Two new studies suggest that modern running shoes could increase the risk of injuries to runners. One study involved sixty-eight healthy young women and men who ran at least twenty-four kilometers a week. The runners were observed on a treadmill machine . Sometimes they wore running shoes. Other times they ran barefoot . Researchers from the JKM Technologies company in Virginia, the University of Virginia and the University of Colorado did the study. They found that running shoes create more stress that could damage knees, hips and ankle joints than running barefoot. They observed that the effect was even greater than the effect reported earlier for walking in high heels. The study appeared in the official scientific journal of The American Academy of Physical Medicine. The other study appeared in the journal Nature. It compared runners in the United States and Kenya. The researchers were from Harvard University in Massachusetts, Moi University in Kenya and the University of Glasgow in Scotland. They divided the runners into three groups. One group had always run shoeless. Another group had always run with shoes. And the third group had changed to shoeless running. Runners who wear shoes usually come down heel first. That puts great force on the back of the foot. But the study found that barefoot runners generally land on the front or middle of their foot. That way they ease into their landing and avoid striking their heel. Harvard's Daniel Lieberman led the study. He says the way most running shoes are designed may explain why those who wear them land on their heels. The heel of the shoe is bigger and heavier than other parts of the shoe, so it would seem more likely to come down first. Also, the heel generally has thick material under it to soften landings. But the researchers do not suggest that runners immediately start running barefoot. They say it takes some training. And there can be risks, like running when your feet are too cold to feel if you get injured. The study was partly supported by Vibram,... What can we learn from the passage? A) The way that we run by landing on the front or middle of our foot could avoid damaging our heel. B) We should start running barefoot in no time. C) Running in modern running shoes could cause more serious effects than running in high heels. D) We won't be injured if we run barefoot.
A
There was once a boy who hardly had any toys or money. Nevertheless, he was a very happy little boy. He said that what made him happy was doing things for others, and that doing so gave him a nice feeling inside. However, no one really believed him, they thought he was silly. He spent all day helping others, dispensing charity to the poorest, and looking after abandoned animals. Very seldom did he ever do anything for himself. One day, he met a famous doctor who thought the boy's case was so peculiar that he decided to investigate him. So, with a complex system of cameras and tubes, the doctor managed to record what was happening inside the boy. What he discovered was surprising. Each time the boy did something good, a thousand tiny angels gathered around the boy's heart and started tickling it. That explained the boy's happiness, but the doctor continued studying until he discovered that we all have our own thousand angels inside us. Unfortunately, he found that, as we do so few good things, the angels spend most of their time wandering about, bored. And so it was that the secret to happiness was discovered. Thanks to that little boy we now know exactly what we have to do to feel our hearts being tickled. All of the following words can be used to describe the boy EXCEPT_. A) happy B) poor C) kind D) silly
D
Q: Looking good, feeling good Born to a model mom and a suit maker dad, fashion was actually in my blood. I always had a strong desire to dress in a certain way and to stand out from the crowd. I made my own toys when I was a young child and sewed my first skirt at just 10 years old. A friend's mother took one look at my skirt and told me that I should be a patternmaker. In high school I started making my own clothes, mostly changing other things because I never liked anything how it was when I bought it. During the last two years of school, I worked part-time for a small business that made hand-painted silk clothing and bags. The owner became the teacher who got me into design in the first place. Another useful bit of work experience then came when I worked at a showroom during fashion week and found it very exciting. From there I worked at a top clothing store while I got my business started. For my business I started out with the idea that everything I did would be hand-made and one-of-a-kind, specially made for one individual who hopefully had the same tastes as me. Every morning I jumped out of bed, went to my studio and worked on my projects. This just showed how enthusiastic I felt about my work. And at night I even dreamed of new designs! Fashion design is _ art. What I mean is that it's something close to you and something you can touch and feel, and actually interact with. My advice to any young person who wants to be a fashion designer is to get the basic skills early on, such as sewing and pattern-making. Even if you end up specializing, it's really important to understand all aspects of design in order to make high-quality clothes. Also, if you dream of having your own clothing line, the best thing to do is start wearing your clothes. You have to try and do this because that's the way you're going to develop something that's all yours and unlike anyone else's. I passionately believe that the right clothing can make people feel better and give them more confidence. According to the author, well-designed clothes _ . A) cost people a lot of money B) bring people great success C) provide people with popular taste D) help people feel sure of themselves
A: D
(Question)
Frank is my good friend. We are in the same class. He is fourteen, one year older than me. His parents are both teachers in No 7 Middle School. Frank studies hard. His English and math are very good. He often helps other students with their English and math. Our teachers like him very much. We go to school together by bike in the morning. We have lunch at school. After school in the afternoon, we often play sports. We play soccer and baseball. In the evening, he does his homework at home. Sometimes he watches soccer games on TV. On Sundays, he goes out with his parents in his father's car. They play in the park and do sports there. Sometimes my father takes me there, too. We play sports together. We have a good time. Frank is good at _ . A) math and Chinese B) English and Chinese C) math and English D) music and Chinese
(Answer)
C