Tai Chi masters and Tai Chi lovers around the globe. In January 2020, Tai Chi became an official event in the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
1. What does Zhu Xianghua say about Tai Chi in paragraph 2?| A．It originated from fast Kung Fu action. |
| B．It was born around the 1750s in a village. |
| C．It is related to other cultural fields of China. |
| D．It integrates Chinese medicine and western philosophy. |
| A．They think it easier to practice yoga to keep fit. |
| B．The elderly stop young people practicing Tai Chi. |
| C．They consider Tai Chi is custom-built for old people. |
| D．Yoga was included in the world culture earlier than Tai Chi. |
| A．To promote contemporary Chinese civilization. |
| B．To show many efforts made to popularize Tai Chi. |
| C．To stress the importance of Chinese Tai Chi masters. |
| D．To advise people to practice Tai Chi to cure diseases. |
| A．Tai Chi Steps on the UNESCO's List. |
| B．Tai Chi is Competing against Yoga. |
| C．Tai Chi Has Regained populate Globally. |
| D．Opinions Greatly Differ on Tai Chi and Yoga. |
5 . Why play sports? You might say “to get exercise” and you would be right. To have fun? That's true, too. But there's more.
Girls who play sports do better in school. You might think that athletics will take up all your study time.
Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goal-setting skills.
Sports are good for a girl's health. In addition to being fit and keeping a healthy weight, girls who play sports are also less likely to smoke. And later in life, girls who exercise are less likely to get breast cancer or osteoporosis(骨质疏松症).
Playing sports improves self-confidence.
| A．Exercise cuts the pressure. |
| B．Sports teach valuable life skills. |
| C．Regular exercise increases quality of life. |
| D．In fact, there are at least five more reasons. |
| E．Girls who play sports feel better about themselves. |
| F．Playing sports offers children more than just physical benefits. |
| G．But research shows that girls who play sports do better in school than those who don't. |
6 . Sport is not only physically challenging, but can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches, parents and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create too much anxiety or stress for young athletes. Stress can be physical,emotional, or psychological and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.
The early years of development are critical years for learning about oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents' and coaches' criticisms to heart and find flaws in themselves.
Coaches and parents should also pay attention that youth sport participation does not become work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In today's youth sport setting young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters' performances. Positive support should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that positive support motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress,which can lead to burnout.
1. An effective way to prevent the bumout of young athletes is________.| A．to make sport less competitive |
| B．to increase their sense of success |
| C．to reduce their mental stress |
| D．to make sport more challenging |
| A．it can help them learn more about society |
| B．it enables them to find flaws in themselves |
| C．it can provide them with valuable experiences |
| D．it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves |
| A．pay more attention to letting children enjoy sport |
| B．help children to win every game |
| C．train children to cope with stress |
| D．enable children to understand the positive aspect of sport |
| A．to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout |
| B．to persuade children not to worry about criticism |
| C．to stress the importance of positive support to children |
| D．to discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement |
7 . 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. |
8 . Do you love outdoor challenges? And there are a bunch of really awesome hiking challenges out there now that will not only inspire you to get outside more and push yourself physically- but also provide you access to an awesome community of hikers and often-times hiking groups focusing on the same challenges.
1. THE 52 HIKE CHALLENGE
The goal of the 52 Hike Challenge is to get you outside moving every week for an entire year. The difficulty and length is entirely up to you. but the point is to get out and to get moving! Register online now and the resources on their website allow you to track your journey as you complete each weekly hike and earn completion badges as you go.
2. WE HIKE TO HEAL
We Hike to Heal is a month-long women's empowerment and wellness campaign that organizes group hikes all over the world on the last Saturday of March. The organization's mission is to encourage women all over the world to tap into the healing and empowering influences within themselves and the Great Outdoors. You can join the movement for free in the link above and find free group hikes that will be happening all over the world.
3. CURE-SEARCH ULTIMATE HIKE
This event is put on by CureSearch on February 4th every year, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure and a way to raise money for children s cancer. To join this event that supports an incredible cause, you attend an informational session, register and get your own online fund-raising page and raise money to support your trek for children's cancer research.
4. THE 365 MILE CHALLENGE
This challenge is great because it is so simple. The goal is to get outside every day and walk a mile. This challenge focuses on small efforts that, over time, have big results and focuses on, creating healthy habits to benefit your mind, body, and soul. To join all you have to do is register , join the Face book group, and start moving.
1. Which of the hiking challenges is specially intended for women?| A．We Hike to Heal | B．The 52 Hike Challenge. |
| C．Cure-search Ultimate Hike. | D．The 365 Mile Challenge. |
| A．Money-raising. | B．Badge-earning. |
| C．Internet-related. | D．Gender-based. |
| A．Only one. | B．Four. |
| C．Three. | D．Two. |
9 . Becoming a real runner
I would never use the word “athletic” to describe myself. To me, athletes are people who really enjoy working out. I remember crying in middle school when I had to run a mile during gym class. I huffed and puffed as I jogged. As I grew up, I would go to the gym, but I never enjoyed working out. That, I thought, was for real runners.
In June 2017, my friend sent me an email that would forever change my attitude towards running. He was training for a 200-mile relay (接力赛) and wanted me to be on his team. I would run three legs between four and six miles each over the course of two days. Figuring that I would never again have the chance to work with some top runners, I immediately agreed, and started running outside to prepare.
That first run was hard. I purposefully avoided Central Park in order to stay away from real runners. After a few blocks, I was already winded, and ran the rest of the way home. I called my mom, choked up, to say I had no hope at all of running this relay. But she encouraged me to keep at it, so I didn't quit. I went from running four miles a week to eight within one month before my advanced training began.
I was frightened going into the first training session with the team as everyone else was super “athletic”. We ran for five miles, and I was significantly slower. However, my teammates were so supportive that I felt the runner’s high, which I had never believed existed.
One day, about two weeks into training, my ankle gave out while I was running in Central Park. I was diagnosed with a stress fracture (应力性骨折). The doctor told me to stop running for two months. It took me a while to face the fact that I was out of the race. My doctor told me that he too had once been struck down with a stress fracture, and the following year, he beat his best running time in a half-marathon. That brought me hope.
I made it through the next two months by picturing myself running again. Just yesterday, for the first time since that fateful day, I took my outdoor run with my physical therapist. I mentioned that I might run a half-marathon the next year. Now I wake up excited for the days I get to run. Maybe I am a “real runner” after all.
1. According to the article, when did the author start to feel passion for running?| A．After she got into the habit of working out. |
| B．After she got the courage to run outdoors on her own. |
| C．After she ran with some top runners and got their encouragement. |
| D．After she broke her ankle in training and stayed in bed for two months. |
| A．helpful advice. |
| B．immediate treatment. |
| C．experience in the marathon. |
| D．personal experience with an injury. |
| A．She didn’t take the relay seriously. |
| B．She had a strict and overprotective mother. |
| C．She felt disappointed about withdrawing from the race. |
| D．She would have expected to run a half-marathon if she had won the race. |
| A．urge readers to exercise regularly. |
| B．share with readers the fun of running. |
| C．warn readers to be careful about running. |
| D．encourage readers to pursue their hobbies. |
10 . All parents know that young children are always energetic, eager to run, jump and play. Turning that natural energy into competitive sports can help keep kids active and healthy as they grow. Competitive sports such as soccer， track， basketball and swimming can also help kids learn important life lessons about teamwork and fair play.
Learning How to Compete
Joining in sports teaches children and teenagers how to compete in the real world. As they grow older, they'll face competition in school, in the workforce and other areas of life. But these competitions don't have to be negative（负面的）or unhealthy.
Understanding the Value of Exercise
Improving Self-respect
Improved self-respect is another benefit of competitive youth sports.
Losing with his team can also increase self-esteem, as he learns to hold his head high and feel proud for trying his best.
Youth sports can help stop negative behavior, such as joining a gang（帮派）, because competitive sports provide a way of expressing their energy, friendship and controlled attacking behaviour. Teens who have positive influences and friends feel less of a need to join in risky behaviors.
| A．Reducing Risky Behavior |
| B．Developing Character Values |
| C．Here are the benefits of competitive sports for youth |
| D．If you try your hardest, you have a better chance to succeed |
| E．When a child wins a game with his team, he feels recognized |
| F．Taking part in competitive youth sports burns calories and helps to keep slim |
| G．Playing sports can help kids understand how competition works in a friendly environment |
