1 . What is the best sport for your body type?
Just because someone has dreamt of playing football from childhood does not mean it is the best sport for him or her. Finding the sport your body is best suited to can make a big difference to how much you enjoy it and how good at it you are.
A person with an ectomorph body type is tall and slim with little fat or muscle. This person has narrow shoulders and hips, and thin arms and legs. Ectomorphs have difficulty putting on weight because of a fast metabolism (新陈代谢).
Mesomorph body types are the typical image of an athlete. Their arms and legs are muscular and they have broad shoulders and narrow hips. Mesomorphs can put on or lose weight easily and build muscle quickly.
A person who is an endomorph naturally carries more body fat. They are often short, with a high waist, and well developed upper arms and thighs.
It is important to note that the three body types are extremes. No one is 100% ectomorph or completely endomorph.
| A．Everyone is a bit of a mix |
| B．If you want to be a world champion |
| C．If a person with this body type is very tall |
| D．A person with this body type has more choice of sports |
| E．For the same reason, it takes them longer to build muscle |
| F．While it may seem that an endomorph will not be very athletic |
| G．Endomorphs must work a little harder to maintain a perfect body weight |
2 . It will come as no comfort to a child shivering (打哆嗦) on a playing field on a cold winter’s day. But regular organized school sport helps children in their academic studies in years to come. The researchers said other “structured” activities such as music or religious activities were not as beneficial for attention as taking part in a games lesson. The difference in academic ability was noticeable even at age ten, with those who had taken in sports since the start of junior school performing better than those who hadn’t.
The Canadian study looked at children aged six and then ten. Professor Linda Pagani said:“We worked with information provided by parents and teachers to compare kindergarteners’ activities with their classroom activities as they grew up. By the time they reached the fourth grade, kids who played structured sports were clearly better at following instructions and remaining focused in the classroom. There is something special to the sporting environment — perhaps the sense of belonging to a team to a special group with a common goal — that appears to help kids understand the importance of respecting the rules and honoring responsibilities.”
Researchers began studying 2,694 Canadian children around the age of six, with teachers filled in questionnaires about their behavior in school. Meanwhile, the children’s parents were interviewed by phone or in person about their home life. The exercise was the repeated four years later to test what effect the behavior had.
Professor Pagani said: “We found children who had better behavior in the kindergarten class were more likely to be involved in sport by age ten. Nevertheless, we found those children who were specifically involved in team sports at kindergarten scored higher by the time they reached the fourth grade.” The researchers believe sporting activities and attention skills go hand in hand. Professor Pagani added: “The results should be encouraging for schools looking to cut childhood obesity rates and low attainment in schools.”
1. What kinds of children may do better in their academic study according to paragraph one?| A．Those who join in structured activities. |
| B．Those who don’t shiver on a cold winter’s day. |
| C．Those who don’t like school sports. |
| D．Those who take part in game lessons. |
| A．The classroom activities. | B．The results of the exams. |
| C．The performance at kindergarten. | D．The time spent in classrooms. |
| A．understand each other better | B．follow the rules |
| C．respect the teachers | D．give up |
| A．How scientists carried out the research. |
| B．Why parents were interviewed by phone. |
| C．How kids behaved at home or at school. |
| D．How many sports kids did at school. |
| A．The research will be of great benefit. |
| B．It’s necessary for children go to kindergartens. |
| C．Childhood obesity rates can lead to low attainment. |
| D．Team sports will be reduced at kindergartens. |
3 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.
Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular （心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "
For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak （最大值的） cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.
A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.
These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.
"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.
1. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．Positive effects of doing exercises. |
| B．Exercises suitable for the middle-aged. |
| C．Experimental studies on diseases. |
| D．Advantages of sporty woman over man |
| A．To predict their maximum heart rate. |
| B．To assess their cardiovascular capacity |
| C．To change their habits of working out |
| D．To detect their potential health problems |
| A．It aimed to find a cure for dementia. |
| B．Data collection was a lengthy process. |
| C．Some participants withdrew from it. |
| D．The results were far from satisfactory. |
| A．More Women Are Exercising to Prevent Dementia |
| B．Middle-Aged Women Need to Do More Exercise |
| C．Fit Women Are Less Likely to Develop Dementia |
| D．Biking Improves Women's Cardiovascular Fitness |
4 . For a while, my neighborhood was taken over by an army of joggers. They were there all the time: early mornings, noons and evenings. There were little old ladies in gray sweaters, young couples in Adidas shoes, middle-aged men with red faces. “Come on!” My friend Alex encouraged me to join him as he jogged by my house every evening. “You’ll feel great.”
Well, I had nothing against feeling great and if Alex could jog every day, anyone could. So I took up jogging seriously and gave it a good two months of my life, and not a day more. Based on my experience, jogging is the most overvalued form of exercise around, and judging from the number of the people who left our neighborhood jogging army, I’m not alone in my opinion.
First of all, jogging is very hard on the body. Your legs and feet take a real pounding running down a road for two or three miles. I developed foot, leg and back problems. Then I read about a nationally famous jogger who died of a heart attack while jogging, and I had something else to worry about. Jogging doesn’t kill hundreds of people, but if you have any physical weaknesses, jogging will surely bring them out, as they did with me.
Secondly, I got no enjoyment out of jogging. Putting one foot in front of the other for forty-five minutes isn’t my idea of fun. Jogging is also a lonely pastime. Some joggers say, “I love being out there with just my thoughts.” Well, my thoughts began to bore me, and most of them were on how much my legs hurt.
And how could I enjoy something that brought me pain? And that wasn’t just the first week; it was practically every day for two months. I never got past the pain level, and pain isn’t fun. What a cruel way to do it! So many other exercises, including walking, lead to almost the same results painlessly, so why jog?
I don’t jog any more, and I don’t think I ever will. I’m walking two miles three times a week at a fast pace, and that feels good. I bicycle to work when the weather is good. I’m getting exercise, and I’m enjoying it at the same time. I could never say the same for jogging, and I’ve found a lot of better ways to stay in shape.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Alex organized an army of joggers. |
| B．People jogged only during the daytime. |
| C．Jogging became very popular in the neighborhood. |
| D．Jogging provided a chance to get together. |
| A．He felt it was worth a try. | B．He was very fond of it. |
| C．He was strongly against it. | D．He thought it must be painful. |
| A．physical weaknesses | B．heart attacks |
| C．famous joggers | D．back problems |
| A．He disliked doing exercise outside. | B．He was worried about being left alone. |
| C．He was afraid of having a heart attack. | D．He found it neither healthy nor interesting. |
| A．not everyone enjoys jogging |
| B．he is the only person who hates jogging |
| C．nothing other than jogging can help people keep fit |
| D．jogging makes people feel greater than any other sport |
5 . All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer. Many people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TVs to watch the games. Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins.
Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy! And think of people in cold countries. Think how many people love to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada. Some sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese wushu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. They are about one hundred years old. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water－skiing is one of the newest in the family of sports.
People from different countries often become good friends after a game together. Sports help them to understand each other. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace．
1. Why do people all over the world enjoy sports?| A．Because they want to keep healthy. | B．Because they are happy. |
| C．Because they want to live longer. | D．All the above. |
| A．their favorite team wins | B．they win the game |
| C．they get the good news | D．they can’t help themselves |
| A．Water－skiing. | B．Basketball. |
| C．Volleyball. | D．Jumping. |
| A．they train their character in the game | B．they understand each other |
| C．they are friendly to each other | D．they help each other |
6 . We all know about the health benefits of swimming, including building endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular (心血管的) fitness.
Cold-water swimming sometimes called wild swimming involves swimming in natural areas including ponds, rivers and the sea. Jumping in cold water gives a short sharp shock to the body.
What is it that people are gaining from this cold experience? Doctors say getting into cold water makes a stress response, but the more you do it, your reaction to stress is reduced.
So, if you’re convinced that this is for you, take advice：approach it with caution, swim with a friend, and maybe start in the summer, when the water temperatures are higher.
| A．Cold-water swimming can substitute medicine. |
| B．However, many participants say they get used to it. |
| C．If you don’t mind getting wet, it can be fun too. |
| D．It’s also thought to strengthen our digestive function. |
| E．We all know exercise can extend people’s life span. |
| F．For example, it helps reduce the stress of exercising at high altitudes. |
| G．Cold-water swimming can function as a dose of medicine. |
7 . 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. 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. |
| A．Getting experts’ opinions. | B．Having a medical checkup. |
| C．Hiring an experienced coach. | D．Doing regular exercises. |
8 . 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. |
9 . 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. |
10 . 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. |
