There are a lot of people who are overweight all over the world. What causes obesity? If you get the gene(基因), well, probably you are going to be a few more pounds heavier compared to the rest of your classmates or friends. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Obesity can not only make a person look heavy, and not in the usual sense of being handsome, but can also lead to serious health conditions and life-threatening diseases.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Indeed, junk food has been blamed for the prevalence(流行）of obesity. It is called junk food, because hamburger, pizza and the like contain high calories. If you eat a Big Mac (a super hamburger), an order of large fries, and a large Coke, you will need to walk non-stop for six hours to burn off the calories you have gained. And don't be fooled by soft drinks, which are high in sugar and are a major cause of obesity.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Popular sugary drinks, of course, include Coca Cola, Pepsi(百事) Cola, and many new brands that appear on the market every couple of days.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Just one 20-ounce (about 567g) bottle of soda can have 250 calories, which are equal to more than 16 teaspoons of added sugars. Even a lemon-flavored iced tea can have 210 calories.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Next time, when you are ready to eat that huge Mac and to drink that two-liter bottle of Pepsi, probably it's a good idea to give it a second thought.

A. Obesity is more common in women than men.

B. Most people don't realize how easy it is to gain weight from drink sugar-sweetened beverages(饮料)

C. When we talk about obesity, the first thought that comes to mind is: junk food.

D. The unburnt calories will put weight on you.

E. Keeping healthy is our own responsibility.

F. Because of their high content of sugar, soft drinks are also called sugary drinks.

G. However, the most common cause of obesity is eating too much, especially too much junk food.

Finding Your Hidden Talents

 ●{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    What sorts of things do you like to read about, watch or do? What are your favorite shows on television? Which column of the newspaper and magazines do you like to read? To know what you are interested in is the first step towards finding your hidden talents.

 ● Try out different things.

    If y ou want to find out your dexterity (灵巧) in each of the things that interest you, then try them out.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Locate a safe environment, where you can try out different things without anybody's interference (干扰).

 ●Find your passion（激情）

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. However, there will be only a thing or two, which you are passionate about. What is the one thing that you love to do the most, with most enthusiasm (热情)? Get the answer to the question and you will come to know what exactly you are passionate about.

 ●Improve yourself

    After you come to know about the areas of your interest, it is the time to improve yourself. Read lots of books and learn from people. One of the best ways to learn something is to teach.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. This will help increase your depth of knowledge. In this process, you will be able to discover all your hidden talents.

 ●Know your limits

    In the process of finding your strengths or talents, you should not ignore your weaknesses as well. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Know what makes you struggle. You will then come to know about your talents as well as the areas that you need to work on.

A. Find your interests.

B. Know your strengths.

C. Therefore, teach what you have learnt.

D. You may be a person of various interests.

E. Carry out experiments and explore things.

F. It needs observation and analysis （分析）of one's own self.

G. Find out the things which you are not good at.

    Knowing your neighbors can make you feel safer and can make your life a little more enjoyable.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Start a Facebook group. Many online groups already exist for local communities, but they may just focus on swapping and selling objects, or simply for exploring the local area.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, starting a Facebook group.

    Get volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded neighbors and make a difference to your community.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Charities are the most obvious place to start. Charities, large or small, are always looking for help in regions across the UK. A simple Google search can help you discover local charities and volunteer opportunities.

    Practice everyday kindness. Kindness is the start to possible long-lasting friendships. Everyday acts of kindness can be as simple as saying hello when you see your neighbors in the street or the supermarket. It may be seeing someone struggle with the gardening and offering your help.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Start an exercise group. There are a rare few of us that are motivated to start exercising, and even fewer that enjoy going it alone.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Plan big walks of your area and ask neighbors to come along. You could sign up together to attempt a marathon or half marathon. Or perhaps you can arrange a Zumba, yoga, or aerobics (有氧运动) class in the community centre.

A. However, you are often too busy to realize this.

B. There are many ways to volunteer in your local community.

C. Starting a neighborhood exercise group may be just the ticket.

D. So why not set one up simply to get to know your neighbors better?

E. It may also be taking in that rather large parcel when no one is home.

F. If you're new to an area or don't know how to make local friends, try this advice.

G. These groups indeed make life in communities easier and more comfortable for you.

    Ways to build strong friendships

    Be loyal to a friend. Part of being a friend is being prepared to devote your time and energy to helping out your friends. If a friend needs help with an unpleasant thing, or if he or she just needs a shoulder to cry on, be there for them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} This is a good way to attract the kind of friends you want in your life.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} When you say you'll do something, do it. When your friend tells you a secret, keep it secret from others. Be someone that people know that they can rely on. If you show this quality to your friends, they will appreciate it and will be reliable in return.

    Be a good listener. Many people think they have to appear very interesting.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Listen carefully to what people say, remember important details about them, ask questions about their interests, and take the time to learn more about them.

    Stress your good qualities. Show others what makes you stand apart from the crowd. Talk about your interests and hobbies. Everyone has interesting stories to tell – don't be afraid to share yours.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  People love to be around someone who makes them laugh.

    Choose your friends wisely. As you make friends with more people, you may find that some are hard to get along with. Sometimes you may even realize that certain friendships are unhealthy.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Cherish those friends who are a positive influence in your life, and do your best to be a positive influence in theirs.

A. Be a reliable friend.

B. Keep your promise to your friend.

C. Be respectful of their decisions and share yours with him.

D. Besides, a little humor always keeps a conversation light and happy.

E. In this case, walk your way out of the friendship as gracefully as possible.

F. Being a loyal friend will attract other people to you who value this quality.

G. Far more important than that, however, is the ability to show that you're interested in others.

    Helen Keller once wrote, "The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves."{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The UN has set December 5 as International Volunteer Day to give recognition to these people.

    Nineteen-year-old Andrew Makhoul was a communications major at the University of Pennsylvania. It was coming up to spring break, but unlike his classmates, Makhoul wasn't planning on spending the break relaxing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    He traveled to Guatemala. He went to an orphanage(孤儿院)in one of the most violent and poor parts of Guatemala city. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Although he didn't speak much Spanish, he found communication wasn't a problem: "You communicated with love." And what he gave out, he got back: "You could see love when you looked in their eyes."

    Makhoul's first time as a volunteer only lasted a week, but by the end of that week, he knew he'd be back in the future.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The UN highlighted the case of Palestinian women who are survivors of breast cancer. As part of the UN's Aid and Hope Programme for Patient Care, the women have been volunteering their time to create low-cost breast prosthetics(假体)to be distributed to women for free, among whom Shahd El-Swerki is a brilliant example. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}By the end of her time there, she admired these women who are "not only survivors but also volunteers".

    About 2,400 years ago, Greek philosopher Aristotle said, "The essence(本质)of life is to serve others and do good." Volunteers all around the world are making these words come true, each and every day.

A. These words certainly prove true for the millions of volunteers all over the world

B. Here, we tell two volunteering stories from around the globe.

C. He decided to spend his time doing something useful for people.

D. Volunteers want to do their best to make the world warmer and more beautiful.

E. She worked with the women as part of the programme.

F. Sometimes, volunteers themselves live with huge challenges

G. It depends upon volunteers to stay open. 

    While it is impossible to live completely free of stress, it is possible to prevent stress as well as reduce its effect when it can't be avoided. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Try physical activity.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Running, walking, playing tennis, and working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try.

    Make time for yourself.

    Arrange time for both work and fun. Don't forget, play can be just as important as your overall well-being as work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Go window-shopping or work on a hobby. Allow yourself at least a half hour each day to do something you enjoy.

    Take care of yourself.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you easily get angry and can't sleep well enough, or if you're not eating properly, it will be more likely that you will fall into stressful situations. If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping, you should go to see a doctor.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that " there's so much to do, not enough time". Trying to take care of everything at once can be too much for you and as a result, you may not achieve anything. Instead, make a list of everything you have to do, than do one thing at a time, checking off each task as it is completed. Set out to do the most important task first.

A. Make a list of things to do.

B. Do whatever you like and want to do.

C. You could smile to yourself in front of a mirror every day.

D. The following are suggestions for ways to deal with stress.

E. You should make every effort to eat well and get enough rest.

F. You need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun.

G. When you are nervous  angry or upset, try reducing the pressure through exercise or physical activity.