Vegetarian UK

Vegetarians and vegans

    Vegetarians (people who don't eat meat) and vegans (people who don't eat or use any animal products) are becoming increasingly common in UK culture. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A recent survey showed that three million people were vegetarian. Visit a British supermarket and you will see a wide range of vegetarian ingredients and prepared meals on the shelves, including vegetarian sausages and vegan cheese.

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    So why are Brits cutting out meat? Many are unhappy about the poor treatment of animals and the effects of meat and fish production on the environment. Worries about food safety (for example BES or “mad cow disease”) also play a part. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} According to the Vegetarian Society, a meat-free diet could help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease, as well as obesity and high blood pressure.

    Organic farming

    Another rising trend is in how UK food is produced. Many people are rejecting GM (genetically modified) food and intensive farming practices. They want their food to be organically produced. Organic farmers use very few or no chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers and organic meat is produced without the use of drugs and antibiotics. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  

    Organic food

    According to the Soil Association, three out of every four UK households now buy some type of organic food. Some get organic meat, fruit and vegetables from farmers' markets, where products are sold directly to the consumer. Others have a box of organic fruit and vegetables sent to their homes every week. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Although it\s often more expensive, fans of organic food say it tastes much better!

A. A healthy diet

B. A balanced diet

C. Many people buy organic products in their local supermarket.

D. More and more people are deciding not to eat meat or use animal products.

E. A healthy soil reduces disease and helps crops grow strong and healthy.

F. Others choose to change their eating habits to improve their general health.

G. Organically farmed animals also have more living space and more nutritious food.

    A life coach is somebody who helps you reach all kinds of personal and professional goals （目标） ．Each of us has the ability to be our own life coach．Here are some tips for you:

♦ Pay attention to your relationships with others

    Ask yourself the following questions: How do you deal with disagreements? When was the last time you showed your family members that you care for them? Your relationships with friends, family members and teachers show a lot about the kind of person you are.

♦ Face the fears about the future

    Now, imagine that one of your good friends told you that he or she was not strong enough to go back to school． We often give better advice than we are willing to take ourselves．Remember that even the most successful people were probably told that what they wanted to do was impossible, but they followed their dreams and succeed.

♦ Develop your talents

    If you want to reach your goals, you will have to spend more time developing the talents you already have, and uncovering any hidden talents that you haven't discovered yet．So you can take classes in subjects that you are interested in, even if you have no experience.

♦ Be thankful

    Take some time to be thankful for the things you do have．Remember positive memories. Think of the best day（s） you have had in the past month or year．Remember special parties, vacations and holidays．Appreciate the wonderful people you have in your life.

    Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they'll probably start a conversation. "Hot today, isn't it?" one might say. "You said it." another replies.

Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don't begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.

    Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.

    Small talk even helps people get hired. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.

    So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.

    Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment (赞美) the other person to make him or her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.

    Third, keep eye contact (接触). When you look people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and builds trust.

    Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don't know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small talk does get easier.

    Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!

    All over the world people are hooked on sports, which help them to strengthen their body and build their character.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} They improve the participants' physical skills, and provide entertainment for the audience as well.

    Many people like to watch others play games.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins. If they are crazy about the game or the player, then they'll become their die-hard fans. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in countries near the sea or in those with many rivers.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}And think of people in cold countries. Masses of people love to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Chinese boxing, also has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new, which started in the late of the nineteenth century. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water skiing, as a modern game, is one of the newest in the family of sports.

    People from different countries or races may not be able to understand each other, but after a game, they get to know each other better and they often become good friends.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}They learn to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace. They also learn to be competitive and optimistic, which will equip them for life challenges in the future.

A. They buy tickets or turn on the TV to watch the games.

B. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy!

C. Some sports or games date back thousands of years, like running or jumping.

D. Sports help to train a person's character.

E. Chinese people liked doing sports even in ancient times.

F. Sports are competitive physical activities or games through casual or organized participation.

G. And the friendship may last for a life time.

How to Be Good at Sports

    If sports are something that interests you, it stands to reason that you would want to be good at them. Here are some tips that can help you become a good player.

    Set ambitious but realistic goals. If you want to be great at sports, you need to set your aims high.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Instead, you should take a look at what you are, and figure out where you think you would like to be. Give yourself a suitable amount of time to achieve that goal.

    Be patient. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Impatient athletes tend to make poor ones. If you're not patient, you'll try to jump into advanced techniques long before you're ready. You'll feel discouraged when you don't see immediate improvement.

    Join a sports team. Most of the sports teams are free to join. If you go to school, you should go for team tryouts when they're happening. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Accept criticism. When you play sports, you will unavoidably receive criticism, whether from a coach or other players. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Are they angry because you missed a pass, or do they sincerely want to help you improve? In a lot of cases, you can use criticism as motivation to get better.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} A skill become mastered when you're able to do it without thinking. Given enough time and practice, a skill will eventually fall under this category. When in a game, you won't have time to think everything through, so practice until it's all automatic.

A. Skills are often slow to build.

B. This does not mean being unrealistic.

C. You need to take most of it with a grain of salt.

D. Practice until your skills become second nature.

E. You also need to be clear about what you are good at.

F. If you're not in school, you can find a sports club online.

G. An important reason people join sports teams is to make friends.

    Traveling with kids, regardless of the age, is a terrible thing for new parents. Responsibility is high and travel expenses might be unexpected at any point of the trip. If you are planning your first road trip or vacation with children, there are several important things to consider.

    Get a child locator. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} and many parents sometimes lose their kids Popular tourist destinations are overcrowded, too. So, if you are afraid of losing your children, get a child locator to be aware of where your kids are going when they accidentally get lost.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. You do not need to pack tons of toys, sweets and a tablet full of games in order to keep your little ones entertained. You can encourage them to create a travel journal or smash book, read, tell each other stories, or give them a camera to capture the most precious moments during your trip. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. This is a must even during the shortest road trip. You can handle a headache, but your child can't. If you do not know what to put in your first aid kit (急救箱), consult your children's doctor, because all children are different and the medicines either.

    Apart from the above, money, passport, avoiding heavy luggage, pick a family­friendly destination and family friendly accommodation are also needed. Traveling with kids is exciting and interesting. Your first trip might not be so exciting, but with a careful preparation, your family trip will be the most memorable one. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Keep them careful

B. Keep them entertained

C. Pack a small, kid­friendly first aid kit

D. Board games might be a god choice, too

E. Airports and train stations are usually overcrowded.

F. Avoiding your little ones in the panning of the trip is a good idea.

G. Involve your little ones in the planning of the trip, which will help you