Grow Your Vocabulary by Learning Root (词根) Words

    English is called one of the most difficult languages for non-native speakers. One reason is that English has so many rules and almost as many exceptions of those rules. Sometimes, this leaves learners confused (困惑的).{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Not all words can be pronounced by their spelling. And, maybe the worst thing of all is that there are many idioms, or expressions in English.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} That is why there are many funny mistakes resulting from the misuse of idioms.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} A root word is the most basic form of a word. Root words can help you to break down large, new words into smaller units to discover their meanings.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} As a result, by learning 20 or 30 root words, you can enlarge your English vocabulary to include hundreds of new words.

    A root can be any part of a word that carries meaning: the beginning, middle or end prefixes (前缀), bases, and suffixes (后缀) are types of roots. The prefix appears at the beginning of a word, the base in the middle and the suffix at the end.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} One simple method is to first look at a base word and then look for familiar prefixes and suffixes that go with that base. For example, the word “construct” is a verb that means “to build”. The prefix “con-” means “together” or “with”. So, “construct” means “to put things together to build or create something”.

A. Another reason is related to the English pronunciation.

B. You can say we use idioms like they're going out of style.

C. The second difficulty lies in the spelling of the English words.

D. Having a good knowledge of grammar is also useful for English learners.

E. Building vocabulary through root words is quite useful for English learners.

F. Learning just one root word can help you understand several words in English.

G. However, it's comforting to know learning root words can help English learners.

    Health is the most important thing in the world. Nothing is more important than health. If one takes away our money, houses, cars, or even our clothes, we can still survive. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} That is why we always try to eat in a healthy way and exercise regularly.

    How can we keep healthy? In order to eat healthily, I usually avoid eating food high in fat, like French fries or cookies, which are junk foods. Besides, I only eat a little meat. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Taking exercise every day helps us build a strong body. Regular exercise is an important part of keeping me healthy.

    What's more, I think friends are an important part of one's health.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}I always feel better when I am with friends than when I am alone. When I am with my friends, I always laugh. Laughing is also an important part of health. It is good to stay with my friends.

    By eating properly and exercising regularly, I can keep my body at a proper weight and keep healthy. By spending time with my friends, I can keep my mind as well as my body happy. These things sound easy to do, but not many people can manage them.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. I think a strong will is necessary if we want to keep healthy.

B. But if our health is taken away, it is certain that we will surely die.

C. I eat a lot of vegetables and fresh fruits which are full of vitamins.

D. There are some people who like staying alone, but they keep healthy.

E. Many studies show that people with a range of social contacts don't get sick.

F. On the other hand, doing exercise is very important.

G. Some people appear fat because they often eat too much.

    A lack of sleep causes many medical conditions that greatly affect the quality of life. While no one knows why we sleep, it is a universal biological need.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    How much sleep do I actually need?

    A study in Finland found that the amount of sleep that relates to the fewest sick days was 7.63 hours a night for women and 7.76 hours for men.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}When we get sleep fewer than seven hours or our sleep often falls below six hours, we are at an increased risk of health problems.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Today, some people practice “polyphasic (一昼夜活动和休息多次的)sleep”,based on the idea that by dividing your sleep into parts, you can get away with less of it .Professor Dinges concludes it's possible to train oneself to need less sleep in short periods.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}And he notes that even for those who can function well on less sleep, we still don't know how the practice might be affecting chemical processes, mood, and other factors.

    I can't sleep. Is my phone really keeping me up?

    When light enters your eye, it hits your retina to send signals to the hypothalamus (下丘脑),which controls sleep cycles. When your retina takes in less light, your hypothalamus assumes it's time to sleep and it'll signal the pineal gland (松果腺)to make you sleepy. And when the hypothalamus senses light, it tells the pineal gland to stop its work.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Some research suggests that the light from phones and tablets are especially influential in human sleep cycles.

A. Adequate sleep can benefit us a lot.

B. Can I train myself to need less sleep?

C. How can I make myself sleep less?

D. No animal with a brain can survive without it.

E. This is why we're told to minimize screen time before bed.

F. And most adults function best after seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

G. But he adds it doesn't seem possible to train oneself to need less sleep per 24-hour cycle.

    Most people will tell you that without a cup of coffee in the morning, they cannot function. Coffee is a good drink when consumed in right amount. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Legend says that Kaldi, an Ethiopian, discovered his goats enjoy eating coffee plants. Curious, he tasted the leaves and began to dance around. A passing monk (僧侣) witnessed the scene and took some back to his fellow monks. Later that night, the monks experienced extreme inspiration. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Soon Arabia was roasting coffee beans. By 1000 A.D. Muslims were drinking coffee to stay awake. A merchant from Venice introduced coffee to Europe in 1615. By 1696, the Dutch started growing the coffee bush in Java. By 1723, coffee plants were introduced to the Americas. Today, coffee is the most popular drink in the world.

    Caffeine (咖啡因) is the major chemical in coffee. Caffeine poisoning can occur if more than 400 milligrams of caffeine is drunk in a short period, which is about four to five cups of coffee. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} So it should be avoided before bed.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Studies have shown that it helps cognitive (感知) skills in elderly women. Women who drank three cups of coffee daily scored higher on memory tests than women who drank one cup of coffee.

    Large amounts of coffee can cause nervousness, worries and heartburn. However, if mixed with milk, it is fine. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The more you drink, the more you depend on it. For some people, just one cup of coffee a day is OK.

A. Coffee has many benefits.

B. Coffee can be addictive like any drug.

C. Caffeine will also cause sleep difficulty.

D. The caffeine in coffee can actually help fight disease.

E. However, it is considered harmful if taken in large amount.

F. Drinking coffee while you have this kind of disease will make it worse.

G. Whether the legend is true or not, the discovery of coffee dates back to 800 A.D.

Three simple keys to success

Being successful means different things to different people. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} My point is, the specifics involved in finding success can vary greatly, depending on your goal.

There are three basic components necessary for finding success, regardless of the specifics of your pursuit. And, since the desire for ownership is the driving force behind acquisition, I'll use the word OWN as my simple three-item method for success.

⒈ O-Opportunity: one of the most important components in finding success is being able to identify opportunity. It is to success what wind is to sailing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Identifying opportunity is the first step; awareness sets your sails for success while your motivation provides the wind.

⒉ W-Wisdom: By definition, wisdom is the accurate application of knowledge. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It requires clear understanding, great insight and good judgment. Once opportunity is identified, you must use all your inner resources to seize it and make the most of it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Finding success when opportunity presents itself often means reaching out for help in areas where you have weakness.

⒊ N-Never give up: This might possibly be the most important for success. The key is to first break your goal down into workable parts so you don't feel pressured, and then to work each part at ease with both enthusiasm and purpose. It takes a lot of time, effort and determination to succeed. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Being successful demands doing well.

B. But wisdom involves more than just knowing.

C. You simply can't have one without the other.

D. Having this attitude keeps you moving in face of trouble and becomes the driving force.

E. Besides, wisdom means knowing your limitations.

F. You'll finally succeed if you follow these steps.

G. The road to success is being largely determined by what result you want to achieve.

It's no secret that reading good news feels a lot better than reading bad news. Like, would you rather bite into a lemon, or sip on a fresh glass of lemonade?

{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The world is full of problems and conflicts and we need to stay informed and alert （警觉的） to what's going on around us. While reading traditional, more negative news is important, consuming good news is also part of staying informed. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And it also brings meaningful benefits, like reduced stress and anxiety, higher rates of engagement, community building skills, and inspiration for creating a better world. Plus, knowing what to look for in the good news landscape is a key part of improving our media literacy skills and being thoughtful news consumers. 

In fact, good news, known as solutions journalism, is becoming more popular, as publishers and news stations discover the benefits of sharing positive stories. GoodGood Good is one of them. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} A team of reporters and editors there work daily to deliver stories that make readers feel hopeful and equipped to do more good with possible solutions. 

"If it bleeds, it leads. has long been a saying used in the media to describe how news stories about violence, death and destruction draw readers' attention. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The thing is, however, there's also good stuff out there-the delightful and kind parts of humanity. "Beautiful stories are happening worldwide.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When you do find them, the world can suddenly feel like a very different place. Good news is a vital part of how we learn about the world and solving the world's problems. "Hervey, one of Good Good Good's editors said. 

A. Share good news with people around you. 

B. It's just that we don't hear as much about them. 

C. But the "bad news" has its place in the world. 

D. It provides a more balanced view of the world. 

E. And so, negative news stories are everywhere on news media. 

F. Heartwarming stories make you cry and feel good. 

G. The news media company is devoted to providing good news intentionally.