From time to time, we all get a bit down. Maybe we are feeling bad because we're not doing well with our goals. There are many reasons for feeling down, but I'm not able to discuss all of them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Make a list. Sometimes we are sad simply because we are troubled by all the things we have to do. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Make a list of the most pressing things you have to do. Thus you're getting things under control. You can see, right in front of you, what you need to do, and that can pick up your mood.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You've made a list, and you still feel puzzled? Well, get started on the first thing you need to do. Once you get into action, you'll feel better. And once you start doing something, you will feel much better than lying around feeling sorry for yourself.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I like Brown Eyed Girl, the Kinks, the Ramones, or an upbeat Beatles tune. You might have your own brand of feel-good music. Whatever it is, let yourself move to the beat. It may just be what the doctor ordered.

    Talk about it. Get a best friend, family member or coworker you can talk to. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It can also help you work out the reasons you're feeling down.

    Harvard University health policy researcher Ellen Meara says scholars have found some clues as to why some groups of people have more or less disease than others. She says one important factor in people's health is the amount of education they have.

    In her most recent paper, Meara looked at data from the United States census(人口普查). These counts of people occur every 10 years. Meara and her colleagues examined data from several decades.

    Meara says they found that in 1990, a 25-year-old who only had some secondary school could expect to live for a total of 75 years. In 2000, a 25 year old with some secondary education could also expect to live to the age of 75.

    In contrast, for a better educated 25-year-old, they could expect to live to the age of 80 in 1990. Someone with a similar education level in the year 2000 could expect to live to be more than 81 years, 81.6 years to be exact.

    Meara says, not only do better-educated people live longer to begin with, but in the past ten years, more educated people have made gains in the length of their lives. Meanwhile, the life expectancy hasn't changed for less educated people.

    Some of these gains can be explained. Meara says researchers know that people who are more educated are more likely to quit smoking cigarettes, or not start at all, compared to people with less education.

    “I think it's a reminder not to be satisfactory,” Meara says. “Just because a population overall appears to be getting healthier, it doesn't always mean that those advantages and successes that many people have enjoyed really extend into all parts of the population. And I think that's something to really pay attention to regardless of whether you live in the US or elsewhere.”

    Meara points out that education can often determine income — people with more education frequently make more money. This makes them aware of health care, and purchase other resources and services that can keep them healthier. But the data on income do not show that people who make more money are automatically healthier. Meara says education is key. People need to be educated in order to take advantage of opportunities for better health.

    Title: The Amount of Education  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} to People's Health.

    Difficult financial times don't mean your giving shuts down.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are so many ways to give back that won't hurt your wallet and will enrich your life.

⒈Pick up the phone

    Calling someone “for no reason” is an important opportunity to show them that you are thinking of them. You are taking time out of your busy day to reach out. Everyone needs someone to just listen sometimes. They may be filled with joy or sadness{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

⒉Write a note

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It is one thing to say it, but it can be even more meaningful to put it in writing. What if you made a commitment to write a thank-you note to someone every week?

⒊ {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    You never know what someone might be going through a painful divorce, a tough college semester, or just a bad day. Opening up your home will make someone feel appreciated. In addition, it costs less than going out. The leftovers from this dinner can be packaged up for homeless people. That's double giving!

⒋Set aside money from a daily routine to donate

    Giving doesn't have to mean a life full of sacrifices. You can still buy a burger or get your nails done{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Donate the money you saves: Even $ 5 can make a difference in someone's life.

A. Give a gift to the stomach.

B. Invite someone over for dinner.

C. To take your awareness to a new level, move beyond money.

D. But instead of buying much coffee every week, you can drink less.

E. While some people enjoy receiving gifts, all of us appreciate a kind word.

F. Instead, they allow you to examine how your time and money are spent.

G. Be there to celebrate their good news, or support them with sympathy.

每个空格只填一个单词。

    Do pretty school uniforms lead to early romance?

    A technical secondary school in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu province, planned to order Korean-style school uniforms for students, but parents opposed the move, believing that the new uniforms looked too good and would encourage early romances among the students, the Jinling Evening Paper reported Monday.

    Parents

    "My daughter was so excited about the Korean-style uniform, saying it's her dream to wear mini-skirt to school every day," a mom surnamed Cheng complained. "My daughter also called her classmates to talk about how handsome the boys looked in the uniform!"

    Cheng looked on the Internet and found that most Korean schoolboy uniforms are similar to western suits. "They are so handsome! My daughter is a fan of Korean fashion, that's why she is crazy about the uniform!" Cheng said. "If the students wear such beautiful uniforms, how can they study well? I prefer the sports wear which makes me think of health and positive thinking."

    School

    "The plan to change the current school uniform from sports wear has been cancelled," an employee of the school told the Jinling Evening Paper.

    "The students dislike the present uniform, so the school took advice from the students last November, knowing that most of students prefer Korean-or Japanese-style school uniforms. We know cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou have changed their sports wear school uniforms to more fashionable uniforms," an employee surnamed Lin said.

    "However, we had to stop the plan because many parents are strongly against it. Some parents think it's just a way for the school to make money, and others think the new uniforms will take students' attention away from their studies," Lin said.

    When asked about the possibility of problems with early romance between students because of the more fashionable uniforms, Lin said he hadn't considered it. He, however, agreed that the Korean-style uniform makes the students more charming.

    Students

    The students are very disappointed about the school's final decision. They think the sports wear uniforms make them look androgynous (难分性别).

    They said the Korean-style uniform has many advantages such as raising interest in class and lifting confidence. It is also considered to be a good way to develop their sense of pride for the school and help then create good temperaments(气质).

    As for concerns about romance, the students believe that love is love and bears no relationship to the uniform.

    Education department

    "We don't have a unified (统一的) standard for school uniforms. The schools can choose their own styles. Either sports wear or uniforms are ok," an official from the Nanjing Bureau of Education said.

The North Star

    Among the pile of stars in the universe, there are a couple that are of great importance to people on Earth. The sun, of course, is one of them. The other is known as Polaris, the North Star. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Therefore, it is a great compass(指南针).When people in the northern part of Earth look toward Polaris, they can be certain that they are facing north. The permanence of Polaris in the north sky has helped countless people find their destinations.

    Before the invention of modern navigation tools, sailors relied on Polaris. From the top of their ships, sailors would look for Polaris to figure out their place at sea. They figured out the angle between the star and the horizon to determine their latitude(纬度). As long as the equations were not wrong, the results were very reliable. Polaris also let sailors determine North, South, East, and West. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    To those who sail at night, changeable storms and dark clouds were more than annoying things.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It's possible for a captain to make an accidental wrong turn. The ship could become stranded at sea, and the frustrated captain would have no way to get the ship back on the right course. The sailor's fears wouldn't be relieved until the clouds cleared and Polaris came back into view. Even today, sailors sometimes choose to steer by using Polaris on clear nights.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The Big Dipper, a constellation that is well known in astrology, appears to revolve around Polaris. The handle of the Big Dipper always points to the North Star. When people get lost, it's comforting to know that their problems can be relieved by looking at the sky.

A. It's not difficult to tell the Polaris apart from the pile of other stars in the universe.

B. People who are lost can be relieved by gazing up at Polaris.

C. By knowing directions and their location, sailors could easily steer their ships.

D. They could destroy entire journeys by blocking the view of Polaris.

E. It's certain that the Polaris is part of a constellation(星座), which is not far from it.

F. It is special because it is the only star that always appears to be in the same place in the sky.

    Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight:

    Schedule yearly exams. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eyeglasses.

    Protect against UV rays (紫外线). Long term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it's extremely important to wear sunglasses. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Give your eyes a break. Two thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital products. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Experts recommend that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20second break and look at something 20 feet away.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

    Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses (隐形眼镜). Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.

A. Eat your greens.

B. Eye care should begin early in life.

C. They can properly protect your eyes.

D. Stay in good shape by taking more vitamins.

E. Parents usually don't care about their own eyesight.

F. Always follow the doctor's advice for appropriate wear.

G. This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness.