2 . My boys have been on different sports teams for as long as I can remember.     1     Team sports aren’t all about physical benefits(益处). They are a great way for kids to explore and develop lifelong skills. Here are some ways kids can benefit from team sports.

    2    

This is an important lesson to learn from sports and carry into the future. Good coaches teach athletes to lose with dignity(尊严)，and that there’s always a lesson to learn from each loss and failure.     3     But what makes me most proud is when I see my boys shake the hands of opponents(对手)after every game, no matter what the results are.

Team sports teach kids hard work pays off.

Nothing worth having comes easy. Talent(天赋)plays a role in the early years, but as athletes grow, it’s the hard workers that rise to the top.     4    , but mastering a skill can only be reached with special focus and hard work. Accordingly, hard work creates confidence, which in turn benefits kids’ sports.

Team sports teach collaboration(合作).

Each person on the team has their own skills and characters. Coaches usually put players in different places to show their ability.     5    . It also teaches them to work toward something that cannot be done alone.

A．This teaches players how to work as a team

B．Team sports help kids learn to accept failure

C．Team sports teach that life is hard sometimes

D．Practicing a skill you find difficult can be boring

E．I feel proud as a mom when my kids score a goal

F．Building confidence is easy when you have people around you

G．Among soccer, basketball and baseball, we’ve done most team sports

3 . You want to start doing exercise? Congratulations! You have just taken your first step towards a new and improved you. But how to make it? Here are some helpful tips for you.

Understand the benefits of exercise.     1     But what exactly are its health benefits? To start with, physical activity increases the efficiency (效率) of your heart and lungs. During exercise, your heart and lungs must work harder. Besides, exercise is good for your mental health. Working out can help you reduce stress and get over bad feelings.

    2     When you are planning, the first thing to consider is what you expect to improve: heart and lung efficiency, muscle strength or flexibility, which involves aerobic (有氧的) activities, strength training, and flexibility training. Choose activities you enjoy.     3    

Eat and drink right. To help your muscles recover and repair themselves after exercise, you need to eat foods rich in protein (蛋白质). When to eat is also of great importance. Generally speaking, you should have your meal an average of 1.5 to 2.5 hours before exercising. Do not eat immediately after exercise.     4     Remember to drink throughout exercise to make up for water lost to sweat.

Avoid injury. To prevent soft tissue (组织) injury, make sure that you wear proper clothes and equipment when exercising. You should also start small and slowly work your way to longer and harder exercise to avoid getting hurt.     5    

So, now you know the benefits of exercise and how to do it safely and effectively. What are you waiting for?

A．Make a plan for your exercise.

B．Exercise for your physical health.

C．Instead, wait at least 30 minutes afterwards.

D．Finally, remember to warm up before exercising.

E．In this way, you’re more likely to stick with them.

F．Therefore, don’t have too much water before exercise.

G．Most people think that regular exercise does wonders for the body and mind.

4 . Marathoning has come a long way since 1896. With no hopes of winning a gold medal or getting one's name carved in sport history books, some may wonder why people run marathons at all. After all, the training requires a major commitment of time energy and sweat, and the races can be extremely tiring. So, why are the races so popular?

The most obvious reasons are the positive health and mental happiness effects. On one hand, while the benefits for weight loss and cardiovascular（心血管的）health are well known, research is continually revealing new upsides, such as cutting years off your "artery（动脉）age". On the other hand, for the psychological motivations, each runner will give you different answers. Eller with communication barriers challenges her life by running marathons to show people that even disabled people can achieve great things. And Kailey Bennet runs with the belief that one of the best way to experience a new city culture is on their marathon day.

However, while every runner has different personal reasons, there are some general trends that attract people to race over long distances. Carys Egan-Wyger at Sweden's Lund University found that aspects of daily life are huge and measurably mirrored in marathon running, such as the tracking of progress, along with the necessity of productivity and efficiency. In her surveys, runners tended to mention three important motivators: freedom, achievement and competition. But less obviously. Egan-Wyger also suggests marathoning can also be a way of gaining social status. Showing you have the ability of a long-distance race means qualities of health, productivity and efficiency to others.

Although marathoning brings many benefits, few people are willing to repeat the challenge than 58-year-old runner Andy Glen who has completed 176 marathons in 42 different countries. "I am often asked whether running a marathon after all this time becomes easier," he says. "The simple answer is no. The last six miles are just as challenging as they were when I ran my first."

1. Why does the author mention "Eller" and "Kailey Bennet" in paragraph 2?

A．To explain a rule.	B．To present a fact.
C．To clarify an opinion.	D．To make a prediction.

2. Which of the following is Carys Egan-Wyger's idea according to paragraph 3?

A．Progress is less obvious in Marathoning.

B．Marathoning can be measured by a big mirror.

C．Marathoning is a reflection of many sides of life.

D．Qualities of health is not relevant to their social position.

3. What can we learn from Andy Glen's words?

A．Marathoning is always a tough sport.

B．Only the last six miles are hard for him.

C．It takes a lot of patience to run a marathon.

D．Marathoing requires great strength at the start.

5 . A new study out of Canada suggests teenagers should spend less time looking at screens and more time getting involved in activities. The findings published in the journal Preventive Medicine were based on a survey of 28,000 7th graders in British Columbia.

They answered questions about how much time they spent watching TV, streaming videos ₉ playing video games and how much time they spent on after-school activities like sports and music programs. Then they ranked how good they felt about each day when they woke up. From their answers, researchers concluded that teens who spent more time on activities were mentally healthier and less anxious and depressed than those who spent more time on screens. And the study suggested that extra screen time was especially harmful to girls. For them, researchers say the negative effects were stronger.

So how much screen time is too much? The Canadian Pediatric Society says all teens should have less than two hours of screen time per day and that guideline was factored into the study. But it’s important to point out that the information about it was gathered between 2014 and 2018, years before the CO VID hit. And this year, with fewer opportunities to see friends and participate in after-school events, teenagers have shown higher levels of depression and anxiety according to other research.

The lead author of the Canadian study says even though it’s harder to do, it’s still important to find ways for teens to safely get involved with programs and hobbies away from screens.

1. How was the study organized?

A．By doing a survey.

B．By referring to other research.

C．By conducting medical examination.

D．By using the results of other studies.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 2?

A．Teens spending more time on activities are more anxious.

B．Teens spending less time on screens are mentally healthier.

C．Girls spending more time on screens are less anxious than boys.

D．Boys spending more time on activities are more anxious than girls.

3. What does the underlined word “factored” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Confessed.

B．Continued.

C．Confused.

D．Considered.

4. In which part of a newspaper can we find the text?

A．Sport.

B．Culture.

C．Health.

D．Music.

6 . If you have an uphill hike, you may be worried about how your body will hold up over mile after mile. There are a few things you can do to keep the experience from being a painful one.    1    

Uphill climbing requires hard work from your hamstrings. These powerful leg muscles work overtime. And if you'll be carrying a backpack, your upper body also plays a big part.    2     Besides, you'll need arm and shoulder strength to get your pack on and off.

Depending on the length of the hike you're planning, you might increase your training.    3     If your hike will be very steep, you might add some stair sets to your workout. You can do these at home or go to a facility like a stadium that has a lot of stairs for extended climbs.

    4     If you've been jogging for twenty minutes, try alternating one day of longer jogging with a hilly hike while wearing a backpack. If you've been walking for your exercise, alternate longer walks with walks that include hills.

As with any workout program, the key is to keep at it.    5     Chances are that once you get moving, you'll be more interested in keeping on until you finish. And if you find that you don't want to do it, keep your goal in mind.

A．Warm-up is a must when jogging.

B．This is the time to schedule that daily walk or jog.

C．Jogging is a great way to have fun and stay in shape.

D．You'll need the core muscles to carry your pack for hours.

E．A little training, good planning, and a strong will can help.

F．Now it's time to increase the difficulty of your daily walk or jog.

G．You should make a promise to yourself that you'll at least get started.

7 . I love training with my husband Chris. We do our own exercises separately, but then we really enjoy spending 30—40 minutes doing something we both like together. I also train with my family — my brother, his wife and our cousins will come to our house every now and then to train together. It's like family fun time! A little bit of competition also makes us work out harder.

Laziness, as you know, is contagious. But so is enthusiasm. If you can get your partner on board, you will be able to encourage each other on those days when the other doesn't feel like moving. If you set yourself a challenge and add competition to the mix, I promise you that the training will be much more fun. Time will fly by and you'll want to do it again.

This is why I wanted to learn Chris' favourite sport — surfing. Not only would we have more things to do together, but it would be a great challenge for me. In turn, I have introduced Chris to two of my favourite activities: horse riding and motorbiking. Now he also loves them, which means we have even more chances to have fun together. Encouraged by our example, my brother and his wife now train together too. This is what it's all about at the end of the day: quality time with your partner.

What if you don't have a partner? Well, I'm sure you have a friend who would love to train with you. Or, if you have young children, why not train in the backyard with another parent while they play? You just need some music. The important thing is to have a plan and to make the time to do it. It will be much more fun than doing it on your own.

1. How does the author train with her husband?

A．They train on a daily basis.	B．They start with separate training.
C．They train for half an hour each time.	D．They always try to do the same exercise.

2. What happens when the author trains with the family?

A．Everyone gets more active.	B．Everyone relaxes after work.
C．Everyone is very competitive.	D．Everyone feels time is slowing down.

3. How does the author find surfing?

A．It's more for men than women.	B．It makes her feel discouraged.
C．It's not so hard as she expected.	D．It requires lots of hard work to learn.

4. What is the author trying to do in the last paragraph?

A．To look for help.	B．To express thanks.
C．To make a promise.	D．To give encouragement.

8 . 4 Memory Exercises Proven to Keep Your Brain Sharp

Play a new sport

    1     Athletic activities that motivate your mind and body, such as yoga, golf, or tennis, have been linked to improved brain function and energy levels.     2     And then study up on the rules and procedures. If you can't make it to a gym, log on to these free brain games you have never tried.

Challenge your fine-motor (精细运动) skills

Learning a sport or enrolling in a new class, mastering an activity that requires considerable hand-eye coordination can keep your brain active and healthy. Pick up a new hobby that requires you to use your hands, such as knitting, painting, or assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Even better, chew gum while you do it.    3    

Memorize phone numbers

Even a short bra in-training session can make a big difference for your memory. By challenging your brain with memorization puzzles, experts believe you can protect your brain cells and strengthen the connections between them,     4     Ashraf Al, MD, recommends dividing each 10-digit number into three sections; for example, 801 555 8372 is much easier to remember than 8015558372.

Create a memorial phrase

Making a memorial device is one perfect way to store an important rule, fact, or to-do list in your memory bank. Some are acronyms (首字母缩略词), such as RICE, (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation), a first-aid treatment for injuries.    5     You can use “spring forward, fall back,” as a reminder to reset your clock twice a year. The next time you need to memorize something in a hurry, come up with a clever acronym or sentence for it.

A．Others come in the form of sentences.

B．Focus your energy on new information instead.

C．Sign up to learn a sport you have never played before.

D．Impress your friends by memorizing their phone numbers.

E．Getting your heart pumping can also keep your brain bumping.

F．These memorial phrases will help you remember 14 or more basic facts.

G．Chewing gum while completing a task could improve concentration and memory.

9 . Baseball is a sport that began in the eastern United States in the 1800s. It is known as the “national pastime”, a game that millions of people continue to enjoy each spring and summer. Major League Baseball recently opened its new season. So this is a good time to explore the influence of it on popular culture, including music. Many songs have been written about baseball.

Baseball expert Warner Fusselle writes that there are probably more than 1,000 songs about baseball. The most popular is “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” It was written in 1908 by Jack Norworth. He wrote it after seeing a sign about baseball on an underground train in New York City. Two years later, his friend, Albert Von Tilzer, put the words into music and soon the song became very hot. It was reported that Mr. Norworth had never seen a Major League Baseball game.

People still sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during baseball games. Near the end of the game, people become tired of sitting on the hard seats. So, during the special time in the game, everyone stands up and stretches their arms and legs. Everyone sings a song together. Most often, it is “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”.

A large number of songs have been written about America’s baseball teams. These teams include the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies. Other songs have been written about famous baseball players: Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Joe DiMaggio.

Baseball expert Richard Miller writes that many songs and poems about other subjects use words and expressions from baseball. In our daily life, we often hear that a girl tells her boyfriend that she will not like him unless he is a good baseball player.

1. What does the underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refer to?

A．Baseball.	B．The new season.
C．Major League Baseball.	D．The eastern United States.

2. When did the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” become popular?

A．In the 1800s.

B．In 1908.

C．In 1910.

D．In 1980.

3. People sing the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” ________.

A．when they feel tired of the game	B．in the middle of a baseball game
C．when they plan to watch a baseball game	D．when the baseball game is coming to an end

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Baseball has a great influence on people’s lives.

B．Girls like to make friends with baseball players.

C．Popular music has nothing to do with baseball.

D．Jack Norworth wrote more than 1,000 songs about baseball.