阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项 （A 、B 、C  和 D ）中，选出最佳选项。

    Christmastime in the city brings forests of trees already cut and waiting to be sold. But some people like to drive to tree farms. Others wait for their trees to come to them. They order one from the pages of a catalog or on the Internet. Some say the easiest thing of all is to buy a man­made tree with Christmas lights already on it. No falling needles to have to clean up.

    The National Christmas Tree Association says 33,000,000 real trees were sold last year, compared to 9,000,000 man­made ones. Man­made trees generally cost more, but they can be reused. Most natural trees are cut up and recycled, but some people buy trees that can be planted.

    Most Christmas trees are now grown on farms instead of in forests. Twenty-one thousand tree farmers in the United States grow Christmas trees on more than 180,000 hectares. Oregon was the leading producer last year.

    Twenty-two percent of people who bought real trees last year chose them at a farm. Two percent of those people cut the trees themselves. The next most popular places were big stores like Walmart and Home Depot. Groups like the Boy Scouts also sell Christmas trees. But some people pay nothing for theirs. They steal it.

    Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, has many pretty evergreens. Some years ago, a university worker found a way to keep them there. A month before Christmas, workers treated them with “pink ugly mix”. It contains water and red food colour. The bright colour starts to disappear after about a month. It can take longer, however. Cornell decided not to use the mix this year, but the idea has spread.

How to get siblings (兄弟姐妹) to get along

    One of the greatest gifts of parenthood is seeing your children form a relationship with each other that is independent of you. By giving hem someone else to play with, you can free up some time for yourself. Here are four techniques you can use to help your children appreciate each other while they're young.

    ⒈{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The No.1 thing parents can do to help their kids stay on good terms with each other is not to compare them with each other. Never say “Your sister never. . ”or “Why can't you do what your brother does?”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Try out of the way. Try not to get too involved in your kids' arguments. Learning cooperation and problem-solving is an important skill in life{#blank#}3{#/blank#}And don't blame the older one for not “knowing better,” That puts pressure on the older child and leads to unhappiness.

    ⒊Activities and opportunities. Have your kids go to their siblings' games and activities{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    “My kids go to each other's activities, and take part in activities together,” says Patricia Walters-Fischer, mother of two. Not only do her children go, but they also offer support, encouraging each other before a big game or performance and offering comfort when things don't go well.

    ⒋Vacations. Don't ignore the value of a family vacation for bringing siblings together. When kids are away from their friends and forced to spend time together, they often enjoy each other{#blank#}5{#/blank#}In fact, a weekend camping trip offers some of the best opportunities for working together, having fun and experiencing something new.

A. Never shout at them.

B. Don't compare.

C. It doesn't need to be anything extremely great.

D. That only serves to fuel the competition.

E. Give them a project, and they will learn how to work together.

F. They may need help solving a conflict, but try not to take sides.

G. Get them involved in one another's lives, so they can have a better appreciation of who their sibling is.

    Does meeting new people make you nervous(紧张的)? If so, you're not alone. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some simple choices.

    Look your best

    Obviously the way that you look like decides people's impression (印象) of you. But you don't need to look like a model to make a good impression. You just need to take care of yourself. Make sure your clothes are clean, tidy and right for the situation. It is said that blue or black are best for job interviews. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They change how people see you.

    Stand tall

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Standing up straight makes you look and feel confident. When you get close to someone, smile to show you're friendly and interested. Then greet them with a firm handshake.

    Speak up

    Speak loudly and clearly enough that people can hear you. If you don't know what to say, ask questions. Most people enjoy talking about themselves. Listening is just as important as talking. When people are talking, pay attention to what they're saying rather than planning what you'll say next. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} .

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Most importantly, show people you care. Your concern for them will be clear if you smile and listen carefully. Respect other people's time, too. Don't keep them waiting because you arrive late or keep using your cellphone instead of talking to them. Everyone you meet, whether they're a businessperson, a reporter or a bus driver, is important.

A. Don't forget little things like brushing your teeth and washing your hair.

B. Never be late

C. But meeting new people isn't as hard as you might think.

D. Respect people

E. You are stubborn, and others' opinions can't change who you are.

F. The way you stand, sit and move tells others a lot about you.

G. If you're not sure what they mean, ask!

How to Survive Being Stuck in a Lift

    Being stuck in a lift, also known as an elevator, can sometimes be scary, especially if you are a fan of those kinds of movies which have a lot of elevator tragedies. You may think being stuck in an elevator in real life is not like in the movies. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Remain calm and do not panic! You may have heard of this a lot of times and it is true that panicking will do you no good. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Press each of the floor buttons one by one. Then, try the "doors open" button. If none of the buttons works, the lift is broken, and you need to let someone know about it.

    See if your phone has any reception or Internet. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you have WiFi connection, contact a family member or friend. Don't forget to tell them what the address is of the building and possibly which elevator you are stuck in. If your phone is not available, the following tips can help you.

    Look through the gap between the doors of the lift. If you can see light between the doors, the lift has stopped near a floor, and you should be able to shout for help and be released. Do not try to force the doors open yourself. If you can't see light between the doors, the lift has stopped between floors, and no one will be able to let you out if you scream for help. Look for an emergency telephone. If there is no telephone, press the alarm button repeatedly. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you have waited for more than half an hour and nobody has come to get you out, shout and bang the inside walls of the lift. If no one is responding to you, then you'll have to accept that you will be in the lift overnight. If this happens, make yourself as comfortable as possible to save your energy. By morning, the building should be full again. You can try to get some help then.

A. Check the time.

B. It will cause you not to be able to think clearly.

C. Eventually, someone should hear you and get help.

D. Here are some tips to help you survive.

E. However, it is still a vital thing to know how to survive if it ever happens to you.

F. If you do have reception, call emergency services.

G. Use your watch.

What gives your life meaning? It is an important and natural practical question that we all ask ourselves at times. It circles around the notion of having a purpose and a reason to wake up and move forward in our lives. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Is it time to bring it back on track? Here's how to get started.

Treat your depression

Your depression empties your energy and damages your motivation. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Therefore, the key here is taking action no matter what you start with: tackling the depression directly through taking medicines or consulting doctors to get you moving forward. What the action is matters less than taking action itself.

Get out of your head into your emotion

If you are heavily driven by what you should do, you need to start rewiring your brain to use your emotions as information. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Once you notice them, do something concrete with them - again, act. That is how you learn to trust your emotions and use them to guide you, and how you rewire your brain.

Explore, experiment

You can't figure out your sense of purpose by sitting on the couch and thinking it over. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You also need to focus on doing different experiments with being bold, and taking acceptable risks.

The path to discovering or reigniting your sense of purpose is not about making a new decision but focusing on the process that leads to that decision. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Hence, your emotions are your source of passion, desire, and energy.

B. It may be caused by physical or emotional limitations that take away joy.

C. However, for many, that sense of purpose has been absent for long stretches.

D. Without them, you don't make the changes that can pull you out of the depression.

E. Instead, you need to explore, try things and see what sticks, what works, what doesn't.

F. Start by focusing on those slightest feelings telling you what you want and don't want.

G. Therefore, you need to clear away obstacles that keep you from acting and moving forward.

Have you promised that your are going to get healthier? Maybe you want to lose weight, get stronger and have more energy. Maybe you are under the doctor's orders to eat right and take exercise more. Well, those all sound great. But with so many choices, it can be hard to get started. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} .

Eat right. Healthy eating is harder than before. Now many supermarkets or restaurants are packed with unhealthy choices that cause weight gain and weaken energy. Over time, making poor food choices can cause illness. But you don't have to be concerned about it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Cut out the junk food.

Keep healthy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. So take exercise at once. Once you get started, you will be more likely to stick to it. Reduce stress. In the US, 77% of people often experience physical stress. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}You can manage stress by taking exercise, getting enough rest and cleaning bad relationships from your life.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Sure, some people are naturally happier than others. But there are things you can consciously do to be happier. And guess what they are all free. So if you want to be happier, there are a few things to do, for example, express thanks, help others ,or how to meditate.

A. Sleep well.

B. Choose happiness.

C. So here are healthy tips that you can follow.

D. Eat natural and organic foods as often as possible.

E. That is not a group you want to be a part of.

F. So tell someone you love how you feel about them.

G. People who often take exercise are generally happier and healthier than people who don't.