At long last, Stefano Boeri Architects' brilliant Bosco Verticale towers are finally completed. The “world's first vertical forest” consists of a fantastic pair of costly towers that add nearly 2.5 acres of lush vegetation to the sky line of Milan, a city notorious (声名狼藉的) for its air pollution. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Like a pair of green lungs, its forested appearance of 21,000 plants will absorb CO₂, control noise pollution, lessen the urban heat island effect, and create oxygen and favorable micro-climates.

    The Bosco Verticale mixed-use towers are constructed with a $2.5 billion public-private investment as part of the re-development of Milan's Porta Nuova district. The towers, measuring 260 feet and 367 feet, house 800 trees between 9 and 30 feet tall, over 4,000 shrubs (灌木) and 15,000 ground cover plants. Bosco Verticale is created with LEED Gold Certification (绿色建筑黄金认证) in mind. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    The buildings shrub have welcomed their first residents. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}  A fast-growing bird population has already begun to nest in Bosco Verticale's rich leaves, of which over a hundred different species of trees and shrubs are represented. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 

    The superstructure is also selected for the world famous International Highrise Building Award as one of the five most beautiful and original high-rises in the world that is completed. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

A. “We take great pride in this project, which may earn us an award” says Boeri.

B. Boeri is currently in China, where he plans to build another Bosco Verticale project.

C. It is also equipped with a gray water recycling and irrigation system.

D. However, Bosco Verticale will be more than just a beautiful sight to enjoy.

E. “The real key to this project is biodiversity,” says Boeri.

F. It is also well received by the Chinese experts in the field.

G. But those families aren't the only ones to call the vertical forest home.

    Do you have a health problem, such as high blood pressure or obesity? Did your doctor tell you that you can improve your condition with better nutrition? Do cancer, heart disease, or diabetes run in your family? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Meanwhile, you also need to improve your eating habits for better nutrition.

    It can be hard to change your eating habits. However, you are sure to benefit from making changes to your diet if you have diseases that can be made worse by things you are eating or drinking. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Find the strengths and weaknesses in your present diet. Do your eat 4-5 cups of fruits and vegetables every day? Do you get enough calcium（钙）? Do you eat whole grain, high-fiber foods? If so, you're on the right track. Keep it up! {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you eat a lot of fat at present, cut back and change your habits. For example, reduce any extra fat. This includes butter on bread, sour cream on baked potatoes, and salad dressings.

    Keep track of your food intake（摄入量）. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This record will help you assess（评价）your diet. You'll see if you need to eat more or less from certain food groups.

    Think about asking for help from a nutritionist. They can help you follow a special diet, especially if you have a health issue.

A. Cut back on unhealthy fat.

B. Write down what you eat and drink every day.

C. Below are suggestions to improve your health.

D. If not, add more of these foods to your daily diet.

E. You should eat foods that contain vitamins and minerals.

F. If your answer is yes, talk to your doctor about your health.

G. Balanced nutrition and regular exercise are good for your health.

    Almost none of us have the time to read everything we'd like to read. Yet we lose countless hours to daily activities that bring us little joy like taking buses and waiting in line. What if we could turn these little blocks of unoccupied time into precious and rewarding moments for learning and thinking?

    Established in 2012, iReader, a micro-learning app on mobile phones, brings the biggest ideas from best-selling books through 15-minute audio (音频) and text. So far, more than 3,000 books have been included, ranging from psychology and parenting to management and economics, with new titles added every day.

    iReader is pioneering a new method of reading, with over 9 million users enjoying the benefits already. According to the Pew Research Center (PRC), the British read just 4 paper books a year and over 25% haven't read a single paper book this year, but reading isn't dying. There are now more ways for the British to read than ever before, due to the widespread use of e-books and audio books.

    The books in iReader are rewritten to ensure it is easy to remember the main content. The way the content is edited has been specifically designed to ensure it is useful in practice. Besides, the content is rewritten with related examples in real life, which means users are more likely to remember and apply what is helpful to them.

    Holger Seim, German co-founder of this app, declares, "iReader gives you the biggest ideas in the shortest possible time. It transforms great ideas into little packs you can listen to or read in just 15 minutes."

    We all need to eat. So, meals could be a chance to stop what we're doing and spend time with the people in our lives. A recent study from a team of South Korea suggests that eating together has many good effects on children and teenagers while frequently eating alone may lead to poor eating habits and poor food choices. People who eat alone more than twice a week have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

    There are benefits of family dinners on children and teenagers.

    In 2014, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) looked at data from nearly three-quarters of the world's countries. Among its findings is the fact that students who share a main meal with their families are less likely to hate school. Children who eat a main meal with their families are also less likely to take drugs (毒品).

    In the report, titled "The Importance of Family Dinners (VIII)," researchers say that teens who have frequent family dinners are more likely to say their parents know a lot about what's going on in their lives.

    Another study from the University of Montreal finds that children who eat with their families experience long-term physical and mental health benefits. These children are physically in better shape and drink fewer sugary soft drinks. These children also seem to have better social skills and are less violent.

    One of the researchers, Pagane, involved in this study is a professor at the university. She says that mealtimes with parents possibly provide young children with firsthand social events, which helps them have better communication skills.

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is America's fifth largest city. Once a major American colonial city, it is the home of America's first library, its first hospital, and its first zoo. Now it is also the first US city to be named a World Heritage City. On November 6, 2015, Philadelphia joined more than 260 other cities that have been recognized for their influence on the world. These cities include Paris, France, Florence, Italy, and Cairo, Egypt.

    "Today marks the start of a new and exciting chapter in the history of Philadelphia," remarked Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter when the announcement was made. "As a World Heritage City, Philadelphia is being officially recognized on the global stage for its wealth of contributions to the world.

    To be named a World Heritage City, a city must be home to a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO World Heritage sites are selected for their universal value and significance. For Philadelphia, the site is Independence Hall.

    Independence Hall is where two of the most important documents in US history—the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution—were adopted. The Declaration of Independence, approved on July 4, 1776, united the 13 former British colonies and declared them independent from British rule. The US Constitution, signed in 1787, established the American democratic system of government. A democracy is a system of government in which the people elect their leaders. The Constitution later spelled out the basic freedoms American citizens have.

    Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger says the city's selection as a World Heritage City also reflects its educational, cultural, and economic achievements. The city is home to dozens of colleges and universities, and many museums, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "Philadelphia has rightfully earned its place as one of the greatest cities in the world." Greenberger says.

    Over the centuries the French have lost a number of famous battles with the British. However, they've always felt superior in the kitchen. France has for centuries had a reputation for cooking excellence, and Britain for some of the worst cooking in the world. But according to a recent survey, that reputation may no longer reflect reality.

    In the survey, 71% of the Britons said they cook at home every day, while only 59% of the French said they cook daily. British home cooks spend more time cooking each week and also produce a greater variety of dishes than French home cooks.

    The reaction in London was predictably enthusiastic. British food has greatly improved since the 1990s. Once upon a time, the menu for many family meals would have been roast beef, potatoes and over-cooked vegetables, but not now. Home cooks are experimenting with the huge range of ingredients now available in British supermarkets and are preparing all kinds of new dishes, using the cookbooks that sell millions of copies every year. As a result, there's much more diversity in British food now, compared to French food, which tends to be very traditional.

    Some French people say that the survey did not show the whole picture. They agree that during the week French women don't cook as much as they used to because most of them work and don't have much time. They tend to buy ready-made or frozen dishes, but many of them make up for it on the weekend. There's also a difference between Paris and the countryside. It's true that people in Paris don't cook much, but elsewhere, cooking is still at the heart of daily life.

    For many French people, opinions about British food have not changed. When Bernard Blier, the food editor at a magazine, was asked about British food, he replied: "I don't go out of my way to try it. It is not very refined. You can say that I'm not a fan at all."