The main cause of death and disability in the US

    Stroke (中风) is the main cause of death and disability in the United States. Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is the nation's third leading cause of death, ranking behind diseases of the heart and all forms of cancer. The following is something more about stroke.

Definition and description of a stroke

    Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries(动脉) leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel（血管） that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So stroke forms.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    The American Stroke Association has identified several factors (因素) that increase the risk of stroke. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that he or she will have a stroke. Some of these you can't control, such as increasing age, family health history, race, and previous stroke. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Factors resulting from lifestyle or environment can be improved with a healthcare provider's help.

Breakthroughs in treatment

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In fact, about 600,000 people have strokes every year. For many years, there was no hope for those suffering a stroke. However, recent breakthroughs have led to new treatments. For the treatments to work, the person must get to a hospital immediately.

    Children in the United States eat too much pizza that some researchers now argue the food should join the ranks of sugary drinks and fast food for the harm they do to health．

    In a new study, the researchers found that pizza is a large source of calories, saturated fat(饱和脂肪)and salt in children's diets．Children should not eat more than two slices of pizza for a meal，and should pair that with salad, rather than with another high-calorie food，the researchers concluded．

    “Parents should aim to control pizza consumption(消费), particularly as a snack where it was shown to have a very adverse impact on children, and they should put their pizza dollars toward healthier brands．”Said Lisa Powel, director of the Illinois Prevention Research Center．

    Pizza has become a matter of focus in recent years for researchers who look at the meals children eat, rather than the nutrients within them．Studies have found pizza is among the greatest sources of calories for children．

    “Since pizza remains a common part of children's diet, we need to make 'healthy' pizza．”Powel said．To make pizza healthier, food producers should reduce its saturated fat and salt, and increase its whole grain content,” she said．

    Whether or not pizza is harmful enough to be picked out as an unhealthy food, the study attracts attention to a larger issue with the modern American lifestyle, said Alexis Tindall, who was not involved in the flow research. “Many foods are eaten too frequently and in large sizes,” said Tindall．To solve the problem, people don't have to give up eating pizza, but instead, they can eat smaller and healthier pizza，”she said．

    “Make it at home, instead of ordering it out where you don't have any control over how it's made.” Tindall said. “When we make it at home, we can choose healthier ingredients，increase the vegetables, reduce fat, and put in less cheese．Pizza doesn't have to be just pepperoni(意大利辣香肠)and cheese．”

I Think I Can: How to Push Yourself to Success

    “Because I can” has magic power. It pushes us to leave our comfort zones. It gives us a reason to do the things that we think we can't. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Whether it is to get to the store or work, climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Break the “I'm tired” or “It is too hard” or “It is too far” cycle. Increasing your activity level will provide enormous benefits, both physically and mentally.

    Try Something New

    It is easy for us to make excuses for why we shouldn't try new things.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Maybe it seems too difficult. Or maybe, it is just inconvenient. Reminding yourself that You Can try something new will help you to move past these roadblocks and discover new things about yourself and possible new interests.

Speak Up

    Often, we dare not address（处理）things that bother us or make us unhappy.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.Use that voice “because you can.” Communicating to loved ones, co-workers, and even your boss as to how you feel, what your needs and expectations are and what you are thinking can help you develop deeper, more meaningful and rewarding relationships. Further, you will be truer to yourself, thus making you a happier individual.

Increase Your Willpower

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. However, developing a strong willpower, whether it is in response to our favorite chocolate cake or to over-shopping is something that we can all benefit from. Next time you are tempted to do something you think you might regret, try reminding yourself that you can say no. You have the power.

A. Saying “No” to our favorites can be challenging

B. Here are a few ways to apply this positive thinking to your own life

C. You have a voice

D. Be More Active

E. “Because I can” is an easy way to include more activities into your life

F. Maybe you think it is out of your comfort zone

G. A strong willpower can keep us motivated（有动机的）and reach our goals

    When things go wrong, many people turn to their friends for comfort and support. Are you the kind of person your friends trust to be there for them when they're feeling down? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You might feel awkward or nervous about comforting a sad friend at first, but with a little practice, you won't have to worry about saying the wrong thing or making the situation worse. When one of your friends is upset, help him/her by being there for him/her, finding the right things to say, and avoiding common mistakes.

    ①{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Comfort your friend according to how upset he/she seems to be. If he/she seems to be very troubled, it may take more effort on your part to help him/her. If something is bothering him/her, but he/she isn't too upset, be there for him/her without overreacting.

    ②Find out what's wrong. Before you say anything try to figure out what the problem is. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. If you try to talk to your friend without knowing the situation first, you could end up with putting your foot in your mouth.

    ③Give your friend a hug. A kind touch will do wonders for your friend, even if you don't know what he/she is upset about. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.You can also pat him/her gently on the shoulder.

    ④Let your friend vent (发泄). If your friend needs to get his/her sadness or anger out, let him/her do. Pay attention and don't interrupt. Encourage him/her to express himself/herself fully.

    ⑤Just listen. Your friend needs someone to listen compassionately to him/her right now, so focus on doing that. Be patient and non-judgmental. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Don't act bored or try to change the subject.

    Asking for a raise can be a discouraging prospect for any employee. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you're a female employee seeking a raise, it matters to approach that conversation strategically. Here are a few tips for pulling it off successfully.

    Do your research.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So if you're making a case for a pay increase, you'll need to gather some data on what others in similar positions are earning. To that end, do some research on sites like Salary. com. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Remember to collect the average earnings for all workers in your position and make your case for why you deserve to be paid similarly.

    Don't get emotional.

    Women are often accused of getting emotional on the job. In fact, it's that so-called sensitive nature that causes some people to claim they're uncomfortable working with and promoting female employees. That's why it's extremely important to keep you cool during a salary negotiation. Be specific and present hard evidence of your value to the company. Try to focus on your positive contributions, rather than the negative feelings. And although the discussion might get heated, be sure not to yell or, worse yet, cry while it's going down. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Given many news stories about how men out-earn women, you may tend to draw on some of that data as a reason for getting a raise. But be very careful about using that argument, because unless you have definitive proof that your male colleagues - with the same exact titles, experience, and responsibilities—are making more money than you, you're better off avoiding that angle.

American country music is also known as country western music. It has a very long history. It comes from the folk songs of immigrants (移民) from Britain.

 Country music uses simple music and words to express everyday feelings such as loneliness, love, and sadness. That is to say, country music describes life. It talks about friends and enemies, trucks and roads, farm and crops. People in many parts of the world like country music, because everyone can understand what the music is about.

Country western music became popular first among cowboys (牛仔) in the American west countryside. Cowboys had to take care of cows day and night. When they were alone with the cows, they often sang beautiful and peaceful songs to calm the animals and to overcome their own fear. They were not well-educated and so they sang about their daily life in very simple words. They played guitars, violins and other instruments. In the south of America, many people added instruments from their homes, like bottles and spoons. When cowboys visited their friends and families on holidays like Thanksgiving, they usually sang and played country western music.  

In recent years, many musicians have made country western music a little different from the one in the past. These changes make the songs sound even better. Today singers such as Carth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Eddie Rabbitt, LeAnn Rimes, Randy Travis and a group called Alabama are singing and playing in different styles. They have brought country western music more and more fans from all over the world.