1 . First it was jogging. Then aerobics (有氧运动). Not too long ago, Americans discovered race walking.

Now Americans are into a new fitness craze. They’re taking up bicycling. Over hills and down mountainsides and across quiet country roads, Americans are busily rolling along.

The number of adults who ride for fitness is around 17 million, an increase of 70 percent over four years ago. Twice as many women as men are coming to the sport. Americans are falling in love with biking because it has speed, the benefits of jogging and beautiful scenery.

Bicycling is a very appropriate sport, which is important to people who injured their knees while jogging or whose joints are aching from aerobics. And biking is a real awakening for people who have been into race walking in the past. Race walking is as dull as watching paint dry.

The most popular kind of bicycle for people who are new to the sport is the mountain bike, which has a fixed frame with wide tires and upright handles.

Mountain bikes also have many gears (齿轮) to make it easier to climb hills. About 5 million Americans ride mountain bikes, compared with 200, 000 who rode them only five years ago.

Costs range from about $130 for a bottom-of-the-line bicycle to more than $2,700 for an expensive bicycle.

Mountain biking has attracted some people who race down the sides of mountains like a bat out of hell. But most riders ride slowly and they rarely venture far from home.

The biking craze has brought an unexpected profit (盈利) to clothing and bicycle accessory (附属品) makers. Last year, bikers paid $630 million for biking clothes and accessories.

Bicycling seems likely to continue its fantastic growth.

1. Why is race walking as dull as watching paint dry?

A．Race walking is a slow-moving sport.

B．The number of adults who ride for fitness has grown 70 percent in four years.

C．It has speed, the benefits of jogging and beautiful scenery.

D．Americans are taking up bicycling.

2. Whom has the bicycling craze been a profit for?

A．People who want to ride like a bat out of hell.

B．Bicycle accessory makers.

C．Race walkers.

D．Twice as many women as men.

3. What does the underlined word “bottom-of-the-line” mean?

A．poor

B．modern

C．old

D．cheapest

4. What is the main idea of the article?

A．Riding a bicycle is one of the most dangerous sports in America.

B．Americans are rolling along.

C．Bicycling is the latest fitness craze to hit America.

D．Most people in America want to own a hand-made bicycle that can cost more than $2,700.

2 . 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.

2. Why do some young people choose to practice yoga instead of Tai Chi?

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.

3. What is the main purpose of the last paragraph?

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.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

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.

3 . 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.     1     According to the Women's Sports Foundation, girls who play sports get a lot more than just fit.

Girls who play sports do better in school. You might think that athletics will take up all your study time.     2     Exercise improves learning, memory, and concentration, which can give active girls an advantage in the classroom.

Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goal-setting skills.     3     When working with coaches, trainers , and teammates to win games and achieve goals, you're learning how to be successful. Those skills will serve you well at work and in family life.

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.     4     Why? It builds confidence when you know you can practice, improve, and achieve your goals. Sports are also a feel-good activity because they help girls get in shape, keep a healthy weight, and make new friends.

    5     Playing sports can reduce stress and help you feel a little happier. How? The brain chemicals leased during exercise improve a person's mood. Friends are another mood-lifter. And being in a team creates tight bonds between friends. It's good to know your teammates will support you-both on and off the field!

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.

5 . 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.

2. What can we learn about the author’s father from Paragraphs 3 and 4?

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.

3. What does the author believe contributed to his success in climbing?

A．His disability.	B．His university.
C．His father.	D．The Mountaineering Club.

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

A．A Blind Man’s Life Struggle.	B．Mountain Climbing Experience.
C．Courses on Rock Climbing.	D．Determination and Experience.

6 . Some people say that the best way to reduce the size of your waist is to do stomach exercise. Many people believe that when specific muscles are exercised，the fatty tissues(组织)in the immediate area are burned up. The truth is that exercise burns fat from all over the body and not from one specific area. Of course，if you reduce the fat throughout your body，you will certainly see results around your waist，too.

Some people believe that you need to exercise twice a week in order to keep a sufficient level of physical fitness. However，studies directed by American scientists show that unexercised muscles lose their strength very quickly. Within 48 to 72 hours，you must use the muscles again to reestablish(重建)the good physical effects. And what does that mean to you？American scientists concluded that while daily exercise is most helpful，exercising every other day or three days a week will keep a sufficient level of physical fitness.

Is it true that you burn more calories running one mile than walking the same distance？The answer is no. The truth is that you use the same amount of energy whether you walk or run the mile，since in both cases you are moving the same weight the same distance. The speed does not matter. Of course，if you run rather than walk for 30 minutes，you will cover more distance，and therefore，burn more calories.

If your breathing doesn't return to normal within 5 minutes after you finish exercising，you have exercised too much. Five minutes or so after exercising，your breathing should be normal，your heart shouldn't be beating loudly，and you shouldn't be tired.

1. If you want to reduce the fat around your waist，you should________．

A．do stomach exercise

B．exercise the waist

C．exercise all the muscles of your body

D．run fast for 30 minutes

2. From the second paragraph，we learn that________．

A．we only need to exercise twice a week

B．we should exercise three times a week

C．muscles lose their strength after 48 hours

D．we should exercise every other day，or three days a week

3. If you have exercised too much________．

A．your breathing will take longer than 5 minutes to return to normal after you finish exercising

B．your breathing will return to normal within 5 minutes after finishing exercising

C．your heart will not be beating loudly

D．you will be too tired to move

4. This passage tells us that________．

A．it is better to do more running than walking

B．the more exercise you do，the healthier you will be

C．the unexercised muscles must be used again within 48 to 72 hours

D．in order to lose weight，you have to run fast

7 . Why Is Exercise Cool?

•Exercise Strengthens Muscles

Did you ever do a push-up or swing across the monkey bars at the playground?    1    By using your muscles to do powerful things, you can make them stronger. For older teens and adults, this kind of workout can make muscles bigger, too.

•    2    

Can you touch your toes easily without yelling ouch? Most kids are pretty flexible, which means that they can bend and stretch their bodies without much trouble. Being flexible is having “full range of motion”, which means you can move your arms and legs freely without feeling tightness or pain.

•Exercise Keeps the Balance

    3    Your body needs a certain amount of calories every day just to function, breathe, walk around, and do all the basic things.    4    If you’re not very active, your body won’t need as many calories. Whatever your calorie need is, if you eat enough to meet that need, your body weight will stay about the same. If you eat more calories than your body needs, it may be stored as extra fat.

•Exercise Makes You Feel good

It feels good to have a strong, flexible body that can do all the activities you enjoy—like running, jumping and playing with your friends. It’s also fun to be good at something, like scoring a basket, hitting a home run, or perfecting a dive.

But you may not know that exercising can actually put you in a better mood.    5    It’s just another reason why exercise is cool!

A．Exercise Makes You Flexible

B．Exercise Makes Your Heart Happy

C．Those are exercises that can build strength.

D．So you want to do some aerobic (有氧的) exercise right now?

E．But if you’re active, your body needs an extra measure of calories or energy.

F．Food gives your body fuel in the form of calories, which are a kind of energy.

G．When you exercise, your brain releases a chemical which may make you feel happier.

8 . If you're out for a run, what difference does it make if you're able to tough it out for another 50 seconds? If you're less than a minute from the top of the hill, that extra time can make the difference between having reached your goal and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

How do you get those extra seconds of energy? A research team at the Texes Tech University developed a study to measure what effect listening to music would have on exercise tolerance. The researchers based the study on a stress testing. As part of the testing, they noted any changes in heart rate and blood pressure as participants underwent physically stressful exercise.

The tests were done on treadmills (跑步机), which increased in both speed and incline (坡度) through three stages. In the final stage, the treadmills moved at 10 miles per hour at a 14-percent grade. Most of these tests were designed to last up to 40 minutes. The average gym-goers lasted 30 minutes. For this study, they divided 127 participants into two groups. One listened to upbeat(快节奏) music, while the other group had earbuds in but did not listen to music.

The group that listened to music was able to outlast the non-music group by an average of 50.6 seconds. Again, being able to go an extra minute may seem like a no-brainer ,but “after 30 minutes, you feel like you are running up a mountain, so even being able to go 50 seconds longer means a lot," said the study's lead author, Waseem Shami, MD.

The study has confirmed something runners and gym-goers have suspected for years: Listening to music during workout can be beneficial to your endurance. "Our findings reinforce the idea that upbeat music can help you exercise longer and stick with a daily exercise routine," said Shami. When doctors are recommending exercise, they might suggest listening to music, too."

1. Why did Shami’s team conduct the research?

A．To test the effect of music on health.	B．To know the cause of failure in sports.
C．To improve runners' exercise tolerance.	D．To record the body change of participants

2. What did the researchers than about the Participants in the stress testing?

A．They ran much faster than average runners.	B．They created a new record of indoor sports.
C．They could run a little longer with music on.	D．They all enjoyed extreme physical challenge

3. What do the underlined words “a no-brainer” mean in paragraph 4?

A．A dull activity.	B．A foolish action.
C．A demanding task.	D．An easy practice

4. What did Shami suggest us doing in the last paragraph ?

A．Developing a daily exercise routine.	B．Listening to music while working out
C．Participating in physical stress testing.	D．Taking exercise as doctors recommend.

9 . Benefits of Sports

Taking exercise is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from study and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven to improve general well-being.

    1     Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you take part. Nearly every sport requires physical activity and the skills needed to be competitive. Basketball players focus on strength training.     2     The training process helps encourage physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    3     Playing sports contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, high-five from a teammate, or handshake after a match really raises a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise the self-worth.     4     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 leadership and responsibility.     5     Teamwork demands both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork will raise your responsibility and give you an opportunity to be a leader.

There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to take part 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．Football players work on speed while track athletes train through longer runs.

D．Among these, learning how to work as a team is the most important advantage.

E．But remember, a child’s self-worth should not be judged by victory or loss.

F．If you play group sports, you’ll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach.

G．The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious.

10 . Race walking shares many fitness benefits with running, research shows, while most likely contributing to fewer injuries. It does, however, have its own problem.

Race walkers are conditioned athletes. The longest track and field event at the Summer Olympics is the 50-kilometer race walk, which is about five miles longer than the marathon. But the sport’s rules require that a race walker’s knees stay straight through most of the leg swing and one foot remain in contact (接触) with the ground at all times. It’s this strange form that makes race walking such an attractive activity, however, says Jaclyn Norberg, an assistant professor of exercise science at Salem State University in Salem, Mass.

Like running, race walking is physically demanding, she says, According to most calculations, race walkers moving at a pace of six miles per hour would burn about 800 calories(卡路里) per hour, which is approximately twice as many as they would burn walking, although fewer than running, which would probably burn about 1,000 or more calories per hour.

However, race walking does not pound the body as much as running does, Dr. Norberg says. According to her research, runners hit the ground with as much as four times their body weight per step, while race walkers, who do not leave the ground, create only about 1.4 times their body weight with each step.

As a result, she says, some of the injuries associated with running, such as runner’s knee, are uncommon among race walkers. But the sport’s strange form does place considerable stress on the ankles and hips, so people with a history of such injuries might want to be cautious in adopting the sport. In fact, anyone wishing to try race walking should probably first consult a coach or experienced racer to learn proper technique, she says. It takes some practice.

1. Why are race walkers conditioned athletes?

A．They must run long distances.

B．They are qualified for the marathon.

C．They have to follow special rules.

D．They are good at swinging their legs.

2. What advantage does race walking have over running?

A．It’s more popular at the Olympics.

B．It’s less challenging physically.

C．It’s more effective in body building.

D．It’s less likely to cause knee injuries.

3. What is Dr. Norberg’s suggestion for someone trying race walking?

A．Getting experts’ opinions.

B．Having a medical checkup.

C．Hiring an experienced coach.

D．Doing regular exercises.

4. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to race walking?

A．Skeptical.	B．Objective.
C．Tolerant.	D．Conservative.