WE-练习 | VOA慢速：冬季户外锻炼利弊-听力资源

练习 | VOA慢速：冬季户外锻炼利弊

7.9分钟 4047 135wpm

新闻健康带练习新闻听力 VOA Standard 2018

冬季户外锻炼利弊。

Loading the player...

VOA慢速英语：Good, Bad of Cold-weather Workouts
冬季户外锻炼利弊

燕山大学刘立军宋葳编写

◆TRANSCRIPT

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

In winter, people might lessen their outdoor exercise. The days get dark earlier, and it can be very cold! These conditions can make it harder for some of us to get outdoors for exercise. However, cold days can be perfect for outdoor workouts!

There are at least three important health benefits to cold-weather workouts.

1. The body works harder in cold weather.

Health experts at the Medical University of South Carolina say the body must make extra energy to keep warm in low temperatures. This means the body is burning more calories and fat.

Your lungs may also work better in cold weather. Researchers at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff found some interesting results in a study of goats. Yes, I said "goats." But still, their results were pretty interesting. The scientists looked at how cold-weather activity affected goats. They found that "during the three coldest months, the sedentary but cold-exposed goats experienced a 34% increase in maximal oxygen uptake and a 29% increase in running speed." When temperatures increased in the spring, both oxygen uptake and running speed of the goats decreased.

2. Regular cold-weather exercising may help the immune system.

The winter season is also cold and flu season. Making outdoor exercise a usual part of your workout may help you avoid both colds and the flu. It may strengthen your body's defense system. The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research found that winter workouts can cut your risk of getting the flu by 20 to 30 percent.

3. Exercising outdoors in cold weather may help your mental health.

Some people who suffer from "winter blues" or Seasonal Affective Disorder, may benefit from going outside to exercise in the fresh air and sunshine. An outdoor workout increases exposure to sunlight. Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D. And vitamin D produces hormones that brighten your mood.

Dangers of a cold-weather workout

So, there are several health benefits of exercising outdoors in very cold weather. But there are also dangers.

Frostbite is one of the most common. Edward Ward is a doctor at Rush University Medical Center. He explains how frostbite happens. "When the air temperature drops below zero, especially factoring wind chill, things freeze. And that includes the fluids that's within your fingers or your toes, nose, ears, anything that's exposed to that wind chill can be affected by frostbite."

Protecting your fingers, toes, ears and nose is very important. Cold winds affect these parts of the body more quickly than other parts.

Christopher Sampson is a doctor with University of Missouri Health Care. He explains that frostbite can happen rapidly - in less than 30 minutes. "With frostbite, people can start experiencing symptoms pretty rapidly, on average with mild winds and cold temperatures it can occur in as less than 30 minutes, with extreme cases. When it's very, very cold and winds are very, very strong, sometimes frostbite can develop in as little as 5 minutes."

The beginning of frostbite is called "frostnip." Experts at the Mayo Clinic explain that "with this mild form of frostbite, your skin pales or turns red and feels very cold. Continued exposure leads to prickling and numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin." But, frostbite can. It can even lead to loss of tissue and limbs.

Hypothermia

The most serious danger is hypothermia. Hypothermia is when the body temperature has fallen below 35 degrees Celsius or about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This happens when your body can not produce enough energy to keep the body warm enough.

Hypothermia can kill you. There are several signs to watch for before it is too late.

○difficulty in movement
○difficulty in thinking
○slowed reactions
○unclear speech
○cold feet and hands
○shivering
○sleepiness

Falling on ice

However, Dr. Sampson says it is ice that creates the biggest risk for workouts outside when it is very cold. People don't see the ice, step on it and fall.

Dress properly

But if you are dressed right, you can exercise safely in low temperatures.

Experts on several health websites say it is important to dress in layers. The layer closest to the body should be made of a material that takes moisture away from the body. The next layer should be a material that traps heat, such as wool. And finally, the outer layer should be water resistant. Of course, don't forget gloves, hat, good socks and shoes. When it is really cold, a scarf or face mask will protect your skin and lungs.

Check the weather forecast

Temperature is not the only things that will affect your outdoor workout. It is also important to consider wind and water.

Wind can go through your clothing and steal the layer of warm air that surrounds your body. If you get wet, you may not be able to keep your body temperature high enough. So, if you are a generally healthy person, do not think you must move your workouts indoors in winter. As long as you dress properly, drink enough water and exercise safely, you can get a lot out of a cold-weather workout.

And that's the Health & Lifestyle Report.

I'm Anna Matteo.

Adapted from 冬季户外锻炼利弊

◆VOCABULARY

1. sedentary adj. (of people 人) spending a lot of time sitting down and not moving 惯于久坐不动的。例如：He became increasingly sedentary in later life. 到晚年，他变得越来越不爱动了。

2. uptake n. uptake (of sth.) (technical 术语) the process by which sth. is taken into a body or system; the rate at which this happens 吸收；吸收速度。例如：the uptake of oxygen by muscles
肌肉对氧气的吸收

3. frostbite n. (不可数名词) a medical condition in which parts of the body, especially the fingers and toes, become damaged as a result of extremely cold temperatures 冻伤；冻疮

4. frostnip n. 亚冻伤

5. tissue n. (不可数名词) ( also tissues (复数)) a collection of cells that form the different parts of humans, animals and plants （人、动植物细胞的）组织。例如：muscle / brain / nerve, etc. tissue
肌肉、大脑、神经等组织

6. hypothermia n. (不可数名词) a medical condition in which the body temperature is much lower than normal 体温过低

◆QUESTIONS
Read the table. Then listen to the news and complete the table.

Good, Bad of Cold-weather Workouts

	Benefits
1	The body works (Q1) ______________in cold weather.	l Health experts say the body must make (Q2) ____________to keep warm in low temperatures. l Your (Q3) ___________may also work better in cold weather.
2	Regular cold-weather exercising may help the (Q4) ________ system.	The winter season is also cold and flu season. Making outdoor exercise a usual part of your workout may help you avoid (Q5) _________________________. It may strengthen your body's (Q6) ________________________________.
3	Exercising outdoors in cold weather may help your (Q7) __________________.	Some people who suffer from "winter blues" or Seasonal Affective Disorder, may benefit from going outside to exercise in the (Q8) ____________________. An outdoor workout increases exposure to sunlight. Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D. And vitamin D produces hormones that (Q9) ____________________.
	Dangers	l Frostbite is one of the most common. l The beginning of frostbite is called "frostnip."
1	Hypothermia	The most serious danger is hypothermia. Hypothermia can kill you. There are several signs to (Q10) _________________ before it is too late. l difficulty in (Q11) ___________________ l difficulty in thinking l slowed reactions l unclear speech l cold (Q12) ________________________ l shivering l (Q13) _______________________
2	Falling on ice	However, Dr. Sampson says it is (Q14) _________________ that creates the biggest risk for workouts outside when it is very cold.
	How to do
1	Dress properly	Experts on several health websites say it is important to (Q15) _____________________. The layer closest to the body should be made of a material that takes (Q16) ________ away from the body. The next layer should be a material that traps (Q17) _____, such as wool. And finally, the outer layer should be (Q18) ____________.
2	Check the weather forecast	(Q19) ________________ is not the only things that will affect your outdoor workout. It is also important to consider (Q20) __________________________.

◆KEY

Good, Bad of Cold-weather Workouts

	Benefits
1	The body works (Q1) harder in cold weather.	l Health experts say the body must make (Q2) extra energy to keep warm in low temperatures. l Your (Q3) lungs may also work better in cold weather.
2	Regular cold-weather exercising may help the (Q4) immune system.	The winter season is also cold and flu season. Making outdoor exercise a usual part of your workout may help you avoid (Q5) both colds and the flu. It may strengthen your body's (Q6) defense system.
3	Exercising outdoors in cold weather may help your (Q7) mental health.	Some people who suffer from "winter blues" or Seasonal Affective Disorder, may benefit from going outside to exercise in the (Q8) fresh air and sunshine. An outdoor workout increases exposure to sunlight. Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D. And vitamin D produces hormones that (Q9) brighten your mood.
	Dangers	l Frostbite is one of the most common. l The beginning of frostbite is called "frostnip."
1	Hypothermia	The most serious danger is hypothermia. Hypothermia can kill you. There are several signs to (Q10) watch for before it is too late. l difficulty in (Q11) movement l difficulty in thinking l slowed reactions l unclear speech l cold (Q12) feet and hands l shivering l (Q13) sleepiness
2	Falling on ice	However, Dr. Sampson says it is (Q14) ice that creates the biggest risk for workouts outside when it is very cold.
	How to do
1	Dress properly	Experts on several health websites say it is important to (Q15) dress in layers. The layer closest to the body should be made of a material that takes (Q16) moisture away from the body. The next layer should be a material that traps (Q17) heat, such as wool. And finally, the outer layer should be (Q18) water resistant.
2	Check the weather forecast	(Q19) Temperature is not the only things that will affect your outdoor workout. It is also important to consider (Q20) wind and water.

时长：7.9分钟

语速：135wpm

来源：刘立军宋葳 2018-03-05

练习 | VOA慢速：冬季户外锻炼利弊

播放列表

讨论区

相关资源