考研英语阅读篇章：电脑取代户外活动
新东方在线小编为大家整理考研英语阅读系列篇章精选，考生可作为备考资料，阅读的同时将不熟的单词牢记。研究表明，儿童身体素质较上代人明显下降，这是因为他们可以参与的户外活动较过去有所减少，这使他们更多的沉迷于网络游戏等室内活动，不能茁壮成长。
Children growing weaker as computers replace outdoor activity
电脑取代户外活动，孩子体能明显下降
May, 2011 | from The Guardian
Children are becoming weaker, less muscular and unable to do physical tasks
that previous generations found simple, research has revealed.
As a generation dedicated to online pursuits grows up, 10-year-olds can do
fewer sit-ups and are less able to hang from wall bars in a gym. Arm strength
has declined in that age group, as has their ability to grip an object
firmly.
The findings, published in the child health journal Acta Paediatrica, have
led to fresh concern about the impact on children's health caused by the shift
away from outdoor activities.
Academics led by Dr Gavin Sandercock, a children's fitness expert at Essex
University, studied how strong a group of 315 Essex 10-year-olds in 2008 were
compared with 309 children the same age in 1998. They found that: The number of
sit-ups 10-year-olds can do declined by 27.1% between 1998 and 2008.Arm strength
fell by 26% and grip strength by 7%.While one in 20 children in 1998 could not
hold their own weight when hanging from wall bars, one in 10 could not do so in
2008.
"This is probably due to changes in activity patterns among English
10-year-olds, such as taking part in fewer activities like rope-climbing in PE
and tree-climbing for fun," Sandercock said. "Typically, these activities
boosted children's strength, making them able to lift and hold their own
bodyweight."
The fact that 10% could not do the wall bars test and another 10% refused
to try was "really shocking", he added. "That probably shows that climbing and
holding their own weight was something they hadn't done before."
Previous research has already shown that children are becoming more unfit,
less active and more sedentary and, in many cases, heavier than before.
But the new study also found that children in 2008 had the same body mass
index (BMI) as those a decade earlier. Lead author Daniel Cohen, of London
Metropolitan University, said this meant that, given their declining strength,
the bodies of the recent test group are likely to contain more fat and less
muscle then their predecessors. "That's really worrying from a health point of
view. It's good news that their BMI hasn't risen, but worrying that pound for
pound they're weaker and probably carrying more fat," said Sandercock.
The authors want ministers to reduce their reliance on the National Child
Measurement Programme, which surveys primary schoolchildren's BMI, and introduce
fitness testing in all schools – a call made last year by the then-chief medical
officer, Sir Liam Donaldson.
"Climbing trees and ropes used to be standard practice for children, but
school authorities and 'health and safety' have contrived to knock the sap out
of our children," said Tam Fry of the Child Growth Foundation.
"Falling off a branch used to be a good lesson in picking yourself up and
learning to climb better. Now fear of litigation stops the child climbing in the
first place."
He added: "Fitness tests may or may not be appropriate, but Sandercock
should not be discouraging the use of BMI measurements."
A Department of Health spokeswoman said the government had introduced
several programmes promoting active lifestyles among the young, and the health
survey for England reported back on physical activity levels. She added: "The
Department of Health has no current plans to introduce fitness testing for
children." (546 words)
各科全方位深度指导内容请参考专题【2015考研复习计划】，总有一种适合你的学习方法。同学在复习过程中找不到适合自己的方法可以选择新东方在线课程或下载在线复习资料>>点击查看资料下载中心。
页:
[1]