Time for a Brainstorm

    A brainstorm is a session where a small group of people come together to solve a problem. People voice spontaneous ideas, sometimes just shouting, and a note-taker writes them all down.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}By getting different ideas out there, ideas are said to bounce off each other and even can help solve the problem at hand. Brainstorming is often a group exercise but individuals can also conduct personal brainstorms.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}He defined it as using the brain to storm a creative problem and do so in commando (突击队）fashion, with each stormer attacking the same objective. According to him, it was easier to tone down a wild idea than think up a new one. He placed importance on the collection of as many ideas as possible and dismissed scientific thinking.

    Brainstorming has become one of the most popular ways to solve problems and hold discussion in schools and businesses. Many students brainstorm for a group assignment or even for a personal essay. Sarah Grace, 24, is an Australian marketing analyst and uses brainstorming during all her creative duties. She thinks brainstorming is the best way to work as a team. The sessions get everyone on the same page, everyone moving together and with a clear understanding about the foundations of an event or idea.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    However, a big problem with brainstorming is creating a mess that leads people further away from a solution.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you don't have a strong moderator or leader of the brainstorm, can go really off track, and people just start discussing something totally different. Brainstorming can sometimes confuse the human brain.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you brainstorm too much and your page is filled up with all the messy links, you can paint yourself into a bit of comer and get trapped with ideas.

    You need to move past brainstorming as soon as you have something workable.

A. The ideas can be smart, strange or crazy.

B. It is caused by a lack of direction from a leader.

C. Brainstorming really helps her organize her thoughts.

D. Brainstorming really is the best way to build team spirit.

E. It can open too many doors and not suggest a clear direction.

F. Brainstorms were popularized in the 1940s by American advertising boss Alex Osborn.

G. They can be words; phrases, paragraphs and anything that can help answer the question.

    Do you know Australia? Australia is the largest island in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is in the south of the earth.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai. The cities in Australia have got little air or water pollution.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You can clearly see fish swimming in the rivers. Plants grow very well.

    Last month we visited Perth, the biggest city in Western Australia, and went to a wild flowers' exhibition. There we saw a large number of wild flowers we had never seen before. We had a wonderful time.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In spring every year Perth has the wild flowers' exhibition.

    After visiting Perth, we spent the day in the countryside. We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Suddenly we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill. What we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to the car as quickly as we could. There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us down the path.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#} After a short drive from any town, you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep. Sheep, sheep, everywhere are sheep.

A. The people of Australia are very hard-working.

B. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world.

C. Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos.

D. Australia is big, but its population is not large.

E. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers.

F. The sky is blue and the water is clean.

G. It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves.

    Dream is strength. The strength can bring us wherever we want to get to and it can bring us a lot of wonders on our way to the place in our dreams.

    Dream is beauty. Maybe you can see the things full of magic and maybe you will be moved by your own dream.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. But should we have our life without dreams? Of course not.

    Everyone has his dreams and dreams are especially important to teenagers. As teenagers, you have many dreams. These dreams can be very big, such as winning the Nobel Prize. Or they can be small, for example, you may just want to become one of the ten best students in your class. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, what do you do with it? Do you ever try to make your dream come true?

    Andrew Matthews, an Australian writer, tells us that making our dreams come true is the biggest challenge in our life. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, or that it is impossible for you to become a writer. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. In fact, everyone can fulfill his dream. The first thing you must do is remember what your dream is. Don't let it leave your heart. Keep telling yourself what you want. Do this step by step and your dream will come true earlier because a big dream is made up of many small dreams.

    You must never give up your dreams. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. But the biggest one comes from yourself. You need to decide what is the most important and face all these difficulties bravely.

A. These kinds of thoughts stop you realizing your dream

B. There will be many difficulties on the road to your dreams

C. Once you find a dream

D. You may think you're not very good at some school subjects

E. Both big dreams and small ones are very important to our lives

F. The world is so real that the dreams seem weak

G. Your talent is one of the most important factors in living your dreams

    Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}We know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.

    Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved（进化） so that connections between neurons (神经元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The synapses （神经突触）in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 percent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping .

If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's sleep, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information--our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

    Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} “You keep what matters,”Tononi says.

A. We should also try to sleep well the night before.

B. It's as if the brain is preserving(保存) its most important memories.

C. Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

D. The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded(装载) with memories.

E. That's why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

F. “Sleep is the price we pay for learning,” says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea.

G. Tononi's team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice.

    Happiness doesn't mean being joyful or laughing all day long. Although happiness should be defined by each of us for ourselves, a general understanding of it could be having more good moments and memories than bad ones and having an overall feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Read on and you will know the answer.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Many of us have the impression that we're not allowed to be happy and that we don't deserve it. Well, we all deserve to be happy, no matter what others say or even what we believe. So allow yourself to be happy.

    Smile even if you don't feel like it. Yes, smile as often as you can. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you're alone, smile for at least 3 minutes and our brain will take it as a real smile and will start producing feel-good hormones(荷尔蒙) and other chemicals.

    Enjoy the now. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Worrying about the future will not make you any more ready for whatever it is that finally happens. Choose the now and make an effort to live it.

    Count your blessings. Take a piece of paper and something you like to drink and sit comfortably maybe with some nice music in the background. Then write a list of every blessing in your life. Start with the smallest ones: I'm alive... to the biggest ones you can feel. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Once you're done, leave the list on the table. Read it every morning during breakfast for a week.

A. Don't leave anything out.

B. Give yourself permission.

C. If you are with people, they'll feel warmer.

D. Be brave and imaginative with your words.

E. So, how can we have more happy moments?

F. Feeling bad about the past will not change it a bit.

G. Why not say something loving to one person today?

How students can stay safe while studying abroad

Safety has always been a huge concern for students who study abroad. What are the best ways to ensure safety while studying abroad in unfamiliar surroundings? We've compiled our top tips for staying safe abroad.

Learn about the country's language, culture and legal system.

As well as learning the language, students should get familiar with their host country's legal system and culture. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}What are your legal rights as a foreigner abroad?

Research your destination.

Before you leave, find out as much as you can about the local area using travel advisories (公告) and alumni (校友) recommendations. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Pay attention to everyday safety.

In some countries, tourists are frequent targets for crimes such as pickpocketing. So avoid travelling alone, especially at night. Let others know where you are going. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

You should also plan for emergencies by saving the number of a trusted friend as well as your local embassy or consulate (领事馆).

Protect your privacy.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}While it's OK to be outgoing, you shouldn't be too open with strangers as any personal information could be used to steal your identity.

While out, you should also be aware of your possessions and not have them on display.

Buy travel and health insurance.

Depending on the country, you may want to buy travel and health insurance, which will cover the cost of stolen items or personal injury. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}So consult those in the travel abroad office to find out your options.

A. Sometimes these services are provided by your college.

B. You should learn to communicate with local people fluently.

C. You should always do your best not to draw attention to yourself.

D. For example, is it offensive to wear certain clothing to go to certain popular sites?

E. And always use licensed taxis or ride-sharing apps with pre-arranged fares.

F. Many students choose to study abroad for they want to expose themselves to another culture.

G. This includes knowing the nearest subway or train stations, emergency service numbers and areas to avoid.