In the 1600's when the Spanish moved into what later was to become the southwestern United States, they came across the ancestors of the modern-day Pueblo, Hopi, and Zuni peoples. These ancestors, known variously as the basket makers, the Ancient ones, had lived in the area for at least 2000 years. They were an advanced agricultura people who used irrigation to help grow their drops.

    The Anasazi lived in houses constructed of earth and wood. Anasazi houses were originally built underground and were entered from the roof. But around the year 700 A. D., the Anasazi began to build their homes above ground and join them together into multistoried complexes, which the Spanish called villages. Separate underground rooms in these villages—known as kivas or holy places—were set aside for religious ceremonies. Each kiva had a fireplace and a hole that was believed to lead to the underworld. The largest villages had five stories and more than 800 rooms.

    The Anasazi family was ruled by women. The sacred objects of the family were under the control of the oldest female, but the actual ceremonies were conducted by her brother or son. Women owned the rooms in the village and the crops, once they were harvested. While still growing, crops belonged to the men who, in contrast to most other Native American groups, planted them. The women made baskets and pottery; the men wove cloth and made jewelry.

    Each village had two chiefs. The village chief dealt with land arguments and religious affairs. The war chief led the men in fighting during occasional conflicts that broke out with neithboring villages and directed the men in commnity building projects. The political and social organization of the Anasazi made it almost impossible for outer groups to conquer them.

What brings a nation together? Of the four choices — shared values, language, history, and religion, it's shared values. In our latest poll (民意调査), seven out of 16 countries chose values as the greatest factor (因素）bringing a nation together, and six preferred language. Both choices scored high in the poll, suggesting that our values and how we express them are closely linked Still, history was not forgotten in some countries, particularly in Mexico and Russia. Even Canada and the United States chose national histories as the second-most important factor uniting their people. The biggest surprise? Not one country picked religion as its top choice.

    Reading books is one of the best hobbies.It not only helps you pass your time but also helps you increase your knowledge in a meaningful manner.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here we will give you a few tips that can help you.

    Fall into the habit of borrowing books to read.

    This is a very old school practice but still it can be highly effective（有效的）.When you borrow a book,there is obviously a deadline（期限）set.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Read everywhere.

    Keep a book in your bag and read it anywhere you go.This will help you to pass your time in a very productive manner.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Anyway,you can read your book 24 hours a day.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    This can easily be described as a new school technique.You can read out to your brother or sister and this will enable you to finish your book as well as well as increase the knowledge and understanding of your brother or sister.

    Choose your books very carefully.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Thus choose your books very carefully in order to enjoy your time and also finish your book effectively.If you choose a good book that can keep you interested a for a longer period of time,there is no way that you are going to leave it incomplete.

A.Read out to someone else.

B.Realize the importance of reading books.

C.Therefore,it is necessary to develop the reading habit.

D.Find an excuse to read every day just by visiting book clubs.

E.Yes,life is too short to read a book that doesn't impress you.

F.It doesn't matter whether you are traveling or are about to sleep.

G.This can encourage you to read it often to finish the book on time.

    The vast majority of people can buy pretty much anything they need. Not anything they want, necessarily, but anything they need to achieve a satisfactory degree of creature comfort: clothing, water, shoes and food.

    During my childhood, a Michael Pollan book would have been the prize of my year, were I to find it waiting under my Christmas tree or open it upon my birthday. I also used to be thrilled at receiving necessary things, like simple socks or gloves, as present. Nowadays I have too many gloves. I purchase leather gloves online that appear to be a good deal or just because I like their look.

    Prosperity (富足) is a good thing, right? Yes, of course. But for me, I find that the greater ease with which such a generous gift is purchased, the less significance it has when given. This is why I try harder at gifts.

    My first line of dealing with this problem is simply understanding the effect of a little time spent. Even writing out a thoughtful or funny card goes a lot further than a “cute top” purchased from a popular shopping website.

    Need help? Go to your printer. There's paper in there. Fold one sheet in half and draw a heart on the front. Open it up and fill the card with a poem or a few words of your own. Not only is it obvious that you took the time to select your words and write them down, but now you force the reader to stop for a short time and consider what you were trying to accomplish with them. The effort made by the two of you is the gift.

    No matter how you decide to spend a little more time on your giving, the point is just quite simply that you do. You don't have to give a person a handmade paper boat to get a reaction. But you won't be sorry if you do.

Helpful Pet Tips

    Selecting the Right Pet

    Keep the following questions in mind before bringing home a new companion:

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A large dog will need lots of room to exercise, so if you live in a small apartment, you may prefer the company of a cat.

    How much attention can you give? You don't want your new pet to be lonely if you frequently work late or travel. A fish is a wise choice.

    Do you have children or will children frequently visit your home? Some animals are just better with kids due to their nature. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Are there any tasks you would like the animal to perform? If you're looking for a guard dog, you'll want different qualities than if you're purely seeking companionship.

Keeping Pets Healthy and Happy

    One of the top pet lips for potential owners is making .sure you're feeding your new friend properly. Ask your veterinarian about the nutritional needs of an animal of its age, size and breeding,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In addition, owners must safeguard the health of their pets. This means staying up-to-date on immunizations(防疫针) and check-ups. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In this way, you can help you notice the first signs of potential illness. Timely treatment can prevent any unnecessary suffering or ill effects.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This helps keep animals at a healthy weight while also providing opportunities for pets and owners to bond. In the end, attention and affection will go a long way toward keeping your new family member happy and contented.

A. How much space do you have?

B. Some families want a puppy for hours of play.

C. Buy top-quality food or seek out natural food.

D. How much energy do you expect from your pet?

E. Keep an eye out for changes in appearance or behavior.

F. Make sure you're also devoting proper time to your companion's exercise.

G. You want a pet that will accept your child's attention, not get nervous or bite.