The Science of Risk-Seeking

    Sometimes we decide that a little unnecessary danger is worth it because when we weigh the risk and the reward, the risk seems worth taking. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some of us enjoy activities that would surprise and scare the rest of us. Why? Experts say it may have to do with how our brains work.

    The reason why any of us take any risks at all might have to do with early humans. Risk-takers were better at hunting, fighting, or exploring. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} As the quality of risk-taking was passed from one generation to the next, humans ended up with a sense of adventure and a tolerance for risk.

    So why aren't we all jumping out of airplanes then? Well, even 200, 000 years ago, too much risk-taking could get one killed. A few daring survived, though, along with a few stay-in-the-cave types. As a result, humans developed a range of character types that still exists today. So maybe you love car racing, or maybe you hate it.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    No matter where you are on the risk-seeking range, scientists say that your willingness to take risks increases during your teenage years. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} To help you do that, your brain increases your hunger for new experiences. New experiences often mean taking some risks, so your brain raises your tolerance for risk as well.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For the risk-seekers, a part of the brain related to pleasure becomes active, while for the rest of us, a part of the brain related to fear becomes active.

    As experts continue to study the science of risk-seeking, we'll continue to hit the mountains, the waves or the shallow end of the pool.

    Why 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. You might think that playing sports will take up all your study time.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Exercise improves learning, memory, and concentration (集中；专心), which can give active girls an advantage in the classroom.

    Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goalsetting skills.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. When you work with coaches, trainers, and teammates to win games and achieve goals, you're learning how to be successful. Those skills will serve you well at work and in family life.

    Sports are good for a girl's health. In addition to being fit and keeping 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 osteoporosis(骨质疏松症).

    Playing sports improves self-confidence.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. 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, keep a healthy weight, and make new friends.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Playing sports can reduce pressure and help you feel a little happier. How? The brain chemicals released during exercise improve a person's mood. 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!

A. Exercise cuts the pressure.

B. Sports teach valuable life skills.

C. In fact, there are at least 5 more reasons.

D. Regular exercise increases quality of life.

E. Girls who play sports feel better about themselves.

F. Playing sports offers children more than just physical benefits.

G. But research shows that girls who play sports do better in school than those who don't.

    Although most parents don't like doing it after a long and exhausting workday, reading bedtime stories does make a positive influence on your child's emotional and mental health. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It helps to develop children's imagination.

Reading bedtime stories can develop your children's ability to form pictures or ideas in their mind. A healthy imagination makes their minds work well and teaches them to think quickly yet effectively. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    It improves children's language.

    Reading also improves your children's language. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}They'll most likely use those words in the stories you read right after they hear them. Listening to many stories helps kids to express their opinions better.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Reading books makes people more learned. When children hear the stories you tell, they learn grammar and vocabulary, for example. It helps them be successful in school as they already know a lot from your stories. What's more, every story has its moral aspect and tells them what's good and what's bad.

    These reasons leave no chances of doubting whether to read bedtime stories to your children or not. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}They will thank you in future, I promise.

A. It fosters children's affection for reading.

B. It makes children knowledgeable.

C. Take a look at the best benefits of it and you'll never be lazy to do that.

D. So however tired you are, find time to read bedtime stories to your children.

E. Bedtime stories create just unforgettable moments.

F. They remember most words you say and enlarge their vocabulary.

G. They'll be successful in many aspects thanks to a wonderful imagination.

    Last summer over 12,000 fans were at Wembley Arena in London, shouting and cheering. Thousands more were watching online. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It was esports, or competitive computer gaming.

    Millions of people in the UK play computer games for fun. Some of them have become professional gamers, playing games as their full-time job. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They practice for ten or more hours a day, five or six days a week. They do exercises like typing something and trying to type it faster and faster. They also study videos of other players and plan ways to beat them.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Are players athletes? Some say no. Esports players don't need to run, jump, throw or do big physical actions. At the moment, the UK government classifies esports as kinds of games, not as sports.

    But others say yes: esports are sports. Players do need some physical skills, especially hand-eye coordination, reflexes, accuracy and timing. If darts, snooker and shooting are classified as sports, then perhaps esports should be too.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} And they will be an official medal sport in the Asian Games starting from 2022. Next step: the Olympics?

    For many esports fans and players, though, the most important thing is that esports are growing in popularity and importance. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Playing a musical instrument can be a fun and rewarding hobby. It's a good way to express feelings and develop confidence in your abilities. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are a few questions to help you decide.

    What kind of music do you like?

    What you are interested in will encourage you to play. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Traditional orchestra musical instruments are what you hear in classical music. Modern music calls for modern instruments, like electric guitars.

    Where are you going to practice?

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Think about where and when you are going to practice, as well as the patience of the people you live with or near. Some instruments like the guitar give you the chance of playing in the night using earphones, while your housemates sleep in peace. Also, you may need to consider going to a school or a music center to practice.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    This is quite a big problem. A lot of instruments can be bought in different price ranges. But this doesn't change the fact that many instruments, such as the piano, are always expensive. If you can't afford your chosen instrument, will you be able to borrow someone else's?

    Are there any physical limitations?

    If you are small and don't like lifting heavy objects, you won't want to carry around a cello (大提琴). If you don't have great lung power, think twice about the saxophone. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But remember that with the right coaching, everyone can develop the right skills.

Moving to a new country—or even spending a year abroad—is an exciting experience. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Making friends in a new country is one of them. Here are some suggestions.

Network through personal connections. Most people don't jump at the chance to show a stranger around town, but that changes as soon as you make a personal connection—even a tiny one. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Until you do, you'll never know if your former classmate's brother's best friend lives around the corner.

Join a hobby club or a sports team. Committing to a weekly hobby meet up is a great way to force yourself to socialize. There are always hiking clubs looking for teammates. You don't have to master the local language to find partners. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} What you need to do is make an effort to start conversations or sign up for exercise classes.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Feeling lonely isn't just about not having weekend plans; it can make us feel like we don't matter to the people around us. Join an organization that helps homeless people or helps out animal shelters. You'll feel good about yourself and find an immediate sense of connection.

Talk to strangers. When you're the stranger in town, it's easy to feel awkward and out of place. The more you push past that, the more you'll find that almost everyone enjoys meeting new people. Talking about where you come from and what the weather is like is the first step to get to know someone.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Volunteer for a good cause. 

B.However，it has its challenges，too. 

C.So practice your small talk and use it often. 

D.These are great places to meet outgoing strangers. 

E.Ask friends back home if they know anyone in your area. 

F.Every trip out of the house is a chance to meet the right person. 

G.Exercising in a gym is another way to meet people with similar interests.