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.

    Every one complains. Even if you argue that you are the happiest person in the world, you still complain sometimes. Sometimes you complain without even realizing it, but rarely is it ever helpful.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are some tips to stop complaining and give up the negative thoughts:

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    When you find yourself thinking or saying a negative comment about something or someone, stop and force yourself to say something positive instead. Seek the help of a cheerful friend to change you when you complain and help you to see the positive in the situation

    Make a list of things you are grateful for.

    You often complain about the things you don't have without noticing those things you already have. Be grateful for what you have in your life because you are lucky simply for being yourselves.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Learn to adapt to the changes.

    There are many things you can't change.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Always find the positive side of each situation, regardless of however difficult the situation is. With parents' and friends' support, you can survive any life changes.

    Allow yourself to vent（发泄）your feelings every once in a while.

    Constantly ignoring negative thoughts could add up. If you are really going through a rough time, don't be afraid to share your feelings with a close friend or family member or see a therapist.

    Find what makes you happy.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Maybe it is time to make the hard decision to move on to another job or career. Uncover what your biggest complaints are about and see if you can change the situation to make you happy.

    Choose happiness, focus on the positive, and be kind always!

A. Change the way you think

B． Make positive people friends

C．The best and only thing you can do is to accept them

D．Are you constantly complaining about your present job?

E． Sometimes this list can be easy, full of hobbies you enjoy

F. So how can you manage to force yourselves to end complaining?

G．Set down things you are thankful for and you'll see that you don't have any reason to complain.

    Reading is an interesting and useful thing. You can read a novel or a poem. But do you know how to read? Here's some advice for you.

    Define your purpose for reading. Before you start reading, ask yourself why are you reading this book.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Being specific and clear about your reading purpose not only helps you to eliminate books that you don't need to read. It also reminds you why reading the book is important to you as you are reading it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Whether you are reading fiction or nonfiction, it's important to enjoy what you read. Your friends may recommend books that they love, but those books might not necessarily be the ones you enjoy.

    Give up books that you don't enjoy. You may have selected books that are aligned with (与……一致) your purpose.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} But as you are reading them, there may still be some books that you won't enjoy reading. Whenever you realize that you aren't enjoying the book you are reading, give it up. Remember reading shouldn't be a chore (杂事).

    Give yourself a deadline to complete each book. Before you read each book, ask yourself when you need to complete this book. When you don't set a deadline to complete your book, there isn't a sense of urgency.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}you tend to procrastinate (拖延).

A. When something is urgent

B. When something isn't urgent

C. Because reading is very important

D. Read only what you are attracted to

E. You may have selected books that you are attracted to

F. Most people read for two main reasons—pleasure or knowledge

G. This motivates you to keep reading and complete the book faster

    Every week for the past thirty years, I have hosted a Sunday dinner in my home. People, including total strangers, call or e-mail to book a spot. I hold the salon in my studio. The first fifty people who call may come-twice that many when the weather is nice and we can overflow into the garden.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Last week it was a philosophy student from Lisbon, and next week a dear friend from London will cook.

    People from all corners of the world come to break bread together，to meet to talk， and often to become friends. All ages, nationalities, races, and professions gather here, and since there is no organized seating, the opportunity for connecting couldn't be better. I love the randomness (随意).

    I have a good memory so each week I make a point to remember everyone's name on the guest list and where they're from so I can introduce them to one another. If I had my way, I would introduce everyone in the whole world to one another.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Many travelers go to see things like the Tower of London, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and so on. I travel to see friends， even-or especially-those I've never met.

    In the late 1980s, I edited a series of guidebooks to different countries.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Instead, each book contained about a thousand biographies of people who would be willing to welcome travelers in their cities. Hundreds of friendships evolved from these encounters, including including marriages and babies.

    The same can be said for my salon. At a recent dinner a six-year-old girl from Bosnia spent the entire evening glued to an eight-year-old boy from Estonia. Their parents were surprised, and pleased, by this immediate friendship.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Most of them speak English, at least as a second language. Recently a dinner featured a typical mix: a beautiful painter from Norway, a truck driver from Arizona, a newspaper editor from Sydney and students from all over.

    It is unnecessary to understand others; one must, at the very least, simply tolerate others.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}No one can ever really understand anyone else, but you can love them or at least accept them.

    I am a world citizen. All human history is mine. My roots cover the earth. We should know each other. Okay, now come and dine.

A. I believe in introducing people to people.

B. People are the most important thing in my life.

C. There were no sights to see, no shops or museums to visit.

D. Tolerance can lead to respect and, finally, to love.

E. After all, our lives are all connected.

F. Every Sunday a different friend prepares a feast.

G. There is always a collection of people throughout the world.

    Many of us tend to compare ourselves to other people. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When you compare yourself to your friend or coworker occasionally, there's nothing wrong with it, as such a comparison helps you become better and stay motivated to reach your goals. However, if you are constantly comparing yourself to others, it's a red flag.

    If you compare yourself to a previous time in your life and you believe that your past was better than your present, it's a sure sign you unconsciously compare yourself to others. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Focus on your present and enjoy new happy and bad moments in your life instead of past ones.

    Do you want to make more money because your friend has a higher paycheck than you? You think that your neighbors, friends, and coworkers have a better life because they can afford to buy a new car. But, are you sure that they really can afford all those things? After all, they might have lots of debts and financial problems. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Probably you often say something like 'Your hair is more beautiful than mine' or 'You're so slim and I'm so plump since I can't drop those extra pounds.' You should never ever say such things. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You are special and you are absolutely beautiful no matter your age, weight and height.

    Many of us are trying to stop comparing ourselves to others, but at the same time many of us don't even know that we have such a bad habit. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Remember, no one is perfect. Stay grateful, love yourself and enjoy your present life.

A. When you compare, you find your strengths and weaknesses.

B. Learn how to love your body, accept yourself and love yourself.

C. People who are constantly comparing themselves to others are more likely to succeed.

D. Your past was not as good as you may think now.

E. Comparing yourself to others has its advantages and disadvantages.

F. Comparing brings insecurity and makes us miserable.

G. Moreover, money will never make you happy, remember it.

    Much of the work in today's world is accomplished (完成) in teams. Most people believe the best way to build a great team is to gather a group of the most talented individuals. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Companies spend millions hiring top business people. Is their money well spent?

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They focused on football, basketball and baseball. The results are mixed. For football and basketball, adding talented players to a team proves a good method, but only up to the point where 70% of the players are top talent; above that level, the team's performance begins to decline. Interestingly, this trend isn't evident in baseball, where additional individual talent keeps improving the team's performance.

    To explain this phenomenon, the researchers explored the degree to which a good performance by a team requires its members to coordinate (协调) their actions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In baseball, the performance of individual players is less dependent on teammates. They conclude that when task interdependence is high, team performance will suffer when there is too much talent, while individual talent will have positive effects on team performance when task interdependence is lower. If a basketball star is, for example, trying to gain a high personal point total, he may take a shot himself when it would be better to pass the ball to a teammate, affecting the team's performance. Young children learning to play team sports are often told, "There is no I in TEAM." {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Another possibility is that when there is a lot of talent on a team, some players may make less effort. Just as in a game of tug-of-war (拔河比赛), whenever a person is added, everyone else pulls the rope with less force.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. An A-team may require a balance-not just a players, but a few generous B players as well.