Memory, they say, is a matter of practice and exercise. If you have the wish and really made a conscious（自觉的）effort, then you can quite easily improve your ability to remember things. But even if you are successful, there are times when your memory seems to play tricks on you.

    Sometimes you remember things that really did not happen. One morning last week, for example, I got up and found that I had left the front door unlocked all night, yet I clearly remember locking it carefully the night before.

    Memory “trick” work the other way as well. Once in a while you remember not doing something, and then find out that you did. One day last month, for example, I was sitting in a barber（理发师）shop waiting for my turn to get a haircut, and suddenly I realized that I had got a haircut two days before at the barber shop across the street from my office.

    We always seem to find something funny and amusing（有趣的）in incidents caused by people's forgetfulness or absent-mindedness. Stories about absent-minded professors have been told for years, and we never got tired of hearing new ones. Unfortunately, however, absent-mindedness is not always funny. There are times when “trick” of our memory can cause us great trouble.

    Choosing the right job is probably one of the most important decisions we have to make in life, and it is frequently one of the hardest decisions we have to make. One important question that you might ask yourself is: “How do I get a good job?”

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. There are people who can answer an insignificant advertisement in the local paper and land the best job in the world; others write to all sorts of places all over the country, and never seem to get a reply at all. Still others believe that the in person, door-to-door approach is by far the best way to get a job; and then there are those who, through no active decision of their own, just seem to be in the right place at the right time. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. He used to spend a lot of his free time down by the sea watching the tall ships, but never thinking that he might one day sail one of them. His father was a farmer, and being a sailor could never be anything for the boy but an idle dream. One day, on his usual wandering, he heard the captain of the ship complaining that he could not sail because one member of his crew was sick. Without stopping to think, the lad（少年）offered to take his place. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. If the lad had gone home to ponder（考虑） his decision for a week, he may have missed his chance. It is one thing to be offered an opportunity; it is another thing to take it and use it well.  Sometimes we hear stories about people who break all the rules and still seem to land plum jobs（美差）. When you go for a job interview or fill out an application, you are expected to say nice things about the company to which you are applying. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. And within a year this person had become general manager of the company.

A. This story also illustrates the importance of seizing an opportunity when it presents itself.

B. People find jobs in a variety of ways.

C. It's almost impossible to find a good job by answering advertisement in newspapers

D. Take for example the young man who wanted to be a sailor.

E. But there was one person who landed an excellent job by telling the interviewer all the company's faults.

F. He spent the rest of his life happily sailing the ships he had always loved.

G. It is very important to seize an opportunity when it presents itself.

    The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the St. Louis Outlet Mall is expanding its restrictions on unaccompanied teenagers. In 2006, a parental-escort (陪同)policy was established: on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 6 p.m., anyone under 17 that isn't accompanied by a guardian who is at least 21 years old will be kicked out of the mall. It was around this time that other malls around the U.S. likewise banned unaccompanied teens during certain evening hours.

Starting from this Friday, the St. Louis Outlet Mall is pushing its parental-escort rule back to 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Similarly, the Mall of America expanded its parental-escort policy during the recent holiday shopping season. Normally, the policy bans kids under 16 without guardians(监护人) from 4 p.m. until closing time just on Fridays and Saturdays. But because of a fight in the mall involving dozens of young people that took place on Dec. 18, 2012—- a weekday, the policy was broadened to include peak 2013 holiday shopping hours, including Thanksgiving Day and all of the Christmas week.

    Teen disturbances in other malls may cause more shopping centers to introduce or expand parental-escort policies. The Indianapolis Star noted that two incidents in 2013 in area shopping centers raised the possibility that Indianapolis malls might need to consider banning unaccompanied teenagers.

   Obviously, such bans are aimed at stopping violence and other outbursts involving teenagers. More importantly, from a purely business perspective, these bans aim to attract shoppers who might otherwise be hesitant to go to the mall because of concerns about violence and outbursts involving teenagers. The restrictions allow mall security officers to systematically kick out a group of people that are considered to be loud, thuggish and bad for business overall. But they attract much criticism from online communities. Some argue that teens have the right to shop without a guardian. “Not all teens are disrespectful and troublemakers,” Pamela Chapman wrote. “In fact, it's been my experience that most are good kids.”

Again, the biggest influence on stricter mall policies for teens seems to be that they're just plain good for business. Malls reported strong sales growth after they first carried out the policies six years ago. “We've had some success with the parental-escort policy, and families like shopping out here together,” the manager of the St. Louis Outlet Mall told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch . If there's one rule in retail, it's this—- if a small initiative proves successful in boosting sales, then it's all but guaranteed that a larger initiative will follow.

    Around the world there are some festivals that for some of us may sound bizarre.

    In England they celebrate the rolling cheese race, which occurs every year during the last Monday in May. This festival's characteristic is a contest where an official rolls cheese down a steep hill and festival- goers go chasing after it. The winner is the first one to reach and catch the cheese.

    Another festival celebrated in England is the world championship of grimaces (鬼脸). It is a celebration that dates back to 1297 and is celebrated during the month of September. The task is to perform the best grimace using anything you can to win.

    The worldwide championship of wife lifting is celebrated in Finland. The game is based on Viking traditions where a man should carry away his neighbor's wife. According to the rules, any woman above 17 is considered as a wife, so if you are within this age, take care while visiting this country during the month of July.

    Many of you have watched Pirates of the Caribbean and have known something about pirates. The 19^th of September has been declared worldwide as the day to talk like a pirate. Plenty of people have celebrated it thanks to the publicity (宣传) on the Internet.

    First staged in 1998, the Boryeong Mud Festival is an attraction that pulls more than a million visitors to the South Korean City. As you all know, the town is said to be rich in minerals, so there is no shortage of mud. Mud is trucked onto Daecheon Beach for tourists and locals to enjoy the festival to their best.

    The Monkey Buffet Festival is held in Thailand to develop tourism. It's an unusual feast held for about 600 monkeys. The Monkey Buffet Festival is held in honor of the Hindu gods Ram and Hanuman and involves 3,000 kilograms of vegetables and fruits being laid out for monkeys to stuff themselves.

    Red meat, usually considered to be beef, pork, mutton and lamb products, have nutritional value, but eating red meat also raises some health concerns.

    Red meat is an excellent source of protein(蛋白质). It is also a key source of vitamin B12, which is only available in animal products and is key for both red blood cell and nerve health. Red meat is also a rich source of zine, selenium(硒) andiron. Zinc and selenium are good for our immune system (免疫系统). Iron helps transport oxygen in the blood, and low levels of iron can lead to feeling tired. Eating red meat, especially lean cuts(廋肉), with meals and snacks, may help people curb hunger between meals and help people with weight management.

    Health risks of red meat may include the risk of heart disease and cancer. It is usually best to avoid processed meats. These tend to contain lots of salt and nitrites(亚硝酸盐), which may damage our health. Choosing lean cuts and cooking meat correctly may reduce health risks. It is generally advised not to undercook or overcook red meat and to avoid grilling(烧烤).

    When it comes to red meat and health, another thing is whether the animals are grain or grass-fed. Grass-fed animals frequently have a better quality of life. Grass feeding can be more environmentally friendly as well.

    Many governments suggest the amount of red meat should be safely included in a healthy diet. The amount varies between nations, but several portions a week are usually acceptable. Those who choose to include eating red meat may wish to choose grass-fed animals and to cut off any fat before eating.

    A popular TV host has reportedly invested about US ＄740,000 in a project to research, preserve and promote the Hunan provincial dialect (方言). Chinese TV presenters are required to speak Mandarin, or Putonghua, as part of their work, but should dialects be allowed on air?

    Bcnu (China): TV and radio stations have the right to decide whether dialects or Mandarin will be used in their programs. The popularity of some dialects in some areas will not challenge the leading role of Mandarin in the whole country.

    Rick N (US): TV and radio broadcasters should take the lead in popularizing Mandarin. To require hosts to speak standard Mandarin is not to oppress (压制) dialects, but it only aims to restrict irresponsible use of language. I think it is unprofessional for some hosts particularly to imitate the pronunciation of dialects.

    Cooper (UK): Dialects are an important part of local culture and now many kids even don't know how to speak their dialects because of the main use of Mandarin around them. It would be a pity if future generations were unable to understand the local dialects. It would be a terrible break in cultural traditions.

    Steve (France): To attract viewers or make more money, some hosts casually use dialects. Demanding TV and radio programs use Mandarin is a move to limit strange and irresponsible use of language, whether it is Mandarin or other dialects. In this way, the decision is also a form of protection for dialects. Hearing standard Mandarin on TV and radio programs is also a basic right of audiences around the country.