A strong memory depends on the health and vitality （活力） of your brain. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old saying simply isn't true. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

      Give your brain a workout. Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to “use it or lose it”. The more you work out your brain, the better you'll be able to process and remember information.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

        Don't skip the physical exercise. While mental exercise is important forbrain health, that doesn't mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercise helps your brainstay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss.

        Get enough sleep. There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function at your best.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Keep stress in check. Stress is one of the brain's worst enemies. Over time, stress destroys braincells. Studies have also linked stress to memory loss.

        Have a laugh.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} That holds true for the brain and the memory, as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specificareas of the brain, laughter engages multiple regions across the whole brain.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably already know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, “healthy”fats and lean protein will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. For brain health, though, it's not just what you eat—it's also what you don't eat.

A. Eat a brain-boosting diet.

B. Play games with memory.

C. Laughter is the best medicine.

D. But oversleeping is not good for yourbrain.

E. Even skipping a few hours makes adifference!

F. You have to shake things up from timeto time!

G. The human brain has an astonishingability to adapt and change.

Ways to avoid quarrels with your mother

1 ． Don't give her the silent treatment

    The best technique to get what you want and exert mental pressure on somebody is to give them the silent treatment.If you think the silent treatment will help you achieve a desirable result，then you're mistaken.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

2 ． Refuse to go into hysterics(歇斯底里)

   There's no doubt that hysterics is an extremely effective type of processing mode，but you're not a little child.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}  Pull yourself together and try to reach a compromise against all problems.

3 ． Avoid deeply offensive words

    Word is a unique and powerful thing that exerts a big influence on human mind.If you're in a quarrel with your mother，you should be careful what you say to her.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}  Sooner or later，you'll apologize for your bad behavior，but the words you've said and the feeling of hate will live in her heart forever.

4 ． {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 

   I had a terrible habit of drawing my brother and dad into conflicts between me and my mom.I wanted them to support me and help us find a beneficial solution.Unfortunately，their active participation only worsened the problem.As a result，small and insignificant mother－child fights grew into long－lasting family conflicts.I learned a big lesson and realized that my bad temper made my family suffer.

5 ． Enhance your communication

    Regular communication with your parents is a normal thing that makes them happier.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}  When you finally find the reason，you'll be able to overcome misunderstanding in communication with your mom and bridge the generation gap in a quite short period of time.

A．Buy a small gift for your mother.

B．Don't draw other family members into a conflict.

C．So try your best to comfort your mother after a quarrel.

D．You shouldn't burst into tears and scream in front of your mother.

E．By all means you should take immediate action to stop this cold war.

F．Sometimes your word can be either a perfect pain reliever or a terrible weapon.

G．Lack of communication between mothers and children may cause frequent quarrels.

    Ways to build strong friendships

    Be loyal to a friend. Part of being a friend is being prepared to devote your time and energy to helping out your friends. If a friend needs help with an unpleasant thing, or if he or she just needs a shoulder to cry on, be there for them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} This is a good way to attract the kind of friends you want in your life.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} When you say you'll do something, do it. When your friend tells you a secret, keep it secret from others. Be someone that people know that they can rely on. If you show this quality to your friends, they will appreciate it and will be reliable in return.

    Be a good listener. Many people think they have to appear very interesting.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Listen carefully to what people say, remember important details about them, ask questions about their interests, and take the time to learn more about them.

    Stress your good qualities. Show others what makes you stand apart from the crowd. Talk about your interests and hobbies. Everyone has interesting stories to tell – don't be afraid to share yours.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  People love to be around someone who makes them laugh.

    Choose your friends wisely. As you make friends with more people, you may find that some are hard to get along with. Sometimes you may even realize that certain friendships are unhealthy.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Cherish those friends who are a positive influence in your life, and do your best to be a positive influence in theirs.

A. Be a reliable friend.

B. Keep your promise to your friend.

C. Be respectful of their decisions and share yours with him.

D. Besides, a little humor always keeps a conversation light and happy.

E. In this case, walk your way out of the friendship as gracefully as possible.

F. Being a loyal friend will attract other people to you who value this quality.

G. Far more important than that, however, is the ability to show that you're interested in others.

    "Fire! Fire!" What terrible words to hear when I 1 in a strange house in the middle of the night! It was a large, 2 house —the kind that burns easily — and my room was on the top floor. I jumped out of bed, 3 the door and stepped out into the passage. It was full of 4.

    I began to run, but as I was still only half awake, 5going towards the stairs I went in the opposite direction. The smoke grew thicker and I found it hard to 6. The floor became 7 under my feet. I ran into another room and tried to reach the 8 for fresh air. Suddenly, one of my feet got caught in something 9 and I fell down. The thing I had fallen over felt like a package of 10, and I picked it up to 11 my face from the smoke and heat. Just then the floor 12 under me and I fell through to the floor below with pieces of burning wood all around me.

    13, there was a doorway in front, so I put the package over my face and 14. My feet were terribly burned, 15 I got through. As I reached the cold air outside my package of clothes gave a 16. I nearly dropped it in surprise. Then I saw there were many people in the street. A woman screamed as she saw me and came running 17.

    "My baby! My baby!" she cried. Those people 18 loudly as she took the smoke-blackened package out of my arms. I almost 19 to see who she was—my boss's wife. I had saved her baby, and become a(n) 20!

    Volunteering is a great way to support an organization and make a difference in your community. It can also be an opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} And what should we plan for? Here's a guide for beginners.

    Step 1: {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Do you want to help the world, or your community? Do you want to build your own skills, make new friends, and learn? Do you love what you do? Do you want to share your gifts with others or give something back? Think about these kinds of questions. That can help you to choose the right direction for your volunteer work.

    Step 2: Choose an organization that is meaningful to you.

    If you feel strongly about literacy (读写), for instance, volunteer at your local library or find out if there is an organization of volunteer tutors in your area. There are organizations doing all sorts of work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Step 3: Start small.

    If you already have a busy school life, volunteer your time for an hour or two a week, or perhaps one day a month. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Then, if you find you enjoy the work and have more time to do it, take on more time by time.

    Step 4: Get training.

    If there is a training course, attend it. If not, talk to the group leaders and other volunteers about their experiences. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Step 5: Try not to give up.

    Volunteer work sometimes involves unpleasant tasks, difficult fellow workers, busy days, or bad management. If you find your work difficult, however, try to work through it before you decide to quit.

A. Do you love to work with people?

B. But how do we go about volunteering?

C. Get to know others in the organization.

D. It is important that you choose something that you like.

E. Think about why you want to volunteer.

F. You'll pick up some good tips to make your work there more productive.

G. You might be surprised by how much you can do in even a little bit of time.

Are you interested in losing your body fat to look slimmer(苗条)? This article concentrates on losing fat, not weight or muscle. You will naturally look slimmer, and be and feel more healthy and attractive. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Steps

⒈ Doproperexercise.

These are exercises that get your heart rate as high as possible and burn fat. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Doing at least one hour of cardio(有氧运动)every day along with one hour of strength training a few days per week is the best habit. This will make you lose fat faster, combined with muscle exercise and a healthy, low-fat diet.

⒉ {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Eating whole, unprocessed foods is the best way to not take in too much fat. This means eating foods that are in their natural state such as fruit and vegetables. Buy raw foods and cook meat yourself, with plant oil. Protein(蛋白质)helps gain muscles. You can find protein in foods like milk, fish, beef and eggs. Get filled with low calories foods such as vegetables. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

⒊ Watch what you drink.

Don't drink soda, alcohol and fruit juice all the time, since these drinks contain a lot of "empty calories" which will only lead you to put on unnecessary weight. Green tea is good, healthy choice. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Drink one full glass of water every morning when you wake up—it is said to make you lose weight faster.

A. Build muscles.

B. Eat healthily and diet.

C. These exercises include running, jogging, swimming, etc.

D. Read on if you are interested in getting all of these advantages!

E. This will make you eat less fattening food, thus making you slimmer.

F. Before going on a diet, you should consult with your doctor to avoid side effects.

G. Drink two cups of water with each meal to fill you up, avoiding eating too much.