America's holiday shopping season started on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Shoppers make the most money this time of year, about 20 percent to 30 percent of all revenue all year. About 136 million people shopped during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}In an era of instant information, shoppers can use their mobile phones to find deals. Nearly 80 percent of this year's holiday shoppers, or about 183.8 million people, shopped on Cyber Monday.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Online spending on Black Friday rose 15 percent to hit $2.7 billion this year. Cyber Monday spending increased 12 percent to $3 billion. NBC News reported that for many, shopping online was a more comfortable alternative than crowded malls.

      The shift to online shopping has had a big impact on solid shopping malls. Since 2010, more than 24 shopping malls have closed and anadditional 60 are struggling. Fortune says the weakest of the malls have closed. However, the business in malls is thriving again, it adds.  According to a survey, 94.2percent of malls were full with shops by the end of 2014.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

      The average American consumer will spend about $805 on gifts. That's about $630.5 billion between November and December – an increase of 3.7percent from last year.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}That goes toChina's Singles' Day, celebrated on November 11, which posted record sales of$14.3 billion in 2015.

A．More and morepeople shop online nowadays.

B．That is thehighest level in 27 years.

C．It is thebusiest shopping day of the year.

D．One-in-fiveAmericans used a tablet or smart-phone.

E．Thetraditional mall industry can hardly survive.

F．Cyber Mondayfalls on the Monday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

G．Nonetheless,Cyber Monday is not the biggest online shopping day in the world.

    What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Mental exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}38．__ If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “{#blank#}5{#/blank#}”.

A. A healthy body contributes to one's intelligence.

B. Parents should also be careful about what they say to young children.

C. What people want to express is like this.

D. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent.

E. It needs exercise.

F. You are such a smart child.

G. These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.

The Advantages of Hobbies

    Hobbies provide entertainment and a chance lo continuously learn something new and develop a skill set. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Hobbies are praised as a key to stress reduction.Becoming lost in the mental concentration or physical action which you are deeply interested in helps you shift focus from the parts of life that are stressful. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And in turn you are more peaceful when working on other work.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Many people set goals with their hobbies that provide them satisfaction when these goals have been achieved.These goals can be simple,like improving a golf score,writing a certain number of pages for a novel each day or seeing an entire collection of classic films.

    Hobbies provide a sense of community when you meet other people who enjoy similar activities. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} More populated cities typically have numerous clubs or groups for people to share their knowledge and enthusiasm about a particular hobby.Becoming a member of one of these organizations allows greater growth within your hobby,as well as a chance to make new friends.

    Having a hobby can develop a talent that makes a person feel proud and satisfied.For example,a tennis hobby developed at a young age can lead lo a career as a professional athlete one day. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}For example, writer Vladimir Nabokov also collected butterflies,which allowed him to do better in his chosen fields because he used learned skills from one to improve the other.

A.There are a variety of hobbies.

B.Hobbies provide a sense of achievement.

C.Some hobbies affect other aspects of your life.

D.Focusing on something enjoyable can calm the mind.

E.They also provide many other social and health benefits.

F.Having a hobby increases the chances to interact with like-minded people.

G.Some hobbies containing physical activities offer an enjoyable way to stay healthy.

    A dog's mind is only equal to that of a two-year-old baby. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Therefore, they are probably the first to notice any change in the behavior of their masters. Let's do some deep-digging to understand the amazing ability of a dog.

    They sense your feelings. Isn't it strange? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This is true. A study published in the Animal Cognition journal says that dogs are known to come to people who appear sad or depressed. It doesn't matter if the person is their owner or a stranger. They have an ability to sense sadness and are attached to troubled souls.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Dogs can easily tell when you're playing with favorites, and if you reward or play more with other pets, your dog might notice it and feel uncomfortable. As they can't say how they feel, they will scratch, yawn or lick their mouths.

    They smell fear. Let's say you're faced with your worst fear. Would you get scared and run away or just face it? Before choosing how to deal with it, you should remember one thing. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Research shows that dogs often sense their masters' responses in dangerous situations. If you fear something and choose to back away, chances are that your pet is going to do the same thing.

    They're watching you. We are all raised as respectable individuals who are taught to respect elders, obey the law and help out people in need from time to time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But if you have a dog at home, it is time to be serious about them. Dogs like generous people. So just be careful around your pet; it may judge you on how you behave with others.

A. They sense health problems.

B. They understand when ignored.

C. They know when no one's looking at them.

D. You would be setting an example to your pet.

E. Every time you feel sad, you dog just know it.

F. But dogs are able to sense everything around them.

G. However, not all of us take these three things seriously.

Traditional Chinese Culture

    Chinese culture is over 5,000 years old.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The spirit of the tea ceremony

    Xihu Longjing(West Lake Dragon Well)and Yunnan Pu'er have long been world famous.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The spirit of the Chinese tea ceremony captures the Chinese attitude towards life and spirituality. These are the things that people all over the world can benefit from.

    A handful of good tea leaves with some boiling water and a set of lovely tea ware are the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon and gain some insights into the wisdom of that ancient civilization.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    During the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, many different flavors, styles, and cuisines(烹饪)have developed, based on traditional philosophy and culture. This ancient food culture has had a direct impact on the countries such as Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore. It has benefited billions of people around the world through innovations such as Chinese vegetarian culture, tea culture, vinegar, pasta, medicinal diets, ceramic tableware, and the use of soybeans in the diet.

    Confucianism

    Confucianism emphasizes peacefulness and harmony between heaven and humanity, through pursuing the "Tao", which is the harmonization between nature and mankind. It advocates harmony and moderation, including the harmony between individuals, as well as the harmony between a man and his inner self.

    Confucianism has flourished during the last 2,500 years of China's 5,000­year history.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} This school of thought has had the most profound and long lasting influence in China's history. Seventy­four Nobel Prize winners and many other highly respected scholars have stated that for the benefit of mankind's livelihood and development into the next century, these teachings should be promoted and adopted worldwide.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Chinese cuisine

B. Traditional Chinese culture

C. It has been the mainstay of that ancient civilization.

D. They are pretty popular due to their superior color and flavor.

E. The following three items of traditional Chinese culture have had a worldwide impact.

F. This wonderfully rich food culture has also had an impact on Europe，America and Oceania.

G. This would provide long lasting benefits for man，helping to ensure a peaceful and happy life.

Benefits of Sports

    Doing sports is a physical, mental and social adventure. It's a great way for children to take a break from academics and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven to improve overall well-being.

    The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious. Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you'll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you're involved. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Basketball players focus on strength training; football players work on speed while track athletes train through longer runs. The training process helps promote physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Playing sports contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, high-five from a teammate, or handshake after a match really boosts a child's confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise the self-worth. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} So after a game, it's a better idea to ask "Did you enjoy the game?" rather than "Did you win?"

    Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up accountability and leadership. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Teamwork involves both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork breeds accountability and challenges you to be responsible for your actions. Being part of a team gives you an opportunity to be a leader.

    Discipline is another social advantage. Most organized sports require a strict training and practice schedule. As a student-athlete, you need to balance academics and athletics. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to get involved in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!

A. It's not just your body that benefits from sports.

B. Therefore, playing sports is going to make you more fit.

C. But remember, a child's self-worth should not be distinguished by victory or loss.

D. If you play group sports, you'll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach.

E. Nearly every sport requires physical activity and the skills needed to be competitive.

F. Among these, learning how to function as part of a team is the most important advantage.

G. Only with strict discipline can you be successful both in the classroom and in the sports field.