A strong memory depends on the health and vitality （活力） of your brain. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old saying simply isn't true. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

      Give your brain a workout. Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to “use it or lose it”. The more you work out your brain, the better you'll be able to process and remember information.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

        Don't skip the physical exercise. While mental exercise is important forbrain health, that doesn't mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercise helps your brainstay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss.

        Get enough sleep. There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function at your best.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Keep stress in check. Stress is one of the brain's worst enemies. Over time, stress destroys braincells. Studies have also linked stress to memory loss.

        Have a laugh.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} That holds true for the brain and the memory, as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specificareas of the brain, laughter engages multiple regions across the whole brain.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably already know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, “healthy”fats and lean protein will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. For brain health, though, it's not just what you eat—it's also what you don't eat.

A. Eat a brain-boosting diet.

B. Play games with memory.

C. Laughter is the best medicine.

D. But oversleeping is not good for yourbrain.

E. Even skipping a few hours makes adifference!

F. You have to shake things up from timeto time!

G. The human brain has an astonishingability to adapt and change.

    How Fit Are Young Teens?

    How often do you exercise? A new study finds that most kids ages 12 to 15 aren't getting enough physical activity.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    U.S. fitness guidelines recommend (推荐) an hour or more of physical activity every day. According to the study, only 1 in 4 U.S. kids meet the recommendation. Few kids in the survey met the guidelines for physical activity that raises the heart rate and makes you breathe harder. However, most of those kids said they did at least an hour of exercise at that level during the previous week.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The study found fat teens were less active than normal-weight girls and boys. Overweight girls were slightly less active than normal-weight girls.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

     “There's always room for improvement,” said health expert Tala.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}She also said the results provide useful information to help with fitness campaigns such as Let's Move, which was launched by First Lady Michelle Obama. To inspire kids to eat right and get in shape, the First Lady visits schools and holds exercise events. She also calls on schools to offer regular gym classes.

    The research suggests kids who get physical education may get better grades.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It's concerning.

B. She is an expert on children's health.

C. She was the lead author of the study.

D. The results are based on about 800 kids.

E. Schools should give kids more time for physical activity.

F. But levels were similar among overweight and normal-weight boys.

G. Overall, about 25% said they got an hour of that kind of difficult exercise every day.

    About a year ago, I had a terribly hurtful experience where a close friend spread untruths(谎言) about me. Because I value my friendships so highly, when a friend hurts my feelings, it cuts me deeply. Perhaps it's unfair for me to hold my friends to the same standard I set for myself as a friend.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Be honest with yourself.

    Often times, hurtful behaviour starts off with a small thing that you forgive quickly. You love your friend and believe she'd never hurt you on purpose. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And slowly you realize your friend may not be the person you thought she was when you first met her. Being honest with your own feelings will help you be honest and open with her.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    As the situation unfolded(发展), I learned more about what she'd said and done. Thankfully, my cooler head won, and I realized her actions actually had nothing to do with me. I chose to let the anger go and move on with my life.

    Walk away and don't look back.

    Making the decision to leave a friendship can sometimes feel as hard as deciding to leave your marriage. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} But when that hole is open, you will soon realize that your close, real friends will close it quickly. I chose to walk away from a harmful friendship. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Certainly I don't miss the hurt and pain she brought to my heart. It's her loss, really, because I am a good friend.

A. Let the anger go.

B. And I don't regret it for a minute.

C. Expect the same from your friends.

D. But over time, you see a pattern of behaviour.

E. A friend who has been in your life will leave a big hole.

F. Once a friend hurts my feelings or breaks my trust, my heart will be broken.

G. But what do you do when friends go against you to the point where you're so hurt?

How to Be a Good Tourist

    We travel not only for work but also for fun and learning. Restaurants, galleries, temples and architecture...These places are like homes for people who live and work there. How would you want visitors to behave in your own home? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are many ways of doing this without sacrificing our own holiday.

    Do your homework. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Guides will help you when you get to the site, but is that the best place to go? Is it popular only because the one-day tourist can see it easily or because it is really a worthwhile place to visit？You'd better check it out.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Walk around, even if in the streets closest to your hotel. Eat in local restaurants. Talk to the locals. Learn a few in the local language and use them. You will surely get a smile from the hotel staff and street sellers.

    Help preserve the sites. Most of the sites you visit may be visited by millions of people a year, so care needs to be taken to allow others to enjoy them as well. Some of these monuments are so old and fragile that they are sensitive to the touch of hands or bags and shows. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} This way, you don't encourage the use of those plastic bags that fly all over many sites.

    And here's the big one — good manners are nearly universal. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If that doesn't sound like you, then give the world a break and stay home.

A. Experience the place.

B. Always have a cloth bag with you.

C. Read about the places you want to visit.

D. Try to buy something from the local stores.

E. A good tourist is polite, positive and eco-sensitive.

F. We've cleaned up after ourselves and taken only good memories.

G. I think we would like them to make it a little better because of their visit.

Before there was the written word, there was the language of dance. Dance expresses love and hate, joy and sorrow, life and death, and everything else in between.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}We dance from Florida to Alaska, from north to south and sea to sea. We dance at weddings, birthdays, office parties and just to fill the time.

"I adore dancing," says Lester Bridges, the owner of a dance studio in Iowa. "I can't imagine doing anything else with my life." Bridges runs dance classes for all ages. "Teaching dance is wonderful. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It's great to watch them. For many of them, it's a way of meeting people and having a social life."

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}"I can tell you about one young couple," says Bridges. "They're learning to do traditional dances. They arrive at the class in low spirits and they leave with a smile. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}"

So, do we dance in order to make ourselves feel better, calmer, healthier? Andrea Hillier says, "Dance, like the pattern of a beating heart, is life. Even after all these years, I want to get better and better.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} I find it hard to stop! Dancing reminds me I'm alive."

A. So why do we dance?

B. Dance in the U.S. is everywhere.

C. If you like dancing outdoors, come to America.

D. My older students say it makes them feel young.

E. I keep practicing even when I'm extremely tired.

F. Dancing seems to change their feeling completely.

G. They stayed up all night long singing and dancing.

If you're always comparing yourself to your peers，you might be low in confidence and unsure of yourself.Here are some tips on how to stop comparing yourself to others.

Write down your positive traits.When you ignore your abilities，it becomes easier to compare yourself to others.You might focus on their strengths and ignore your own completely. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}By being aware of your best qualities，you can learn to love yourself and build up your self﹣confidence.

Keep a gratitude journal.A gratitude journal helps you recognize the things you may take for granted so you can fully appreciate them.To start journaling，reflect on the little things that bring you joy. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Explain how they influence your life in detail.For example，if you jog in the park every day，you might express how you're grateful for your health and how jogging helps you overcome stress at work.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Instead of focusing on your "weaknesses"，reflect on the areas you can improve.Take advantage of all chances to improve your skills and techniques.Don't be afraid to ask other people for help along the way.Only by making efforts to improve your abilities can you make yourself happy.

Compete against yourself. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Instead，use comparison to become an improved version of yourself.Set goals for yourself and try to improve your own personal best.When you set a goal for yourself，track your progress so that you can see how you are moving toward that goal.That way

Overcoming comparison is a continuous process，but it is possible! {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Take control over your life.

B.Work on improving your abilities.

C.Don't compare your life to other people's.

D.Write down why you're grateful for them.

E.With time and practice，you can become the best version of yourself.

F.Appreciate others and use their success to motivate you to work hard.

G.To avoid this negative behavior，make a list of your strengths and talents.