Traveling abroad during the vacation is the top choice of many Chinese people. But do we have good manners abroad?

    On Feb 25, a report said that a Chinese mother let her child pee (小便) in front of a shop in Tokyo. A journalist came to the mother. Instead of saying sorry, the woman said that her child had peed inside a plastic bag and had not made the floor dirty.

    This case has caused a big discussion about Chinese people' s traveling manners again.

    In recent years, improper behavior has become a real embarrassment for China as overseas tourism increases. With the improvement of living standards, more and more Chinese are traveling abroad. But there are still a number of Chinese lacking in (缺乏) a sense of public manners. For this situation, the Chinese government has suggested proper manners. The National Tourism Administration has made a list of tourists' worst behaviors, including littering, line-jumping, taking off shoes and socks in public, speaking loudly and smoking in non-smoking areas.

    We are going to improve the inner being of every Chinese citizen. “Traveling manners are a turning point.” said an official. And changes have begun to appear. Most people minded their behaviors during this Spring Festival holiday, according to the National Tourism Administration. They kept their voice down, waited in line and respected local rules.

    Why doesn't the conductor face the audience?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}As the only person with his back to the audience, the conductor is a figure who is bathed in the spotlight, but his complex work requires a high degree of musical skill, as well as an ability to extract what he desires out of the group of artists he leads--his orchestra.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}A person may become a conductor without graduating from the conducting department of a music school or studying in any kind of conductor's training program. However, becoming the conductor of a famous orchestra requires a great deal more than what is needed merely to join an orchestra.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}These naturally examine a conductor's technique and musical interpretation while he conducts an orchestra through a prepared piece of music, but they also involve a sight-reading element{#blank#}4{#/blank#}The conductor then has to sit in a room and memorize the piece before coming out and leading the orchestra through the piece by memory. Not only does the conductor have to make his arm and hand motion properly, and signal all the entrances of each instrument, he has to point out intentional mistakes made by the orchestra members on the spot.

    The least capabilities a conductor must have are: The ability to memorize an entire score. A good ear for distinguishing correct notes among the music of the entire orchestra.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Of the conductors that meet these requirements, those with better musical insight and a higher level of charisma(魅力) will succeed.

A. The need for a common musical standard becomes necessary

B. The ability to lead a group of professional musicians

C. There are many conducting competitions

D. For this, the score of music is given to the conductor on site

E. This is how the role of the conductor came to be established

F. The role of the conductor is in fact not well understood

G. There are no examinations for becoming a conductor

    Both men and women are living longer these days in industrialized countries.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}In general, they can expect to live six or seven years more than men. One reason for this is biological. One important biological factor that helps women live longer is the difference in hormones between men and women. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Between the ages of about 12 and 50, women produce hormones that are involved in fertility(生育能力). These hormones also have a positive effect on the heart and blood flow. In fact, women are less likely to have high blood pressure or to die from heart attacks.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}They help the body defend itself against some kinds of infections. This means that women generally get sick less often and less seriously than men. The common cold is a good example: women, on average, get fewer colds than men.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Scientists are still not exactly sure how they influence aging, but they believe that they do. Some think that a woman's body cells have a tendency(向) to age more slowly than a man's. Others think that a man's body cells have a tendency to age more quickly.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. However, women, on average, live longer.

B .The biological factor plays an important part.

C. Women are also helped by their female genes.

D. The female hormones also protect the body in another way.

E. Recent research seems to support both of these possibilities.

F. However, women are more healthy than men and can live a better life.

G. Hormones are chemicals which are produced by the body to control carious body functions.

    Lemon water is pretty popular. It's offered as a free upgrade to regular water at pretty many restaurants.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}, others are devotees of the possible health benefits. Here's what may happen if you take up the lemon water habit.

    Easier weight loss

    Studies in mice indicate that the antioxidants(抗氧化剂) in lemons can reduce weight gain despite a high-fat diet. More studies are needed to determine if the results can be applied to humans, but anecdotal evidence is favorable. People who drink lemon water regularly report easier weight loss, though it is unclear if the combination of lemon and water is the fundamental driver.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Get enough vitamin C

    Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that has a ton of health benefits. It can only be gotten from food as our bodies don't produce it alone. Getting your RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of vitamin C can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Vitamin C is good for your skin and bonds with free radicals (自由电子) that accelerate aging.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}, but they're a great source nevertheless.

    Stabilized moods

    Studies have found that smelling lemon scent reduces stress hormones that regulate mood. Drinking lemon water offers this benefit as well as the vitamins and potassium(钾) in the fruit. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, and high blood pressure is related to stress, so not getting enough potassium can certainly affect your mood. All in all, lemon water can be a calming drink.

    In the end, drinking water is never a bad call, and there is absolutely no reason not to add lemon to it. Drinking lemon water provides some helpful nutrients and antioxidants. Give it a try!{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Lemon is a common smell in all manner of cleaning products

B. Potassium plays a huge part in regulating blood pressure

C. There is nothing to lose

D. Lemons aren't the highest in vitamin C

E. While some people drink it simply because of its taste

F. If adding lemon to water can encourage people to drink more

G. It could be that drinking more water helps dieters to feel full and avoid overeating

    Every person has a history of pain and tragedy that includes regret from the situation. At times, it's often hard to explain that pain to someone else. The challenge with a tragedy is the lack of support from someone.

    This has often been my challenge when I try to explain what occurred to me. When I was younger, I was a victim of a tragic accident that changed my life both academically and emotionally. At sixteen months old, due to the neglect of my babysitter I fell off the bed. The injury was so severe that I was rushed to the emergency room and the doctors explained to my mom that I suffered from a blood clot (血块) located on the left side of the brain.

    I was later diagnosed with what is known as a traumatic brain injury (外伤性脑损伤)．This accident affects my long term memory and testing ability. I often struggle with understanding information related to school and feel frustrated that I will not pass my tests. The pressure of school is so much, since I must always work harder than most students.

    I become easily disappointed that I study a lot but often flunk or re-take tests. It is hard to imagine, because in my mind I feel prepared for the work; however, the test results do not connect with the information in my brain. Although I always don't pass my tests, I feel like this injury encourages me to work and shows me that I can be confident when it comes to the future. For example, I have been able to maintain my grades, been employed for over a year at a local restaurant, and obtained my driver's license. I look forward to attending college, getting married, raising a family, and being a success. I will continue to live my life to the fullest and prove that an injury does not limit my life journey.

The Peasants (Ⅱ)

At noon they hoe up weeds;

Their sweat drips on the soil.

Who knows the rice that feeds

Is the fruit of hard toil!

Food is a necessity for survival. But do you know how much work goes into producing it? The poem The Peasants (II), {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (write) by Li Shen, a Tang Dynasty poet, shows {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (we) the hardship of the peasants.

The first two lines describe a common scene {#blank#}3{#/blank#} peasants are working their lands at noon with the sun {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (hang) high in the sky, sweat dripping. In the last two lines, the poet {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (direct) points out that the rice we eat is the fruit of peasants' hard work.

Simple as the poem is in its language, it is profound in the theme, reminding people {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the significance of treasuring food. According to the FAO, an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food, or one-third of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} total food produced for human consumption, is wasted globally each year. Therefore, it's highly suggested that every grain of rice {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (value). In China, we have adopted a law on food waste {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (offer) legal backing to the country's efforts which not only safeguard food security {#blank#}10{#/blank#} promote the traditional virtue of thrift (节俭) as well.

Next time you want to throw away food, please think twice.