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.

    Lots of people find it hard to get up in the morning and put the blame on the alarm clock. In fact, the key to easy morning wake-up lies in resting your body clock{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here is how to make one.

    ● {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In order to make a change, you need to decide why it's important. Do you want to get up in time to have breakfast with your family, get in some exercise, or just be better prepared for your day? Once you are clear about your reason, tell your family or roommates about the change you want to make.

    ● Rethink mornings. Now that you know why you want to wake up, consider re-arranging your morning activities. If you want time to have breakfast with your family, save some time the night before by setting out clothes, shoes, and bags.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}That's a quarter-hour more you could be sleeping if you bought a coffee maker with a timer.

    ● Keep your sleep/wake schedule on weekends. If you're tired out by Friday night, sleeping in on Saturday could sound wonderful. But compensating on the weekends actually feeds into your sleepiness the following week, a recent study found. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ● Keep a record and evaluate it weekly. Keep track of your efforts and write down how you feel. After you've tried a new method for a week, take a look at your record.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If not, take another look at other methods you could try.

    Helen Keller once wrote, "The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves."{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The UN has set December 5 as International Volunteer Day to give recognition to these people.

    Nineteen-year-old Andrew Makhoul was a communications major at the University of Pennsylvania. It was coming up to spring break, but unlike his classmates, Makhoul wasn't planning on spending the break relaxing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    He traveled to Guatemala. He went to an orphanage(孤儿院)in one of the most violent and poor parts of Guatemala city. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Although he didn't speak much Spanish, he found communication wasn't a problem: "You communicated with love." And what he gave out, he got back: "You could see love when you looked in their eyes."

    Makhoul's first time as a volunteer only lasted a week, but by the end of that week, he knew he'd be back in the future.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The UN highlighted the case of Palestinian women who are survivors of breast cancer. As part of the UN's Aid and Hope Programme for Patient Care, the women have been volunteering their time to create low-cost breast prosthetics(假体)to be distributed to women for free, among whom Shahd El-Swerki is a brilliant example. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}By the end of her time there, she admired these women who are "not only survivors but also volunteers".

    About 2,400 years ago, Greek philosopher Aristotle said, "The essence(本质)of life is to serve others and do good." Volunteers all around the world are making these words come true, each and every day.

A. These words certainly prove true for the millions of volunteers all over the world

B. Here, we tell two volunteering stories from around the globe.

C. He decided to spend his time doing something useful for people.

D. Volunteers want to do their best to make the world warmer and more beautiful.

E. She worked with the women as part of the programme.

F. Sometimes, volunteers themselves live with huge challenges

G. It depends upon volunteers to stay open. 

    If you need to interview someone for an article but you have never interviewed before, it can be frightening. Here are some tips for preparing for and conducting a successful interview.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If the person is a known author or speaker, take the time to read or listened to his/her work, or at least get familiar with his/her most recent or most important work. If the interview will cover events, review whatever is known publicly about those events.

    Prepare a recording device(录音设备). You can use your phone or an audio recorder. In this way you needn't struggle to write things down. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And this will make it easier to include direct quotes when you start writing.

    Remember to make it a conversation rather than a list of questions. Prepared questions are just a guideline. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can also try to ask your interviewee about his/her personal thoughts and reactions to events and people they deal with.

    Appropriate feedback(反馈) is also important. Feel free to say words that show you are listening, like "yeah" and "Mmmm". {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You can also give more facial feedback like smiling.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If the interviewee changes suddenly from one line of thought to another, lead them back to the area you are focusing on. Guide the interview but don't keep interrupting with many questions.

A. Politely ask if you can interview them.

B. Do your homework before you pick up the phone.

C. Then you can focus all your attention on the interview.

D. Consider how all the questions can be asked in a short time.

E. Nodding your head can be an encouragement to the interviewee.

F. In order to get the information you need, you should guide the interview.

G. You can try to ask questions based on what they have said to you in previous responses.

    It's reported that half of around 7,000 languages on the earth are in danger of disappearing by 2100.There are many reasons for such disappearance. Sometimes younger generations stop learning a language because parents want children to fit in modern society. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For instance, native American children of the late-19th century were required to attend boarding schools where educators forbade them from speaking their native languages.

    Endangered languages are ranked according to their risk level by the United Nations. A "critically endangered" language is one that even grandparents don't speak often. New York's Onondaga language is an example with only 50 speakers left. An "extinct" language has no speakers, which means it is gone forever. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The last person who spoke it died in 2008. So this language doesn't exist any longer.

    Various animals and plants benefit our environment. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Saving these languages benefits our understanding of other cultures. Languages can show how a society looks at the world and what it values. The Endangered Language Alliance, a non-profit group, wants to save languages from disappearing. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} However, its efforts are limited. If an endangered language is going to make a real comeback, it'll probably get its start in schools. Now students in Hawaii can keep learning Hawaiian from elementary schools to college and beyond.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} At least one did. In 1881, a Jewish linguist named Eliezer Ben-Yehuda brought the 3,000-year-old language Hebrew back to life. Today it is one of the official languages of the country of Israel, with more than 4 million speakers.

A. Alaska's Eyak language is one example.

B. Why should we save endangered languages?

C. With just five speakers left, it is absolutely endangered.

D. Can a language with zero native speakers come back to life?

E. Similarly, different languages contribute to cultural diversity.

F. Sometimes societies force minorities to give up their language.

G. The organization finds native speakers and records their stories.

Take a Break from Technology

In today's world we are constantly surrounded by technology. It's true to say that technology makes our lives easier. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Otherwise we put ourselves at risk of developing hundreds of health problems. Over the summer the days are longer, sunnier and free from school. With all this free time, why not put it to good use and do something that doesn't involve technology?

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}There are hundreds of possibilities: crafts, cooking, learning a musical instrument or a new sport. Maybe you've always wanted to try out that recipe, but haven't had time? Perhaps you fancy learning how to knit, so you can have a new sweater for the autumn? You could use your free time to learn something new. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

If you just fancy relaxing, why not head to a beach? Take along your favourite book and relax on the sand or go for a walk along the coastline (just make sure you're aware of the tides!). If you don't live near a beach, you could go to your local park. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Whatever you choose to do with your summer, try something new!{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Also, you might make new friends along the way. Next time you find yourself aimlessly channel -hopping, have a think at what else you could spend your time doing.

A. To start with, you could learn a new skill.

B. Technology has become an important part of our lives.

C. And perhaps it'll lead to an exciting opportunity in the future.

D. You might surprise yourself and find a hidden talent within you.

E. Why not take along a picnic, or try and identify some of the local wildlife?

F. However, increasingly scientists are saying that we need to give ourselves a break.

G. In our increasingly technology-driven world, have we become addicted to technology?