Why is setting goals important? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow you to make your life happen. Successful people imagine how their life should be and set lots of goals.

    By setting goals you are taking control of your life. It's like having a map to show you where you want to go. Think of it this way. There are two drivers. One has a destination in mind which can be found on a map. She can drive straight there surely without any wasted time of wrong turns. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} She starts off at the same time from the same place as the first driver, but she drives aimlessly around, never getting anywhere, just using up gas. Which driver do you want to be?

    Winners in life set goals and follow them through. They decide what they want in life and then get there by making plans and setting goals. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Goals aren't difficult to set and they aren't difficult to reach.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You are the one who must decide what to achieve and in what direction to aim your life.

    Research tells us that when we write a goal down we are more likely to achieve it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Like a contract(合同) with yourself, they are harder to neglect or forget. Also when you write your goals in a particular way, you are able to make yourself continuously aware of situations that will bring you nearer to your goal.

    Training for a marathon requires careful preparation and steady, gradual increases in the length of the runs.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}, buy the best-fitting, best-built running shoes you can find. No one can say which brand will work best for you or feel best on your feet, so you have to rely on your experience and on the feel of each pair as you shop. When you have found shoes that seem right, walk in them for a few days to double-check the fit.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.As always, you should stretch(伸展) at least ten minutes before each run to prevent injuries.

    During the first week, do not think about distance, but run five minutes longer each day.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}, it is wise to take a day off to rest. But during the next week, set a goal of at least a mile and a half per run.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} After two weeks, start timing yourself.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.Depending on the kind of race you plan to enter, you can set up a timetable for the remaining weeks before the race.

A. For a good marathon runner

B. After six days

C. Before you begin your training

D. With each day, increase the distance by a half mile

E. Time spent for preparation raises the quality of training

F. If they still feel good, you can begin running in them

G. Now you are ready to figure out a goal of improving distance and time

    Most people would like to keep a healthy diet during the holiday season. There are many social events to celebrate—we love to look our best when we're there, and we don't always look our best with bloated(肿胀的) stomachs and pained expressions on our face after having too many cookies, candies and pies. We also need healthy food to provide us with the energy necessary to go to all of these parties with a big smile on our face, gift in hand, and enthusiastic attitude in heart. Starting the New Year with some healthy habits in place, rather than a long list of things to change, can also add momentum (动力) towards reaching other goals. The unfortunate reality is that many of us have a hard time with healthy eating during the holidays.

    The holiday season is when we bring out candies, cookies, and all the other party foods! It's easy to eat too much of the wrong thing. It's also the time of year when people cook really delicious food in abundance: turkeys, roasts, hams and other great foods are the centerpieces of feasts that tempt(引诱)us to eat more than we need. The holiday season is also a busy and stressful time of year. We're rushing too much, spending too much, and letting perfectionism and stress take hold of us all too often. This can lead to emotional eating.

    People who are celebrating often consume more than they would in their regular lives. When celebrating the holidays, there are several occasions where people might relax their dietary standards a little, in the name of celebration. These celebrations, however, can be rather plentiful during the holiday season, and the indulgence(放纵) can add up.

    Fortunately for all of us, there are some pretty effective ways to deal with holiday eating problems, and they're mostly under your control. For instance, adding certain spices (香料) to your foods can not only make them more flavorful which can lead you to feeling more satisfied as you eat, but these spices can bring added health benefits as well. Additionally, try mindful eating, a healthy eating strategy that has been gaining popularity lately. By eating mindfully, you can eat less and enjoy your food more, relieving stress in the process. It's win-win-win!

    Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. If you plan ahead, you can head off temptation for unhealthy holiday eating. For example. If you're going to a party or an event where you know you'll be tempted, eat some healthy food first so you won't show up starving. Learn your triggers(诱因), and have strategies for combating them.

    The universe has never failed to catch human's attention. The ancient humans came up with stories to explain the presence of the suns and other planets. As time went by, humans set their sights on exploring the vastness of space. In 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon's surface.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It allows people to know more about the universe.

    Undoubtedly, space exploration has answered the question of whether the earth is round or not and proved the earth does circle around the sun and not the other way around.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It gives people a deeper understanding about the universe and provides them with more information about the world they live in.

    It paves the way to advanced technology.

    Scientists are always developing new technology for space programs, but the good news is that these new innovations(创新) aren't just useful for astronauts and space programs.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In fact they have already led to the development of modern products and devices that many people use such as the GPS systems, and breast cancer test imaging, to name a few.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Space exploration doesn't just involve scientists and astronauts; it also requires the skills and labor of many engineers, research assistants, technicians, mechanics, and other professionals. If space exploration would be stopped today, these people would become jobless, and they wouldn't have the means to support themselves and their families.

    It can offer a solution to many problems.

    Aside from collecting information about the outer space, many space exploration programs are used to solve some of the problems with our modern society. Some programs, for example, help scientists learn more about the earth's atmosphere and know how to better predict weather and natural disasters.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This may be the solution to the earth's growing population.

    Space exploration is one of the biggest achievements of humans as a whole, and it has paved the way to greater scientific understanding and technological advancement over the years. I can see no reason why we should stop our exploration.

A. It creates many jobs.

B. But it does much more than that.

C. It was a big step in space exploration.

D. They can also be used in other industries.

E. They also help scientists know more about the earth.

F. Others focus on looking for planets that can support human life.

G. Since then, space exploration has been going on and brought many benefits.

    When was the last time you read a book or a magazine article? Do your everyday reading habits centre around updates on the Internet? In case you are one of innumerable individuals who don't make a habit of reading consistently（持续的）you may be passing up a great opportunity: Reading has a remarkable number of advantages and only a couple of advantages of reading are recorded below.

    Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information and you never know when it might be useful to you. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to overcome any challenge you'll ever face. Additionally, here's a bit of food for thought: Should you ever find yourself in terrible circumstances, remember that although you might lose everything else—your job, your possessions, your money, even your health—knowledge can never be taken from you.

    At the same time, the more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they'll surely make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being able to express your ideas clearly in words is of great help in any profession and knowing that you can speak to higher-ranking people with self-confidence can be a great encouragement to your self-esteem（自尊）. It could even aid in your career as those who are well-read, well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics tend to get promotions more quickly (and more often) than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of literature, scientific advances, and global events. Reading books is also vital for learning new languages, as non-native speakers gain exposure to words used in context, which will improve their own speaking and writing fluency.

    When you read a book, you have to remember a lot of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history as well as a variety of plots that weave their way through every story. That's a fair bit to remember, but brains are wonderful things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, whenever you remember something new, new synapses（神经元的突触）are formed and existing ones are strengthened. How cool that is!

    No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away（溜走）when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms（领域）while an interesting article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax.

    A major source of teen stress is school exams, and test anxiety is not uncommon. When you recognize your teen is under stress, how can parents help your teen stay calm before an exam?

    Be involved. Parents need to be involved in their teen's work.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}What they look for is your presence - to talk, to cry, or simply to sit with them quietly. Communicate openly with your teen. Encourage your teen to express his worries and fears, but don't let them focus on those fears.

    Help them get organized.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Together, you and your teen can work out a time-table in which she can study for what she knows will be on the test.

    Provide a calm setting. Help your teen set up a quiet place to study and protect his privacy. Give them a nutritious diet. It's important for your teen to eat a healthy, balanced diet during exam times to focus and do her best.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If this happens, encourage your teen to eat light meals or sandwiches. A healthy diet, rather than junk food, is best for reducing stress.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Persuade your teenager to get some sleep and/or do something active when she needs a real break from studying. Making time for relaxation, fun, and exercise are all important in reducing stress. Help your teen balance her time so that she will feel comfortable taking time out from studying to spend time with friends or rest.

    Show a positive attitude.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Your panic, anxiety and blame contribute to your teen's pressure. Make your teen feel accepted and valued for her efforts. Most importantly, reassure your teen that things will be all right, no matter what the results are.