Language students often think they have memory problems. They worry because they can't remember words. In fact, the problem usually isn't with their memory. The problem is with how they study.

    To remember words better, you need to understand how memory works. There are two kinds of memories: short-term and long-term. When you see, hear, or read something, it goes first into short-term memory. But short-term memory lasts for only a few seconds. You will only remember something longer if it goes into long-term memory. Your long-term memory is like a very big library with many, many books. And like a library, it's organized (有条理的). When you put away a book – or memory – you can't just leave it anywhere. You have to choose a place where you can find it again.

    How can you do this with vocabulary? The answer is to work with the word and think about the word in new ways. You can do this by writing new sentences that include it. Even better, you can invent a little story about the word, with people or places that you know. Another way is to make a picture in your mind with the word. For example, if the word is height, you can think of the tallest person you know and try to guess his or her height. All of these activities are good ways to think about words. They make the meaning of words stronger in your long-term memory. And they give a way to find a word when you need it.

Earthquake Intensity & Observed Effects（强度与现象）
I.Felt by only a few people under very special conditions.
II. Felt by only a few people at rest, especially on the upper floors of buildings.
III. Felt noticeably indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings.
IV. Felt indoors by many people, outdoors by a few; some awaked.
V. Felt by nearly everyone; many awaked; dishes and windows break; plaster (灰泥) cracks (开裂).
VI. Felt by everyone; many frightened and run outdoors; heavy furniture such as tables and shelves moves.
VII. Everyone runs outdoors; small to moderate (中等的) damage(损毁) in usual buildings.
VIII. Considerable (相当大的) damage in usual buildings; monuments(碑) fall.
IX.Considerable damage in all buildings; ground cracks; underground pipes (管道) break.
X.Most buildings damaged; rails bend(弯曲); landslides (山崩) take place; water splashes(溅落) over banks.
XI.Few buildings left standing; bridges damaged; wide cracks in the ground; underground pipes break.
XII.Damage total; waves seen on ground; objects thrown into air.

      We are all busy talking about and using the Internet ,but how many of us know about the history of the Internet?

      Many people are surprised when they find that the Internet was set up in the 1960s.At that time, computers were large and expensive. Computer networks(网络)didn' t work well .If one computer in the network broke down, then the whole network stopped. So a new network system(系统) had to be set up. It should be good enough to be used by many different computers. If part of the network was not working, information could be sent through another part. In this way the computer network system would keep on working all the time. At first, the Internet was only used by the government, but, in the early 1970s, universities, hospitals and banks were allowed to use it too.

    However, computers were still expensive and the Internet was difficult to use. By the start of the 1990s, computers become cheaper and easier to use. Scientists had also developed software(软件) that made “surfing(浏览)” the Internet more convenient (方便).

    Today it is easy to get on-line and it is said that millions of people use the Internet every day. Sending e-mail is more and more popular among students.

   The Internet has now become one of the most important parts of people's life.

    Coloring is an activity that children worldwide have long enjoyed. With a picture already made for them, kids simply chose a crayon, pencil or marker of their favorite color and fill it in. Today, it also becomes more and more popular among teenagers and even adults, who are enjoying relaxing hours of coloring. In December, five of the top ten best-selling books in the United States were coloring books.

    They are fun, but are coloring books good for you?

    The good feedback(反馈)from customers is encouraging. Trina Lucida, a popular artist creating coloring books, says that many of her customers are buying the coloring books for others who are sick or going through a hard time. She adds that the "big idea" behind her latest book is to encourage people to do something creative.

    Lucida is right, according to Allan Rohan, a psychology(心理学)professor. "Many customers think of coloring books as a new creative stage," he said in an interview, "but what's more important is that people spend time coloring in order to reduce stress after a long day." Research shows that coloring can reduce stress by guiding people to focus on(专注)one simple task. When a person is filling in a flower with a light purple color, he focuses on the flower and forgets about all his troubles in life.

    Experts add that coloring may relieve a certain kind of pain. Doing the coloring helps people relax their mind and calm down. Also, coloring helps people's brain in a healthy way. The shape of the drawing makes one side of the brain active, while the color of the drawing improves the other. Coloring can bring out your imagination and take you back to your childhood. Interesting, isn't it?

    "It's very relaxing," said Susan Jackson, a big fan of Lucida's coloring books. "Coloring frees my mind. And it's not just to try to fill blank(空白的)pages. The pictures make me happy and there is just something about them. So I'm saving the pictures I like best to the very end."

    A dog can't speak any words, but it can "talk". It has feelings just as you do.

    Sometime it may feel angry or afraid. Watch a dog closely, and you can find out how it feels. You can see what it is trying to tell you. When you are afraid, you may look down. When a dog is afraid, it may run away. When you are angry with other people, you stare at them. An angry dog also stares. Sometimes the hair along its back stands up.

    Do you feel guilty(有罪) when you do something you shouldn't do? Dogs can feel guilty, too. Sometimes when l come home, my dog gives me a guilty look. Then I know he did something wrong. Dogs need love and care. Some dogs are very unhappy when they are alone for a long time. Some dogs even snap(撕咬）if they don't get enough care.

    You may have a dog or you may know a dog. Take care of it well if you want to have fun with it. Take it for a walk. Don't make it do too many things. Try not to punish it again and again for doing the same thing. Always remember, a dog has needs and feelings just as you do. Talk to a dog, and it will talk to you.