1 . The beach may seem like an inviting place to run on a cool summer morning, but is running on the sand good for your body? It can be, but it’s important to be aware of the challenges that some beach runners experience before you get ready.

Running on the beach can be a good thing. It’s certainly different from running on a track or a pavement. For starters, sand can be a challenge because it has an uneven(不平坦的) surface. As you push off, you’re going to lose some of your push as the sand moves. So, you’re not going to be able to push yourself forward as you would on a track or a pavement. But this unevenness has an upside: It gives your body an extra workout, forcing you to exercise muscles that don’t get as much use during runs on firm surfaces. For example, your feet, ankles and lower back might feel sorer and more tired than usual after a beach run just because the surface is constantly moving and changing step to step.

You also might feel sore afterward because beaches tend to slope (倾斜) down to the water. If you’re going for a long run on the beach, you might notice that one side of your body might feel sorer because you’re putting more pressure on it due to the slope.

Some beach runners prefer to run barefoot-- not wearing anything on feet. However, if you’re not used to barefoot running, start slowly and don’t run long distances at first. That’s because running barefoot uses more different muscles than running with shoes does, and it’s important to strengthen these muscles and adapt your feet. If you want to run barefoot and as long as you run carefully enough into it, go for it!

Running on the sand can be a smart choice for you, because running on softer ground surfaces can reduce muscle damage.

1. Why is it difficult to run on the beach for starters? ________

A．The soft surface makes people fall over easily.

B．It’s hard to keep one’s balance on its hard surface.

C．People need to run carefully on its smooth surface.

D．Running on its uneven surface takes much effort.

2. Which of the following best explains “upside” underlined in Paragraph 2? ________

A．Challenge.

B．Advantage.

C．Reason.

D．Character.

3. What’s the author’s attitude to barefoot running? ________

A．Positive.

B．Critical.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uncaring.

4. The passage can probably be found in ________.

A．a primary school textbook	B．a tourist guide
C．a sports magazine	D．a scientific report

2 . We all know about the health benefits of swimming. It offers a great exercise for the body — it builds patience, muscle strength and cardiovascular (心血管的) fitness. If you don’t mind getting wet, it can be fun too.     1     Well, many people are taking the jump, based on evidence that it can actually be good for us.

Cold-water swimming is sometimes called “wild swimming”, namely swimming in natural areas including ponds, rivers and the sea. Jumping in gives a short sharp shock to the body, but many participants say that they have got used to it. A cold dip might wake you up, but research has found that it can have much bigger benefits than that for your body and mind.     2    

    3     One man who suffered constant pain after surgery claimed that he was cured by taking a swim in cold open water. And another swimmer, Sandria Simons, told the BBC, “The immersion (浸没) of your body in cold, salt water, just feeling like you’re at one with nature if you like, just feels amazing.”

But what is it that people are gaining from this cold and uncomfortable experience? Doctors say that getting into cold water causes a stress response, but the more you do it, the less stress you will have. It’s also thought to have a strong anti-anger effect.     4     Some experts believe that cold-water swimming helps “cross-adaptation”, where one form of stress prepares the body for another. For example, it also helps to reduce the stress of exercising at high altitude.

    5     You should approach it with caution, swim with a friend, and maybe start in the summer, when the water temperatures are higher.

A．It can also improve your health and happiness.

B．People of all ages join the activity, even little kids.

C．Cold-water swimmers should make full preparations.

D．So, if you’re convinced that this is for you, take advice.

E．But who would enjoy swimming in water that is ice cold?

F．But there are bigger benefits to this stress-reducing exercise.

G．Cold-water swimming has reportedly cured certain health conditions.

4 . 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.     1     Basketball players focus on strength training; football players work on speed while track athletes train through longer runs. The training process helps promote physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    2     Playing sports also contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, a high five from a teammate, or a handshake after a match really boosts a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise self-worth.     3     So after a game, it’s a better idea to ask “Did you enjoy the game?” rather than “Did you win?”

Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up responsibility and leadership.     4     Teamwork involves both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork breeds responsibility and challenges you to be responsible for your actions. Being part of a team gives you an opportunity to be a leader.

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.     5    

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.

5 . In a year that has been characterized by the restriction, there are two activities I have found myself doing more of: running and writing.

At first glance, these two passions seem to be completely opposite. When I write, I’ll retreat (缩进) into my head, where I dig memories, ideas, characters to shape into stories. When I run, I’ll fully inhabit my body. The sounds and feelings of physical effort—foot strike, heartbeat and sweat—drown out the thoughts.

Despite their differences, though, there are similarities. Running and writing are both things we do alone. They both demand at times that we dig deep, keep going and never give up. I’ve also found that running can be complementary to writing. If I’ve been sat for hours, there’s nothing more restorative than getting out for a run. Sometimes when I’m least expecting it, solutions to tricky twists present themselves and ideas drop in as if the movement of running has itself shaken things into place. On the other hand, running especially long-distances has taught me to be brave, to look inside myself to see if there’s more to give. It has also taught me patience.

I’m far from the first runner to notice that running can help the writing process. Reflecting on her writing methods in an article in The New York Times, author and lifelong runner Joyce Oates wrote: Running seems to allow me, ideally, to have an expanded consciousness in which I can imagine what I’m writing as a film or a dream. I can’t say there is an expanded consciousness when I put on my trainers after a hard day’s writing, but there’s some evidence that working up a sweat can also fire up the imagination.

It’s not clear what’s behind the creativity though increased oxygen to the brain has been shown to help cognitive processes, so there’s no reason to think it’s useless. Whatever the link between running and creativity is, next time I find myself struggling to find the right words in the face of a deadline, I’ll run for it.

1. What does running contribute to the author’s writing process?

A．Exhaustion and challenges.	B．Relaxation and consciousness.
C．Affection and physical benefits.	D．Inspiration and creative solutions.

2. What does the underlined word “complementary” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Really helpful.	B．Clearly different.
C．Negatively related.	D．Potentially dangerous.

3. What can we learn about the author from the last paragraph?

A．She is stressed over struggles and deadlines.

B．She challenges the claim that running improves creativity.

C．She is determined to find out why running helps creativity.

D．She will keep running in order to help her writing process.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．What I Have Learned From Running

B．Running May Fire up the Imagination

C．Differences Between Running and Writing

D．Science Says Running Is Good for One’s Health

6 . Nowadays, are you sitting more and more? Take a moment to think about your sitting habits. You’re probably sitting while reading this.     1    Besides, many people still lie on the sofa swiping their phones instead of doing exercise after work. That’s undoubtedly a lot of sitting. The fact is that the amount of time spent sitting has increased over time.     2    

People know sitting too much is unsuitable, and most of us naturally feel a little guilty after a long-time TV watching. But what problems gradually exist when we seat ourselves for nearly eight hours per day? A study on nearly 8000 adults suggests that there’s a direct relationship between the time spent sitting and our risk of early death from any cause.     3    

“Sit less, move more” is what the Heart Foundation encourages us to do.     4    It is like telling people to just “exercise” without telling them how. Exercise guidelines are always more practical. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults do exercise for two hours and 30 minutes every week, plus muscle strengthening exercise two or more days a week. We need similar guidelines for sitting.

    5    One of them is from Diaz’s research team. “It would probably be like this: for every 30 continuous minutes of siting, stand up and move or walk for five minutes at a quick pace,” Diaz, the lead researcher, said, adding that the study has put us a step closer to the satisfying guidelines. But more researches are needed to confirm their approaches.

A．Now it’s time to get up and move around.

B．It is quite usual for you to remain seated in a business meeting.

C．As the total sitting time increases, so does the danger of early death.

D．But the function of this rule is just too simple and abstract to benefit us a lot.

E．The experts suggest that more exercise should be done to reduce sitting time.

F．It is reported that many people have spent more than 6 hours sitting or lying.

G．Various specific and detailed guidelines have been made to inspire people to reduce sitting time.

8 . Benefits of sport

Every sport has its own specific health benefits. Swimming, for example, is an excellent physical activity as nearly all muscles are used when you swim. As a result, it provides a terrific full-body workout, improving coordination, flexibility, balance and muscle strength.     1    

Sport, as well as being a physical activity, has a mental aspect too. It can help define who you are and who you can become. Sport builds character and promotes the development of a number of qualities that are essential for a successful and fulfilling life.     2    

Sport requires self-discipline, without which there will always be the temptation to simply give up. In order to excel in sport, you will have to set goals, make plans and persevere with thoughts and actions, even without immediate rewards.

    3     Everyone has their ups and downs, their triumphs and their tragedies and, therefore, a big part of life means having to deal with success and failure. Engaging in competitive sport will help you understand that winning a competition does not make you superior to everyone else and that losing is only a temporary setback, from which you can learn and progress.

Sport will help you understand the importance of teamwork. It will show you that you often need to rely on others for your success.     4    

The world of sport is a fairground of exciting opportunities where you can discover who you really are.     5    

A．Time, I think, to lace up your sports shoes and go play.

B．Included here are three qualities worthy of special consideration.

C．Of course, swimming is also a great way to cool down on a hot day.

D．Regular exercise will also help you maintain a healthy body weight.

E．Sport will encourage you to maintain a positive and balanced outlook.

F．Similarly, you also have a responsibility to contribute to the success of others.

G．Another benefit of exercise is that it will improve your body’s immune system.

9 . Memo

To: All Staff
From: Jakie Mok, Secretary; Sports Development Committee
Date: May 20, 2022

A week ago, “Sports for Life” programme was sent to the parents, requiring them to select a sport they wanted their child to play. Since then, our staff have received lots of calls from parents asking for more information about it. Here is a memo for your reference when you answer the phones.

Sports 1:Basketball.

We expect that this will be the most popular of the four sports. Therefore, students should be advised to sign up as soon as possible. Students will take a private bus to and from Kwun Tong Sports Park. To cover the cost of hiring a bus, each student will have to pay $10 each time. There will be four basketball courts available for our use with one teacher watching over each game.

Sports 2:Gym

We will be using St. Peter’s Memorial Park. There are two reasons for choosing this park. Frist, it is not very busy and crowded before 6:00 pm. Second, it has lot of trees with plenty of shade. Students must bring along two bottles of water to prevent thirst. Three activities, skipping, jogging, outdoor aerobics, all of which are free of charge, will be arranged. And there will be a teacher on duty for each of the activities.

Sports 3:Hiking

Hiking will take place at Kowloon Peak. The activity will start at 2:30 pm and finish 90 minutes later. Three teachers will accompany the students, and a hiking instructor will accompany each group of 15 hikers. Each instructor will cost $75/hr. Students are advised to bring plenty of water and sunscreen.

Sports 4: Swimming

The Kowloon City Aquatic Centre is a 10-minute walk from our school. Four teachers will go to the pool and conduct the goings-on from the poolside. We will only be able to reserve the pool for one hour (i.e. 2:45pm to 3:45pm). Only students skillful at swimming can take up this activity. The pool will have two lifeguards present. Girls must wear a swimming suit. The cost is $10 per visit.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Students selecting basketball had better register early.

B．Students participating in gym should arrive at 6:00 pm.

C．Hiking usually begins at 2:30 pm and lasts 2 hours.

D．Students having swimming suits can take up swimming.

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Students taking part in basketball will walk to the courts.

B．Every student can gain admission to one of the four sports.

C．Hiking students can have a regular rest in the shade of trees.

D．Students taking up the four sports should bring bottles of water.

3. What is the purpose of the memo?

A．To attract students’ interest in the programme.

B．To require the parents to select a sport for their child.

C．To help the staff explain the programme to the parents.

D．To remind teachers and lifeguards to be present on time.