1 . People who get a good workout almost daily can add nearly four years to their life spans, according to the first study to quantify the effect of physical activity this way.
The researchers looked at records of more than 5,000 middle-aged and elderly Americans and found that those who had moderate to high levels of activity lived1.3 to 3.7 years longer than those who got little exercise, with men and women benefiting about equally.
“This shows that physical activity really does make a difference — not only for how long you live but for how long you live a healthy life.” said Oscar H. Franco of the Erasmus M.C. University Medical Center in Rotterdam. “Being more physically active can give you more time.”
Previous studies have found that being physically active has a host of health benefits. It reduces the risk of being overweight and of developing many illnesses, improves overall quality of life, and lowers the death rate. But the new study is the first to directly calculate the effect on how long people live.
People who engaged in moderate activity — the equivalent of walking for 30minutes a day for five days a week — lived about 1.3 to 1.5 years longer than those who were less active. Those who took on more intense exercise—the equivalent of running half an hour a day five days every week—extended their lives by about3.5 to 3.7 years, the researchers found.
The findings show that even for people who are already middle-aged, exercising more can add years to their lives, Franco said.
Other experts said the study was consistent with the growing evidence that exercising on a regular basis is one of the most important things people can do for their health.
“At the end of the day, this is more evidence that the sitting lifestyle is the most damaging to health, longevity and chronic disease development,” said James O. Hill of the University of Colorado at Denver.
Hill and others said exercising regularly also enables people to live healthier lives, free from a host of chronic illnesses that can make it hard for people to enjoy their later years.
In addition, recent studies have also found that exercise has payoffs for the mind, too. It has been shown to improve overall well-being and reduce stress and depression.
“The benefits of physical activity extend well beyond the effects on longevity,” said Joann E. Manson of Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
1. What would be the best title for this text?| A．A Daily Workout Add More Years to Life. | B．How A Daily Workout Is Good to Health. |
| C．Men Benefit More from A Daily Workout. | D．Middle-aged People Benefit from Workout. |
| A．It finds that men and women benefited about equally. |
| B．Being physically active has a host of health benefits. |
| C．It’s the first to calculate the effect on how long people live. |
| D．Being more physically active can give you more time to live. |
| A．describing successful cases. | B．presenting findings of research. |
| C．offering professional comments. | D．explaining a certain phenomenon (现象) . |
2 . A Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. While you’re sleeping, your brain is forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information. Although we all know the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, not all of us know the best way of getting it. A sleep expert, Phil Atherton, gave some top tips for getting the most out of the night, which will leave you ready for action in the morning.
According to Phil Atherton, not eating a large meal before bedtime is important for getting a good night’s sleep. The time difference between eating and sleeping should be at least three hours. So you’d better avoid eating any food three hours before bed, as it will lower your blood sugar during sleep and help minimize damage from too much sugar floating around.
It’s also important to find ways to prepare your body for sleep. You can follow a routine like trying not to expose yourself to too much artificial light within 1 hour before bed, as your brain uses light to help set internal “body clock”. Although it might seem unnatural to schedule your sleep, the purpose is to send a signal to your body and mind that it’s time to sleep.
Another way to prepare your body for sleep is to get into a relaxed state by taking a bath or listening to soft music. Both of them will help to take the mind off the daytime pressures.
Having a suitable bed, especially a suitable mattress (床垫), is necessary for a good night’s sleep. Sleep is a personalized activity, and we all adopt different sleeping positions. Finding the mattress that suits you will reduce back pains that can result from a poor sleeping position. The bed should be four to six inches longer than its tallest user, allowing for space to move around.
The recent research is pretty clear that a good night’s sleep is a major component of good health. Since the start of the 21st century, studies have linked a lack of sleep to many diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. Taking action now will lead to long-term benefits for you and those around you.
1. What does the author intend to tell us in the passage?| A．When to start a sound sleep. | B．How to get a good night’s sleep. |
| C．What to do with sleep problems. | D．Why to form a good habit of sleeping. |
| A．Not eating food. | B．Taking a meal. |
| C．Not sleeping well. | D．Having a good sleep. |
| A．record your biological clock. | B．check your blood sugar. |
| C．relieve your pain in the back. | D．free yourself from stress. |
3 . As seasons change, you can do the same with your wellness routine. When winter comes, you can adapt your seasonal healthy habits to suit your surroundings. Whether you live in a cold climate or closer to the warm place, you can use the change in seasons as an opportunity to stay healthy.
Fuel your body with winter vegetables. If you live in a climate with four seasons, only the strong survive when it comes to vegetables. Why not take advantage of the season by eating what grows at this time of year? Vegetables and leafy greens come packed with nutrients.
Focus on mental health. Often, well-being focuses more on the physical side of staying healthy.
Try something new to stay active. Wintertime can mean shorter days and colder temperatures. This can often put staying active on the back burner, especially with unpleasant temperatures outside. Why not take the change in seasons as an opportunity to try something new?
| A．Commit to an act of kindness. |
| B．But mental health is just as important. |
| C．Why don’t you eat enough vegetables? |
| D．Here are some winter wellness routines. |
| E．This can help you keep your wellness in winter. |
| F．Maybe you can enjoy cold outdoor activities, like skiing. |
| G．Look for local winter vegetables native to your area at a local famer’s market. |
4 . In the dead of winter, we don’t typically think about spending time outdoors, but according to many physicians we should. The sun is our greatest source of a vitamin that is essential for good health — vitamin D.
This important nutrient (营养素) strengthens bones and teeth and is linked to the prevention of heart disease, cancer and many other life-threatening diseases.
The recommended daily requirement is 400-600 IU. In summer, people with dark brown eyes and darker skin convert sunlight from just 15 minutes outside without sunscreen into adequate amounts of vitamin D.
Even during winter, just a 10-minute walk midday can keep the body’s vitamin D at healthy levels. During brief winter walks, we receive the greatest benefits when we wear no sunscreen and expose as much skin to the sun as
possible.
Vitamin D can also be obtained from foods. Salmon is one of the best sources of the vitamin. Egg yolks, cheese, mushrooms and beef liver contain smaller quantities of it.
To attract consumers, food companies add vitamin D to some of their milk products. The practice of putting the vitamin into milk began in the 1930s. At that time, many children were suffering from rickets, an illness that is caused by a vitamin D deficiency (不足). It made the children’s bones soft and weak. Adding Vitamin D to milk helped to solve the problem, and it has been available ever since.
For people who still need more vitamin D, there is another option: take vitamin D supplements. These products are widely sold in stores. However, anyone considering taking supplements should consult a physician first.
1. What is the main purpose of this article?| A．To note risks associated with a nutrient. |
| B．To analyze a nutrient’s composition. |
| C．To introduce a valuable nutrient. |
| D．To explain how a nutrient was discovered |
| A．They aren’t able to meet their deadlines. |
| B．They often don’t dress warmly enough. |
| C．They generally tend to remain indoors. |
| D．They leave lots of work for others to do. |
| A．Washing it with harsh cleaners. |
| B．Scratching it to relieve an itch. |
| C．Allowing it to become extremely dry. |
| D．Covering it with protective lotion. |
| A．As a revolutionary drug. | B．As a health problem. |
| C．As an economical treatment. | D．As a mental disorder. |
As we know, sports activity can make people more energetic and
We often hear about the negative aspects of anxiety, but could there be any advantages or benefits that come from living with anxiety? Anxiety is a feeling that is often characterized by intense fear and worry.
Many individuals with anxiety describe it as a feeling of nervousness and fear that can be distracting and all-consuming. It is typically experienced on many levels, affecting one’s emotions and leading to uncomfortable physical sensations, and negative thoughts. However, have you ever considered some of the possible positive effects that may come with having anxiety? Scientists have learned that some degree of stress or anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Good stress, something now referred to as eustress, keeps us motivated and excited about life. It appears that some degree of anxiety may have similar “silver linings”.
Anxiety may be just the warning sign you need to bring awareness to your current situation and make some necessary changes in your life. For example, you may find that you have a friendship that is no longer working, or perhaps your job is causing a great deal of stress. Your anxiety can be difficult to manage, but exploring and coping with your anxiety can be a real opportunity for self-growth.
Anxiety may help you feel more motivated and prepared when faced with challenges. Research has shown that students and athletes who experienced some anxiety actually performed better on tests or in competitive sports. For instance, perhaps your anxiety assists you in putting extra effort into work or personal tasks, making a good impression, or moving towards your goals.
People who have dealt with anxiety may be more sympathetic and understanding to the problems that others face. Having gone through personal struggles yourself, you may be more sensitive, loving, and accepting when friends and family members are dealing with personal challenges.
Even though there can be some potential benefits to experiencing anxiety, it is worthwhile to point that it can also become a real challenge to many aspects of your life. If anxiety is preventing you from living the life you desire, then it may be time to get professional help.
1. What is anxiety according to the passage?2. Why can students with some anxiety perform better on tests?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Since there can be some potential benefits to experiencing anxiety, people should work hard to beat it, whatever anxiety they meet.4. How will you deal with anxiety in your life? (In about 40 words)
7 . 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 non-aerobic exercise-balance training and weight training-three times a week. The second group did high-intensity aerobic (有氧的) 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 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 aging process of the heart. |
| C．The difficulty of keeping fit. | D．The causes of a heart attack. |
| 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. |
Nobody likes to feel anxious. Anxiety is among the most common and criticized of human emotions. It seems, then, that our efforts to contain (克制) anxiety aren’t working.
As a clinical psychologist and neuroscience researcher, I believe that we mental health professionals have made a terrible mistake. Feeling anxious isn’t the problem. The problem is that we don’t understand how to respond constructively to anxiety. That’s why it’s increasingly hard to know how to feel good.
This “bad” feeling isn’t a failure of mental health. It’s a triumph (巨大胜利) of human evolution: the ability to think about the uncertain future and prepare for it. Anxiety turns you into a mental time traveler, drawing your attention to what lies ahead. Will you succeed or fail in that interview for a job you desperately want? Anxiety prompts (推动) your mind and body into action. Your worries force you to prepare thoroughly for the interview, while your heart races and pumps blood to your brain so that you stay sharp and focused, prepared to pursue your goals.
Research has also shown something that many scientists didn’t expect: higher levels of dopamine (多巴胺) when we’re anxious. We have long known that dopamine soars when an experience is pleasurable. The fact that anxiety also boosts dopamine levels points to its role in making positive possibilities into reality.
Many of us feel overwhelmed by lasting anxiety and don’t see any benefit from it. Treating anxiety like a disease prevents us from distinguishing between ordinary anxiety and anxiety disorders. We need to develop a new mindset about this misunderstood emotion. We don’t need to like anxiety-just to use it in the right way.
1. Why is it increasingly hard for us to know how to feel good?2. How does anxiety help one in a job interview?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Research has shown that dopamine soars when an experience is pleasurable, but it is in lower levels when we are anxious.
4. How do you cope with anxiety positively in your daily life?(In about 40 words)
9 . Most people have been taught that losing weight is a matter of simple math. Cut calories — specifically 3,500 calories, and you’ll lose a pound. But as it turns out, experts are learning that this decades-old strategy is actually pretty misguided. “This idea of ‘a calorie in and a calorie out’ when it comes to weight loss is not only outdated, it’s just wrong,” says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity specialist at Harvard Medical School. The truth is that even careful calorie calculations don’t always yield (产生) uniform results.
How your body burns calories depend on a number of factors. Three factors affect how your body processes (加工、消耗) calories.
Your gut microbiome (肠道微生物). Trillions of organisms live in your gut, and the important types may influence how many calories your body absorbs from food. This may occur because some types of organisms are able to break down and use more calories from certain foods than other types of organisms. Researchers have found that people who are naturally thin have different types of organisms living inside them than those who are overweight.
Your metabolism (新陈代谢). Each body has a “set point” that governs weight, says Dr. Stanford. This set point reflects several factors, including your genes, your environment, and your behaviors. A region at the base of your brain stands guard to keep your body weight from dipping below that set point — which is not really a bonus if you’re trying to lose weight.
The type of food you eat. Your food choices may also influence your calorie intake, and not just because of their specific calorie content. One 2019 study published in Cell Metabolism found that eating processed foods seems to spur people to eat more calories compared with eating unprocessed foods.
If counting calories isn’t a dependable way to manage your weight, what can you do to shed extra pounds? Dr. Stanford recommends the following.
●Focus on diet quality. When planning your meals, focus on choosing unprocessed foods, including lean meats, whole grains, and lots of fruits and vegetables in their natural form.
●Exercise regularly. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. Moderate exercise is done at a level where you can talk, but not sing.
●Consult a professional. “A lot of people believe it’s a moral failing if they are unable to lose weight,” says Dr. Stanford. But it’s not. As with other medical conditions, many people will need help from a doctor. Successful weight loss may require more than just diet and exercise. “Only 2% of people who meet the criteria for the use of anti-obesity medications actually get them. This means that 98% of people who could be treated aren’t,” she says, “Don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it.”
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?| A．Calorie calculations always lead to good results. |
| B．Losing weight lies in losing calorie. |
| C．The old theory about losing weight is wrong. |
| D．If you cut 7,000 calories, you will lose 2 pounds. |
| A．focus on the quality of your diet |
| B．choose the types of food you consume |
| C．adjust your brain to the “set point” |
| D．reduce the organisms living in your gut |
| A．weigh | B．produce | C．lose | D．cost |
| A．a healthy lifestyle is key to weight loss |
| B．losing weight can be double-edged |
| C．healthy eating keeps you losing weight |
| D．cutting calories is essential for weight loss |
10 . Has anyone ever told you, “Stand up straight!” or scolded you for sitting lazily at a family dinner? Comments like that might be annoying, but they’re not wrong.
If your posture isn’t good enough, your muscles have to work harder to keep you upright and balanced. Some muscles will become tight and inflexible.
So what does good posture look like? If you’re sitting, your neck should be vertical, not tilted forward. Your shoulders should be relaxed with your arms close to your trunk. Your knees should be at a right angle with your feet flat on the floor. But what if your posture can’t be that great?
It’s also not enough to just have good posture. Keeping your muscles and joints moving is extremely important. In fact, being still for long periods with good posture can be worse than regular movement with bad posture.
| A．Try redesigning your environment. |
| B．You adjust your body unless you feel tired. |
| C．So if you sit a lot, get up and move around on occasion. |
| D．And the big one that we all experience every day is gravity. |
| E．Besides, poor posture leads to extra wear and tear on your joints. |
| F．Posture can even influence your emotional state and your sensitivity to pain. |
| G．Your posture refers to the way you hold your body when you’re sitting or standing. |
