You may be more interested in a boxing or yoga studio. If you are interested in variety, you'll be better off going with a larger complex that might contain equipment for sports, for example.

    Pay more attention to the importance of position.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} So pick a sport that fits your sense when a visit would typically occur. The fitness equipment should be close to your home or workplace. Whether to make it convenient or inconvenient is often one of the greatest barriers to success.

    Take advantage of free trials.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} During your visit, you want to think about the number of people using machines, the friendliness of the staff, and whether showers are offered there.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The two primary places to check for dirt and stain are in the locker room and the comers of the workout rooms. Also pay attention to smell. Make sure there is a way to easily clean equipment.

    Talk with personnel about the busiest times and the number of members using the gym on a typical day.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Learn about membership packages, extra fees and guest passes for friends and family.

    By thoughtfully considering gyms and fitness center you can ensure you will actually like your choice and use your membership. Considering the right aspects will help you pick good equipment.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Make sure everything is clean.

B. The places should be comfortable to use.

C. Good health is of great importance for you.

D. It's easy to ignore your body when you have a busy day.

E. The fitness center you like will offer a chance to try them out.

F. Find out whether they require pre-class registration or reservations.

G. So you can jump into achieving your fitness goals and improving your life.

    Radar（雷达） is an electronic device that detects planes, ships, coastlines, landmarks, and even storm clouds. The name radar comes from the first letters of the words radio direction and ranging. As the human eye uses light waves to see, radar “sees” with radio waves. Without radar, planes could not land safely in bad weather and ships could not move safely in thick fog{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    In the 1800s it was discovered that radio waves could be reflected from objects. But scientists did not make great advances in radar research until the 1930s, when the world was threatened by war{#blank#}2{#/blank#}It has been used widely in almost every conflict since then.

    Echoes make it possible for radar to work. When a beam of radio waves is sent out, it strikes on an object and returns an echo. This echo is picked up by radar and recorded on a screen similar to television screen. On the screen an observer sees a flash, or a blip, that shows the direction and distance of the object{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Airport control towers use radar to guide planes in for safe landings. Almost all large ships depend on radar to prevent collisions with icebergs or other ships{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Weather forecasters “see” the size, direction, and speed of storms on radar screens. Astronomers can even use radar to measure accurately the distance to the moon. Thus, the device has generated major advancements.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Huge radar antennas have been installed all over the United States. They guard us against possible enemy attacks. We have ballistic—missiles (战略导弹)warning systems that can alert us to attacks when missiles are more than 1,000 miles away. Other radar systems warn us against enemy aircraft and even spying space satellites.

A. Police track speeders in radar-equipped cars.

B. These measurements are now highly accurate.

C. The device can be used in a wide range of fields.

D. During World War II many countries used radar effectively.

E. It is therefore especially valuable to shippers and travelers.

F. Today radar is used by commercial airliners and weather forecasters.

G. Strengthening national defense is one of radar's most important functions.

    Are you suffering from FOMO—that is, Fear of Missing Out? Research shows that a growing number of young people are with worrying reasons for their sleep and schoolwork.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You aren't able to do your best unless you sleep well. Most experts agree that the optimum（最适宜）number of hours is eight, and this has been accepted as common sense for as long as I can remember. However, I was young once and know most of you get much less sleep than that.

    I read an interesting article in a teachers' magazine recently.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Worryingly, the results showed that teenagers are facing a new problem. They may go to bed and get up at appropriate times, but a growing number are waking up in the middle of the night, not to use the bathroom or have a snack, but because of FOMO.

    According to the article, the number of students waking up during the night to check social media is growing. Afraid of missing a comment or opportunity to take part in a chat, teenagers are waking at all times of the night, going online and getting involved. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Experts are worried about this growing trend and the report reveals some worrying statistics: 23% of 12 to 15-year-olds wake up nearly every night to use social media. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} One in third of the students are constantly tired and unable to function to their full capacity.

    So I'd like to ask you to be responsible when it comes to social media. Switch off your devices at night. The world won't end and your social media will be waiting to greet you in the morning! {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. But things are getting out of hand.

B. I give you my word that you won't have missed anything important.

C. Another 15% wake up at night once a week for the same reason.

D. They did a study of 848 students in Wales.

E. FOMO is the fear that everyone else is having more fun and more excitement than you.

F. All happens when they should be sound asleep.

G. Everybody knows how important it is for students to get a good night's sleep every night.

    What Does Teamwork Really Mean?

    We often hear the word "teamwork". But are you a team player? Understanding the question can surely promote team spirit as well as individual development. In many job interviews, a common question is whether the interviewee is a "team player". More often than not, he or she will say "yes". But what does being a team player really mean?

    On the most basic level, a team player is someone who can work within a group of people. This group is a number of people greater than one. Therefore it is an essential requirement of any employment that any potential employee is a team player.

    On a deeper level, a team player is someone who can play a role in the team, to achieve and support the goals set and agreed upon by the team. The simplest analogy（类似）to the corporate team would be a sports team.

    There are two main aims of the football team. One is to score goals and the other is to prevent the opposition team from scoring. In football, there are eleven players per side, and almost the same number of players in reserve. There are also other vital members of the team in the background, such as the coach, the doctor, etc.

    Every member of the team has a very specific role - as a captain, goalkeeper. Every member of the team is vital to the success of the team. If one player does not perform to the best of his or her ability, the team is handicapped(阻碍，妨碍).

    Similarly in the corporate world, each company has its clearly defined goals. Every member of the corporate team should have specific roles and responsibilities in view of achieving these goals.

    Being a team player does not mean you should always agree with the rest of the team. There are times when your vision may differ from the vision of the company, the leader or the rest of the team. It may be a valid vision and if you believe in it strongly enough, you should share it with the rest of the team. If the leader is a competent one, he or she will assess it on its merits and not let ego(自我，自负) get in the way. However, if the team should not agree with your vision, don't take it personally.

    They may find the idea inappropriate, not YOU personally. Don't take it as a sign of personal rejection. If your leader or team members see that you can handle rejection of your ideas in a mature manner, it is only to your own credit.

    So, don't be afraid to offer new ideas even seemingly crazy ones. Everyone in the team should feel free to offer ideas and not worry about them being dismissed.

    The pleasure of working in an environment where every member of the team is a team player is unparalleled. If you are not enjoying your working environment, chances are high that your team is also not working well. Ask yourself this:

    Are your team objectives in line with those of the company? If not, why not?

    What Does Teamwork Really Mean?

The Cost of Thinking

    Despite their many differences, all human beings share several defining characteristics, such as large brains and the ability to walk upright on two legs.

    The first unique human characteristic is that humans have extraordinarily large brains compared with other animals. It seems obvious that evolution should select for larger brains. Mammals (哺乳动物) weighing sixty kilograms have an average brain size of 200 cm². Modern man has a brain averaging 1200-1400 cm². We are so fond of our high intelligence that we assume that when it comes to brain power, more must be better. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

    The fact is that a huge brain is a huge drain—consumption of energy—on the body. I's not easy to carry around, especially when boxed inside a massive skull (倾骨). It's even harder to provides energy. In modern man, the brain accounts for about 2-3%of total body weight but it consumes 25% of the body's energy when the body is at rest. By comparison, the brains of apes (类人猿) require only 8%of rest-time energy. Early humans pad for their large brains in two ways. Firstly, they spent more time in search food. Secondly, their muscles grew smaller and weaker. It's hardly an obvious conclusion that this is a good way to survive. A chimpanzee (黑猩猩) can't win an argument with a modern man, but it can tear the man apart like a rag doll.

    Another unique human characteristic is that we walk upright. Standing up, it's easier to find food or enemies. In addition, their arms that are unnecessary for moving around are freed for other purposes, like throwing stones or signaling. As a result, humans can perform very complex tasks with their hands.

    Yet walking upright has its disadvantage. The bone structure of our ancestors developed for millions of years to support a creature that walked on all fours and has a relatively small head. Adjusting to an upright position was quite a challenge, especially when the bones had to support an extra-large skull. Humankind paid for its broad vision and skillful hands backaches and painful necks.

    We assume that a large brain makes huge advantages. It seems obvious that these have made humankind the most powerful animal on earth. But humans enjoyed all of these advantages for a full 2 million years during which they remained weak and marginal creature. Thus humans who lived a million years ago, despite their big brains and sharp stone tools, lived in constant fear of meat-eating animals.

    If you seek happiness, then you need to know what happiness is for you. I don't believe there is one universal definition of happiness. Happiness is a very subjective emotion, according to me. Put two people in identical situations: same amount of money, life experiences. etc. and you can be pretty sure that they both wouldn't feel equally happy or equally sad. I believe this is so because there are two kinds of happiness. There is one kind of happiness, which is kind of universal and then there is the other kind, which is very individual to each one of us. It is this kind of happiness that I find more interesting.

The second kind of happiness that I talk about comes from our expectations out of our lives, which vary from person to person. For example, a person who expects a lot out of his or her life may find that happiness is hard to find. They are constantly in search of these things in life, which always seem to elude (逃避) them. Those things may be money or fame or power or any of the other pursuits (追求) that humans have, but it would be likely that such people are less likely to be happy, if their goals are not met. In most cases, even after their goals are met, they don't find happiness, because they seek more— new goals, new wish lists, and it's a seemingly never- ending process for them!

    On the other hand, a person who takes life as it comes along and makes the best of each day is more likely to be happy every day. They have no pressure or goals to occupy their minds and they can achieve happiness from the simple pleasures of everyday life, finding love, making time for the family and kids, seeing their kids grow, etc. Of course, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't have any expectations at all. You should keep those expectations reasonable and manageable.