|
The fitness movement that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s centered around aerobic exercise (有氧操). Millions of individuals became engaged in a variety of aerobic activities, and literally thousands of health spas developed around the country to capitalize (获利) on this emerging interest in fitness, particularly aerobic dancing for females. A number of fitness spas existed prior to this aerobic fitness movement, even a national chain with spas in most major cities. However, their focus was not on aerobics, but rather on weight-training programs designed to develop muscular mass, strength, and endurance in their primarily male enthusiasts. These fitness spas did not seem to benefit financially form the aerobic fitness movement to better health, since medical opinion suggested that weight-training programs offered few, if any, health benefits. In recent years, however, weight training has again become increasingly popular for males and for females. Many current programs focus not only on developing muscular strength and endurance but on aerobic fitness as well.
Historically, most physical-fitness tests have usually included measures of muscular strength and endurance, not for health-related reasons, but primarily because such fitness components have been related to performance in athletics. However, in recent years, evidence has shown that training programs designed primarily to improve muscular strength and endurance might also offer some health benefits as well. The American College of Sports Medicine now recommends that weight training be part of a total fitness program for healthy Americans. Increased participation in such training is one of the specific physical activity and fitness objectives of Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives.
36. The word “spas” (Line 3, Para. 1) most probably refers to ________.
A) sports activities
B) places for physical exercise
C) recreation centers
D) athletic training programs
37. Early fitness spas were intended mainly for ________.
A) the promotion of aerobic exercise
B) endurance and muscular development
C) the improvement of women’s figures
D) better performance in aerobic dancing
38. What was the attitude of doctors towards weight training in health improvement?
A) Positive.
B) Indifferent.
C) Negative.
D) Cautious.
39. People were given physical fitness tests in order to find out ________.
A) how ell they could do in athletics
B) what their health condition was like
C) what kind of fitness center was suitable for them
D) whether they were fit for aerobic exercise
40. Recent studies have suggested that weight training ________.
A) has become an essential part of people’s life
B) may well affect the health of the trainees
C) will attract more people in the days to come
D) contributes to health improvement as well
这两段材料主要讲的是weight training对健康是否有益，从文中来看，这个词组是指增长肌肉、力量和耐力的训练，可以译作健身锻炼。
第一段讲的是历史上对健身锻炼的认识：对健康益处甚微。这一段首先从六七十年代的有氧操讲起，称健身运动的潮流始于六七十年代，而当时的运动是以有氧操为核心的（centered around aerobic exercise）。这一潮流的兴起也使很多健康俱乐部收益颇丰。而后，作者开始介绍健身锻炼，称在有氧操潮流兴起前就已经存在一定数量的健身俱乐部了，不过这些俱乐部提供的主要服务是健身锻炼，用来发展人的力量和耐力，主要吸引男性健身者（designed to develop muscular mass, strength, and endurance in their primarily male enthusiasts）。这些俱乐部在健身潮流中并没有获得很好的经济收益，原因就是医学观点认为，这种身体锻炼不会给健康带来多少益处(weight-training programs offered few, if any, health benefits)。以上就是历史上对健身锻炼的认识。段末，作者提到了如今在健身锻炼俱乐部的经营项目上发生的变化：健身锻炼重新流行起来，不仅吸引男性，也开始吸引女性；不仅有力量和耐力训练，还增加了有氧操项目。下文开始解释这种变化的原因。
作者还是从过去讲起，称以前的身体健康测试通常都要包括肌肉力量和耐力项目，原因是这些因素与体育竞技成绩相关，而并没有把它们和健康联系起来（not for health-related reasons, but primarily because such fitness components have been related to performance in athletics）。这句话的意思实际上是说那时的人们认为肌肉力量、耐力锻炼与健康并无太大联系。如今有证据表明，这些力量和耐力训练同样能够给健康带来益处（training programs designed primarily to improve muscular strength and endurance might also offer some health benefits）。这一观点就是上文所述变化的原因。
答案：BBCAD
相关资料
| 
