1 . Games like Pump It Up are enjoyable because it takes things that make games addictive—points, levels and challenges, for example—and puts them and physical movement together.
Have an objective.
When you’re playing a game, there’s always an objective.
Compete against others.
Research suggests that adding an element of competition to your exercise routine can actually help you work out harder.
Researchers found that collaboration—getting a group to work together toward a common goal—was also an effective way to increase physical activity. So grab a close friend or family member and bring them to the gym with you—there’s a reason why the “gym buddy” exists.
Add an element of novelty.
Some people love video games because there’s a lot of unpredictability and surprise. You can recreate this sense of wonder in your own exercises.
| A．Look for opponents. |
| B．Team up with partners. |
| C．It needs to be both specific and challenging. |
| D．You can participate in a step-tracking challenge. |
| E．Take photos of at least 5 different flowers on your neighborhood walk. |
| F．It helps you focus and motivates you to keep playing until you win the game. |
| G．This powerful combination motivates people to keep on playing and exercising. |
2 . Everyone knows the benefits of exercise: stronger muscles, more energy, weight management.
lf your primary aim is to improve your mood, the bar for what counts as exercise is far lower than itis for weight loss or fitness gains. You can see very large mental benefits with low-intensity exercise.
When any movement can bring benefits, the best activity is one you like to do ---- whether that's swimming, team sports or dancing.
Is it possible to overdo it? The answer is yes. A minority will even develop clinical depression as a result of overtraining. But these bad effects are restricted to serious athletes.
| A．Consistency is the key to mood lifting. |
| B．So the type of workout you do really matters. |
| C．A mood boost is often considered an added bonus. |
| D．You can seek out an activity that makes you feel good. |
| E．For the rest of us, any movement can only be beneficial. |
| F．What's more, moderate exercise can have huge mental benefits. |
| G．It's not like the longer or harder you exercise, the better you feel. |
3 . If you thought running was just great for the body, then think again. Scientists have found that the sport not only keeps people fit but also improves your brain power (脑力).
The research found that people who keep fit are more likely to have larger brains, better memories and clearer thinking. They also found that unfit people tended to have smaller brains and reduced cognitive skills. The findings add to a growing body of evidence which links exercise with helping protect the brain against ageing (老化) and also helping it replace dying cells (死细胞). This might reduce the risk of many illnesses and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
One research paper within its latest issue sees scientists at Kentucky University putting 30 adults aged 59 — 69 on a treadmill (跑步机). Their heart and lung capacity was measured and an MRI scanner was used to assess the blood flow to their brains. Those who were less fit had smaller brains compared to the fitter volunteers who had larger brains. Scientists in Germany followed 21 adults aged between 60 — 77. As they went through a three-month fitness program, they saw improvements in their memory.
Researchers are not yet sure why exercise helps to protect brain cells but some research in mice has produced results. Mice, examined at the National Institute on Ageing, in Baltimore, found that cells in the hippocampus (海马体), an area of the brain used for memory, were actively reproducing while their fatter peers were in decline.
Linda Clare, professor of clinical psychology of ageing and dementia at Exeter University and a member of the Global Council on Brain Health told The Sunday Times: “Moderate intensity aerobic (有氧的) activity such as walking, cycling or running can produce changes in brain structure and function.”
1. Who tend to have larger brains, better memories and clearer thinking?| A．People who are healthy. | B．People who are thin. |
| C．People who are unhealthy. | D．People who are fat. |
| A．Those who were less fit had larger brains. |
| B．Those who were fitter had smaller brains. |
| C．Exercise helps people improve their memory. |
| D．Old people doing exercise improve memory better than young people. |
| A．Walking. | B．Singing. |
| C．Cycling. | D．Running. |
| A．To tell you sport improves your brain power. |
| B．To introduce some good ways to keep healthy. |
| C．To teach you how to best spend time in doing sports. |
| D．To introduce several ways to improve your memory. |
4 . Sports day! These two words can inspire both joy and terror in the hearts of students everywhere. For many, sports day can be a great day of fun and the chance to bag a prize or two.
Today, more and more schools have recognized the importance of exercise.
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.
There are lots of people who agree with the idea—parents in particular! According to a 2017 survey by Families Online, 82% of parents say they prefer “traditional” competitive sports days.
People have different ideas about whether it is the winning or the taking part that counts when it comes to school sports days. So, should School Sports Day be competitive or not? We want to know your ideas.
| A．What’s the point if no one wins? |
| B．Should sport just be about winning? |
| C．Many of them have “non-competitive” sports days. |
| D．Everyone should be celebrated for trying and playing their part. |
| E．Many adults are worried that their kids can get injured when doing sports. |
| F．For others, it might feel like having to take part in something they aren’t good at. |
| G．Many adults feel that children can learn valuable lessons in both winning and losing. |
5 . As we age, even if we’re healthy, the heart just isn’t as efficient in processing oxygen as it used to be. In most people the first signs show up in their 50s or early 60s. And among people who don’t exercise, the changes can start even sooner.
“Think of a rubber band. In the beginning, it is flexible, but put it in a drawer for 20 years and it will become dry and easily broken,” says Dr. Ben Levine, a heart specialist at the University of Texas. That’s what happens to the heart. Fortunately for those in midlife, Levine is finding that even if you haven’t been an enthusiastic exerciser, getting in shape now may help improve your aging heart.
Levine and his research team selected volunteers aged between 45 and 64 who did not exercise much but were otherwise healthy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group participated in a program of nonaerobic (无氧) exercise—balance training and weight training—three times a week. The second group did high-intensity aerobic exercise under the guidance of a trainer for four or more days a week. After two years, the second group saw remarkable improvements in heart health.
“We took these 50-year-old hearts and turned the clock back to 30-or 35-year-old hearts,” says Levine. “And the reason they got so much stronger and fitter was that their hearts could now fill a lot better and pump (泵送) a lot more blood during exercise.” But the hearts of those who participated in less intense exercise didn’t change, he says.
“The sweet spot in life to start exercising, if you haven’t already, is in late middle age when the heart still has flexibility,” Levine says. “We put healthy 70-year-olds through a yearlong exercise training program, and nothing happened to them at all.”
Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, says Levine’s findings are a great start. But the study was small and needs to be repeated with far larger groups of people to determine exactly which aspects of an exercise routine make the biggest difference.
1. What does Levine want to explain by mentioning the rubber band?| A．The right way of exercising. | B．The causes of a heart attack. |
| C．The difficulty of keeping fit. | D．The aging process of the heart. |
| A．Diet plan. | B．Professional background. |
| C．Exercise type. | D．Previous physical condition. |
| A．Middle-aged hearts get younger with aerobic exercise. |
| B．High-intensity exercise is more suitable for the young. |
| C．It is never too late for people to start taking exercise. |
| D．The more exercise we do, the stronger our hearts get. |
| A．Making use of the findings. | B．Interviewing the study participants. |
| C．Conducting further research. | D．Clarifying the purpose of the study. |
6 . A woman who lost one leg in a traffic accident is seeking to break a world record by completing 102 marathon-length runs in 102 days. A marathon is a race that goes 42 kilometers.
Jacky Hunt-Broersma, who lives in the Western American state of Arizona, set her goal last month. And every day since then, she has been running the distance of a marathon. Most of the time, she runs on roads and trails near her home. Sometimes she completes her runs on a running machine. If she keeps successfully completing marathon-length runs every day, she would reach her goal three months later. She would then hold the world record for completing 102 back-to-back marathon runs.
The current world record of 101 marathons was set on April 10 by British runner Kate Jayden. The 35-year-old Jayden does not have a disability.
Hunt-Broersma said that until five years ago, she was not very active. But then she looked into running and decided to give it a try. The sport ended up being quite costly. Currently, she runs on a prosthetic (假体的) leg made out of a strong, light material known as carbon fiber. The carbon fiber blade she uses, which is designed specifically for running, costs about＄10,000.But Hunt-Broersma says her investment (投资) has been well worth it.
One of her recent runs was the world-famous Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. She finished that race, held on April 18, with a time of 5 hours and 5 minutes.
Hunt-Broersma’s main support team is her husband and their two young children. She is posting her progress online and has also gained a large social media following. As she nears the end of her goal, Hunt-Broersma is hoping to inspire a dream in others, regardless of (不管) their own physical limitations. She tells people, “You’re stronger than you think-and you’re capable of so much more.”
1. What is Hunt-Broersma’s goal mentioned in the text?| A．To make her body stronger. | B．To show off her great power. |
| C．To set a new world record. | D．To prove she can live a normal life. |
| A．Trying hard to earn money for her game. | B．Training strictly for a famous marathon race. |
| C．Running together with a British marathon runner. | D．Running 42 kilometers either indoors or outdoors. |
| A．Caring. | B．Determined. | C．Responsible. | D．Intelligent. |
| A．Encouraging others to achieve their goals. | B．Having more people run the marathon race. |
| C．Drawing more attention to the disabled. | D．Getting more people into her support team. |
7 . Human bodies were actually designed for walking, a wonderful form of exercise at no cost. It’s kind to our bodies and great for our waistlines.
Probably you already love to walk, but you’re getting bored of tracing the same old route day after day, or maybe you’re new to walking and aren’t sure how to get started.
Call up your friends and schedule walks with them if socializing is your aim.
From the benefits to your heart to your overall happiness, walking is just plain good for you.
| A．This month, pick up a map and start walking. |
| B．Ask your friends where they like to walk and just go there. |
| C．You may as well consider heading to a new city for a change. |
| D．Either way, it’s time to accept the idea of walking with a purpose. |
| E．Recently, science has proved that walking is good for your body shape. |
| F．And best of all, it’s a great way to see new things and meet new people! |
| G．If you’re after walking alone, ask about local hikes that get you away from the crowd. |
8 . Fitness Magazine recently ran an article titled “Five Reasons to Thank Your Workout Partner.” One reason was: “You’ll actually show up if you know someone is waiting for you at the gym, ” while another read: “
So, how do you find a workout partner?
First of all, decide what you want from that person.
You might think about posting what you are looking for on social media, but it probably won’t result in a useful response.
My partner posted her request on the notice board of a local park. Her notice included what kind of training she wanted to do, how many days a week and how many hours she wanted to spend on each session, and her age. It also listed her favorite sports and activities, and provided her phone number.
You and your partner will probably have different skills.
| A．Your first meeting may be a little awkward. |
| B．A workout partner usually needs to live close by. |
| C．You’ll work harder if you train with someone else. |
| D．Do you want to be a better athlete in your favorite sport? |
| E．How can you write a good “seeking training partner” notice? |
| F．Just accept your differences and learn to work with each other. |
| G．Any notice for a training partner should include such information. |
9 . Exercise could not only benefit your body, but also improve your memory, researchers found recently. In their paper published on Monday, researchers from the University of California in the US and the University of Tsukuba in Japan introduced their experiment and conclusion.
Scientists invited 36 volunteers who were in their early 20s to do 10 minutes of light exercise before taking a memory test in which they were shown pictures like broccoli (西兰花) or picnic baskets and asked to recall them later. The same experiment was repeated with the same group of volunteers without exercising. “The memory task was really quite challenging,” said Michael Yassa, co-author of the study and a neuroscientist (神经科学家) at the University of California. “We used trickily similar items to see if they would remember whether it was this exact picnic basket or that picnic basket.”
Researchers also scanned some of the brains of the participants during the experiment. They found that the brains of those who exercised strengthened their ability to remember things. This suggested that just 10 minutes of light exercise like walking, yoga or Tai Chi might increase memory.
As all the volunteers in the experiment were relatively young, researchers are still working to look at the effects of light exercise on older people. “Our future goal is to try to develop an exercise prescription that can be used by older adults who might have disabilities or limited movements, but can still take very simple exercise and be able to, perhaps, put off the reduction of cognitive (认知的) skills slowly,” said Yassa.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To correct a mistake. | B．To introduce two universities. |
| C．To give practical advice. | D．To present a research result. |
| A．The people in the experiment were disabled. | B．The items to be chosen were extremely similar. |
| C．The time to solve the questions was too limited. | D．The questions to be asked were too complicated. |
| A．Ability. | B．Benefit. | C．Method. | D．Detail. |
| A．Exercise Can Improve Older People’s Cognitive Abilities |
| B．Ten Minutes of Exercise a Day Might Improve Memory |
| C．Exercise Is Beneficial to Both Young and Old |
| D．Advantages of Exercising Regularly |
10 . Exercising regularly not only helps you keep slim, but also improves your overall health and well-being. Different exercises produce different results, as they focus on alternate parts of the body. There are four broad exercise categories: endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance. Many people often only focus on one exercise type, but including all four in your workout will produce better results and reduce your risk of injury.
Endurance
Endurance exercises increase your breathing and heart rate. By doing endurance exercises, you are working to keep your heart, lungs, and blood-flow system healthy while improving your total fitness. Over time these activities will make everyday activities seem easier.
Strength
If you want to build up your muscles, then strength exercises, which are also known as “resistance training”, are right for you. Even the slightest increase in strength can make a huge difference in your ability to carry out daily tasks. Developing strong muscles also reduce your risk of weak bones.
Flexibility
Flexibility exercises help stretch your body’s muscles. This allows for more freedom of movement for other exercises and can also improve your range of motion, posture, ability to breathe deeply, and blood flow. Also, it reduces the muscle tension caused by stress.
Balance
Balance exercises help prevent falls and are especially important to older adults, helping them stay independent. Most good balance exercises are ones that keep you constantly moving with your feet on the ground. Heel-to-toe walking and standing on one foot are simple ways to improve balance.
1. How can a person benefit most from their exercise routine?| A．By combining different exercise types together. |
| B．By having enough rest between their workouts. |
| C．By concentrating on one training aspect at a time. |
| D．By increasing the frequency of their training gradually. |
| A．Strength and Balance. | B．Flexibility and Balance. |
| C．Endurance and Strength. | D．Endurance and Flexibility. |
| A．Arms. | B．Legs. | C．Waist. | D．Neck. |
