How similar are language and music

    Language is part of our daily lives, no matter where we live m the world.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Both language and music play a huge role in our culture and here are some of their similarities.

    ·Both language and music have a writing system.

    In English we record language using the alphabet, which is a collection of letters. Similarly, we use notes to keep a record of music. Musicians read notes and create meaning in the form of music{#blank#}2{#/blank#} By writing pieces of text or music, we are able to share experiences through time. We can read the ideas or hear the composition of someone who lived hundreds of years ago.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    You can make a good guess at where someone is from by listening to the language they use. In the same way, we know that styles of music are different around the world, giving us the opportunity to explore many different cultures through their music and providing us with music for every situation.

    Both share emotion.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Of course you may be able to see it in my face, but you will know for sure through my word'. Similarly, music can sound angry, sad or happy. Music can show you exactly how the composer was or is feeling, and allows us to share in that emotion. When you feel happy, you might want to sing and dance to a happy song to celebrate your happiness{#blank#}5{#/blank#}I think we have all used music to express or process our emotions, often combining it with language in the form of song lyrics.

A. Both are expressive.

B. Both vary with culture.

C. How do you know that I am angry?

D. We use language to express our thoughts.

E. So just as you read English, you can read music.

F. Similarly, music is part of many people's lives.

G. In contrast, you probably also listen to sad music when you are feeling down.

How to Do Man-on-the-Street Interviews

    The man-on-the-street interview is an interview in which a reporter hits the streets with a cameraman to interview people on the sport{#blank#}1{#/blank#} But with these tips, your first man-on-the-street interview experience can be easy.

    When your boss or professor sends you out to do man-on-the-street interviews for a story, think about the topic and develop a list of about ten general questions relating to it. For example, if your topic is about environmental problems in America, you might ask, “Why do you think environmental protection is important in America?”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Hit the streets with confidence. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Say, “Excuse me, I work for XYZ News, and I was wondering if you could share your opinion about this topic.” This is a quick way to get people to warm up to you.Move on to the next person if someone tells you she is not interested in talking on camera.Don't get discouraged.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Each interview that you get on the street shouldn't be longer than ten minutes. As soon as you get the answer you need, move on to the next person. Make sure that as you go from interview to interview, you are getting a variety of answers. If everyone is giving you the same answer, you won't be able to use it. A safe number of interviews to conduct is about six to ten. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    If your news station or school requires interviewees to sign release forms to appear on the air, don't leave work without them.

Home on the Way

    People need homes: Children assume their parents' place as home; boarders call school “home” on weekdays; married couples work together to build new homes; and travelers…have no place to call “home”, at least for a few nights.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Don't they have the right to a home? Of course they do.

    Some regular travelers take their own belongings like bed sheets, pillowcases and family photos to make them feel like home no matter where they are; some stay for long periods in the same hotel and as a result become very familiar with the service and attendants; {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Furthermore, driving a camping car during one's travel and sleeping in the vehicle at night is just like home.

    And how about keeping relationships while in transit？ {#blank#}3{#/blank#}; some send letters and postcards, or even photos；others may just call and say hi, just to let their friends know that they're still alive and well. People find ways to keep in touch. Making friends on the way helps travelers feel more or less at home. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Nowadays, fewer people are working in their local towns, so how do they develop a sense of belonging? Whenever we step out of our local boundaries, there is always another “home” waiting to be found. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} we can make the place we stay “home”.

    Recently researchers went through some survey information about the health and habits of men and women in Scotland, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (hope) to determine how much exercise is needed to keep the Scots {#blank#}2{#/blank#} feeling depressed. The answer: a mere 20 minutes a week of any physical exercise, whether sports, walking, gardening {#blank#}3{#/blank#} even housecleaning. The researchers found that more exercise brought more mental-health benefits. But their overall conclusion was that being active for 20 minutes a week {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (be) enough, if your goal is mental health.

    How much exercise is enough? This is a question difficult to answer, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (part) because the amount of exercise needed depends on the benefits you hope to gain. Twenty minutes a week of housecleaning or other {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (activity) may, according to the Scottish study, increase your satisfaction, but it certainly won't do much for your physical fitness and is unlikely {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (reduce) your risks for diseases. It also won't help much with weight loss.

    Interestingly, they did not find that exercise beyond a certain point would bring additional health benefits. According to the report, “It {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (estimate) that people who are physically active for about seven hours a week have a 40 percent {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (low) risk of dying early than those {#blank#}10{#/blank#} are active for less than 30 minutes a week.”

Five tips for safe running

    We all know that exercise is good for our health. But some kinds of exercise may be better than others. Running, for example, may help to protect against heart disease and other health problems.

    Running is good exercise, but it can be hard on the body. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Take it easy. Do not run too much, too soon or too fast. Most people get running injuries when they push themselves too bad. The body needs time to get used to increases in distance or speed. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Listen to your body. Most running injuries do not come unexpectedly. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They may include body aches, sore muscles (肌肉酸痛) and pain that does not go away.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There is no single best shoe for every runner. You should find the shoes that offer the best fit and support for your feet. More importantly, you should replace your shoes every 500 to 800 kilometers.

    Take good notes. Take time after each run to write down what you did and how you felt. Look for patterns, things that happen over and over again. These notes will help you find the best exercise for you.

    Cross train. As we said earlier, running is hard on your body. So physical fitness experts suggest some form of cross training to improve muscle balance and to help you stay injury free. They say swimming, yoga, and riding a bicycle are good exercises to combine with running. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Although I learned English for years. I could not speak in complete sentences when I studied in London as an exchange student. In the beginning, I even needed to think twice before replying to a simple greeting. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you have a similar experience, here are some tips. 

Practice "output" more often; {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's OK to start with only simple sentences or short paragraphs. Meanwhile, you can even practice your grammar.

At the time I didn't have opportunities to talk with the local people. So, I self-talked to describe what happened around to myself.

Another method is that you can record yourself speaking and then listen to the recordings to identify areas that needs improving. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Language is not a hard science. It is more than just a set of rules, but a means of communication. Like small children picking up their mother tongue, we can get speaking skills more naturally by becoming completely involved in the language and using it. When using a language, we focus on the idea itself, rather than the rules.

Find the "support group" that suits you, 

Find a native tutor. A language tutor is a great idea where you can practice regularly and get your mistakes fixed in time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I feel much less shy when I speak English with other non-native speakers there. For example, joining a language group is really a great way to practice output.

A. Communicate with local children.

B. Raise your mind like a kid.

C. It is of much benefit to write in the language.

D. It was so painful that I was so confused about my language ability.

E. Or try some language clubs.

F. It is easier for you to "open your mouth".

G. It doesn't matter if you make mistakes.