1 . Running is often tiring and a lot of hard work, but nothing beats the feeling you get after finishing a long workout around the track.
But while it’s long been believed that endorphins (内啡肽) —chemicals in the body that cause happiness—are behind the so-called “runner’s high”, a study suggested that there may be more to this phenomenon than we previously knew.
According to a recent study published by a group of scientists from several German universities, a group of chemicals called endocannabinoids (内源性大麻素) may actually be responsible for this familiar great feeling.
To test this theory, the scientists turned to mice. Both mice and humans release high levels of endorphins and endocannabinoids after exercise. After exercising on running wheels, the mice seemed happy and relaxed and displayed no signs of anxiety. But after being given a drug to block their endorphins, the mice’s behavior didn’t seem to change. However, when their endocannabinoids were blocked with a different drug, their runners’ high symptoms seemed to fade.
“The long-held notion of endorphins being responsible for the runner’s high is false. Endorphins are effective pain relievers, but only when it comes to the pain in your body and muscles you feel after working out,” Patrick Lucas Austin wrote on science blog Lifchacker.
Similar studies are yet to be carried out on humans, but it’s already known that exercise is a highly effective way to get rid of stress or anxiety. The UK’s National Health Service even prescribes (开药 方) exercise to patients who are suffering from depression. “Being depressed can leave you feeling low in energy, which might put you off being more active. Regular exercise can improve your mood if you have depression, and its especially useful for people with mild to moderate (中等的) depression,” it wrote on its website.
It seems like nothing can beat that feeling we get after a good workout, even if we don’t fully understand where it comes from. At least if we’re feeling down, we know that all we have to do is to put on our running shoes.
1. What did scientists from German universities recently discover?| A．Working out is a highly effective way to treat depression. |
| B．The runner’s high could be caused by endocannabinoids. |
| C．Endorphins may contribute to one’s high spirits after running. |
| D．The level of endorphins and endocannabinoids could affect one’s mood. |
| A．To find what reduces the runner’s high symptoms. |
| B．To see the specific symptoms of the runner’s high. |
| C．To identify what is responsible for the runner’s high. |
| D．To test what influences the level of endocannabinoids released. |
| A．Effect. | B．Goal. | C．Opinion. | D．Question |
| A．They can help ease depression symptoms. |
| B．They are the best way to treat depression. |
| C．They only work for those with serious depression. |
| D．They can help people completely recover from depression. |
2 . Making day-to-day activities more intense for a few minutes — such as briefly stepping up the pace of a walk — could offer people who don’t exercise some of the health benefits that exercisers enjoy, according to a new study of roughly 25, 000 adults who reported no exercise in their free time.
Those who include three one- to two-minute bursts of intense activity per day saw a nearly a 40 percent drop in the risk of death from any cause compared with those without such activity. The risk of death from cancer also fell by nearly 40 percent, and the risk of death from cardiovascular (心血管的) disease dropped almost 50 percent, researchers report online December 8 in Nature Medicine.
“This study adds to other literature showing that even short amounts of activity are beneficial,” says Lisa Cadmus-Bertram, a physical activity epidemiologist (流行病学家) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “So many people are daunted by feeling that they don’t have the time, money, motivation, transportation, etc. togo to a gym regularly or work out for long periods of time,” she says. “The message we can take is that it is absolutely worth doing what you can.”
The researchers were looking for bursts of intense activity that met a definition determined in a laboratory study, like reaching at least 77 percent of maximum heart rate and at least 64 percent of maximum oxygen consumption. In real life, the signs that someone has reached the needed intensity level are “an increase in heart rate and feeling out of breath” in the first 15 to 30 seconds of an activity, Stamatakis says.
Regular daily activities offer several opportunities for these bursts, he says. “The simplest one is maximizing walking pace for a minute or two during any regular walk.” Other options, he says, include carrying grocery bags to the car or taking the stairs. “The largest population health gains will be realized by finding ways to get the least physically active people to move a little more.”
1. What was found about intense activity in the new study?| A．It helped to lower the risk of death. |
| B．It was more beneficial to exercisers. |
| C．It relieved the pain of cancer patients. |
| D．It cured people of cardiovascular disease. |
| A．Inspired. |
| B．Surprised. |
| C．Discouraged. |
| D．Confused. |
| A．Working out every day. |
| B．Taking stairs at an even pace. |
| C．Keeping running at a high speed. |
| D．Adding short bursts to a regular walk. |
| A．The Simplest Daily Exercise Activities |
| B．Brief Intense Activities Can Be Helpful |
| C．The Guidance on Brief Intense Activities |
| D．Regular Exercise Is Necessary for Everyone |
3 . Over the past decades, experts have done a considerable amount of research to explore different ways to encourage children’s learning. Especially, there has been a common focus on how physical activity, separated from the learning activities, can improve children’s learning. However, there has been less of a focus aimed the potential of integrating physical activity into the learning activities.
The main purpose of the Basket Mathematics study conducted at five Danish primary and elementary schools by researchers from the University of Copenhagen therefore was to develop a learning activity that integrates basketball and mathematics and examine how it might affect children’s motivation for mathematics.
756 children from 40 different classes at Copenhagen area schools participated in the project, where about half of them－once a week for six weeks－had Basketball Mathematics during gym class, while the other half played basketball without mathematics.
“During classes with Basketball Mathematics, the children had to collect numbers and perform calculations associated with various basketball exercises. An example could be counting how many times they could sink a basket from three meters away vs at a one-meter distance, and adding up the numbers. Both the math and basketball elements could be adjusted to suit the children’s levels, as well as being adjusted for whether it was addition, multiplication or some other operations that needed to be practiced,” explains Linn Damsgaard, a leading researcher.
The results showed that children’s motivation for math integrated with basketball was 16% higher compared to classroom math learning. Children also experienced a 14% increase in self-determination compared with classroom teaching. Meanwhile Basketball Mathematics improved their math confidence.
“We are planning to do research to examine whether the Basketball Mathematics model can strengthen performance in mathematics. Once we have the final results, we hope that they will inspire school teachers and principals to prioritize more physical activity and movement in such subjects. Eventually, we hope to succeed in putting these tools into school system and teacher education,” says Associate Professor Jacob Wienecke.
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To show the advantage of the study. | B．To explain the reason for the study. |
| C．To conduct a review of past research. | D．To introduce a way to raise math grades. |
| A．All kids didn’t play basketball. | B．Kids were divided into 40 groups. |
| C．It studied kids’math performance. | D．It tailored activities to different kids. |
| A．More motivation for exercise. | B．More confidence in basketball. |
| C．A gain in desire to learn math. | D．A rise in determination to learn. |
| A．Make math learning easier. | B．Inspire students’ math confidence. |
| C．Build physical activity into teaching. | D．Notice the benefits of physical exercise. |
4 . Lawn Games for Adults That’ll Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Experts say that engaging in playful activities through adulthood can help lower stress, improve cognitive functions, and build social bonds with others, which is so much more than what your phone can do for you. So what are you waiting for? Round up the family, grab one of these lawn games for adults, and let the good time scroll.
Spikeball Game Set $59.99
The flexible, hula-hoop-sized net stands on its foldable legs and can be taken to the beach or the park to give four players plenty of space to run around. Start the two-on-two game by bouncing a ball off the net, sending it flying toward your opponents—they have three passes between them to send the ball back over to your team. When they miss, you score, and the first one to get to 21 wins.
The Pocket Shot $25.00
Who doesn’t love lining up cans and shooting them down with a slingshot? It’s demanding yet thrilling. The Pocket Shot is a super powerful slingshot that shoots at two or three times the rate of a regular slingshot. It’s super tiny, so it fits in your pocket.
Giant 4-Connect-In-A-Row $79.99
Two players at a time try to insert their red or blue coins into the wooden frame to form a vertical or horizontal line of all the same color. It’s way more challenging than you’d think.
1. According to the first paragraph, in what way can lawn games benefit adults?| A．Stopping their phone use. | B．Boosting their confidence. |
| C．Easing their pressure. | D．Building up their strength. |
| A．Two. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．They need two players. | B．They are cheap to buy. |
| C．They are of pocket size. | D．They take skills to play. |
5 . If you have watched the amazing Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, chances are that you have fallen in love with some winter sports and you’re already making sure your equipment is ready for them.
But there are still some other things to think about. Skiing and snowboarding are great winter sports that provide a total body workout.
| A．Maybe you haven’t bought all the equipment. |
| B．And that is when injuries are more likely to occur. |
| C．Exercising in the cold decreases your body temperature. |
| D．You should take advantage of this opportunity to have a rest. |
| E．Probably, you have got your skis tuned and skates sharpened. |
| F．All of them are areas that can be trained before the winter season. |
| G．However, it can be hard on the body the first time you hit the slopes. |
6 . I was born with eye disease. At school I even couldn’t read the blackboard. By the time I got to university, I couldn’t really see images(图像) at all. I just can tell the difference between light and dark. In the first year of my PHD, I was almost 100% blind.
When I was young I used to get very angry if I encountered something I found difficult or couldn’t do because of my eyes. But over time I learned that wasn’t a helpful response. There’s no point getting wound up by the fact that I can’t see, because it won’t change it.
I started climbing when I was young. My dad took me up my first rock route(路线) when I was two. All my early climbing was outdoor traditional climbing. My dad had been in the Mountain Rescue and was part of Mountaineering Club, so we would go for weekends away climbing throughout the UK.
He taught me everything I know and I led my first route outside when I was 11. At this time I could just about see well enough to place rock gear（齿轮）, but not well enough to pick out the routes from the ground. People are usually amazed when they discover that not only do I climb, but I also lead climbs.
At university I joined the Mountaineering Club and was able to climb much more frequently. We had regular trips to indoor walls and weekends away outdoors. I developed a great circle of climbing friends and went on multiple trips to Europe. On these I started Alpine climbing and ice climbing too.
There was a time when I thought I might have to give up leading as my eyesight got worse. But I never thought I would stop climbing. I just learnt to adapt myself to the eye disease with the support of my friends. It’s quite possible that I wouldn’t be as good a climber if I weren’t blind — if I didn’t have these challenges. That concentration and determination is built through my disability.
1. How did the author eventually respond to his eye problem?| A．He ended up feeling annoyed. | B．He accepted it and faced it bravely |
| C．He sought help from others | D．He quit his study at university. |
| A．He was a professional climber at university. |
| B．He ran his own mountaineering club. |
| C．He taught his son to do outdoor climbing. |
| D．He introduced his son to a love of rocks. |
| A．His disability. | B．His university. |
| C．His father. | D．The Mountaineering Club. |
| A．A Blind Man’s Life Struggle. | B．Mountain Climbing Experience. |
| C．Courses on Rock Climbing. | D．Determination and Experience. |
7 . When you prepare to go mountain biking, there are a few things to keep in mind.
The next step is to make sure you have a good understanding of the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s Rules of the Trail.
The third step is to make sure you have a bike that is appropriate for the type of riding you plan to do.
Finally, get gear together for your trip and choose some trails. Always make sure you are entirely self-sufficient on the trail.
Just remember, this isn’t a competition—unless of course you’re racing—so just stick to what you find fun, and take it all at your own pace. Happy trails!
| A．Be careful of animals on the path. |
| B．Make sure to carry enough water and food. |
| C．Test riding different bikes to find the right one for you. |
| D．Choose short runs that can help you get used to the sport. |
| E．The first step is to decide what sort of riding you plan to do. |
| F．In a word, don’t get yourself in trouble and burden others. |
| G．Make sure you look after your environment and get on with others along the way. |
8 . It was the day before the Bolder (a 10kilometer race) when I decided to take an easy run on the beautiful path by my home. At fiftythree，I'm trying to accept that slowing down is just a part of life. As I rounded the corner and started up one of the many familiar hills，a pretty girl was jogging toward me.
My children have watched my husband and me go running most mornings of their lives. It was so predictable that when my daughter was six years old，I commented，“You know honey， not all parents go running every morning.” “
My only daughter is my youngest child. I always thought how happy I'd be if my children started running. But my daughter never seemed to like it too much when I came in sweaty from a run and was tired. “
But meeting my daughter on the path that morning was a beautiful example of what parenting about.
| A．Really Mommy, like who？ |
| B．You smell unpleasant, Mom！ |
| C．Running is beneficial to our health. |
| D．You are really my role model, Mom! |
| E．It's really so much more about what we do versus what we say. |
| F．Nevertheless, I kept running and racing while my children did not. |
| G．It was one of the nicest meetings I have had on the path in over thirty years. |
9 . Working out can help teenagers boost their grades, a new study suggests. Adolescents who routinely engaged in moderate to vigorous（剧烈的）exercise showed long-term improvements in their academic performance, the British Journal of Sports Medicine study reported.
“Our study suggests that the effect of physical activity may be quite large,” John Reilly, a professor at the University of Strathclyde said. The researchers looked at a sample of about 5000 children who were involved in a long-term study that tracks children born in the UK between 1991 and 1992. When children reached 11 years old, their daily physical activity levels were measured using an accelerometer（加速器）for three to seven days. The device, similar to a pedometer（计步器）tracking the number of steps taken, recorded the average time children exercised, which was 29 minutes a day for boys and 18 for girls.
“The actual levels of daily physical activity at age 11 were quite low,” Mr. Reilly noted. The children had their academic performance tested at ages 11 and 13 with compulsory national tests for students, and also at 15 or 16 with the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exam. The tests assessed the children’s abilities in English, math and science subjects. The results showed that the more children participated in moderate to vigorous physical activity, the higher their test scores were at age 11 in all three subjects. For girls, science scores were most strongly linked to exercise.
When children were tested again at age 13, their academic scores were still linked to how much they had exercised when they were 11 years old. By the time the youngsters took the GCSE exam, each 17-minute-per‑day increase in physical activity for the boys was linked to an improvement in their scores. Every additional 12-minute increase a day in exercise for the girls was also linked to an increased score, especially in the science category.
The researchers have called for more studies to look at the possible academic benefits that could be derived if students exercised the recommended 60 minutes or more a day.
1. What’s the study about?| A．The influence of exercise on students’ scores. |
| B．The secrets of students’ ranking high in class. |
| C．The causes of students’ participating in sports. |
| D．The ways of improving students’ physical conditions. |
| A．To record how long students exercise. |
| B．To record the walking speed of students. |
| C．To record how many steps students walk. |
| D．To record the number of calories students consume. |
| A．Students at age 11 do more exercise than at other ages. |
| B．Boys at age 13 get more benefits by doing more exercise. |
| C．Girls’ science scores are more closely related to exercise. |
| D．More and more students do exercise to improve their scores. |
| A．adopted. | B．acquired. |
| C．concluded. | D．displayed. |
10 . Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. Given that it's so easy to take up the sport, a lot of beginners jump right into running without actually knowing what it takes to establish a healthy routine.
Doing too much too soon
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is doing too much too soon. Picking up a new hobby like running is no doubt exciting. Runners need to ease into the sport before increasing the distance.
Beginners might think they need to run nearly every day to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn't be further from the truth.
Comparing yourself to others
| A．Not running every day |
| B．Not taking rest days |
| C．Running is a demanding activity which can be really hard on your body |
| D．As mentioned, a healthy routine is what they attach importance to |
| E．When starting out with running, it's tough not to compare yourself to others |
| F．Many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (干扰) with training or lead to injury |
| G．It will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue with your new running routine |
