3 . I’m a hiker –“born to hike”, as my husband likes to joke. It does my heart and soul good to take a pack and head out on a trail, especially when I’m alone and can let my mind wander where it will. The experience of hiking is unique, research suggests, conveying benefits beyond what you receive from typical exercise. Hiking in nature is not only good for our bodies, but also good for our moods, our minds, and our relationships.     1    

Hiking keeps your mind sharper than many other forms of exercise.     2     But research suggests that hiking doesn’t just feel good, it might also keep my brain in top shape.

    3     Exercise in general can be a good way to decrease stress. But what sets hiking apart from other forms of exercise is that hiking can happen almost anywhere and give you that dose of nature you need to stay happy.

Hiking can increase our creativity. I’m sure I’m not alone in finding that walks in nature let my mind wander freely in creative directions.     4     Studies have found connections between creative thinking and nature experiences, too.

Hiking helps strengthen a positive relationship with the natural world. Besides being good for us, hiking may also help the world around us. After all, if we can walk and cover longer distances, we could use cars less and reduce our carbon footprint.     5     It increases our connection to nature. Developing a positive relationship with the natural world can help us to care about its fate, making us more committed to conservation efforts.

A．Hiking helps to keep you calm and happy.

B．Hiking and writing have strong connections.

C．Beyond that, hiking benefits our planet indirectly.

D．Here is what science is saying about the benefits of hiking.

E．In fact, I’ve written many of my songs while hiking on a trail.

F．This all goes to show that hiking may be one of the best ways to move your body.

G．Being a professional writer, I sometimes have trouble taking the time to hike in the middle of my workday.

4 . When I first began running in high school on the track team, it made sense to carefully clock every mile and push myself to race for personal bests. But as I changed from running for sport to running for amusement as an adult, I found that tracking my workouts often just ended with frustration. And it wasn’t until my watch battery died several years ago that I first experienced the sense of calm that came with running for the pure joy of it. I never replaced the watch battery, and that might not be a bad thing for my fitness goals.

This is the idea of unplugged (不插电的) running, which is gaining steam in the fitness community. And recent research has shown that getting rid of your running watch, especially if it’s a smartwatch or fitness tracker, could actually improve your workout — or at least your enjoyment of running.

“People used to have an interest in their sport and get enjoyment out of the sport, but now that’s switching to the data,” said Eoin Whelan, a senior lecturer at the National University of Ireland Galway. “They will compare themselves to people who are better than them, who are running faster or running longer. And in the end we know that makes them feel bad. ”

Whelan also noted that people who are very dependent on smart watches or fitness trackers are more likely to skip their workouts if the batteries on their tracking devices are dead.

Instead, running watch-free is beneficial. Some professionals also have had success with leaving their watches at home. Welsh runner Steve Jones famously set a world record at the 1984 Chicago Marathon without wearing a watch. More recently, Olympic marathoner Trevor Hofbauer made headlines for winning the 2019 Canadian Marathon Championships without a watch.

“If you have too much information being fed to you in real time, it can kind of get in your head,” Hofbauer said. “For me, the simpler, the better.”

1. The author began to find the pure joy of running when he/she ________.

A．ran for the school track team	B．achieved his/her fitness goals
C．tracked his/her own workouts	D．stopped using a running watch

2. What does Eoin Whelan say about fitness tracking watches?

A．They can enrich the wearers’ social life.

B．They can lead to harmful consequences.

C．The way people use them is proper.

D．The data provided by them is unreliable.

3. How is paragraph 5 developed?

A．By giving examples.	B．By listing official data.
C．By answering questions.	D．By making comparisons.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．It's good to abandon your running watch.

B．Unplugged running actually has two sides.

C．Comparing with others should be avoided.

D．Racing for personal bests requires simplicity.

5 . Over the past decades, experts have done a considerable amount of research to explore different ways to encourage children’s learning. Especially, there has been a common focus on how physical activity, separated from the learning activities, can improve children’s learning. However, there has been less of a focus aimed the potential of integrating physical activity into the learning activities.

The main purpose of the Basket Mathematics study conducted at five Danish primary and elementary schools by researchers from the University of Copenhagen therefore was to develop a learning activity that integrates basketball and mathematics and examine how it might affect children’s motivation for mathematics.

756 children from 40 different classes at Copenhagen area schools participated in the project, where about half of them－once a week for six weeks－had Basketball Mathematics during gym class, while the other half played basketball without mathematics.

“During classes with Basketball Mathematics, the children had to collect numbers and perform calculations associated with various basketball exercises. An example could be counting how many times they could sink a basket from three meters away vs at a one-meter distance, and adding up the numbers. Both the math and basketball elements could be adjusted to suit the children’s levels, as well as being adjusted for whether it was addition, multiplication or some other operations that needed to be practiced,” explains Linn Damsgaard, a leading researcher.

The results showed that children’s motivation for math integrated with basketball was 16% higher compared to classroom math learning. Children also experienced a 14% increase in self-determination compared with classroom teaching. Meanwhile Basketball Mathematics improved their math confidence.

“We are planning to do research to examine whether the Basketball Mathematics model can strengthen performance in mathematics. Once we have the final results, we hope that they will inspire school teachers and principals to prioritize more physical activity and movement in such subjects. Eventually, we hope to succeed in putting these tools into school system and teacher education,” says Associate Professor Jacob Wienecke.

1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?

A．To show the advantage of the study.	B．To explain the reason for the study.
C．To conduct a review of past research.	D．To introduce a way to raise math grades.

2. What can we learn about the study?

A．All kids didn’t play basketball.	B．Kids were divided into 40 groups.
C．It studied kids’math performance.	D．It tailored activities to different kids.

3. What effect does basketball have on the participants?

A．More motivation for exercise.	B．More confidence in basketball.
C．A gain in desire to learn math.	D．A rise in determination to learn.

4. How does Jacob Wienecke expect the study to help educators?

A．Make math learning easier.	B．Inspire students’ math confidence.
C．Build physical activity into teaching.	D．Notice the benefits of physical exercise.

7 . 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.

2. What do we learn from the experiment in paragraph 3?

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.

3. Accord to Linda Clare, what kind of activity can NOT produce changes in brain structure and function?

A．Walking.	B．Singing.
C．Cycling.	D．Running.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

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.

8 . 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.

2. What does Hunt-Broersma insist on doing every day now?

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.

3. Which of the following can best describe Hunt-Broersma?

A．Caring.

B．Determined.

C．Responsible.

D．Intelligent.

4. What effect does Hunt-Broersma hope her action will have?

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.

9 . Why Play? Why Outside?

Play is important, even for adults. Here are some great reasons to get outside and play.

    1    .

Being outdoors brings the senses to life. In fact, 75 percent of students surveyed by Weekly Reader said they felt better after spending time outside. “Hiking, exploring, and fishing help sharpen all of your senses,” says Betsy Keller, a professor of exercise and sports sciences. “Smell, sight... they’re all engaged when you’re outside.” Bonus!     2    .

Outdoor play eases your mind.

Are you stressed out? Having trouble concentrating?     3    . Exposure to nature has been shown to lower stress levels and improve attention deficit disorder (注意缺陷障碍). “By comparison,” says Keller, “activities indoors, such as watching TV, or activities in non-green areas leave kids with ADD worse off.”

Spending time outdoors brings you closer to the environment.

Hearing the leaves rustling underfoot and breathing in fresh air build awareness and appreciation of the environment, if you walk through the woods in search of cool birds and plants, you may find your mind expanding.

No woods nearby?     4     . Nature can be as close as your own backyard or those trees at the end of the street. There are bits of nature everywhere — even in cities. “Some naturalists call that nearby nature,” Keller says. “It’s a great way to experience a piece of the natural world without wandering too far from home.”

    5    , consider treating yourself to a little outdoor play instead. It’s not called the great outdoors for nothing.

A．Playing outside helps your body

B．Outdoor activities expand your senses

C．You don’t need a huge park to enjoy nature’s benefits

D．With your senses engaged, you’ll feel free and more creative

E．So the next time you sit down to spend quality time with a TV

F．Then take note of your senses after you’ve done something outside

G．Too much time indoors —away from the natural world — may be a cause