Group exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve physical fitness and sustain a healthy lifestyle.Group exercise is challenging, yet fun and empowering! Of course everyone knows that exercise is good for the body.However, studies have shown that when exercise is performed in groups, it's not only great for improving physical health but for psychological health. It's an opportunity to be social, release endorphins , and improve your strength. Additionally, group exercise creates a community feel and the shared common goal motivates participants to work hard. The instrumental support of taking on a fitness journey with others proves more effective than going to the gym alone.
Another beneficial aspect of group exercise is the informational support participants receive from the instructor.Many people fear the gym because they feel lost and don't want to embarrass themselves. If you feel you can relate, then group training is an even better option for you. It's a great opportunity to learn more about fitness through the clear instruction and supervision of a fitness instructor. If you're tired of wandering around the gym wasting time and becoming bored, !you can attend an upbeat group fitness class that'll keep your workout on track. Don't let
fitness frighten you!
If you're serious about wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, it's extremely important to surround yourself with people who'll provide you with the proper emotional support. I wouldn't scold anyone for deciding to party on weekends and in turn I wouldn't expect anyone to give offence to me for focusing on my health. Surround yourself with people who uplift, encourage and understand you! Make fitness even more fun by trying something new or any group fitness class, with a friend. Plan to go for a jog together. Then try a fun healthy restaurant or fresh juice bar! Fitness can be both fun and social!
Surrounding yourself with people who'll provide you with respect support can be very beneficial while working towards reaching health and fitness goals. First, decide to do it for yourself and work towards staying positive. Then make sure the people you surround yourself with are supportive. Don't let negativity ruin your motivation.The first paragraph focuses on .
| A．the greatest challenge of group exercise |
| B．the most effective way to improve physical fitness |
| C．the contribution of group exercise to psychological health |
| D．the shared common goal in performing exercise in groups |
The underlined word "upbeat" in the second paragraph probably means "
| A．cheerful | B．average | C．serious | D．temporal |
When it comes to emotional support, the author thinks it necessary
| A．to sustain a colorful lifestyle |
| B．to party on weekends with positive people |
| C．to try a fun healthy restaurant regularly |
| D．to surround yourself with supportive people |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Seeking Support | B．Supporting Health |
| C．Improving Your Strength | D．Building Up Fitness |
The relationship between humans and animals has always been complex. Some cultures have developed entire belief systems around favored animals. Even in cultures with less formal belief systems, connections between people and animals still lead to commonly accepted opinions about animals.
These belief systems usually develop around the animals that interact (互动) with humans most frequently. Therefore, it should not be surprising that so many stories surround the most common of animals: rats. Rats live side by side with humans all over the world and regularly interact with people. Human-rat coexistence may be common all around the world, but different cultures respond to that closeness in different ways.
In the United States and Europe, one typical attitude is that the rat is a pest. This could be due to the common belief that rats spread disease. Actually, they don’t, at least not directly, but many people don’t know that. The Pied Piper of Hamlin, a well-known children’s story, is one example of how rats have been described in Western literature: in that story, rats cause such a problem that a town has to hire a piper to call them all away.
In many Latin American countries, the rat is described in a very different way. The story of the tooth fairy (a fairy believed by children to leave money while they sleep in exchange for a tooth that has come out) is common all over the world, but in Latin America, the “fairy” is a rat! Rats do have very strong teeth, which could explain the association. Clearly, this shows another attitude toward rats that is much more positive.
Yet another attitude toward the rat can be seen in the Chinese Zodiac (生肖). The Rat is one of the animals of the Zodiac. Like the other zodiac animals, the Rat is neither entirely good nor entirely bad. It’s described as clever and friendly, but also tricky and not entirely honest. That may be the most accurate description of the rat so far. Whether you like rats or not, it’s hard to deny their reputation for cleverness.
As many people are discovering these days, rats can even make excellent pets, so long as you remember to close the cage carefully!What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．A trend of keeping rats as pets. |
| B．How different cultures look at rats. |
| C．How humans get along with animals. |
| D．Favored animals in different cultures. |
The rats in The Pied Piper of Hamlin appear______.
| A．unpleasant | B．honest | C．smart | D．unusual |
The tooth fairy in Latin America mentioned in Paragraph4 is to show______.
| A．the tooth fairy is lovely |
| B．rats look very frightening |
| C．rats are welcome in Latin American countries |
| D．the story of the tooth fairy is common all over the world |
According to the author, rats______.
| A．don’t spread disease |
| B．should be treated as pests |
| C．are fairly described in the Chinese Zodiac |
| D．are kept as pets by more and more people |
The passage is probably taken from a ______.
| A．travel guide | B．news report | C．nature magazine | D．history textbook |
Imagine someone has crossed the seas joining five continents by swimming. It is a major success for anyone. But it is an even greater success for Philippe Croizon, who has no arms, and no legs! His achievements show that we can all achieve great things—no matter who we are.
Philippe Croizon was 26 years old when he had an accident. The doctors had to remove both of his arms and legs. “When they cut off my last leg I wanted to die. I suffered great depression and my spirit was as low as you can get. But you have to choose—and I chose to live!” said Croizon.
While he was recovering in hospital, Croizon saw a television programme about a woman who had been swimming across the English Channel. After watching the programme Croizon decided to do it. He began to exercise every day to make him strong and it took him two years to prepare.
Finally in 2010, Croizon was ready. He entered the cold, grey sea of the English Channel. He was now 42 years old. It took him from early morning until night to swim the distance. He felt a lot of pain. But he had become the first person without arms and legs to swim between France and England. Croizon had achieved his dream, but he did not stop there. He looked for a new goal.
Early in 2012 he planned to swim across the seas that join five major continents. During the next few months he swam between the four continents of Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe and finally in the cold waters of the Bering Strait between the continents of Asia and the Americas.
“We want to show people something. If disabled people have courage and a lot of training they can do the same things as those who are not disabled,” said Croizon.According to the passage, Philippe Croizon _____.
| A．was born with disability |
| B．suffered a lot from the accident |
| C．chose to live because of a TV programme |
| D．was fond of swimming since he was young |
What do we know about Philippe Croizon’s swimming across the English Channel?
| A．It took him two years to finish it. |
| B．He was the first person to achieve it. |
| C．It was easy for him to finish the swim. |
| D．He spent a lot of time preparing for it. |
Philippe Croizon’s crossing the seas joining five continents______.
| A．lasted a month |
| B．ended in the Bering Strait |
| C．happened when he was 42 years old |
| D．was inspired by a television programme |
Which of the following can best describe Philippe Croizon’s story?
| A．Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. |
| B．Where there’s a will, there’s a way. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. |
| D．The finest diamond must be cut. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Hope in the corner |
| B．A disabled man’s dream |
| C．Challenges to Philippe Croizon |
| D．Philippe Croizon’s amazing swim |
IF you lived by the sea, you’d know that typhoons are frequent（频繁的）visitors during summer .They bring Strong winds, heavy rain and flooding（洪水）But most of the time, when people stay indoors, they’re just all right.
This is what the people in the Philippines used to believe – until they met the “super typhoon”, Haiyan.
The typhoon hit the country on Nov 8, at around 5 am, when most people were still asleep. But being at home didn’t keep them safe, since few buildings remained standing once they were hit by wind as violent as 376 kilometers per hour, according to NBC News.
“This is at the top end of any tropical system that we’ve seen on our planet,” said Bryan Norcross, a weather scientist working for NBC. And so far, Haiyan has caused more than 3,600 deaths and left millions of people homeless.
.But where did Haiyan get its destructive power?
According to Brian McNoldy, a tropical weather expert at the University of Miami, US, Haiyan was so strong because “it had everything working for it”
“All typhoons feed off the warm ocean waters,” Colin Price, a weather researcher at Tel Aviv University in Israel, told National Geographic. Tropical storms are like giant engines（发动机），powered by the heat transferred（传导）from the ocean waters to the air above. However, because of climate change, the oceans have been warming up in recent decades. “Warmer oceans will result in more intense（强烈的）storms，” Price said.
Also, Haiyan started near the equator（赤道），where it was able to pick up more heat before heading to the Philippines. Moreover, the route（路线）it traveled was mostly along open ocean, which means no land prevented it from gathering steam（水蒸气）．
In addition, there happened to be very little “wind shear（风切变）in the area this time. Wind shear is a sudden change in wind speed or direction, which can tear apart developing storms. This is like when you stir（搅动） a glass of water with a chopstick: a swirl（漩涡）will form, ‘but if you move the chopstick in the opposite direction, the swirl will quickly disappear.”
“When all those things align in a certain way, you’re going to get something like‘Haiyan’.”Jim Kossin, a scientist with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told National Geographic.Which of the following is TRUE about typhoons according to the article?
| A．They mostly happen early in the morning. |
| B．They mostly do damage during winter. |
| C．During most typhoons people can keep safe just by staying at home. |
| D．This year, more intense storms have happened in the world, |
Which of the following made Haiyan so powerful?
a, lts starting point was the equator
b, The frequency of other intense storms
c. More heat was transferred from the ocean waters to the air above,
d. There was a strong wind shear in the area
e. There was no land in its way
| A．abc | B．acd | C．ace | D． ade |
The underlined word “alignin” the last paragraph is closest in meaning to_____
| A．disappear | B．affect each other |
| C．Arrive at the top | D．Happen at the same time |
The article mainly talks about
| A．how destructive Haiyan was |
| B．Why Haiyan was so destructive |
| C．how typhoons like Haiyan form（形成） |
| D．ways to protect yourself when typhoons hit |
One of China’s most popular folk arts is paper cutting（剪纸）. Archaeological(考古学的) finds trace the tradition back to the 6th century; it is supposed that the beginnings of paper cutting were even a few centuries earlier. Paper cuttings are used for religious(宗教的) purposes, for decoration (装饰)and as patterns(图案).
Today, paper cuttings are mainly used as decoration. They ornament walls, windows, doors, columns mirrors, lamps and lanterns in homes. They are also used for decoration on presents, and are given as presents themselves. They are of special importance at festivals. At the Spring Festival for example, entrances are decorated with paper cuttings which are supposed to bring good luck.
Paper cuttings are not produced by machine, but by hand. There are two kinds of paper cuttings; scissor (剪刀) cuttings and knife cuttings. Scissor cuttings are fashioned with scissors. Several pieces of paper--- up to eight pieces---are fastened together. The motif(图形) is then cut with sharp, pointed scissors.
Knife cuttings are fashioned by putting several layers (层) of paper on a relatively soft foundation consisting of a mixture of tallow (动物脂) and ashes. Following a pattern, the artist cuts the motif into the paper with a sharp knife which he usually holds vertically(垂直地). The advantage of knife cuttings is that considerably more paper cuttings can be made in one operation than scissor cuttings.
In the countryside, paper cuttings are usually made only by women and girls. This used to be one of the skills that every girl was to master and that were often used to judge brides(新娘). Professional paper cutting artists are, on the other hand, almost always men who have guaranteed (保证) incomes and work together in workshops.Paper cuttings can be used for ______________.
| A．decoration | B．decoration on presents | C． presents | D．all of the above |
The underlined word ornament means ______________.
| A．to be added to and make something beautiful | B．to be used as |
| C．to be cut in | D．to be made on |
Which is the best title of this passage?
| A．The ways of paper cutting | B．The reasons for paper cutting |
| C．The purposes of paper cutting | D．Paper cutting |
COME TO NEWYORK AND SEE THE WORLD
If you’re looking for the place that has everything, there’s only one place to visit, and that is New York. It’s a whole world in a city.
The World of Theatre: All of New York is a stage. And it begins with Broadway. Where else can you find so many hit shows in one place? Only in New York.
The World of Music: Spend an evening with Beethoven at Lincoln Centre. Swing to the great jazz of Greenwich Village. Or rock yourself silly at the hottest dance spots found anywhere.
The World of Art: From Rembrandt to Picasso. From Egyptian tombs to Indian teepees. Whatever kind of art you like, you will find it in New York.
The World of Fine Dining: Whether it’s roast Beijing duck in Chinatown, lasagna in Little Italy, or the finest French coq au vin found anywhere, there is a world of great taste waiting for you in New York.
The World of Sights: What other city has a Statue of Liberty? A Rockefeller Centre? Or a Bronx Zoo?Which of the following program can a visitor have only in New York?
| A．To enjoy roast Beijing duck. | B．To taste the finest French coq au vin. |
| C．To spend an evening with Beethoven. | D．To see the Statue of Liberty. |
From the text we know that “Rembrandt” is most likely the name of a famous ____.
| A．singer | B．painting | C．play | D．painter |
What the writer really wanted to do is to _____.
| A．try to persuade reader to pay a visit to New York |
| B．give reader some information about New York |
| C．supply readers with some wonderful program in New York |
| D．help readers to get a better understanding of New York. |
The passage above may be taken from ______.
| A．a guidebook for foreigners | B．a handbook for English learners |
| C．a pocketbook for visiting businessmen | D．a storybook for native readers. |