Both men and women are living longer thesedays in industrialized countries. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In general, they can expect to live six or sevenyears more than men. One reason for this is biological.

        One important biological factorthat helps women live longer is the difference in hormones between men and women.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Between the ages of about 12 and 50, women producehormones that are involved in fertility(生育能力). These hormones also have a positive effect on the heart andblood flow. In fact, women are less likely to have high blood pressure or to diefrom heart attacks.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}  Theyhelp the body defend itselfagainst some kinds of infections. This means that women generally get sick lessoften and less seriously than men. The common cold is a good example: women, onaverage, get fewer colds than men.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Scientists are still not exactly sure howinfluence aging, but they believe that they do. Some think that a woman's body cellshave a tendency(向) to age more slowlythan a man's. Others think that a man's body cells have a tendency to age more quickly.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. However, women, on average, live longer.

B.The biological factor plays an important part.

C.Women are also helped by their female genes.

D.The female hormones also protect the body in another way.

E.Recent research seems to support both of these possibilities.

F.Therefore, women are more healthy than men and can live a better life.

G.Hormones are chemicals which are produced by the body to control carious body functions.

How to Make Friends

    Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends.  Good friendship has many benefits.  It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health.  There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools.  Such changes often leaves us without a friend {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But for many of us the process is difficult and requires courage.  Below are some helpful suggestions on how to make and keep friends.

    1).Associate with others.

    The first step to making friends is associating with other people.  You can go to public places to meet new people.  Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.

    Start a conversation

    Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You can always start the conversation.  Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with other people.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together, Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.

    Let it grow.

    It is a good thing to stay in touch.  However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The best friendships are the ones that grow naturally.

    Enjoy your friendship

    The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Try not to change them from who they are to what you want them to be.  Become the kind of friend you will want your friend to be to you.

    Are you preparing any gifts for your friends now? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, but choosing a proper gift can be a big headache, because it takes a lot of time and effort to think of the right gift for someone. Before you finish your list, keep these dos and don'ts in mind:

    Do put thought into your gift.

    If you like something, that doesn't mean that your friend is going to like it, too. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Don't get him/her an ordinary gift, and reflect back on your previous conversations to see if he/ she talked about a certain gift he/she had been wanting to get.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Make sure the gift you're buying is appropriate for the person. For example, if you're buying a friend a gift, remember not to overspend or personalize it too much. Take a moment to think about how your relationship is with the person before getting him/her something.

    Do get a gift receipt (收据)

    If you're purchasing something for your friend, make sure you ask the salesperson to include a gift receipt. It's just a polite gesture, and you know your money won't go to waste.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Don't leave the price tag (标签) on.

    Make sure you don't leave the price tag on the gift and that you're giving a gift receipt and not the original bill.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, and it's not important for him/her to know anyway.

A. Don't buy an inappropriate gift

B. Don't be afraid of spending money

C. Giving gifts has forever been so pleasant

D. Take some time to really think about what he/she likes

E. If your friend doesn't like the gift, he/she can just exchange it

F. Giving someone you care about a very special gift can be tough

G. It's not proper to let your friend know how much you spent on the gift

    Every now and then, you may be struck with a difficult person at work or at home. What are some of the keys to empowering yourself in such situations? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Keep in mind that these are general rules of thumb, and not all of them can apply to your particular situation.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When you feel angry or upset with someone, before you say something you might later regret, take a deep breath. This will help you remember that you're in control of your emotions and feelings. Also, if you remain calm, the other person will likely notice and reflect on his or her behavior.

    Put yourself in their shoes. It's important to remember that we all have off days and times in our life when things are trickier. Instead of judging others' behaviors immediately, try to practice empathy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you are sensitive to personality differences, you will be better able to handle diverse conflicts.

    Be frank with others. Some people are not very self−aware, so maybe you just need to tell them constructively what the problem is. For instance, if a colleague were making unkind comments, what would you do? {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They'll either be apologetic as they didn't realize it was a problem, or they'll make some excuse.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If someone is behaving in a threatening way, either verbally or physically, then regardless of who they are, it's OK to walk away or say that you are going to put the phone down and that you will return when they have calmed down.

A. Keep your cool.

B. Handle aggression wisely and confidently.

C. Adjust your style when you communicate with them.

D. It won't hurt you to take them to one side, and ask them why.

E. You step back and reflect on how you would feel in his or her place.

F. Here are some tried and true methods of handling them quite effectively.

G. It's helpful to remember that most difficult people also have positive qualities.

    Trophies( 奖 杯 ) were once rare things.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Trophies and prizes are almost a given. One Maryland summer program gives awards every day and each player gets one. Trophy sales are now a $3 billion-a-year industry in the United States and Canada.

    Some research has been done on the effects of praise and awards on kids. Although kids can be highly driven by awards, nonstop recognition does not inspire children to succeed.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford University, found that kids respond positively to praise; they enjoy hearing that they're talented, smart and so on. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Disappointed by their failure, they say they'd rather cheat than risk failing again.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, even if they are good at something; they've got to get used to that to keep going. When children make mistakes, our job should not be to make up those losses into decorated victories. Instead, our job is to help kids overcome failures, to help them see that progress over time is more important than a particular win or loss.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. We also have to stop letting the Trophy Industry run our children's lives.

A. Let's fight for a kid's right to lose

B. Instead, it can cause them to underachieve

C. To do that, we need to refuse all the meaningless prizes

D. Kids are going to lose more often than they win in life

E. But today they began to be mass-produced, marketed and sold in stores

F. They will know improvement, character and hard work are to be valued

G. But after such praise, they break down at the first experience of difficulty

How to Master Your Public Speaking Voice

    Public speaking skills can be a disaster if you don't know how to use your voice. However, a little bit of practice and a confident outlook can help you to be a fantastic public speaker. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Learn the sound of your own voice

    Record yourself as often as possible—speaking your thoughts aloud, having conversations with friends, giving a presentation at work, etc. so you can hear what your voice sounds like when you are relaxed, having fun, and in stressful situations. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Master your breathing

    The first step in developing a strong public speaking voice is mastering your breathing. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, which causes their voices to sound high and weak. Develop a habit of breathing deeply at a controlled pace throughout the day so that when it comes to your time to speak, you'll have less trouble doing it.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    It's not just your breathing and vocal cords (声带) that have a physical vocal on your voice. When it comes to public speaking, it is essential that you stand or sit with your back straight. This makes your voice stronger and clearer by allowing you to breathe deeper. It also has the added benefit of making you look more confident.

    Adjust your speaking rate

    Speaking too slow can cause people to get bored while speaking too fast can be hard to follow. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. The best speaking rate is in the range of 120-160 words per minute. Practice to control your time.