Yoga, developed by the ancient sages of India, is a system of personal development encom

Yoga, the ancient practice of postures, breathing and meditation, is gaining a lot of attention from the material world that its serious practitioners are trying to escape. Yoga practitioners are trying to keep themselves away from the material world. And no wonder Americans who practice yoga are often well-educated, have higher-than-average household income and are willing to spend a bit more on so-called "green" purchases seen as benefiting the environment or society. "Its kind of growing out of the crunchy stage of yoga to the Starbucks stage," said Bill Harper, publisher of Yoga Journal. "From the videos and the clothes and the toe socks--people are pursuing this market with a vengeance." A glance through recent issues of his monthly magazine, whose readership has doubled in the past four years to 325,000, illustrates the point. There are four-color ads from the likes of Asics athletic shoes, Eileen fisher apparel and Ford Motor Co. Yoga Journal is now licensing a Russian edition and preparing to expand in other international markets. Americans spend some $ 2.95 billion a year on yoga classes, equipment, clothing, holidays, videos and more, according to a study commissioned by the magazine, fuelled in part by ageing baby boomers seeking less aggressive ways to stay fit. Roughly 16.5 million people were practising yoga in the United States early last year, in studios, gyms or at home, up 43 percent from 2002, the study found. Established sellers of yoga gear such as Hugger Mugger and Gaiam have been flooded with competition in the market for yoga mats, incense, clothing and fancy accoutrements ranging from designer yoga bags to eye pillows. Vancouver, British Columbia-based Lululemon Athletica, for one, has seen sales of its yoga apparel rise to $ 100 million since Canadian entrepreneur Chip Wilson founded the company in 1998. Customers are snapping up its trendy pants and tops to wear to class and, increasingly, to the supermarket or out to dinner. Another expanding business, Exhale, markets itself as a "mindbodyspa", with tony locations in Los Angeles, New York and other urban areas that combine yoga classes with facials, massage and alternative treatments such as acupuncture. Some question how all the consumption is changing a discipline with a strong spiritual foundation. "Weve taken this ancient tradition, science, and art of yoga out of a culture and a religion and world view and weve tried to transplant to the other side of the planet," said Judith Hanson Lasater, a longtime yoga instructor and author who holds a doctorate in East-West psychology. "I believe theres not a complete match-up." Even so, several entrepreneurs stressed that they are able to adhere to yogas healing principles while also turning a profit.

Use three words to describe the practice of yoga.

Section D

听力原文： There can be (21) hardly anyone who has not heard of yoga, and, whether you are 16 or 60, you can reap the (22) benefits of taking it up as a hobby. Yoga was (23) developed by Hinduism and is a system of training the body and the mind. Its goal is to make it easier for people to remove all (24) distractions which hinder reaching that state of mind and body by which they can live a life of the spirit in union with their maker. Reaching this state is (25) considerably more difficult than might be imagined. For this reason, the training is (26) divided into stages, which become gradually harder and harder.

The aim of taking part in the physical training is to bring the body under (27) complete control in such areas as the regulation of breathing and the (28) flexibility of muscles, both of which play an important part in controlling our overall movements. The stress of mental training, as well as physical body (29) behaviour, make undisturbed concentration possible. Anyone trained in this way is called a yogi. So what are we waiting for? Maybe it's time we all headed for the nearest yoga class and started (30) training now!

There can be【21】anyone who has not heard of yoga, and, whether you are 16 or 60, you can reap the【22】of taking it up as a hobby. Yoga has been【23】by Hinduism and is a system of training the body and the mind. Its goal is to make it easier for people to remove all【24】which hinder reaching that state of mind and body by which they can live a life of the spirit in union with their maker. Reaching this state is【25】more difficult than might be imagined. For this reason, the training is【26】into stages, which become gradually harder and harder.

The aim of taking part in the physical training is to bring the body under【27】control in such areas as the regulation of breathing and the【28】of muscles, both of which play an important part in controlling our overall movements. The stress of mental training, as well as physical body【29】, make undisturbed concentration possible. Anyone trained in this way is called a yogi. So what are we waiting for? Maybe it's time we all headed for the nearest yoga class and started【30】now!

(21)

A．Yoga does other forms of good.

B．The benefits of Yoga are encouraging.

C．The result of the study is not well grounded.

D．The benefits of Yoga on health are exaggerated.

The large consumption of yoga related products shows that yoga has developed into____.

New research from the United States suggests that the millennia-old therapy of yoga could benefit millions of people who suffered from back problems. In an article published in the Annals【M1】______ of Internal Medicine on December 20, researchers concluded that yoga was a effective treatment for back pain than conventional【M2】______ therapy. A study conducting at the Group Health Cooperative in【M3】______ Washington State required 101 adults to follow a choice of remedial treatments—a 12-week course in yoga, 12 weeks of standard therapeutic exercise or the same period following instructions in the self-help book. The results showed yoga both【M4】______ expedited relief from pain and had longer lasting benefits. Lead researcher Dr. Karen Sherman said this was because "mind and body effects" were in the collusion.【M5】______ The article states that: "Most treatments for chronic low back pain have modest efficacy at best. Exercise is one of the few proven treatments... however, its effects are often small, and no form. has been shown to be clear better than another. Yoga, which【M6】______ often couples physical exercise with breathing, is a popular alternative form. of mind-body therapy. It may benefit patients with back pain simply because it involves exercise or because its【M7】______ effects on mental focus. We found no published studies in western biomedical literacy that evaluated yoga for chronic low back pain;【M8】______ moreover, we designed a clinical trial to evaluate its【M9】______ effectiveness." Millions of people worldwide swear at yoga to【M10】______ improve their mental and physical health.

【M1】

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a benefit of yoga?

A．It relieves stress.

B．It increases circulation.

C．It fits all ages of people.

D．It helps to lose weight.

Passage Two

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

Yoga induces a feeling of well-being in healthy people, and can reverse the clinical and biochemical changes associated with metabolic syndrome, according to results of studies from Sweden and India. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity and high blood sugar.

Dr. R.P. Agrawal, of the SP Medical College, Bikaner, India, and colleagues evaluated the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation in 101 adults with features of metabolic syndrome. In the study, 55 adults received three months of regular yoga including standard postures and Raja Yoga,while the remaining received standard care.

Waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar, and triglyceri HDL cholesterol levels were higher in the yoga group as compared joumal Diabetes REsearch and Clinicat Practice.

In the second study, published online December 19 in BioMed Central Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Dr. Anette Kjellgren from the University of Karlstad, Sweden and colleagues evaluated the beneficial effects of yoga-like breathing exercises on healthy volunteers.

55 adults were advised to practice "Sudarshan Kriya," which involves cycles of slow, normal and rapid breathing exercises. The exercises were practiced for an hour daily, six days a week for six weeks, while 48 controls were advised to relax in an armchair for I 5 minutes daily.

At the end of the study period, feelings of anxiety, stress and depression were significantly lower and levels of optimism significantly higher in the yoga group compared to the control group, Kjellgren and colleagues report.

Yoga induces a "relaxation response" associated with reduced nervous system activity and a feeling of well-being probably due to an increase in antioxidants(抗氧化剂) and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol( 应激激素皮质醇 ), they suggest.

Yoga not only helps in prevention of lifestyle. diseases, but can also be "a powerful adjunct therapy when these diseases anse,” co-investigator Dr. Faahri Saatiglou, from the University of Oslo, told Reuters Health. "We do not emphasize this point enough in our Westem health care."

The studies of yoga from Sweden and India have shown that __

A. yoga will make patients recover more quickly

B. yoga can cure cancer gradually

C. yoga will lead the state of being healthy

D. yoga can keep people optimistic

When Marine Lt. Alan Zarracina finally did the splits after months of struggling with the difficult pose in yoga class, the limber women around him applauded.

Zarracina, a 24-year-old Naval Academy graduate and flight student, admits he would have a hard time explaining the scene to other Marines. Each class ends with a chant for peace. Then, instructor Nancy La Nasa hands students incense sticks as a gift for their 90 minutes of back bends, shoulder stands and other challenging positions. Zarracina has tried to drag some of his military friends to class, but they make fun of hint. "It's not necessarily considered masculine", he said.

Still, the popular classes, based on ancient Hindu practices of meditation through controlled breathing, balancing and stretching, are catching on in military circles as a way to improve flexibility, balance and concentration. A former Navy SEAL told Zarracina about the class.

The August edition of Fit Yoga, the nation's second-largest yoga magazine with a circulation of 100,000, features a photo of two naval aviators doing yoga poses in full combat gear aboard an aircraft carrier. "At first it seemed a little shocking—soldiers practicing such a peaceful art", writes editor Rita Trieger. Upon closer inspection, she said, she noticed "a sense of inner calm' on the aviators' faces. "War is hell, and if yoga can help them find a little solace, that's good", said Trieger, a longtime New York yoga instructor.

Retired Adm. Tom Steffens, who spent 34 years as a Navy SEAL and served as the director of the elite corps' training, regularly practices yoga at his home in Norfolk, Va. "Once in a while I'll sit in class, and everyone is a 20-something young lady with a 10-inch waist and here I am this old guy, ' he joked. Steffens, who said the stretching helped him eliminate the stiffness of a biceps injury after surgery, said the benefits of regular practice can be enormous. "The yoga cured all kinds of back pains", he said. "Being a SEAL, you beat up your body".

Yoga breathing exercises can help SEALs with their diving, and learning to control the body by remaining in unusual positions can help members stay in confined spaces for long periods, he said. "The ability to stay focused on something, whether on breathing or on the yoga practice, and not be drawn off course, that has a lot of connection to the military", he said. "In our SEAL basic training, there are many things that are yoga-like in nature.

Alan thought it is difficult to explain the scene to his fellow Marines because

A．yoga is a peaceful meditation process.

B．yoga is thought to be a little feminine.

C．only women would attend a yoga class.

D．Marine soldiers hate to chant for peace.