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.

Why I Love Cycling

    One of the first things I did when I moved to a new city was hire a bike. Why?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} You travel much faster than on foot and you notice so much more of your surroundings than when in a bus or a car. It's more appealing to wander down small streets if they seem interesting, as you can quickly get back to the main road.

    Besides, I soon discovered plenty more benefits to cycling.

    A bike means that fewer places, especially in a small city like the one where I live now, feel far away. For example, cycling to work takes me half the time that it would to walk.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Of course, there are obvious health benefits of cycling—a bit of extra movement as part of your daily routine can help you keep fit and healthy. Cycling on my way to work also makes me feel more energetic in the mornings.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} While cars pollute the environment, bikes are carbon-neutral. Furthermore, thanks to being petrol-free, bikes are cheaper to run, buy and fix than cars. Even if you don 'town a car, a bike can pay for itself when compared to the price of bus tickets.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Always wear a helmet, pay attention to other traffic and don't forget your lights at night. Make sure you know the road rules, especially in a new place. Some cities are more cycle-friendly than others.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Luckily, where I live now is pretty easy to ride a bike around, thanks to having lots of cycle lanes and not too many hills!

A. However, be careful when cycling.

B. I have to learn to ride safely on the right of the road.

C. Importantly, cycling also helps to reduce your carbon footprint.

D. And sometimes city roads are difficult or unpleasant for cyclists.

E. Riding a bike also means you're not restricted by bus timetables.

F. Seeing a city by bike is ideal for settling in and learning your way around.

G. Cycling to work excellently fits for someone who wants to save their pocket money.

    Do you usually feel you're working hard but still can't reach your study goals? Here are some quick tips to help you study better.

Study with a partner or in groups

    Rather than living in a cave with your nose in the books all day, grab a friend from your class and study with him.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Step into your teacher's shoes

    Ask yourself “If I were the teacher, what would I put on the test?”You have probably experienced a lot of your teacher's tests and quizzes by now.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Teachers have specific types of information that they want you to learn. The structure is usually the same.

Paint pictures on the paper

    You can build your knowledge structure in the form of pictures. It's harder to remember each piece of a puzzle individually than it is to recall the completed picture.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    A hungry brain is an ineffective one. Your brain needs the proper nutrients to keep it going. Because of this, what you eat and drink also play a huge role in how sharp your brain is. Healthy food provide nutrients to your brain cells to keep them energized.

Take breaks to relax your brain

    Your brain is like a muscle. It can be also tired if you overwork it,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you divide studying into 15 to 30 minutes blocks with quick breaks in between, your brain will feel refreshed, grateful and ready for the next challenge you throw at.

A. Feed your brain from time to time.

B. It needs exercise to make it stronger.

C. Relax your brain by eating and drinking.

D. You'd better learn from them for the next test.

E. It's necessary to have a long holiday and have nice food.

F. Find ways to connect what you are learning to real life or to other concepts.

G. Group studying helps you to engage and process the information more deeply

    New rules for middle school students came out in March. Middle schools are going to use a new way to decide who the top students are. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The following are some of the new rules.

    Tell the truth. Have you ever cheated in an exam? {#blank#}2{#/blank#}That's not something honest students should do.

    Do more at school. Good students love animals and care for other people. April is Bird-loving Month in China. Is your school doing anything to celebrate it? You should join! {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Be open to new ideas. Have you ever thought people could live on the moon? Maybe you'll find another earth in space in the future. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Protect yourself. Has a thief ever taken money from one of your classmates? Don't let it happen to you. If you have to go back home late, you should let your parents know.

    Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for your study.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}But some things on the Internet aren't for children, so try to look at the good web pages.

A. Don't do it again!

B. Everyone's new ideas are important

C. Students must only work and play alone.

D. Students should not disagree with the teachers.

E. The best students won't only have high marks.

F. You can use the web pages for fun or homework.

G. In that way, you can learn more about animals and how to protect them.

    Depression can be harmful to those affected by the disease， but the pain it causes doesn't end there.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} They can see the damage the disease is causing, but may feel helpless orconfused about what to do to assist. Yet there are many ways that friends and family can help.

    Know the symptoms

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That means learning the symptoms of depression. Also, it means realizing that the individual may not recognize the signs himself or herself. Depression may appear as persistent unhappiness, anger, tiredness or other feelings and emotions that the individual may owe to something other than depression.

    Be sympathetic

    The most important thing is to be sympathetic.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Listen with patience and acceptance. Let the person talk about how they're feeling no matter how sad or negative their comments are. Do not argue about their points or try to convince them to see things in a more positive light, because someone wrestling with depression does not have the ability to do so.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Talk to your physician and share what's going on and ask what they suggest. It won't be the first time they have heard this, and they have resources that will be helpful. For the friend or loved one, the best thing to offer is your understanding and a sense of hope. Let them know that, they will start to feel better and see things differently once they seek help and undergo treatment.

    Support them through treatment

    It can be helpful to point out that depression is not a personal problem or weakness of character but it's a medical condition that responds to treatment, just like most other medical problems. And help your loved one stick with treatment. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Seek your own support.

B. Ask doctors about your symptoms.

C. Friends and loved ones are affected, too.

D. The first step is to recognize that he or she may be depressed.

E. Those with depression are at increased risk of harming themselves.

F. It may take several weeks before the patient sees signs of improvement.

G. Do not suggest in any way a sense of surprise that this person is depressed.

    Ask fishermen why they fish and you will get a variety of answers. The book and movie ARiverRunsThroughIt tried to answer that question. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    What are mine? Like most fishermen, I love the peace and quietness of most trips. Imagine the still water at your feet, not a ripple(涟漪) on it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And everything around you looks soft. A splash(飞溅的水) breaks the calm, letting you know there is a fish feeding there. You are totally alone with your thoughts, almost as if you were floating in an isolation(隔离) tank.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Trying to make a fish think your lure(诱饵) is its food is not easy. Figuring out where the fish is and why it is there is another part of the challenge. And learning enough about them to consistently catch fish is a challenge most of us don't overcome.

    The pull of the fish you hook and the efforts to land it without losing it are part of the fun. Struggling with a fish on a rod and reel is very interesting. Good fresh food is another reason why many people go fishing. Getting your own food is another basic need that fishing provides.

    Competition has become a big part of fishing. I like it, where a group of people go out and try to catch fish. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is nice when you win, but you try to listen and learn from the winner when you are not on top.

    For many years, I had an irresistible desire to go fishing. I could not wait to get to the waterside and try to show my skills against those fish. I was not happy except when fishing. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} However, that strong urge is no longer there. Sometimes I miss it.

A.The challenge of being cleverer than fish is part of it.

B.You must have enough patience when fishing beside a river.

C.The truth is that every fisherman has his or her own reasons.

D.The fog is just thick enough so trees disappear in the distance.

E.As I get older, I still enjoy fishing and all the things mentioned here.

F.At the end of the day, you get to compare how many fish you have caught.

G.That part of the fishing experience lasts for only a few minutes each day.