1 . When Tony took up running as a hobby, he was 42 years old. Now 42 years later he’s a national champion and a world record holder. He never imagined at the age of 84 this is where he’d be, but then he doesn’t meet many people in their 80s who are out training four times a week. “I can see it’s a bit unusual, yes. But it’s been my life,” he told the reporter.
The retired officer runs at a track near his home in Leeds. At an event in Italy last month, he set a world record in the 80m hurdles with a time of under 17 seconds. But he sees no reason to slow down and his ambition is still to be competing when he passes a hundred.
“I probably won’t be doing a crouch start (蹲式起跑), because it’s only 16 years away,” he joked. Like anyone of his age, he’s had health problems. He’s had a string of severe heart attacks, but doctors have told him as long as it makes him feel good, he should carry on running.
“I can’t let my heart get in the way of my training. When I am running, I have to give it my absolute all. My heart is the last thing on my mind,” he said.
He trains every other day, dances and plays hockey and he recently cuts down on alcohol and chocolate. He said, “I’ve heard alcohol can lead to dementia (痴呆) and I don’t want that. I’ve cut down to one glass of wine every other day. I now have to stay as fit as I can be to keep up my lifestyle.”
Tony’s next birthday is next September. And the first thing he wants to do is become the world’s fastest 85-year-old.
1. How old was Tony when he set a world record?A.42. | B.80. | C.84. | D.85. |
A.Because he felt good while running. |
B.Because he had only slight heart problems. |
C.Because he didn’t care about his heart at all. |
D.Because he was so concentrated to do his best while running. |
A.To have a good rest. |
B.To change his lifestyle. |
C.To take part in running competitions. |
D.To be the fastest runner in the world. |
A.No pains, no gains. |
B.Old hearts are not old. |
C.It’s never too old to learn. |
D.Those who work hard live long. |
The Benefits of Exercise
Regular exercise has a range of benefits for both physical and mental health. Firstly, exercise helps to strengthen the heart and improve cardiovascular health. It can also help to maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity. Additionally, exercise boosts mood and reduces stress levels. People who exercise regularly often report feeling happier and more relaxed. Finally, exercise can improve cognitive function and memory. It has been shown to enhance concentration and increase mental clarity.
Questions:
1. What are the benefits of exercise for physical health?
2. How does exercise affect mood?
3. What are the cognitive benefits of exercise?
3 . Staying fit while indoors
During this special time, it’s a good idea to do some indoor exercise. Exercising has many benefits.
Run in place
Start by kicking your feet behind you as you run. Then, bring your knees up as high as possible when you feel like you’ve warmed up. Start by running in place for five minutes.
Work on mountain climbers.
Start by getting into a standard push-up (俯卧撑) position.
Begin by getting into a plank (平板支撑) position. Then, bend your elbows and lower yourself toward the floor but do not touch the floor. If this is too difficult, bend your knees as you do the push-ups. Start by doing a set of 10, and work your way up to three or four sets.
Tone your legs with squats (深蹲)
To do a squat, stand with your feet hip-width (与臀部同宽) apart. Then bend your legs. Bring your bottom as low as you can. Stand back up and repeat the motion. Work your way up to doing three sets of 20.
A.Try planks for full body toning (身体紧实) |
B.The hard work will pay off big time |
C.Do push-ups to tone your upper body |
D.Then bring your left knee to your chest |
E.Then, try to run in place for ten minutes |
F.If that is too difficult, lower yourself onto your elbows |
G.If you want an added challenge, hold weights while you squat. |
4 . Skiing offers many benefits. It’s a sport people can enjoy with friends and family. Skiers can get access to breathtaking mountain scenery.
A ski instructor teaches people how to ski, helps experienced skiers improve their skill, and may provide ski coaching for people who intend to compete in skiing. Many ski instructors work as employees for companies that run ski resorts (旅游胜地).
When teaching beginners to ski, a ski instructor focuses on skiing safety, proper form, and basic skiing skills. For advanced skiers, advanced skiing skills should be taught.
Professional ski instructors lead fascinating and exciting lives. If working and skiing at a ski resort most of the day appeals to you, then becoming a ski instructor must be your dream job!
A.Advanced courses can be attractive. |
B.Such skills can be harder to learn. |
C.Besides, skiing will build skiers up. |
D.Ski instructors can also be self-employed. |
E.Such skiers don’t need instructors any more. |
F.However, not everyone is cut out to be a ski instructor. |
G.What are the requirements for working as a ski instructor? |
5 . I’ve learned a lot in my many years in the gym, and beginner-me would be shocked by the things present-me does during the workouts.
Rest days are a convenient tool for making sure you’re not overworking yourself, but that’s all. Organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine recommend leaving 48 hours between intense strength-training periods for a given muscle.
The “10% rule” is a not-terrible guideline for figuring out how quickly to improve your training.
A.But if you look at where they get that number |
B.You can just eat more protein-containing foods |
C.There are a few supplements that can help you in your fitness journey |
D.Or they may keep you at the same mileage for weeks at a time |
E.But it’s a suggestion, not a rule to be strictly obeyed |
F.And finally, drinks can give you more energy in the gym |
G.With the benefit of experience, I now do exercises I used to think one should “never” do |
6 . Creative ways to change your workouts
Most people know working out is good for your health, both physical and mental.
Create a word or image with your exercise route
Runners often map routes through city streets that create a word or image, then use a GPS device to “draw” it as they run.
Join a free fitness group
Exercising can be more fun with others, so look for group fitness opportunities. Many communities offer free exercise opportunities. Fitness in the Park is a summer-long activity that has been operating in New York state for a decade. Everyone is welcome to head to one of 18 different parks.
Sure, you can run a 5 K. But why not try orienteering (定向越野赛)? This timed navigational sport requires you to use detailed maps to find orange-and-white flags that are hidden in parks or remote areas. Races involve difficult running routes
Dance
Whether you take a class or practice at home, dancing is a great way to get your body moving. Dancing doesn’t seem like exercise to a lot of people, which is why it’s always a popular choice.
A.Hit the road. |
B.Sign up for a new-to-you event. |
C.Participants have ranged in age from about 10 to over 70. |
D.But keeping on exercising for a long term can be hard. |
E.The event is timed, so people often jog or power walk from flag to flag. |
F.You can do the same, whether your favored exercise is running, walking or biking. |
G.It’s also something you can do anywhere, to any kind of music, salsa, hip-hop — it all works. |
7 . Creative ways to change your workouts
Most people know working out is good for your health, both physical and mental.
Create a word or image with your exercise route
Runners often map routes through city streets that create a word or image, then use a GPS device to “draw” it as they run.
Join a free fitness group
Exercising can be more fun with others, so look for group fitness opportunities. Many communities offer free exercise opportunities. Fitness in the Park is a summer-long activity that has been operating in New York state for a decade. Everyone is welcome to head to one of 18 different parks.
Sure, you can run a 5 K. But why not try orienteering (定向越野赛)? This timed navigational sport requires you to use detailed maps to find orange-and-white flags that are hidden in parks or remote areas. Races involve difficult running routes
Dance
Whether you take a class or practice at home, dancing is a great way to get your body moving. Dancing doesn’t seem like exercise to a lot of people, which is why it’s always a popular choice.
A.Hit the road. |
B.Sign up for a new-to-you event. |
C.Participants have ranged in age from about 10 to over 70. |
D.But staying motivated — especially for the long term — can be a struggle. |
E.The event is timed, so people often jog or power walk from flag to flag. |
F.You can do the same, whether your favored exercise is running, walking or biking. |
G.It’s also something you can do anywhere, to any kind of music, salsa, hip-hop — it all works. |
8 . Exercise is good for us. It reduces the risks of dying from all causes, including cancer and heart disease. But many people who work all week have little time for exercise. So, they might try to do something to increase their heart rates over the weekend—go for a long run, take a bike ride or hike in the mountains. But is it healthy to avoid exercise during the workweek and then try to fit it all in during the weekend?
A new study suggests that, yes, it is healthy. Australian researchers at the University of Sydney did the study. It took place over a nineyear period. During that time, the researchers looked at the selfreported exercise habits and health examinations of more than 63,000 adults in England and Scotland. Then they connected that information to death records.
The researchers found that people who exercised only one or two days a week improved their chances of living longer than people who did not exercise at all. Even those who are fat could extend their lives by exercising a couple of days per week.
Emmanuel Stamatakis is the senior author of the study. He says that he found it very encouraging that even people who exercised as little as one or two times a week appear to lower their risk of early death. In other words, their health improves even if they don’t meet the suggested weekly amount of physical activity. However, to be in the best health, Stamatakis says more exercise is better.
The WHO suggests that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense activity per week. For the best results, the organisation suggests 75 minutes per week of intense physical activity. However, if you are busy with work and family duties, exercise as much as you can.
1. In which part of a website can we find this text?A.Science. | B.News. |
C.Sports. | D.Health. |
A.It was carried out in three places. |
B.It lasted for more than nine years. |
C.It studied both children and adults. |
D.It was led by Emmanuel Stamatakis. |
A.A little exercise is better than none. |
B.We’d better do exercise on weekdays. |
C.Fat people usually live shorter than thin people. |
D.Exercise habits have a big influence on death. |
A.Paying attention to the risk of early death. |
B.Trying to do more exercise if we have time. |
C.Getting at least 150 minutes of activity a week. |
D.Avoiding doing much intense physical activity. |
9 . For people suffering from depression, there’s an all-natural treatment they should use — getting more exercise. It could help fight depression, even if people have a genetic risk, new research shows.
For the study, researchers collected information from nearly 8,000 people and found those with related genes were more likely to have depression over the next two years after examining them. But that was less likely for people who were more active at the study’s start, even if they had a family history of depression. Higher levels of physical activity helped protect even those with the highest genetic risk of depression.
Both high-intensity (高强度) exercise and low-intensity activities were associated with a reduced risk of depression. Adding four hours of exercise a week could lower the risk of a new episode (一段经历) of depression by 17%, according to the study. “Our findings strongly suggest that, when it comes to depression, being physically active has the potential to remove the added risk of future episodes in individuals who are genetically risky,” said lead author Karmel Choi. “On average, about 35 additional minutes of physical activity each day may help people to reduce their risk and protect against future depression episodes.”
Depression is a common mental illness globally, with more than 264 million people affected. “Depression is so ubiquitous, and that underlines the need for effective approaches that can impact as many people as possible,” Choi said. And mental health and primary care providers can use the findings to advise patients that there’s something meaningful they can do to lower their risk of depression.
1. How did the researchers reach their conclusion?A.By analyzing a mass of data. |
B.By conducting genetic research. |
C.By comparing various levels of activity. |
D.By tracking the subjects for many years. |
A.Physical activity betters medical treatment. |
B.Exercise is able to decrease and prevent it. |
C.Different levels of exercise intensity matter the same. |
D.Exercising 35 minutes daily is the most effective treatment. |
A.Harmful. | B.Complex. |
C.Unusual. | D.Common. |
A.To discuss a disease. |
B.To introduce a method. |
C.To analyze a genetic risk. |
D.To explain a phenomenon. |
10 . A new study shows that getting half of American 8-to 11-year-olds into 25 minutes of physical activity three times a week would save $21.9 billion in medical costs over their lifetimes.
The increase from the current 32 percent to 50 percent of kids taking part in exercise, active play, or sports would also result in 340,000 fewer overweight teenagers.
“Physical activity not only makes kids feel better and helps them develop healthy habits, it’s also good for the nation’s bottom line,” says Bruce Y. Lee, executive director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center at Johns Hopkins University. “Our findings show that encouraging exercise and investing in physical activity when kids are young pays big dividends as they grow up.”
The study, published in the journal Health Affairs, suggests an even bigger advantage if every 8 to 11-year-old in the United States exercised 75 minutes over three times in a week. In that case, the researchers estimate (估计), $62.3 billion in medical costs over the course of their lifetimes could be avoided and 1.2 million fewer youths would be overweight. And the money would increase if not just current 8-to-11 year olds, but every future elementary school child joined their game.
Exercise at least 25 minutes a day, three days a week, is a guideline developed for kids by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. An overweight person’s lifetime medical costs average $62,331. For the overweight person, these amounts are great.
“Even a little increase in physical activity could cause billions of dollars in savings,” Lee says. He also says there are other benefits of physical activity that don’t affect weight, such as improving bone density, improving mood, and building muscle.
Lee says “We need to be adding physical education programs and not cutting them. We need to encourage kids to be active, to reduce screen time and get them running around again. It’s important for their physical health and the nation’s financial (经济的) health.”
1. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?A.Getting kids to run would save money. |
B.Physical activity is important for kids. |
C.Physical education programs: adding or cutting? |
D.Overweight person’s lifetime medical costs are increasing. |
A.Pays much money. | B.Pays little money. |
C.Plays an important part. | D.Is a serious question. |
A.The number of American kids from 8 to 11 who take part in physical activity is increasing. |
B.Physical education programs should be cut to encourage the nation’s financial health. |
C.25 minutes of physical activity three times a week may result in fewer overweight teenagers. |
D.Physical activity can only make kids feel better but can’t help them develop healthy habits. |