1 . Trying to stand out from millions of videos on the social networking platform Douyin can often be difficult, but a relatively new account(帐号), which has only been active since last year, has managed to do so easily.
The star behind this account is not a young woman with a slim figure, but a 70-year-old woman. Within just a few months Chen Jifang has attracted over 400, 000 followers with her energetic workouts (锻炼). She was once even featured on a reality show on CCTV.
"The main group that I wanted to encourage was people aging 30 to 50," says Chen. "I think they will be encouraged to work out after seeing that a granny like me can. It is never too late to pursue(追求)good health."
Chen's passion for exercising was born out of a need instead of desire to become famous. Her health had been poor since she was a child. In 2018, she was diagnosed with a lot of problems such as a fatty liver and hyperlipidemia(高血脂). The doctor suggested that she exercise more to stop the further decline of her already poor health.
Overweight Chen started with light jogging, but a fitness coach persuaded her to enter a gym on Dec 29, 2018. "Everyone in the gym was young. They were giving me curious looks," recalls Chen, who walks 3.5 kilometers to the gym every day.
Her daily training started at 8 am with 50 pushups(俯卧撑)and running. After a short break at 9 am, Chen continued working out until 3 pm. She hit the gym every day in 2019. She also gave up her favorite foods like barbecued meats and spicy hotpot.
When her health improved, Chen did more challenging workouts like weightlifting. Three months later, she lost 28 kilograms. Her health index also returned to normal.
"We cannot stop aging, but exercise can slow it down," she says. "Instead of spending money on medicine, it is better to spend money on fitness."
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To attract the interest of readers | B．To encourage readers to work out |
| C．To persuade readers to download Douyin | D．To introduce a social network platform |
| A．Because she wanted to encourage middle-aged women to work out |
| B．Because she wanted to be featured in a reality show on CCTV |
| C．Because she wanted to attract more fans |
| D．Because her health was in bad condition |
| A．visited | B．struck. | C．became famous | D．defeated |
| A．Easy to stand out through Douyin. | B．Better to Spend Money on Fitness. |
| C．This Granny stands out for workouts. | D．Lose Weight Before You Are Old. |
2 . What is cross country running? Cross country is an outdoor endurance (耐久性) sport that can be mentally challenging and fun.
Stretch daily. For all runners and athletes, a regular stretching routine is an important part of conditioning.
Warm up and cool down. Muscles and tendons (跟腱) are less likely to overstretch or tear if they’ve been properly prepared for running and racing. High-intensity workouts require more prep and post-workout cool down than low-impact activities.
Wear the right shoes. Make sure your shoes fit properly and that they are neither too tight-fitting nor too loose.
Eat and drink enough. Competitive distance runners like to keep their weight low. However, consuming too few calories can harm your body, especially if you’re a girl or woman subject to eating disorders.
| A．Cross country running is a sport requiring money. |
| B．Tie double-knots to prevent tripping over undone laces. |
| C．It’s mostly very safe in comparison to other team sports. |
| D．Have a well-balanced diet and be sure to stay well-hydrated. |
| E．You may encounter unexpected, non-natural barriers. |
| F．It is needed to keep your bones, joints, and muscles healthy. |
| G．This type of running and racing has both a physical and psychological role. |
3 . 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. |
4 . Can you move 11 minutes a day? You’ll live longer if you do
There is no denying that 2020 has reduced activity levels. Between the Zoom meetings, Netflix binges and virtual cocktail hours, increased sitting is a pandemic-driven reality for many.
Taking a more objective approach, scientists at the Norwegian School of Sports Medicine based their research on the use of activity monitors to track exercise versus sedentary time. The results showed that participants who exercised 35 minutes per day saw the biggest statistical difference on life span. Yet just 11 minutes of moderate exercise — equivalent to a brisk walk — still had a noticeable positive impact.
Here is a way to consider—4 sets of a 3-minute body-weight exercise sequence. Depending on the exercises you use, you may go at a slightly different pace during each round, making it about 11 minutes. When selecting your exercises, try to pick a sequence of movements that will equate to a full-body workout of moderate effort.
See how easy it is to fit in 11 minutes of daily exercise? You can do it.
| A．In fact, you owe it to yourself after getting through this past year. |
| B．And studies have revealed the great health risks of prolonged sitting. |
| C．The simplest way is with a walk outside or on the treadmill at your local gym. |
| D．A lower barrier makes it easier to get even the most inactive among us moving. |
| E．You might wonder about the hour-per-day measurement you've been hearing about for years. |
| F．What's more, both time frames were positively impactful, regardless of the amount of sitting. |
| G．Avoid doing only upper-body movements unless you do lower-body movements the next day. |
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 . Teenagers' fitness is now a major concern and physical exercise is very important.
According to experts, overweight teenagers should work out to keep healthy. Ride a bike, play volleyball or basketball for a while, and go for a twenty minute walk each day. All these will help to burn calories. Inactive teenagers should do similar activities, but add some bending and stretching exercises, such as push-ups and sit-ups, starting with twenty of each a day. Inactive people can take a little more exercise than overweight people because their bodies are stronger.
Experts also suggest one hour a week or more on running and other forms of intensive exercises, together with fifteen minutes a day spent on stretching and bending activities.
| A．It's time to take part in sport. |
| B．It reduces stress and improves fitness. |
| C．Sports can make your life more colorful. |
| D．First, find out your present level of fitness. |
| E．The same rule is also suitable for active teenagers. |
| F．They are really important in order to prevent injuries. |
| G．There are three levels of fitness that need a change of lifestyle. |
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. |
Until quarantine (隔离期) ends, we are left picturing what physical effort we might make: 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 a possible activity; instead, we rule it out because we think it’s dangerous, uncommon, and even, impossible. Martial arts isn’t considered a sport, right?
Well, here’s some good news: you're wrong! Martial arts is 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). And it’s much less scary and much less difficult than it’s usually portrayed as in movies, so worry not, you don’t need to be the karate kid to have a blast! Let’s look at what you can usually expect from martial arts of any style.
Good martial arts generally requires you to focus on the position and movement of every one of your limbs, 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 practice can help you learn to stay more focused in general (say, when you start your schoolwork afterwards).
Long series of choreographed (编排好的) moves (including when to breath in and out) called forms are often described as “moving meditation (冥想)” ; they’re meditative in the same way doing repeated moves is, but much more so. Martial arts practice can be as slow or as intense as you want, but it’s always extremely engaging.
Martial arts also improves your coordination, and greatly improves your posture. I have personally seen students go from slouching and knocking things over to walking tall with their shoulders back in just a couple of months.
There are many styles and countless subtypes and mix-ups of martial arts. Whichever one appeals to you, know that all of them are good choices, competitive or not.
1. Why isn’t martial arts considered a sport by some people?2. What should people focus their attention on when doing martial arts?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Martial arts practice is beneficial because it can not only make us more facially attractive but also help improve our mental state.
4. a) Which type of sport do you prefer, slow sports like yoga, or competitive sports like basketball? Explain why. (about 40 words)
b)Give an example of another Chinese traditional sport and introduce its advantages. (about 40 words)
9 . “Taijiquan is a traditional physical practice in China characterized by relaxed, circular movements that work with breath regulation.” thus reads the introduction of Taijiquan by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) on its website. Also referred to as T'ai Chi or Chinese boxing, Taijiquan has been a well-known physical practice worldwide. For a long time, different stories regarding the birthplace of Taijiquan have made the rounds, focusing mainly on two places-Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province, central China, and Wenxian County.
A tale tells how a man named Zhang Shanfeng created Taijiquan about 1,000 years ago after witnessing a fight between a sparrow and a snake, drawing inspiration from the animals' movements. The Wudang Mountain is known as one of China's major Taoist land-marks. This oldest philosophy of China has had a great impact on Taijiquan.
The story about its Chenjiagou origin has some more hard proof. In the mid-17th century, a retired general and village head named Chen Wangting combined his kungfu training with elements of Chinese philosophy to create Chen style Tai Chi. Popular belief holds that many modern styles of Taijiquan have been derived from the Chen style. Wenxian is listed as Taijiquan's birthplace on the UNESCO website.
Different from Shaolin Kungfu's powerful approach, Taijiquan looks softer and slower. This soft yet powerful spirit runs through the style of Chenjiagou, which has about 300 years of Taijiquan history.
The Chen style Taijiquan was passed down the generations. Chen Ziqiang is a direct offspring of Chen Wangting. His uncle Chen Xiaowang is now a world-renowned T'ai Chi master and his father Chen Xiaoxing, a leading actor in the video that China submitted to the UNESCO when applying for the honor, also has gained international fame.
1. What can we know from paragraph 1?| A．Taijiquan benefits our body. | B．Taijiquan is for competition. |
| C．Taijiquan is in a stressful movement. | D．Taijiquan features quick movements. |
| A．Declined. | B．Developed. | C．Obtained. | D．Differed. |
| A．The Chen style is softer and slower than modern styles of T'ai Chi |
| B．The Chen style has a great impact on philosophy of China. |
| C．It has about 300 years of history. |
| D．It was created by animals' fight. |
| A．Music. | B．Science. | C．Advertisement. | D．Culture. |
10 . Any time of the day you can commit to exercising is a good time for getting active, the best time for exercise is different for each person. Consider your lifestyle and exercise goals to help find the right time for you.
Do you struggle to get out of the bed in the morning or do you wake up energized and ready to go? Are you a night owl and never get to bed before midnight? Once you establish what your sleep tendencies are, you will have a better idea of when your body is most inclined（倾斜的）to exercise. If you are not a morning person, do not schedule an early morning workout.
Consider your daily schedule.
When are you the busiest? When do you tend to schedule your most important tasks?
Determine your exercise goals.
Are you trying to lose weight? Are you trying to improve your performance? Or are you trying to develop a consistent exercise routine? If you are trying to develop a routine, you may want to exercise in the morning.
| A．Pay attention to how well you sleep. |
| B．Determine when you have the most energy. |
| C．Experiment with both morning and evening workouts. |
| D．People who exercise in the morning are more consistent. |
| E．Try to fit in your exercise before or at least around these events if possible. |
| F．You are more likely to hit the snooze button instead of getting a workout in. |
| G．If your mornings are busy and you have trouble making it out of the door on time, an evening workout may be best. |
