【英语时差8,16】最近研究显示，运动能力是幼儿健康的关键

There might be a way to predict whether young children will grow into active teens－or fall prey¹ to a more sedentary lifestyle. The key? Motor skills.

A recent study found a link between object-control skills in childhood and fitness in adolescence². A study published in a recent issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise put 276 elementary school kids in New South Wales, Australia, through movement skill tests. Three were related to object control (kicking, catching³ and overhand throwing), and four were focused on locomotor skills (hopping, side galloping⁴, vertical⁵ jumping and sprinting). Six years later, 244 students had their cardio-respiratory fitness measured by running timed laps. Boys and girls who had good object-control skills (scores of 10 or more out of 15) ran, on average, six laps more than those with poor object-control skills (scores of 5 or lower out of 15).

Researchers believe that object-control skills are often connected with participation⁶ in sports and other activities. Students who are good at these skills might be more likely to engage in recreational or organized sports, upping their fitness levels.

The study concluded that schools and communities should make teaching object-control skills to young children a priority in order to encourage children to continue being physically⁷ active later in life.

1 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

2 adolescence   

n.青春期，青少年

参考例句：

• Adolescence is the process of going from childhood to maturity.青春期是从少年到成年的过渡期。
• The film is about the trials and tribulations of adolescence.这部电影讲述了青春期的麻烦和苦恼。

3 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

4 galloping   

adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The horse started galloping the moment I gave it a good dig. 我猛戳了马一下，它就奔驰起来了。
• Japan is galloping ahead in the race to develop new technology. 日本在发展新技术的竞争中进展迅速，日新月异。

5 vertical   

adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。
• Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

6 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

7 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。