Urbanization

    Until relatively recently, the vast majority of human being lived and died without ever seeing a city. The first city was probably founded no more than 5,500 years ago. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In fact, nearly everyone lived on farms or in tiny rural (乡村的) villages.

    It was not until the 20th century that Great Britain became the first urban society in history—a society in which the majority of people live in cities and do not farm for a living.

    Britain was only the beginning.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The process of urbanization—the migration (迁徙) of people from the countryside to the city—was the result of modernization, which has rapidly transformed how people live and where they live.

    In 1900, fewer than 40% of Americans lived in urban areas. Today, over 82% of Americans live in cities. Only about 2% live on farms. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Large cities were impossible until agriculture became industrialized. Even in advanced agricultural societies, it took about ninety-five people on farms to feed five people in cities. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Until modern times, those living in cities were mainly the ruling elite ( 精英) and the servants, laborers and professionals who served them. Cities survived by taxing farmers and were limited in size by the amount of surplus（过剩）food that the rural population produced and by the ability to move this surplus from farm to city.

    Over the past two centuries, the Industrial Revolution has broken this balance between the city and the country. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Today, instead of needing ninety-five farmers to feed five city people, one American farmer is able to feed more than a hundred non-farmers.

A.That kept cities very small.

B.The rest live in small towns.

C.The effects of urban living on people should be considered

D.Soon many other industrial nations became urban societies.

E.But even 200 years ago, only a few people could live in cities.

F.Modernization drew people to the cities and made farmers more productive.

G.Modern cities have destroyed social relations and the health of human beings.

Tips for summer reading

    Summer holds many of my strongest and most powerful reading memories.I remember sitting under a tree in the backyard as a child, reading AnneofGreenGables as the shadows crossed the grass.I remember sitting in the back seat of the car on a long family road trip, sharing joke books with my brother and sister and laughing until we cried.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} I want all kids to enjoy the fun of summer reading, because summer reading has secret power.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Here are some ways to motivate kids for summer reading.

    Make children the curators(管理人)of their reading lives.

    Have students set summer reading goals for themselves.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Students can act as “chief curators” of the blog in turn so that over the course of the summer each of them takes on the responsibility of replying to posts and highlighting a popular title.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Taking “curiosity walks” is a fantastic way to bring informational text into a child's reading list.These walks also provide opportunities for authentic writing.Have children take an inspiration notebook on a class walk outside and write down anything they see that they would like to learn more about.

    Make reading more like summer camp.

    Let's combine reading with hands­on activities and make reading more like summer camp.We can take field trips to the library and search the shelves for books on a topic chosen out of a hat.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Then they can bring that creation to share on the first days of school.

A．It will set the stage for academic success.

B．Bring the outdoors back into summer reading.

C．Select some books and share them with your students.

D．Set up a summer blog so you can all share recommendations.

E．These memories became important stepping stones in my life.

F．It is important to build and shape a strong reading life during school months.

G．We can ask our students to create something in response to one of the books they've read.

Gardening 380 Kilometers above Earth

    Astronauts have to go through physical, psychological, and technical training. They also go through training in how to care for plants. These “astronaut gardeners” share their work and living space with plants.

    Taking seeds and plants along on a trip isn't a new idea. As space trips become longer, it will be necessary to grow food in space. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Because of this, it's not practical to send everything needed for a long journey, only to be used once and thrown away.

    Plants can serve many uses on a space journey. They can provide more fresh things. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Also, plants can help to make air quality better because they produce oxygen. They can improve the quality of the air inside the spacecraft—the only air the astronauts can breathe.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Due to the lack of gravity in space, the oxygen that the plants produce stays around the plants. This can actually kill them, so fans are needed to circulate the air. Without gravity, roots don't “know” to grow down, leaves don't “know” to grow up, and water doesn't easily travel up the roots to the leaves. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Besides, soil is too heavy to send to space, and special liquid gels (胶) are used to help plant growth.

    Scientists are also working on the plants themselves. They are trying to make plants grow more rapidly and grow with less water and light in space, and they are looking for ways to make plants more resistant to disease. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Imagine that deserts may one day provide lots of fresh food for local people, saving transportation costs. Similarly, plants that are resistant to disease could provide an important food supply. With the world's population now at seven billion (十亿) people, our astronaut gardeners may help discover ways to feed those billions.

A. Every plant grown in space must have several uses.

B. However, there are challenges with growing plants in space.

C. Such methods may result in improvements back here on Earth.

D. The cost of taking anything into space is about $22,000 per kilogram.

E. Specialized containers are being developed to help the plants grow correctly.

F. Astronauts will welcome the addition of fruits and vegetables to their diet of dry foods.

G. Currently all oxygen is taken aboard in tanks and then caught again so it can be reused.

    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

    Schedule time for both work and entertainment. Don't forget, play can be just as important to 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 consult a doctor.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that "there's so much to do, and 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, then do one thing at a time, checking off each task as it is completed. Set out to do the most important task first.

A. Do whatever you like and want to do.

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

C. Make a list of things to do.

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

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

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

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

Life getting you down? Learn to bounce back

    "That which does not kill us makes us stronger.＂ Nietzsche said. There are a number of ways that can get us through tough times, help us to bounce back and make us happier. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Find something you can control.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But taking small, positive steps in any area of our life can have a ripple effect, enabling us to move forward in the problem area.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    As a species, we tend to focus on what's wrong rather than what's right. But we can benefit a lot from paying attention to what's going right. Psychologists have shown consciously focusing on these good things helps to increase our experience of positive emotions.

    Check your thinking.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Leading psychologist Martin Seligman found that the way we interpret the causes of everyday setbacks can have a significant impact on our ability to cope and our physical health. He also showed we can learn more resilient(有弹性的) thinking styles.

    Distract yourself.

    When we are immersed in a problem, it is hard to think creatively about ways to deal with it. It often helps to take time out from the things you are worrying about.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Not only does this give us a break from what we're doing and our worries, it's also great for our minds.

A. Always do something that is right.

B. It's true that there are lots of things we can't control.

C. An effective way of taking time out is exercise.

D. Next time you are feeling stressed or stuck, give them a try.

E. Focus on what's right.

F. Next time something goes wrong for you, pause for a moment.

G. The way we think can destroy our own resilience.

    Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight:

    Schedule yearly exams. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eyeglasses.

    Protect against UV rays (紫外线). Long term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it's extremely important to wear sunglasses. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Give your eyes a break. Two thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital products. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Experts recommend that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20second break and look at something 20 feet away.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

    Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses (隐形眼镜). Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.

A. Eat your greens.

B. Eye care should begin early in life.

C. They can properly protect your eyes.

D. Stay in good shape by taking more vitamins.

E. Parents usually don't care about their own eyesight.

F. Always follow the doctor's advice for appropriate wear.

G. This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness.