A single cigarette sold on a street comer may not cost a lot; however, the total costs of smoking are huge.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. The World Health Organization says about 10 people die of a tobacco-linked disease every minute. That rate adds up to almost six million people dying from such diseases every year. Most of these preventable deaths happen in low-income and middle-income countries. The World Bank says each of these countries has a total national income of less than $ 12,746.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. The number is expected to rise to 8 million by 2030 unless immediate action is taken.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. For most people, stopping smoking is hard. Many began smoking as teenagers. They are used to it. Also, tobacco contains the powerful drug nicotine. Studies show people who want to stop smoking can do so with different treatments. Some get help from electronic cigarettes or medicine that reduce one's desire for the drug. Dr. Nancy Rigotti works at Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States. She says she finds that medicine and services together work best of all.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. It can influence the health of an entire country. The World Health Organization says low-income countries depend heavily on taxes from cigarettes. They use the money, in part, to pay the costs of health care for tobacco-related diseases.

    The World Health Organization is pushing United Nations member states to sign an agreement to end the illegal trade in tobacco products.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. But the agreement of 32 other countries is needed for it to become international law.

A. Stopping smoking

B. It isn't necessary to take action

C. Consider the cost of human life

D. Other countries also sign the agreement

E. Eight countries have agreed with the agreement

F. But smoking costs more than the life of a person

G. The World Health Organization says tobacco kills 6 million people yearly

                                                                                 Are Your Clothes Causing Pollution?

    Very small pieces of plastic, called microfibers, are polluting rivers and oceans.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Clothes worn for outdoor activities and exercise are often made of artificial material, which is useful in keeping warm. But they contain very small plastic fibers, which may also be harming the environment when you wash them. When people wash these clothes, very small pieces go down the drain (下水道) with the wash water.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Pollution caused by plastic is not new, but recent studies have shown the effect of microfibers in the environment.

    Studies show very small microfibers are ending up in our waters, which may come from waste water treatment factories. A 2015 study found them in fish from California.

    Microfibers, effect on food supplies.

    Beyond the waterways, the researchers say microfibers may end up in soil and agricultural lands.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}This means there is much to be learned about microfibers and the environment. Some studies have shown that microfibers end up inside sea animals, like oysters.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Researchers say that the fibers tend not to move into the tissue of the fish, but it needs more study.

    Steps to save or keep microfibers from the environment.

    Until more information becomes known, there are steps to take to reduce the amount of microfibers in the environment. People should use less of the artificial materials. If we already have those in our lives and we're using them, an important step would be washing them less.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}A bag is being designed in which to wash these clothes. It traps the microfibers in the bag and it may be available for purchase soon.

A. New technology may also help.

B. Studies on microfibers in the environment.

C. They can also move around the atmosphere.

D. Studies on how much of the microfibers is released.

E. The source of these microfibers may surprise you: your clothes.

F. Washing machines keep microfibers from escaping with wash water.

G So if these microfibers have been found in fish and seafood, are they safe to eat?

    Generation Y is known as the generation that was born in the 1980s and 1990s, although experts do not agree on when this time started. The people who make up Generation Y are often the children of baby boomers（生育高峰中出生的人）.

    The millennium（千禧年）generation, as it is often called, has grown up with new technology and can use it in their jobs much better than the older generation can. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They like to communicate via text messaging, Facebook and other online technology. They have high expectations and seek new challenges. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Generation Y youths have a different attitude towards work, which is different from that of their parents or grandparents. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They do not live to work but they work to live.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They want jobs that are flexible, not always having work from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m.. They prefer working from their homes and taking a day or two off to spend with their family when the weather is fine.

    While baby boomers worked hard, grew up with a company and stayed there for the rest of their lives, Generation Y workers do not want to do the same thing during their whole life. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} That means if you don't like what you do then do something else.

A. They want to spend most of their time at home.

B. They expect to change jobs at least a few times.

C. The new generation can be described as energetic.

D. Besides, they often dare to raise questions when confused.

E. The Internet, cell phones, iPads are normal for this generation.

F. Young people expect a different type of workplace than their parents had.

G. They don't want to work as hard as their parents but spend their life in a meaningful way.

    Like many people, the start of the day maybe isn't your favorite time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Try at least one of these tomorrow…

    Stretch（伸展）every part of your body for 15 seconds.

    Try this before you open your eyes. Lift your arm and begin by stretching each finger, then your hand, then your wrist, then your arm. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Then your toes, feet, ankles and legs. In this way, you upped the flow of blood through your body, providing extra oxygen to all your tissues.

    Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can begin your day by lying in bed, slowly waking up, mentally ticking off the decisions you made in advance about what you're going to wear, what you're going to do…

    Brush your tongue for one minute.

    There's no better way to rid you of morning breath and begin your day fresh and clean. After all, more than 300 types of bacteria stay in your mouth every night. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Reduce the number of choices and decisions you make to zero. Make your decisions the night before. Really, there's no need to vary your breakfast, timetable or clothes to wear every morning.

A. Avoid any decisions.

B. Repeat with the other arm.

C. Don't change your living habits.

D. These few minutes in bed are all yours.

E. You think a quick brush is going to make them all disappear?

F. By doing so, you don't have to jump out of bed and rush through your morning.

G. Here are some healthy habits you can learn without much effort.

    Have you heard about Leap year? Leap year is a year that has 366 days instead of the usual 365. It normally occurs every four years, always on an even-numbered year. The extra day is added to our shortest month. That is the second month of the year, which in non-leap years has 28 days, two fewer than any other month. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    We also call Leap year the bissextile year (闰年). {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In our calendar system there is a need for a leap year because the solar year (the time it takes the earth to go around the sun once）is actually slightly more than 365 days long. That extra day—Feb 29 every four years—helps correct the difference between our calendar and the solar calendar.

    It is said that Leap year was first made part of the calendar by the ancient Roman leader Julius Caesar. His astronomers had calculated the length of the solar year to be 365 days and six hours. So Caesar declared that an extra day be added to the calendar.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    However, Caesar's adjustment was not completely accurate because his astronomers' year exceeded the true solar year by eleven minutes and fourteen seconds. By 1582, a difference of ten days had developed between the calendar year and the true solar year. To correct this error, Pope Gregory XⅢ ruled that every fourth year would continue to be a leap year except for century years that could not be divided evenly by 400. By this system, century years such as 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, but the year 2000 was a leap year.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    People born on Feb 29 celebrate their growing up a little differently from the rest of us. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But if they go strictly by the calendar, they have only one-fourth as many birthday celebrations as most people.

A. They acknowledge that they get older each year.

B. When you see Feb 29 on a calendar, you know that year is a leap year.

C. This is its formal, or scientific title.

D. This may seem complicated, but it works.

E. In a leap year, the extra day is added to the second month, giving it 29 instead of the usual 28 days

F. The leap year was introduced in the Julian calendar in 46 BC.

G. This is done every four years.

    Let's face it, most of us are really busy. So busy that we don't make time for creativity. Even those who work in creative fields are probably at a point where true creativity is being pushed behind more pressing tasks. This doesn't necessarily have to be so. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Schedule It

    Put your creativity tasks into your calendar-you have a very important meeting with yourself! {#blank#}2{#/blank#} All you really need is about 15 minutes a day and that can really start to swing the pendulum (钟摆) in the other direction. I find that 15 minutes in the morning after a fresh cup of coffee is an ideal time for some creative work. You can plan a day to go out and explore something new to get inspired, whatever you feel is going to fuel your creative energy. Schedule these into your month, as well.

    Shift Your Mindset

    Like I mentioned, sometimes it has to start with your own belief. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, then it's not going to happen. I found that once I redesigned my business to free up more time for me, I was able to really let go of guilt and realize that creativity is self-care. Even if it's not going to better your career, it's likely going to "better" you, and that makes it all worthwhile.

    Make Space

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, but how about physical space? Is there a place in your home that you can devote to your creativity? Maybe it's in your office. You can have a spot with your art utensils, musical instruments, your favorite books. Or maybe it's in your backyard and you have a spot where you drink tea and practice writing. Sometimes it may be a corner of pillows in your bedroom that you snuggle in and listen to music. Having a devoted spot helps to foster it as a daily practice that you look forward to.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Just like all your good habits, you have to make them routine. Once you get used to carving out time and space for your creativity, you will wonder how you ever lived without it!

A. Be Curious

B. Make It Routine

C. It can be such a waste of time

D. But seriously, this really helps

E. We've talked about mental space

F. If you're not valuing your creative time

G. Here are some easy tips for making it a priority