Learning a second language

    Nowadays, more and more people are learning a second language. So why should we spend time learning a second language?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Let us see.

    Career

    If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own language will help you to communicate with them better.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chances of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

    Travel

    Being able to speak a foreign language, for example, the Japanese language, would benefit you greatly should you be traveling to Japan.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you are fond of tourism, then knowledge of the local language is a must-have to avoid bad experiences or discomfort.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you are a high school student who is interested in going abroad for further education, then you will have to learn the language of the country which you wish to move to. In some countries, being able to speak that country's national language is a must for students wishing to pursue (继续) education there.

    Personal growth

    Learning a second language can help in broadening one's horizons(视野). It can help in learning about the culture of that particular country{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Not only can you enjoy different forms of art and literature relating to the new language, but you can also meet new people, make new friends and develop long-lasting relationships.

A. Education

B. Challenge.

C. Is it really worth it?

D. This will save you a lot of trouble.

E. It can help you to make sales and get good deals.

F. And it can open the way for new interests and hobbies.

G. Could you be required to study a particular language at school?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Fans used to be crazy about a specific film, but now the public tends to base its consumption(消费) on the interest of celebrity attached to any given product. Besides, fashion magazines have almost abandoned the practice of putting models on the cover because they don't sell nearly as well as famous faces.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Celebrity clothing lines aren't a completely new phenomenon, but in the past they were typically aimed at the ordinary consumers, and limited to a few TV actresses{#blank#}3{#/blank#}The most successful start-ups have been those by celebrities with specific personal style. As celebrities become more and more experienced at the market, they expand their production scale rapidly, covering almost all the products of daily life.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}No matter how famous the product's origin is, if it fails to impress consumers with its own qualities, it begins to resemble an exercise in self-promotional marketing. And once the initial(最初的) attention dies down, consumer interest might fade, loyalty(忠诚) returning to tried-and-true labels.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The pop-cultural circle might be bigger than ever, but its rate of turnover has speeded up as well. Each misstep threatens to reduce a celebrity's shelf life, and the same newspaper or magazine that once brought him fame has no problem picking him to pieces when the opportunity appears. Still, the ego's(自我的) potential for expansion is limitless. Having already achieved great wealth and public recognition, many celebrities see fashion as the next frontier to be conquered. As the saying goes, success and failure always go hand in hand. Their success as designers might last only a short time, but fashion-like celebrity-has always been temporary.

A. Today, celebrities face even more severe embarrassment

B. It is the celebrity effect, rather than the quality of the products that appeals to the consumers

C. Celebrity has become one of the most important representatives of popular culture

D. The public's taste of fashion is not always constant and easy to predict

E. Today they're started by first-class stars whose products enjoy equal fame with some world top brands

F. However, for every success story, there's a related warning tale of a celebrity who overvalued his consumer appeal

G. As a result, celebrities have realized their unbelievably powerful market potential, moving from advertising for others' products to developing their own

Tips for making family movie night a success

    We say this a lot, but we think it's worth repeating: It's important to get involved in your kids' media lives - and your kids will love it too.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} what's a good way to stay involved with your kids' media picks and create an opportunity to discuss them? Host a family movie night! Some tips for making it work:

    Schedule it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Turn off cell phones and avoid multitasking during the show.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you've pot little kids, pre-select a group to choose from. Avoid watching the same movie over and over again. If you've got teens, tell them you'll watch anything they choose as long as they return the favor when it's your turn. Obey a “no complaining” rule.

    Choose a location (场所). Hang a sheet in the backyard, prepare the necessary equipment, and sit on beach chairs to enjoy a classic like The Wizard of Oz.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Talk about it. The next day, make time to chat about what you watched. Kids might be interested in learning more about Hollywood's history.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Talking with kids about how movie characters handled fictional situations can be a way to form your family's values or get kids to open up about their lives.

A. Make it a theme night.

B. Take turns choosing the movie.

C. This can be simple or complicated.

D. Make it a regular date and time and don't break it.

E. Visit the library to follow up on interests excited by the movie.

F. But helping them become wise media consumers can be easier said than done.

G. Or spend the family movie night on the road during vacations or at the grandparents' house.

                                          How to Care for Your Ears?

    Ears not only let us hear, but they also play a role in maintaining our balance, which is vital to our ability to function in daily life. Yet, we ignore them. We can't even see our ears, except in a mirror. We take it for granted what they do for us day in and day out—until we notice something wrong, such as when an earache strikes or when we start having to ask people to repeat what they say.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ◆Clean your ear with a washcloth—covered finger only.

     Never put anything inside your ear canal, including cotton swabs(药签).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ◆Leave earwax（耳垢）alone.

    Wax is your ear's way of eliminating（消除）anything foreign that gets into the ear canal.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you find you have too much earwax, use a few drops of earwax remover in the canal. After a few minutes, wash the ear with warm water.

    ◆Avoid noisy places.

    Rock concerts and construction sites are just a few places that frequently have noise levels that can damage hearing. Any place where you have to shout to be heard should be avoided.

    ◆{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Be careful not to play MP3 too loud, especially if using earphone.

    ◆Be careful with illness and medications.

    Respiratory（呼吸的）illnesses should be treated to avoid their spread to the ears. Certain medications can damage hearing, so follow the directions carefully before taking them.

    See your doctor if you suffer from sudden hearing loss or hear noises in your head.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Turn the volume(音量) down.

B. Avoid using earphones while listening to MP3.

C. In such case, go to see a doctor as soon as possible.

D. This article will show you how to care for your ears.

E. Most people don't need to clean wax out of their ears.

F. Your ear canal is very narrow and a swab can damage it.

G. These can be symptoms of a serious illness which needs to be treated.

    Ways to Create Calm in Your Daily Life

    Most of us need some space for calm in our lives. A few simple minutes can create much needed moments of calm.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} You can use these skills to create calm in your busy schedule.

Go walking. Walking is perfect and you can do it well anywhere. Simply walking and taking in the view is stress reducing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It makes room for new ideas to take root. Appreciate nature. When we think of nature we think of getting out into the open air, and that's great if you can. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Actually , nature is everywhere. Find a park or a small patch (小块地) of great green, or just stick your head out of the window! You have many ways to appreciate nature.

    Listen to music. Many people listen to music to calm themselves down. Music actually lifts us out of ourselves. Discover what music works for you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Do some activities. Certain activities like yoga and tai chi need quiet focus. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They are good for the body, mind and spirit. Classes are a good place to begin, but once you learn the skills, you can practice anywhere: home, school or even on the road.

    Try out some of these ways and you'll soon be practicing “moments of calm”.

A. But what if you are in the city?

B. Notice the animals around you.

C. They are perfect for active calming.

D. Music is a way to express the way that they are feeling.

E. It's a time to get stressful thoughts out of your head.

F. With enjoyable music even work can be “music to your ears”.

G. You don't have to find a mountain to sit on, or empty your mind of all thoughts for hours.

Useful Memory Strategies

    Form associations between new and remembered information. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, then you can increase the chance that new memories will be formed. Try coming up with a familiar picture, song, joke, or rhyme that you can associate with the new material. Form a picture in your mind that includes the new fact.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. It may be boring, but simply repeating new information over and over in different ways will help it stick in your brain better, especially if you space out the repetition over time. For example, if you're trying to remember the definition of a new word, read it several times to yourself. Then speak the definition out loud a couple times, and try writing it down once or twice.

    Teach someone else the information you're trying to learn. Teaching others can help you remember and understand things better. Find a classmate or co-worker who needs to learn the same information, form a study group, and take turns teaching each other different concepts.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}!

    Test yourself after learning something new.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. You have to actually practice finding the information from your memory in order to strengthen the connections within your brain. Be sure to immediately check your answers to make sure you've got them right. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, you will be more likely to remember it incorrectly in the future as well, so instantly correct yourself and repeat the right answer a few more times.

A. If you answer something wrong

B. After the basic information is right

C. Repeat new facts as soon as you come across them

D. If you can link new ideas with previously established ones

E. Simply re-reading the same information isn't good enough

F. Then keep trying effective methods and cooperation with others

G. Alternately, ask your friends if they're willing to learn something new from you