Testing the five-second rule

    You may have seen a friend drop food on the floor, pick it up, and eat it, while declaring, “Five-second rule! ” It's said that food dropped on the floor for five seconds or less is still likely to be clean. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Students at Britain's Aston University, led by microbiology professor Anthony Hilton, tested the rule and found it to have some scientific basis. The study's results show that food dropped for five seconds is less likely to contain bacteria than if it sits there for longer, according to Hilton.

    The students also found that the type of flooring where the dropped food lands has an effect. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Bacteria are most likely to transfer from tiled (铺瓷砖的) surfaces to moist food when the food has stood there for more than five seconds.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Therefore, consumers should still be cautious. “However, the findings of this study will bring some light relief to those who have been employing the five-second rule for years, despite a general consensus that it is purely a myth,” professor Hilton said in a statement.

    The research team at Aston also surveyed 500 people to find out who employs the five-second rule. Of the people surveyed, 87% said they would eat food dropped on the floor, or have done so in the past. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} “Our study showed people are also more likely to follow the five-second rule, which our research has shown to be much more than an old wives' tale,” Hilton says.

    Still, scientists say you should be careful about eating food dropped on the floor, especially if you have doubts about the cleanliness of the surface. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. But is that true?

B. Carpeted surfaces posed the lowest risk.

C. Of those people, the majority were women.

D. We've just lost our last excuse to eat food off the floor.

E. Usually people recover from the infection in five to ten days.

F. There is still a risk of infection if certain bacteria are present on the dropped surface.

G. A biologist points out that one in six Americans get sick from food poisoning every year.

    You don't need to travel far away to write a travel diary.Your writing can start with a family vacation or a weekend get away.All you need is a destination or a place of departure（出发）!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Your trip journal can begin before your trip has started.Use your journal to start planning the things you want to do.It can be a cool restaurant where you want to eat,a hike you want to go on or different sights you want to see.

    Write about what you imagine it will be.Sometimes when you travel,your destination is wildly different from what you expected.Maybe you expected the local food to be bad and it turned out to be delicious.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Maybe you thought you would not be comfortable with the climate while you adapted to it.Whatever,tr)r to write it down before you arrive.It will be interesting to compare these predictions to what you have actually experienced.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.It is always easier to remember things when they are fresh in your brain,but it may be diluted（淡化）with time going by.So try to write as much as you can during traveling every day if you can.Your journals don't have to be long,but letting them express your feelings is the most important or exciting.

    Add pictures to your journal.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Combining pictures with your first-hand accounts of what they represent,or what happened when they were taken,will make for（有助于）a better travel journal.

    Write about your trip after you leave.It is important to reflect on your travels,so you can have a new understanding.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Ask a parent for help.

B.Use your journal to plan your trip.

C.Get prepared for your travel journal.

D.Write as much as you can during your trip.

E.Maybe you imagined the town to be smaller than it actually is.

F.This is also a great way to learn about yourself and other people you have travelled with.

G Even though your journal is meant for writing,pictures are still worth a thousand words.

    Researchers define self-control or self-discipline as "ability to control or change one's inner responses". {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, some people think that as an immediate consequence of leading lives of constant self-control, they aren't likely to gain a lot of pleasure from life.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} To start, 414 adults completed on online survey. In the survey, they rated their self-control by indicating how much they agreed with 14 statements, such as "I indeed do certain things that are bad for me, if they are fun."

    In their study, 205 adults were given smart phones and required to report their emotions at random moments throughout the week. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If so, they had to report how hard they tried to resist them, and whether they eventually ended up acting on them.

    The researchers found that the more self-control people had，the more satisfied they were with their lives in the long run. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In fact, such people's increased happiness to a large extent accounted for the increased life satisfaction.

    These researchers also figured out that people high in self-control are simply less likely to find themselves in situations where that's even an issue. They don't waste time fighting inner battles over whether or not to eat a second piece of cake. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And that, it would seem, makes them happier……even if occasionally a little bit sad.

A. In a word, they are not bothered about such little desires.

B. Researchers checked these general ideas through a survey and study.

C. It is generally believed that in the long run self-control can make people happier.

D. Meanwhile, they were also asked to report whether they were experiencing any desires.

E. However, people with more self-control were also more likely to be happy in the short run.

F. But they are still uncertain why some people are more able to control their inner responses.

G. Most adults reported they failed to control their desire to play video games before an exam.

    After a tiring day, your bedroom, a comfortable and inviting space, should be one place where you can finally relax. If the space seems too limited, you can try out these tips to make it look larger.

    ⒈Avoid dark colors and increase natural light.

    In a small room, walls and decoration that are dark can make the area seem even smaller. Choose light color like cream and peach for your walls. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Try to allow as much natural light as possible to fall into the room, through the window or the balcony door. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Look for furniture that uses wall space.

Choosing furniture that fits into a corner or which can be placed against a wall will greatly increase ground space in your room. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}—--try hanging some on one wall and see the difference it makes.

    ⒊Find creative ways to store your stuff.

    Make full use of the built-in shelves and storing capacities in the kitchen and bathroom. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}You can also look for multi-function furniture: a coffee table with drawers, or a foot stool with interior storage.

    ⒋{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    When doing weekly clean-ups, throw out your old and unused objects and keep only the essential items in view. You can also cut back on the unnecessary appliances. Move the table fan out into the living room during winter. If your bedroom is already small, don't bring in a TV. If you already have one, try moving it out and see if it gains you extra space.

A. Mirrors also create an impression of space.

B. Remove untidy and unnecessary appliances.

C. Store rarely used items in a box under your bed.

D. Purchase the possible less furniture for your room.

E. Bright sunlight can kill some bacteria in your bedroom.

F. Sunlight will brighten the room and make it seem more cheerful.

G. Pillows, curtain covers, and decorative items should also be light in color.

    It's reported that a male waiter recently poured boiling water over a female customer at a hot pot restaurant after the woman was caught complaining about the waiter's bad service online. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The female victim, surnamed Lin, reportedly got into an argument with the waiter, surnamed Zhu, when Zhu refused her repeated request for additional soup for her pot. Lin was rushed to hospital and was diagnosed with severe bums on up to 40% of her body. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Many netizens criticized the waiter for being too impulsive and ignoring the possible consequences, but some also accused Lin of being too picky. Meanwhile, some came up with a question worthy of discussion: {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Many tragedies are caused by arguments and if the victim can control his or her anger and try to reach a compromise, the tragedies could possibly be avoided. Sometimes so­called "cowardliness" can be a form of self­protection, especially when you are faced with strangers and you know little about their personalities.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When they calm down afterwards, they would regret their "ridiculous" behavior and have to pay the price for the consequences.

    In May, a male driver in the southwestern city of Chengdu was captured on film intercepting a woman's car and dragging her out of her seat, throwing her on the ground, before cruelly kicking her several times on the head, simply because the woman suddenly changed lanes in front of his car.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Forgive others' mistakes and avoid fueling others' anger. Accordingly, you may be less likely to suffer from unexpected troubles.

A. Will the situation be out of control because of your anger?

B. Intolerance has contributed to lots of violent incidents.

C. How to keep ourselves safe when we argue with others?

D. The waiter has been arrested for further investigation and trial.

E. This incident caused an outcry among netizens and opinion leaders.

F. But it is difficult to control our anger when we have conflict with others.

G. So next time you deal with conflict, it is mere advisable to control your temper and say "sorry" with a smile.

Master Your Deadlines

The struggle begins in high school, sometimes earlier. Deadlines, and lots of them, start to pile up. At college, the pressure sometimes leads to last-minute rush and unsatisfactory work. At work, failing to meet deadlines can easily get you fired. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are a few best practices.

▪Assign deadlines to what matters.

If the task isn't of high importance, don't set a specific deadline. In this way, you are able to keep it on your radar for a while without feeling pressured. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This will provide just enough pressure to ensure you get it done.

▪ {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Set a personal deadline for yourself a day or two before the actual deadline. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you're working with a group of people, add in even more time to account for potential follow-ups and the need for approvals.

▪ Keep communicating.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This means letting others know when something is taking longer than expected, when a delivery didn't come in, when a client is not providing the necessary information, etc. Although it may feel embarrassing to admit that something is not on schedule, being honest is much better for relieving your stress.

A. Plan for flexible hours.

B. Finish your project as early as possible.

C. But if an activity is urgent, set a deadline immediately.

D. In this way, you'll never have to stay up late and feel stressed.

E. But handled properly, deadlines can actually improve productivity.

F. Whenever you feel challenged to finish work on time, communicate.

G. So if anything takes longer than expected, you can still wrap it up and submit it on time.