A Teen Case Study
Mrs Zhang, our school counsellor who is also a medical doctor, is passionate about the advantages of playing sport. She believes that it is vital for teenagers to have a positive attitude, and sports help them do this. She gave us the following example as inspiration.
I had a teenage patient, who was depressed and moody. Let’s call her Shan. Conventional wisdom said that I should prescribe medication of some sort. I decided rather to ask about her lifestyle. From her responses it was clear she was getting no exercise. So l encouraged her to choose a school sporting activity and take part in it. I suggested that she keep a journal of all her new activities, and how she felt about them and about herself.
Shan took my recommendation and joined the school volleyball team. Six months later she was hardly recognisable: she had lost weight and was looking fit and healthy; she had more friends; her schoolwork had improved, and best of all, she was no longer depressed or moody. Her mum told me she was a changed person. Shan told me later that I had changed her life. I hadn’t really. It was Shan herself who did it. She took the idea I gave her and embraced it with enjoyment and determination.
Read the report. Answer the questions.
1. What was Shan’s problem?
2. Why didn’t Mrs Zhang prescribe medication for Shan? What did she decide rather to do?
3. What were the benefits to Shan of taking up volleyball?
2 . The most popular martial arts1 today originated in Asia, especially in China. Some Chinese fighting styles were invented more than 3,000 years ago. Many martial arts were invented because people needed to defend themselves or protect others. Nowadays, people learn martial arts as a way of keeping fit or as a competitive sport, but they are still very useful for self-defence.
Martial arts are often referred to as either soft or hard. These terms imply a way of dealing with your opponent’s force. Soft martial arts, such as tai chi, teach you to use your opponent’s own force to defend yourself. Soft styles use fluid movements and timing to avoid, deflect and redirect their opponent’s attacks. These martial arts are soft for the defender but not for the attacker! On the other hand, hard styles, such as kung fu, teach you to defend yourself using force. Techniques involve blocking, posturing and powerful punching2 and kicking. Hard martial arts techniques are more effective if you are more skilful, more powerful and faster than your opponent.
Perhaps one of the best known Japanese martial arts today is karate. But did you know that its roots are derived from Fujian Province? In the 14th century, a community of Chinese migrants from Fujian settled in what was then the kingdom of Okinawa. The Chinese migrants used to gather in a park to enjoy cultural activities—one of which was kung fu. This soon caught the attention of local youths, who started leaning kung fu from their Chinese neighbours.
In fact, Chinese influence in martial arts was not limited to kung fu. The very first Korean military training manual3 was based on a Chinese version, During the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 16th century, the Korean army needed an effective way to train a large number of troops4. They adopted a training methodology5 from a Chinese military manual called Ji Xiao Xin Shu6, written by the famed Chinese general, Qi Jiguang, who had himself defeated Japanese pirates7.
NOTES
1. martial arts 武术 2. punch v. 用拳猛打 3. manual n. 使用手册
4. troop n. 军队 5. methodology n. 方法 6. Ji Xiao Xin Shu 《纪效新书》
7. pirate n. 海盗
GENERAL UNDERSTANDING
Read the text. Answer the questions.
1. What are the two main reasons why people learn martial arts?
2. What are soft martial arts? What are hard martial arts?
Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for your question. As people often say, any exercise is better than none, but long-distance running in particular has a lot of benefits.
It is a great sport for beginners — you do not need a gym membership or any special equipment. Just a pair of good running shoes will do. Then, keep it up. There is also no better way to know yourself and to see what you are capable of.
You are also somebody who worries about getting sick. Running will help you get fit and prevent diseases. It will give you good upper and lower body strength. Like any exercise, running increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It makes your heart stronger and allows more blood to flow around your body. It also strengthens your immune system and reduces the risk of serious health problems, as well as more common illnesses like colds. Besides, anybody who is feeling down can go for a run to cheer themselves up. Even a thirty-minute run will provide relief from aches or tension that you may be suffering due to stress.
If you are new to running, here is some advice for you — it is important to warm up and cool down properly before and after running, so you do not hurt yourself. A warm-up gets your blood flowing and prepares your body before you exercise. After a long run, you should jog slowly for ten minutes, then walk for five minutes. Such kind of warm-down relaxes your body after exercise.
For more guidelines on running, click here. I hope this will help!
Best Regards,
Dr. Martin
Group Work Discuss the questions below.
1. Do you think long-distance running will help Jeremy? Why?
2. How will running help us get fit and prevent diseases?
3. What advice would you give to someone who is new to running?
4 . There are many ways to travel within a city. We can walk, cycle, or take a bus. But no matter which way we travel, we have to follow the route (线路) the city planners laid down for us.
Parkour practitioners (跑酷爱好者), however, see the city in a completely different way. To them, there are no designed routes. There are no walls and no stairs — they jump, climb, roll and crawl to move across, through, over and under anything that they find in their path. The city is their playground.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has noticed that this activity is drawing more and more people to it — there are 100, 000 people taking part in parkour today in the UK alone, according to The Guardian — and how it is helpful for people to be much stronger: It trains coordination and balance. So the FIG is thinking about recognizing parkour as a new sport and adding it to the Olympics by 2024.
But parkour practitioners themselves don’t seem to be happy with the idea. They see parkour as “a lifestyle”, wrote the website NextSportStar. “It’s a competition against the conditions rather than just a sport.”
Indeed, many do parkour just to “escape the daily routine and experience the city in different ways”, wrote reporter Oli Mould on The Conversation. They see parkour as a way to express themselves through relaxing moves and creative routes while freeing themselves from the pressure.
It’s great that the FIG wants to develop a new sport and stay close to a new cultural form. But it would be greater if they knew that not everything in life is a competition.
1. How do the parkour practitioners do parkour?| A．They plan the way themselves. |
| B．They move on as they wish. |
| C．They run faster than others. |
| D．They follow certain routes. |
| A．It’s a special way of life. |
| B．It draws their attention. |
| C．It helps balance people’s life. |
| D．It’s good for people to keep healthy. |
| A．It is more exciting than other sports. |
| B．It is worth adding to the sporting event. |
| C．It is more a lifestyle than a competition. |
| D．It encourages people to challenge themselves. |
| A．Parkour practitioners |
| B．Making the city their own |
| C．Training in a different way |
| D．A new sports competition |
5 . Online training is one of the fastest growing parts of the fitness industry. If you’re considering joining the online fitness community, consider these benefits and drawbacks.
One of the most popular reasons for working out following an online video is that it offers ultimate convenience. No need to roll out of bed at 5 a. m. to attend that 6 a. m. boot camp class, which may end up being full when you arrive.
Online training also has broad offerings. When you head online, you have instructors from around the globe, all ready and willing to help you master your favorite moves.
All these are undoubtedly positive-online training provides fitness resources to general consumers wherever they are, without requiring access to a gym or fitness studio.
Very few online fitness programs enable the instructor to see you, check your form, and offer corrections based on your performance.
| A．Another is the price. |
| B．But it’s not without problems. |
| C．The same goes for different types of exercise. |
| D．However, online personal training isn’t for everyone. |
| E．Instead, you can turn it on at home at your convenience. |
| F．That being said, online workouts aren’t perfect when it comes to safety. |
| G．This means you could perform exercises wrongly, or even unsafely, without knowing it. |
6 . After bikes and umbrellas are made sharable across China, some companies started eyeing the fitness market, so shared gym rooms have hit the streets in Beijing.
Unlike common gyms that provide large, open spaces for many members to share at the same time, the newly built shared gym rooms are small, stand-alone rooms for a person to use, often set up near living communities.
Every four-square-meter room is equipped with a treadmill (跑步机), an air cleaner, a mirror, a television and an air conditioner, and users can let down the curtains for privacy. When exercising, users can listen to music, watch movies and check emails by connecting to the Internet by the screen fixed on the treadmill. There’s no shower or washbasin.
Similar to using a shared bike, users can locate a shared gym room by smartphone application, book a room in advance and then need to scan a QR code for use. A refundable deposit (保证金) of 99 yuan is required, and users are charged 1 yuan every 5 minutes.
The shared gym rooms are created by Misspao, a Beijng-based technology company founded in July. Within several months since it was founded, the company has already raised over 100 million yuan, Yicai Global reports. The idea of the shared fitness experience is not entirely nascent. Last December, the Shanghai-based technology company VRUN set up shared treadmills in office and apartment buildings.
The sharing economy is still becoming popular in China. According to Yicai Global, confident investors are pouring millions into sharing start-ups. In March, the State Information Center published a report which predicts that the total value of China’s sharing economy will see a yearly growth of 40% in the coming years, and it is expected to make a great contribution to the country’s GDP.
1. What makes the shared gym room different from the common one?| A．Offering open spaces. |
| B．Standing in the living zone. |
| C．Holding one person a time. |
| D．Having some advanced equipment. |
| A．Use a smartphone. |
| B．Pay 100 yuan first. |
| C．Let down curtains for privacy. |
| D．Have a shower before exercise. |
| A．Misspao is the first to have the idea of the shared fitness experience. |
| B．VRUN set up shared gym rooms last December. |
| C．The total value of China’s sharing economy has grown by 40%. |
| D．Some investors are confident in the sharing economy. |
| A．To introduce shared gym rooms. |
| B．To advertise a technology company. |
| C．To support the shared gym rooms. |
| D．To predict the future of shared gym rooms. |
7 . 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 (代替物) 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. What is the meaning of the underlined words in paragraph 2?| A．resource-consuming | B．resource-developing |
| C．resource-protecting | D．resource-controlling |
| A．It is environmentally-friendly. | B．It improves our health. |
| C．It is simple and free. | D．It can make you put on weight. |
| A．Playing basketball in a gym. | B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Cycling around a lake. | D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．To show us some major outdoor sports. |
| B．To encourage us to go in for green sports. |
| C．To discuss the influence of some popular sports. |
| D．To introduce some environmentally-friendly sports. |
8 . Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount of anxiety or stress for young athletes. Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological and research has suggested 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 parents’ and coaches’ criticisms to heart and find a mistake in themselves.
Coaches and parents should also be careful 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 reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．Mental stress should be reduced. | B．Sport should be made less competitive. |
| C．Stress should be made less. | D．Sport can be mentally challenging. |
| A．it can help them learn more about society |
| B．it enables them to criticize themselves |
| C．it can provide them with valuable experiences |
| D．it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves |
| A．Parents and coaches should enable children to enjoy sport. |
| B．Parents and coaches should help children to win every game. |
| C．Parents and coaches should train children to deal with stress. |
| D．Parents and coaches should understand the meaning of sport. |
| A．To teach young athletes how to avoid burnout. |
| B．To persuade young children not to worry about criticism. |
| C．To stress the importance of encouraging children. |
| D．To discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement. |
9 . No Excuse Workout
Nobody likes a complicated workout program. Too often you find yourself buying highly complex programs which take up hours upon hours of your week.
That stops today.
No Excuse Workout is a new workout DVD that includes2 DVDs each packed with10 short, intense(激烈的) workouts. Every workout is exactly 4 minutes long, broken down into 8 specific sets. Each set lasts for 30 seconds——20 seconds of intense exercise and 10 seconds of rest.
All you have to do is follow along with Ryan as he takes you through these quick, effective, four-minute workouts.
After years of research, scientists have discovered that the key to burning fat and building muscles is not longer workouts. Instead, it’s the right combination of correct exercises——intense bursts with short rests. This is known as “interval training”. For more information, read The Science Behind High Intensity Interval Training.
No Excuse Workout DVD#l:10 Dumbbell(哑铃) Workouts
When you work out with Ryan in the first DVD, you’ll use inexpensive dumbbells in 10 different muscle-building, fat-burning workouts.
No Excuse Workout DVD #2:10 Bodyweight Training Workouts
This DVD is your secret to uncovering the lean, sculpted(雕塑般的) body.
No equipment needed! Most of the workouts are done on the ground.
Pop them in your DVD player and you won’t need one or two hours some people spend every day to get in shape.
Get these DVDs today for just $14.95.
1. What is a selling point of No Excuse Workout?| A．It includes a dumbbell as a gift. |
| B．It saves you lots of time on exercise. |
| C．It urges you to accept a healthy lifestyle. |
| D．It introduces to you some personal trainers. |
| A．40 minutes. | B．45 minutes. | C．60 minutes. | D．80 minutes. |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By using recommendations. |
| C．By giving scientific support. | D．By charging a cheap price. |
10 . Sports day! These two words can inspire both joy and fear in the hearts of students everywhere.
Today, more and more schools have recognized the importance of exercise. Many of them have non-competitive” sports days. They hope that by making sports days less competitive, children of all abilities will be encouraged to take part without fear of losing. Exercise and fitness is important for everyone, no matter how good at sport you are.
However, some people feel that it’s important that sport has winners and that learning to lose is just as important as learning how to win.
People have different ideas about whether it is the winning or the taking part that counts when it comes to school sports days
| A．What’s the point if no one wins? |
| B．Should sport just be about winning? |
| C．For many, sports day can be a great day of fun. |
| D．So, should School Sports Day be competitive or not? |
| E．Everyone should be celebrated for trying and playing their part. |
| F．There are lots of people who agree with the idea—parents in particular! |
| G．Many parents are worried that their kids can get injured when doing sports. |
