You may have heard about the many benefits of yoga, but a recent New York Times story, has stirred up more than a little controversy in the yoga community.
"How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body," by science writer William J. Broad, quotes a long-time yoga teacher who "...has come to believe that 'the vast majority of people' should give up yoga altogether. It's simply too likely to cause harm." He goes on to describe a number of cases where people have been injured doing yoga, including himself.
The research in the article isn't groundbreaking: doing any form of exercise you could potentially hurt yourself. If you look at the injury rates of other physical activities, the number of injuries sustained from yoga would pale in comparison.
Practicing yoga is just like anything in life: You have to push yourself in order to grow. But you also have to know your limits and when you're breaking them. If you stick to your comfort zone, you'll never be able to increase your flexibility. If you push to the point where you're not only uncomfortable, but in real pain, you'll likely injure yourself.
The reasons that yoga causes "serious injury”, according to the Times story, range from students' physical weaknesses to inexperienced teachers pushing too hard to the growing number of inflexible "urbanites who sit in chairs all day" trying hard to twist themselves into difficult postures.
Yoga is called a "practice" for a reason. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to tackle every pose. It doesn't matter if you can touch the floor with your palms during your first forward bend or your thousandth, or if you never get there.
We go to the mat to learn to better listen to what our bodies are telling us, and to better hear that quiet inner voice drowned out by the noise of our busy lives. It's a shame to discourage the majority of people from practicing yoga and missing out on all of the mind-body benefits that going to the mat has to offer.
【小題1】The underlined word is best replaced by __.

A．Injure

B．Benefit

C．Push

D．Shape

【小題2】What does author mainly want to tell us in the 3rd paragraph?

A．All physical activities are equally harmful.

B．Yoga causes much less injuries than other physical activities.

C．Similar researches have been done before.

D．Yoga, like any other form of exercise, can hurt people.

【小題3】Which is not mentioned among the reasons for yoga being likely to cause injury?

A．Teachers lack the knowledge of students’ limits.

B．Modern lifestyle decreases our flexibility.

C．The body doesn’t tell when you are in real pain.

D．Students themselves might not be in good physical condition.

【小題4】What is the author’s attitude towards practicing yoga?

A．It’s a shame not to practice yoga.

B．One should push the limits in order to be perfect.

C．The majority should give up yoga for it may cause harm.

D．One should enjoy the physical and mental benefit that yoga brings.

According to the survey conducted by some scientists, it is common to have difficulty sleeping during the day. Humans are naturally wired to sleep best at night and be awake during the day. However, modern work schedules require some people to try to accommodate the unnatural schedule of shift（輪班）work — being awake at night and sleeping during the day.
In order to make this adjustment, you need to pay special attention to your sleep environment and your preparation for sleep. If shift work is a necessary part of your work life, here are some suggestions that may help.
Arrange to sleep uninterrupted in a quiet, dark room. This means you may have to turn off or unplug your phone, hang darkening curtains on the windows or wear a sleep eye mask, and train your family and friends to leave you alone while you sleep.
Fit in a nap (小睡). When your daytime sleep period is too short, taking a short nap of less than 30 minutes just before work or on a break has been shown to improve alertness and enhance performance.
Develop and follow a sleep routine. It's best if you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Try not to vary this too much on weekends. Your body likes routine.
Take extra care to make healthy choices. You may be tempted to reach for unhealthy foods or nicotine to stay awake or alcohol to try to sleep. But ultimately these choices are more harmful than helpful.
If you have tried all these things and are still having problems getting enough quality sleep during the day, talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist. Sometimes medications (藥物治療) may be helpful and safe. In other cases, there may be an underlying sleep disorder that needs to be addressed.
【小題1】The purpose of the text is to_____ .

A．persuade workers to have a good sleep

B．a(chǎn)dvise night workers to keep healthy

C．encourage workers to do day work

D．help night workers to sleep well

【小題2】What does the author recommend?

A．A suitable amount of alcohol to help sleep.

B．A regular life on weekday’s and weekends.

C．A bright room without phones to sleep in.

D．A break for sleeping anytime during the day.

【小題3】On which condition should a person turn to a sleep specialist for help?

A．If he suffers from a sleep disorder for the first time.

B．If a good sleep environment is greatly needed for him.

C．If he fails to get quality sleep through his own efforts.

D．If he has the problem of falling asleep in the daytime.

【小題4】We can learn from the text that_____________.

A．night workers need a long time to fall asleep

B．constant breaks at work help to improve performance

C．it is difficult to create a good sleep environment

D．night work requires people to adjust their body clocks

UGG boots have been a winter-weather fashion for several years now, combining function, comfort, warmth and even some style. What many UGG enthusiasts don’t know is that their boots are a breeding ground for bacteria and causes foot problems.
Doctors believe the boots, which are particularly popular among young teenage girls, are leading to a rise in the number of people suffering pains in their feet and knees.
Dr. Ian Drysdale, head of the British College of Osteopathic Medicine, believes because the foot does not get the proper support on the inside, it will lead to more ankle, knee, hip and back problems. “ These boots are not designed for outside wear. Just because something becomes a trend or fashionable doesn’t mean it’s good or right,” he said. “ The particular problem with this type of footwear is that it is unsupported. It is a slipper. You wouldn’t normally expect to be doing outdoor activities from something that’s indoor. If you decide to wear your pajamas outside all the time, someone will come up and say it’s not a good idea.” Dr. Drysdale explained that the feet issues become a particular problem among young teenage girls, whose bones are “plastic” and developing when they are growing. “ If that structure is developing in an inappropriate way,” he said, “then the ultimate structure will be deformed.”
UGG Australia, who makes the designer version of the boots, told The Daily Mirror that their boots are “comfort” rather than “performance” footwear and consumers should be aware of “knockoffs(仿制品)” which lack reinforce heels in their boots.
【小題1】 Teenage girls prefer to wear UGG boots because of the following except__________.

A．design

B．comfort

C．quality

D．warmth

【小題2】According to Dr.Ian Drysdale,____________.

A．there is a possibility that bacteria will multiply in UGG boots

B．wearing UGG boots will lead to more ankle and toe problems

C．it’s not a good idea to wear boots like UGG outside all the time.

D．teenage girls’ bones are plastic enough to wear UGG boots

【小題3】 The underline word “deformed” is closest in meaning to_______.

A．shaped

B．strengthened

C．reformed

D．damaged

【小題4】Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Potential Harm of UGG Boots	B．The Popularity of UGG Boots
C．The Unique Design of UGG Boots	D．Benefits of UGG Boots

When I was small and my grandmother died, I couldn’t understand why I had no tears. But that night when my dad tried to cheer (使…快活) me up, my laugh turned into crying.
So it came as no surprise to learn that researchers believe crying and laughing come from the same part of the brain. Just as laughing has many health advantages, scientists are discovering that so does crying.
Whatever it takes for us to reduce pressure is important to our emotional (情感的) health, and crying seems to work well. One study found that 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men report feeling better after crying.
Besides, tears attract help from other people. Researchers agree that when we cry, people around us become kinder and more friendly and they are more ready to offer support and comfort. Tears also enable us to understand our emotions better; sometimes we don't even know we're very sad until we cry. We learn about our emotions through crying, and then we can deal with them.
Just as crying can be healthy, not crying — holding back tears of anger, pain or suffering — can be bad for physical health. Studies have shown that too much control of emotions can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems and some other illnesses. If you have a health problem, doctors will certainly not ask you to cry. But when you feel like crying, don't fight it. It's a natural — and healthy — emotional response.
【小題1】Why didn't the author cry when her grandmother died?

A．Because her father did not want her to feel too sad.

B．Because she did not love her grandmother.

C．Because she was too shy to cry at that time.

D．The author doesn’t give the explanation.

【小題2】 It can be inferred (推斷) from the text that ______.

A．there are two ways to keep healthy

B．laughing does more good to health than crying

C．crying and laughing play the same roles

D．emotional health has a close relationship to physical health

【小題3】 According to the author, which of the following statements is true?

A．Crying is the best way to get help from others.

B．Holding back tears may cause some health problems.

C．We will know our deep feelings if we cry.

D．We must cry if we want to reduce pressure.

【小題4】What might be the best title for the text?

A．Power of Tears	B．How to Keep Healthy
C．Why We Cry	D．A New Scientific Discovery

【小題5】 What might the underlined word “fight” in the last paragraph mean?

A．come back

B．pay back

C．hold back

D．give back

Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict how just three grams less a day would affect heart disease in the United States.
The result: 10% fewer heart attacks, 8% fewer strokes, 4% fewer deaths, 11% fewer new cases of heart disease, and 240 billion dollars in health care savings.
Researchers found it could prevent 100,000 heart attacks and 92,000 deaths every year.
The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo at the University of California, San Francisco was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams, or one half teaspoon, less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia University.
Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodium（鈉）, which is how foods may list their salt content.
The government says the average American man ears ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies, while blood pressures have also rise. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative. The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants. Critics call it government interference.
Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas, like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute show that the calorie information on the menu can influence what parents order for their children.
【小題1】According to the passage, what disease is not related to salt in diet?

A．Cancer.

B．Stroke.

C．Blood pressure.

D．Heart attack.

【小題2】It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．a(chǎn)ll the heart diseases result from eating too much salt

B．the American Heart association suggest less than 3 grams of salt a day for everyone

C．how much salt is contained in certain food is measured by the amount of sodium

D．the less salt one eats, the healthier he will be

【小題3】The National Salt Reduction Initiative aims to________.

A．a(chǎn)ttract the public attention to the problem

B．require fast food places to list salt information

C．inform people of the harm that salt does to health

D．put pressure on food companies and restaurants

【小題4】The last paragraph mainly tells us________.

A．Bloomberg has made some other efforts to improve people’s health

B．Bloomberg is very successful in his career

C．parents must pay great attention to calorie information

D．a(chǎn) new study is being done about calorie information

Are you having too much salt? You might not think so, but people in China eat on average (平均) about 12 grams of salt each day, that is much higher than the 6 grams suggested by the World Health Organization. You could be eating too much without realizing it, because about 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as bread, sauces, soups and sausages.
What problems can eating too much salt cause? To answer that question, first let’s take a look at what salt is.
Salt is a chemical compound. It is made of sodium (鈉) and chloride (氯化物). Salt is used to keep and flavor foods. A small amount of salt is important for good health because our bodies need sodium and chloride to work.
But past studies have found that people who eat more salt than they need tend to have high blood pressure. Eating too much salt has also been connected with other conditions, such as heart and kidney (腎) problems.
If you want to cut down on salt, the good news is, there are plenty of simple things to do. Here are some tips:
*Cut back on high salt foods.
Most foods contain some salt. But some foods such as cheese, bacon, pickles (泡菜), smoked fish and chips are almost always high in salt because of the way they are made. You can still enjoy them, but try to have these in smaller amounts, or eat them less often.
*Choose reduced salt bread and breakfast cereals.
Bread and breakfast cereals (谷物) are major source of salt in the diet, not that they’re necessarily high in salt but because we eat a lot of them. For these foods, there can be a really big difference between different types and brands. So next time you’re shopping, take the time to compare the salt levels on a few similar products. And always try to choose the ones lower in salt.
*Avoid adding salt to cooking and at table. Instead, you could use herbs and spices (香料) such as garlic (大蒜) and lemon juice to add flavor to meals.
【小題1】Many people in China don’t realize they are eating too much salt because ______.

A．salty food tasted better than reduced salt food

B．they do not calculate the amount of salt they eat

C．a(chǎn)bout 3/4 of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy

D．few people experience problems from eating too much salt

【小題2】 For a healthier life, the author’s suggestion is to ________.

A．cut back on food with less salt

B．eat less heavily salted food

C．eat as much reduced salt bread as is wanted

D．stop eating bread and breakfast cereals

【小題3】What is the purpose of the article?

A．To warn people of food containing too much salt.

B．To inform people of the right amount of salt taken each day.

C．To advise people to be careful about the amount of salt they eat.

D．To promote (促進) the right way to make reduced salt food.

The World Health Organization (WHO) planned to study the relationship between the eating habits of the people and the disease. Two doctors were chosen to make the study. They flew to Africa south of the Sahara and during the next two months visited ten countries. They found that serious diseases of poor eating, often mistaken for other diseases, existed in all parts of Africa. The diseases were similar and could therefore all be named kwashiorkor. The diseased children are usually from one to four years old. As the illness progresses, the child’s stomach becomes swollen by liquid collecting in the body. The skin changes color and may break out in open sores（疼痛）. The hair changes color and starts to fall out. The patient loses all interest in his surroundings and even in food, and becomes so weak that he wants to lie down all the time. Stomach liquids are no longer produced.
The doctors reasoned that kwashiorkor was found in the young children of this age in many parts of Africa because of lack of milk or meat. Their mothers, after stopping their breastfeeding, gave them foods full of starches（淀粉）instead of greatly needed proteins. They found that the addition of milk to the food of the children suffering from kwashiorkor saved many lives.
The unbelievable thing about kwashiorkor is that the very existence of the disease—which has been killing thousands of children for centuries—was not even recognized in Latin America as recently as ten years ago. The deaths of those children were mistakenly listed as due to other diseases. It was the WHO’s work in Africa that led to the discovery of the problem in Central America.
【小題1】From the passage we learn that kwashiorkor is a disease caused by __________ .

A．poor living conditions	B．lack of proteins in food
C．breastfeeding	D．lack of food

【小題2】 It is difficult to discover kwashiorkor because ____________________ .

A．it has no symptoms at all

B．it is hard to identify signs of it

C．it doesn’t last long enough for careful observation

D．it is hardly different from other diseases

【小題3】What is mentioned as a simple but reasonable way of curing this disease?

A．Taking a special medicine.

B．Avoiding any food containing starch.

C．Having more meat or milk.

D．Taking medicine full of proteins.

【小題4】What’s the best title for the article?

A．Milk and Meat Are Daily Necessities

B．Kwashiorkor and Improper Eating Habits

C．A New Form of Illness in Africa and Latin America

D．A Case of Eating Habits

Feel tired lately? Has a doctor said he can’t find anything wrong with you? Perhaps he sent you to a hospital, but all the advanced equipment there shows that there is nothing wrong with you.
　　Then , consider this: you might be in a state of sub - health （亞健康）.
　　Sub - health, also called the third state or gray state, is explained as a borderline state between health and disease.
　　According to the survey by the National Health Organization, Over 45 percent of sub - healthy people are middle-aged or elderly. The percentage is even higher among people who work in management positions as well as students around exam week.
　　Symptoms （征兆）include a shortage of energy, depression, slow reactions, insomnia （失眠）and poor memory , Other symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating and aching in the waist and legs.
　　The key to preventing and recovering from sub - health, according to some medical experts, is to form good living habits, ale mate work and rest, exercise regularly, and take part in open air activities.
　　As for meals, people are advised to eat less salt and sugar . They should also eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, fish because they are rich in nutritional elements - vitamins and trace elements - that are important to the body.
　　Nutrition experts point out that it is not good to eat too much at one meal because it may cause unhealthy changes in the digestive tract （消化道）. They also say that a balanced diet is very helpful in avoiding sub - health.
【小題1】When you are in a state of sub - health, you should________.

A．stay home and keep silent

B．go to a doctor and buy some medicine

C．not consider it very serious

D．find out the reasons and relax yourself

【小題2】Middle - aged people may be easy to get sub - healthy because________.

A．they have used up their energy

B．they have lost their living hopes

C．they have more pressure in life and work.

D．they have changed their way of life

【小題3】The key to preventing you from falling into a state of sub health is to________.

A．keep on working regularly	B．go to sleep a bit earlier
C．form good living habits	D．take medicine if necessary

【小題4】As for food, experts suggested that________.

A．we should never eat meat

B．we should have variety of food

C．we should eat less than usual

D．we should have meals without sugar

【小題5】The underlined word “alternate” in this passage is closest in meaning to________

A．a(chǎn)rrange by turns	B．cause to take place
C．make up for	D．keep away from

Why are people interested in eating raw foods or whole foods? One reason is that eating these types of food reduces the risk of acid accumulation in your body.
Raw and whole foods are usually digested more efficiently than cooked and refined foods. When we cook foods, we destroy the natural enzymes (酶) that are part of the food in its raw form. These enzymes were intended by nature to help us digest the food. When we consume food without these natural enzymes, our bodies either digest the food improperly or allow too many nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In both instances, the result is obesity. When too many nutrients are absorbed at once, the body grows fat. Improperly digested food moves slowly through the digestive tract, where it becomes increasingly acidic. To protect its vital organs from this acidic waste, the body changes the acid into fat and stores it safely away from the organs.
Processed foods contain chemical elements, which might confuse the appetite mechanism that tells us when we’ve had enough to eat; as a result, people often overeat. Processed foods also upset the digestive cycle. The body will either identify these foods as allergens and then store them safely away from the organs as fat, or the remains of undigested food will become acidic and enter the bloodstream as acid waste, which will stick to the blood vessel walls and block the passage of vital oxygen and nutrients heading for the body’s cells. The body’s metabolism (新陳代謝)becomes inactive, and the result is weight gain and obesity.
The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract makes digestion increasingly inefficient. When that happens, even healthy foods can become acidic and the food allergies will become more common.
To stop this vicious(惡性的)circle in its tracks, people need to consume food and supplements that will neutralize (使…中和) the acid already accumulated in body. Eating the right types of raw and whole foods can help. It’s also important to restore your enzyme balance. You need to identify and avoid the foods that cause acid accumulation and consume the foods that increase enzyme production. If you truly want to change and help your body heal itself, you need to take an active approach.
【小題1】What is the main purpose of this passage?

A．To advocate eating more raw and whole foods.

B．To tell the differences between raw and processed foods.

C．To inform people of the harm of processed foods.

D．To warn people of the problem of obesity.

【小題2】It can be inferred from Para. 2 that ________.

A．it is essential for people to protect their vital organs

B．foods with natural enzymes help people keep fit

C．we’d better be cautious about raw and whole foods

D．giving up cooked and refined foods is a new lifestyle

【小題3】Processed foods are unhealthy because they __________.

A．destroy body’s cells	B．a(chǎn)re difficult to digest
C．may lead to obesity	D．stop body’s metabolism

【小題4】What is likely to be talked about following the last paragraph?

A．Active approaches to avoid acid.

B．Different causes of acid accumulation.

C．Correct ways to cook raw foods.

D．Suitable types of raw and whole foods.

【小題5】What can we learn from the text?

A．Processed foods are good for our appetite mechanism.

B．Eating the right types of raw and whole foods does good to our body.

C．The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract makes digestion more effective.

D．Processed foods also comfort the digestive tract.

Researchers in London and Bristol have found that men are particularly likely to yield to depression if their partners are also depressed.
The finding highlights the importance of paying attention to the partners of depressed mothers, as young children themselves are vulnerable (容易受傷的) to social problems if both parents are depressed.
Researchers in London and at the University of Bristol launched their study to investigate whether family structure affects the likelihood of depression in men around the time their child is born. They looked at men from traditional families, men with children from a previous relationship, men whose partners had children by a former partner, and men who were not living with their partners.
All 7,108 participants filled out a questionnaire on depression, and answered questions about their age, education level and employment status. Details about the quality of their relationships with their partners, networks of friends and previous life events were also recorded.
About 3.5 percent of the men and 13 percent of their partners suffered depression around the time their child was born. While men in stepfamilies or who were not living with their partners were twice as likely to get depressed as those in traditional families, this could be explained by other factors that are more common in nontraditional families, such as poor education and relationship conflicts.
Even allowing for all these factors, however, the partners of women who were suffering from prenatal (圍產(chǎn)期的) depression were significantly more likely to become depressed themselves, the researchers report in an American journal. Ten percent of women who were depressed had depressed partners. For the healthy women, the figure was only 2.6 percent.
Previous research suggests that families with two depressed parents may need special attention. A researcher in Atlanta has found that primary school children with two troubled parents have difficulty relating to their peers. “It’s extremely important to look at the whole family.” she says.
【小題1】What can we conclude from the first two paragraphs of this passage?

A．Men often beat their children.

B．Depressed women often have depressed partners.

C．All young children are vulnerable to social problems.

D．Women with children often have depressed partners.

【小題2】Why did researchers in London and Bristol carry out such an investigation?

A．To see what kind of family environment is ideal for children to grow up in.

B．To study whether family structure affects depression in men when their child is born.

C．To investigate why so many men get depressed when a child is born.

D．To see whether it is true that behind every depressed man there is a depressed woman.

【小題3】What kind of men is least likely to get depressed when their child was born?

A．Men in stepfamilies.

B．Men who were not living with their partners.

C．Men in traditional families.

D．Men in nontraditional families.

【小題4】According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．Ten percent of women who were depressed had depressed partners.

B．2.6 percent of healthy women were depressed.

C．Special attention should be paid to families in which both the father and the mother were depressed.

D．Primary school children whose parents were both depressed couldn’t get along well withtheir peers.