Question

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.

1.The underlined word is best replaced by __.

A. Injure    B. Benefit    C. Push   D. Shape

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.

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.

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.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文提到正确对待练瑜伽会带来的身体上的伤害。做任何运动都会受伤，而练瑜伽带来的伤痛最小。原因有老师的也有学员自己的。但不能就此不练，练习瑜伽是要去享受瑜伽带给紧张忙碌的现代人的那份伤心放松。

1.词义猜测题。根据第二段后面的解释可知：一个长期担任瑜伽教练的人提到，大多数人应该放弃练瑜伽，因为它太可能造成伤害了他本人也是伤痕累累。所以选A。

2.主题归纳题。根据第二段的意思（做任何形式的运动都可能造成伤害。如果你看一下体育运动受伤的比率，你会看到练瑜伽受伤的数量和其他相比显得很苍白。）可知：瑜伽运动造成的伤害比其他小。所以选B。

3.细节理解题。根据第五段的意思可知：重伤的原因有：老师经验不足、学生的身体不足和现代人久坐的生活方式。所以C是最不可能的伤害。

4.推理判断题。根据文章最后一段的意思可知：作者认为练瑜伽是自己的身心。使大多数人不敢去练瑜伽是很可惜的。所以选D（享受瑜伽带来的身心舒畅）。

考点：体育类阅读。