You might dream of fluency in this or that language, and maybe you've already achieved fluency in a foreign language.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Fluency, like all abstract terms, has no universal meaning. Each individual must determine what the term means.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Perfect fluency means knowing every word you encounter, speaking quickly, clearly and easily and having no accent.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. You aren't familiar with every word of your native language, and sometimes you have to search for the right word, even in your mother tongue.

    Quick fluency is the type of fluency you see in advertisements, because “Master a Language in Two Months!” sounds way catchier than “Fluency in Twenty Years!”{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. It is possible to achieve quick fluency, but the fluency achieved after such a short time frame will be a very thin, superficial fluency.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Native-like fluency means that you generally know all the same words that a native knows and can speak at the same pace with the same amount of ease as a native speaker. You will likely have an accent, but as long as your conversation partner can understand you, it doesn't matter.

    Literary fluency is like graduating from native-like to educated-native-like fluency. It focuses on the more intellectual（知识性的） side of a language: indulging in literature, attending university, composing song lyrics, etc.

    There are a ton of other things that fluency could potentially（可能地） be, but that's up to you to figure out.

A. It sounds too good to be true.

B. However, Nobody is “perfectly fluent” in any language.

C. Quick fluency is good if you have some sort of deadline.

D. But have you ever considered what fluency really means?

E. But does fluency have the same meaning to other person as it does to you?

F. Unlike perfect fluency, native-like fluency is a reasonable and attainable goal.

G. To assist you in determining what fluency is, I'll describe a few different types of fluency.

    Health is the most important thing in the world. Nothing is more important than health. If one takes away our money, houses, cars, or even our clothes, we can still survive. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} That is why we always try to eat in a healthy way and exercise regularly.

    How can we keep healthy? In order to eat healthily, I usually avoid eating food high in fat, like French fries or cookies, which are junk foods. Besides, I only eat a little meat. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Taking exercise every day helps us build a strong body. Regular exercise is an important part of keeping me healthy.

    What's more, I think friends are an important part of one's health.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}I always feel better when I am with friends than when I am alone. When I am with my friends, I always laugh. Laughing is also an important part of health. It is good to stay with my friends.

    By eating properly and exercising regularly, I can keep my body at a proper weight and keep healthy. By spending time with my friends, I can keep my mind as well as my body happy. These things sound easy to do, but not many people can manage them.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. I think a strong will is necessary if we want to keep healthy.

B. But if our health is taken away, it is certain that we will surely die.

C. I eat a lot of vegetables and fresh fruits which are full of vitamins.

D. There are some people who like staying alone, but they keep healthy.

E. Many studies show that people with a range of social contacts don't get sick.

F. On the other hand, doing exercise is very important.

G. Some people appear fat because they often eat too much.

How to Recognize a True Friend

    Sometimes it can be hard to recognize a true friend. Hopefully this article will help you recognize which friends are the keepers.

    Be able to trust your friends. You should be able to trust true friends and they should return this trust. Do your friends tell you secrets that no one else knows? Ask you for advice?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, if your friends hide things from you and act secretly, then this is a sign that they may not trust you.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Think about it. How comfortable are your friends when they are around you? Are they being themselves around you? Are they acting fake or perhaps hiding something? True friendships can take a while to develop, but if your friends are true they should feel comfortable around you, and vice versa (You with them)

    Think about loyalty(忠诚). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you are in need of a helping hand, your true friends should be there to offer it to you. True friends don't try to get one another into trouble. A true friend will always be loyal to you and will not reveal secrets.

    Think about nicknames. A lot of true friends love to give each other nicknames！ If your friend is giving you nicknames, then this is a great sign. Think of the nickname your friend has given you, does it suit you well? {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Look at how you fight. Nearly all best friends fight. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} True friends will find their way through a fight, no matter what the size is. True friends will remain “faithful” to each other even during a fight. They will not tell each others' secrets, and they still care about each other.

A. Consider comfort.

B. Choose your friends carefully.

C. True friends are always there for one another.

D. Both are sure signs that your friend trusts you.

E. If so, this shows your friend must know you quite well.

F. So if you and your friend have a little argument, don't worry!

G. An inside joke shows that you share a special connection with your friend.

    Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.

    Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons (神经元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

    If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information — our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

    Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.

A. We should also try to sleep well the night before.

B. It's as if the brain is preserving its most important memories.

C. That's why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

D. Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

E. The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories.

F. Tononi's team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice.

G. “Sleep is the price we pay for learning,” says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea.

    It is now possible to watch live sport on television on any day of the week, and the present amount of reporting will undoubtedly increase further in years to come. This is certainly having an influence on the live sports events themselves, and there are both benefits and shortcomings to this.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For one thing, with digital broadcasting, there are now many more TV channels than there were even ten years ago. Moreover, sport has become an important form of entertainment, attracting both men and women.

    What are the benefits of this televised sport? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Large football clubs benefit financially (财政上) from TV income and the top players can be well paid. Less popular sports also receive money that can be used in training and advertising. What's more, there is a health benefit to some of the population. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    However, there will be some disadvantages if so much sport is on television. Considering football again, many small clubs have suffered financial losses recently, as they cannot compete with the large ones. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Fewer people watch live matches nowadays, preferring to watch from the comfort of their living room. And ticket prices have risen greatly.

    In a word, watching live sport on television has both good and bad effects. Televised sport has created many chances and benefited certain people and clubs very much. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

What is niksen? In Dutch, "niksen" literally means "to do nothing". Niksen used to have negative associations of laziness.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The world today is more connected and faster. Niksen is allowing ourselves to take time out and consciously switch off, without feeling guilty.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

It enables you to prioritise (优先) yourself and what you need. Often we think we're busy, but who can't take a half-hour break? Niksen brings the same benefits as mindfulness in terms of mental health, sleep, creativity and enhanced focus. It helps the body and brain recover.

Describe some easy ways people can embrace doing nothing?

It might feel awkward at first. Do a relaxation exercise and let your mind wander. There's a Dutch verb, uitwaaien, to "go out in the wind".{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Go out and watch clouds — lie on your back and make up stories. People-watch. Indoors, choose a nice space and make it your own — make it comfortable, add some flowers, sit by the window and watch the day go by.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

How can people ensure that niksen becomes a regular and fulfilling part of their life?

It should be a mindset. Schedule time and give yourself permission to do nothing. Start small — five minutes, ten, half an hour a day, up to a few hours at the weekend. Repeat to yourself, "It's a good thing to do nothing," and practise saying, "no, another time," when you're busy and somebody asks for your help.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It refreshes the mind.

B. How can niksen help people?

C. How did you become an expert in it?

D. Do one thing a day for the purpose of it.

E. I write about mindfulness and psychology.

F. But it's been reinterpreted as a positive practice.

G. Single-focus crafts such as knitting or sewing can be a helpful first step.