Five Simple Ways to Increase Your Intelligence

    Your IQ, which stands for Intelligence Quotient, is a scientific assessment(评估)of your intelligence. While there are limits based on native intelligence levels, recent studies have shown that it's possible to increase your intelligence. Your brain needs exercise just like a muscle. If you use it often and in the right ways, you will become a more skilled thinker and increase your ability to focus. Here are five simple techniques to exercise your brain.

    Minimize(使减少到最低程度)television watching.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When you feel like relaxing, try reading a book instead. If you're too tired, listen to some music. When you're with your friends or family, turn your television off and have a conversation.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Time spent exercising always leads to greater learning because it improves productivity during the time afterwards. Using your body clears your head and creates a wave of energy.

    Read Challenging Books. If you want to improve your thinking and writing ability, you should read books that make you focus.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Besides, it will make you think in more precise, elegant English.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Nothing makes it harder to concentrate than lack of sleep. You'll be most rejuvenated(恢复活力的)if you go to bed early and don't sleep more than 8 hours.

    Take time to reflect. Spending some time alone in reflection gives you a chance to organize your thoughts and prioritize(优先处理)your responsibilities.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Early to Bed, Early to Rise.

B. Take some time to exercise

C. Think of new ways to do old things

D. Reading a classic novel can change your view of the world

E. Watching television doesn't use your mental ability or allow it to recharge

F. Afterwards, you'll have a better understanding of what's important and what isn't.

G. Just as sitting at your desk all day is bad for your physical self, sitting in the same mental seat all the time is bad for your bran.

    We all have our favourite teachers—those who treat us equally. But what about those teachers we don't know as well (for even don't like much)?

You can do lots of things to get a relation with your teacher. First，do the following:{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Complete all homework on time.Be attentive，be respectful，and ask questions.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Obviously，your teachers are really interested in their subjects or they wouldn't have decided to teach them! Show the teacher that you care，even if you're not good at math or fluent in French—send the message that you are a dedicated student.

    You can also schedule a private meeting during a teacher's free period.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can ask questions，inquire about a career in the subject，or talk about your progress in class. You may be surprised to learn that your teacher is a bit more relaxed one on one than when lecturing in front of the whole class.

However，here are some things to avoid when trying to establish a relationship with your teacher：

    ⒈{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Teachers sense when your only motivation is to get special treatment，a college reference，or a job suggestion.

    ⒉Trying to be teachers' pet. You just attract the teachers' attention on purpose and your classmates may start to hate you.

    ⒊{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It's OK to offer a small sign of thanks to teachers if they've been helpful to you. But a teacher is usually not allowed to accept the wrong message，and a teacher is usually not allowed to accept anything expensive.

A．Giving expensive gifts.

B．Show up for class on time.

C．Not being sincere.

D．Find the practical value in classes.

E．Use this time to get extra help.

F．Show an interest in the subject.

G．Get along better with your teachers.

    In a world full of uncertainty, having at least one thing you can count on is important{#blank#}1{#/blank#} For others it could be reading or running. For me, however, it is always art.

    Creating can be difficult, but that's what makes art special. You can start your project with what you want and you can change your mind many times{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Art has taught me to be patient with myself.

    If I could name my favourite thing about art, it would be that no two pieces are the same. Many people try to follow one another to be just like them, but that'll never happen{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Art has taught me that before anything, be yourself. You may be a little too colorful for some people but to others you're exactly the rainbow they've been looking for.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The way certain colors mix together to make a new shade can paint an entire picture in your mind. You can learn about the world if you just pay attention. The small things you observe could be your inspiration.

    Listen, feel and see more, it will fascinate (使入迷) you how much more you appreciate the small things around you.

    Art is seen differently by everyone. However, one thing in common is creativity. You don't need to be good at painting to enjoy something beautiful. Be ready to be patient, be yourself and be good at observing{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. The beauty of art is in the details.

B. I've learned some lessons from creating.

C. If so, there'll be no limits on what you can create.

D. It's something that nothing or no one could take away.

E. There'll always be certain things that make them unique.

F. The only thing that gives me any piece of mind is painting.

G. But no matter what, there will always be a finished product.

    Keeping the memory in shape is important at any age, but it requires a bit more work as we grow. There are some simple activities that can improve your memory.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Awaken your senses.

    Use your senses to help your memory store(储存) needed information. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}You can ask yourself like this: Is the sky a light blue or deep purple? The more involved(参与的) you can be in the information, the easier it is for your brain to store it.

    Use imagination and relation.

    Trying to remember names? Let's say you meet a man named Frank Parker. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Tie the two together by picturing Frank dressed up in a hot dog costume(服装) parking his car in the parking lot. Now each time you see Frank, you should easily recall his name.

    Breathe deeply and relax.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Relax, breathe deeply and slowly and let your mind ease up for a minute. Being relaxed makes it easier for information to be both stored and remembered.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    When you come upon something you need to remember, say to yourself, “Hey, pay attention and remember this!” You are giving yourself a wake-up call as well as giving your mind a marker that it can use to help in storing the new information.

A. Give yourself an order.

B. Get a good night's sleep.

C. Here are four of them to get you started.

D. Picture a hot dog for Frank and a car for Parker.

E. For example, note the colors of a picture you want to remember.

F. When we try hard to remember something we often become nervous.

G. The way you live influences not only your physical health but also your memory.

    With 17 million residents and 23 million bicycles, the Netherlands already has more bikes than people.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    The Dutch government recently announced that it will invest $ 390 million in cycling infrastructure to get 200, 000 more people commuting(通勤)by bike in three years time. Fifteen routes will be developed into “cyclist freeways”, 25, 000 bike parking spaces will be created and more than 60 bike storage facilities will be upgraded.

    “{#blank#}2{#/blank#},”says Stientje van Veldhoven, state secretary for that department, who is spearheading the project.

    It's not that people aren't already cycling in the Netherlands. In 2016, over a quarter of all trips made by Dutch residents were by bike. But only 25％of those trips were work—related, compared to 37％which were made for leisure. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    According to van Veldhoven, more than 50％of people in the Netherlands live less than 15 kilometers from work, and more than half of commuters car trips are under 7.5 kilometers long—a distance that “can easily be covered by bike, ”she says.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. The Netherlands currently rewards commuting cyclists with tax credits of $0.22 per kilometer. Companies and employees would agree on the distance of a person's cycling route.

    However, this is currently a little—known benefit not supported by many employers, according to the infrastructure ministry. That's something the government is hoping to change by better promoting the scheme and getting more companies on board. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. The government is urging employers to provide better facilities for commuting cyclists, such as showers at the office, according to the ministry.

A. The rest were for school, shopping, or other activities

B. To get people to ditch their cars, money is being laid on the table

C. Now, it wants to get even more cyclists on the roads—and will pay people to do it

D. Today the Netherlands is known for its cycling culture, but that hasn't always been the case

E. My ambition is to ensure that people can easily get to work or school, or visit family and friends

F. The Netherlands is now one of the few countries that takes cycling seriously as a mode of transportation

G. There are already 11 major employers in the Netherlands committing to measures such as financing employees' bikes

    When we were kids, if our parents wanted us to stop the screen time, they would turn off the TV. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They grab the cell phone, the tablet or the laptop. Here we will talk about how to control their screen time.

    First, limit the time they use screens. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Kids are smart. Once you go back to your daily routine, they will quickly be back on a screen. Because they just don't understand that when you tell them to get off the tablet or computer, you mean for the rest of the day.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It can be going outside to play, reading a fun book or cleaning their room. Presenting them with an alternative helps the under-developed planning part of their little brains get past what they can't do and see what else is possible.

    And third, hide the screen device. That one may not seem very fair. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If they don't see the device around the house, they can't grab it. This way, works for us adult-types who may be a little too addicted to screens ourselves.

    Ultimately, the best way to help kids recognize how much is too much screen time is to limit our own. Yeah, you may have to stare at one all day for your job, but do you really have to come home and immediately turn on the TV or answer that email on your phone? Don't think your kids aren't taking excuses from your actions. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Second, give them an alternative.

B. So, it's necessary to set a limited time.

C. It may seem easy, but it can be challenging.

D. Now, kids often have a choice of which screen they want.

E. They watch you just as closely as they watch those screens.

F. Now go to find a screen and turn it off, for you and for your kids.

G. But the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” actually works sometimes.