Why do many people play sports? You might say “to get exercise'' and you'd be right. To have fun? That's true, too. But there's more.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}According to the Women's Sports Foundation, girls who play sports get a lot more than just fit.

    Girls who play sports do better in school. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}But research shows that girls who play sports do better in school than those who don't. Exercise improves learning, memory, and concentration, which can give active girls an advantage in the classroom.

    Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goal-setting skills. Sports teaches valuable life skills. When you working with coaches, trainers, and teammates to win games and achieve goals, you're learning how to be successful. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Sports are good for a girl's health. In addition to being fit and maintaining a healthy weight, girls who play sports are also less likely to smoke. And later in life, girls who exercise are less likely to get breast cancer.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Girls who play sports feel better about themselves. Why? It builds confidence when you know you can practice, improve, and achieve your goals. Sports are also a feel-good activity because they help girls get in shape, maintain a healthy weight, and make new friends.

    Exercise cuts the pressure. Playing sports can lessen stress and help you feel a little happier. How? {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Friends are another mood-lifter. And being on a team creates tight bonds between friends. It's good to know your teammates will support you—both on and off the field!

    Q & A

    Question: I have recently got a senior position within my company．One of my new tasks is to made monthly progress reports on my department in front of other senior officials. During my first meeting, I presented and the n opened the floor to questions．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}  My first reaction was to answer defensively．Later, I realized that I shouldn't have felt that way．But how can I keep cool and effectively answer questions in this type of settings?

    Answer: Congratulations on your new position! Presenting in front of your peers （同事）is a hard task in itself and it becomes much more difficult when a question-and-answer period is required! Question-and-answer periods are a great way to clarify the message and strengthen key points．{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When a person is asking a question, show interest and a desire to understand the question by listening and asking for clarification．

    Buy time

When facing a hard question, most people can't give an answer immediately．Buy time by repeating the question in your own words．{#blank#}4{#/blank#} These techniques allow you to quickly organize your thoughts as well as to make sure you will be correctly answering the question．

    Suggest a private meeting.

A one-to-one meeting is a calmer setting than speaking in front of your peers．{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A．Show your true interest．

B．Restate the question with respect．

C．Some ideas can be quite concrete．

D．There were many difficult questions．

E．It can also be more effective in exchanging ideas．

F．You may also ask for clarification on the question．

G．Here are some ideas that can help prepare for your next meeting．

                                                                     How to Grow Vegetables at Home

    Many people choose to grow their own vegetables for healthy food. You'll enjoy the fruits of your labor if you give your plants the care they require.

    Step 1

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Consider how much produce you can use. Also consider your space. Your gardening area will need at least six hours of sunlight per day.

    Step 2

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If the leaves are yellow or have holes that is a sign the plant is diseased. Look for plants with strong green stems and a shiny appearance.

    Step 3

    Prepare your soil. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Add manure(肥料).

    Step 4

    Dig a hole as deep as the plant's root ball and a little wider. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Checkthe instructions on each plant to see how much space to leave between plants. Water thoroughly(彻底地) when the planting is over.

    Step 5

    Maintain your vegetable garden by watering and weeding regularly. Your garden needs about an inch of water a week. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Weed by hand or with a tool.

A. Plan your garden.

B. Consider the place.

C. Choose plants that look healthy.

D. Remove grass and weeds from the soil.

E. Place the plant in the hole and fill it in with dirt.

F. The biggest mistake is trying to do too much too soon.

G. Water once or twice a week to help your plants develop strong roots.

    Too many of us are waiting too long to live our best lives. We keep putting everything off until tomorrow. Then, before we know it, we find ourselves asking, "How did it get so late so soon?"

    So we'd better make today the beginning of our new life. Take time to figure ourselves out. Take time to realize what we want and need. Take time to love, laugh, cry, and learn. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five things we should start doing today:

    Accept ourselves. The secret to happiness and success is the acceptance of ourselves. We will never become who we want to be if we rely on everyone else to qualify us.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} So always go with ourselves, never against ourselves. Be who we were created to be and we will set the world on fire.

    Make ourselves a priority. To tell the truth, there are only a few people in this world who will stay 100% true to us, so we should stay true to ourselves. Put our own needs into the list of things to do.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Don't sit back and let things happen to us. Go out and make things happen. We are what we do, not what we say we'll do. Stop saying "I wish" and start saying "I will". Turn our dreams into plans.

    Do the work. We can't underestimate (低估) a person who always works hard. Be that person. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Always remember that the task ahead of us is never greater than the strength within us. Do what's right, not what's easy. Our dreams are worth it.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}We can't force things to happen; we can only drive ourselves trying crazily. There's a time and place for everything. So don't force what's not yet supposed to fit into our life. When it's meant to be, it will be. Work hard, and be patient.

A. Take positive action.

B. Enjoy every moment of life.

C. Life is shorter than it often seems.

D. Everyone has a different way of life.

E. Accept ourselves just the way we are.

F. Allow life to happen like it's supposed to.

G. In life, we don't get what we wish for; we get what we work for.

The Four-step Approaches to Managing Anger

    If something happens that makes you feel angry, try these following steps. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Maybe it will help you prevent angry feelings from building up inside.

Identify the problem. Start by noticing what you're angry about and why. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Ask yourself: What's got you angry? What's your feeling and why? You can do this either in your mind or out loud, but it needs to be clear and specific.

    Think of potential solutions. This is where you stop for a minute to give yourself time to manage your anger. It's also where you start thinking of how you might react—but without reacting yet. Ask yourself: What can you do? Think of at least three things. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This is where you think about what is likely to result from each of the different reactions you came up with. Ask yourself: What will happen for each one of these options?

    Make a decision. This is where you take action by choosing one of the three things you could do.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Ask yourself: What's your best choice? Once you choose your solution, then it's time to act.

    Check your progress.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Ask yourself: How did you do? Did things work out as you expected? If not, why not? Are you satisfied with the choice you made? Taking some time to reflect on how things worked out after it's all over is a very important step. It helps you learn about yourself and it allows you to test which problem-solving approaches work best in different situations.

A. Learn to receive the fact.

B. They help you cool down when you feel like your anger might explode.

C. Put into words what's making you upset so you can act rather than react.

D. Look at the list and pick the one that is likely to be the most effective.

E. It's called a problem-solving approach.

F. After you've acted and the situation is over, spend some time thinking about how it went.

G. After that you should consider the consequences of each solution.

    If you have ever been in a school play or even made to believe you were a doctor, a detective, or a space traveler, you know the enjoyment that acting brings. Almost all of us have the wish to play the part of someone — or something else.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    In the ancient world, acting was often connected with religious ceremonies and other special occasions. As far back as 2200 B.C., trained Chinese actors performed ceremonial dances in costume and makeup at harvest festivals.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The imitation (模仿) of movements and gestures was gradually added to the dance, as well as the wearing of masks, the singing of chants, and finally the use of dialogue.

    While acting was coming into its own in the ancient Chinese classical theatre, it was doing the same in the western world, in Greece. From about 500 B.C. on, acting became a highly specialized art in Greece. Greek actors, however, still wore masks, and their motions (动作) were largely fixed by custom.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Modern acting, by contrast, gives the individual actor great opportunity to develop his or her personal talents for serious, comic, or musical drama. The names, faces, and styles of famous movie actors are known worldwide.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}A special form of acting takes place in radio drama, which was highly popular before television. In radio drama the actors face a unique challenge. They are unseen by their audience. So they must rely on voice alone to make their characters real to the listeners.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Only forty percent of Broadway actors are employed, most of them for only part of the year. Those who become stars need not only talent, but determination. They must not be easily discouraged. Otherwise, they might give up before the opportunity for fame presents itself.

A. The origins of acting are in the act of remembering.

B. Drama in Greece began with festivals honoring Dionysus.

C. It is believed that this was the first step in the development of acting.

D. Historical records indicate that this desire is as old as civilization itself.

E. Acting is not, as many people think, a quick, easy road to fame and riches.

F. Broadway and television provide other stages on which actors can display their talent.

G. Consequently, they had little opportunity to display their individual personalities.