Chopsticks

    Right now, millions of people are digging into their food with two sticks that have school the test of time as a utensil(烹调用具)for humans. But what's so special about them? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Personally, I think they teach us the importance of:

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    If you're ever tried using them, you know that you can't get what you want by just randomly stabbing at the plate. To be able to get what you want, you have to aim for it. There's no way you can pick up everything in one go. Know what you want, and just do it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    Practice

    Using chopsticks doesn't come naturally. You can't learn to use them by just reading about them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is the same with the real life. You can read as much as you like about all the things you want to do, but it will just amount to dreams and theory if you don't try actually doing it.

    Slowing Down

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Why? Because it allows your stomach to tell your brain you're full before you overeat. Eating with chopsticks is a slower process, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes we need to slow down and take things one step at a time, so that we have time to think and realize that we don't have to keep charging full speed through life.

A. Aim

B. Motivation

C. What can we learn from them?

D. You have to practice using them

E. Those who eat too fast were less successful at losing weight

F. Sometimes, a little bit of focus makes the difference between failure and success

G. A common health tip is to try to eat with chopsticks when you can

    Research suggests that at least 64% of people now spend up to four hours daily of spare time in front of a screen. Just as TV watching has been linked to higher chances of being fat and getting diseases, this extra sedentary (久坐不动) time is bad news for our health. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    ⒈Choose outdoor activities over technology

    When you're at home, make it a rule that you can't be online if the sun is shining. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Then, after taking these healthy physical activities, you can pull out your phone or tablet, or take a seat at the computer. This rule should be fit for everyone in your family.

    ⒉Limit social media use

    According to some experts, the effect of technology on human relationships is worrying as technology has become a substitute for face-to-face human relationships. And Social networks have changed computer and mobile use for people of all ages.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Avoid aimless browsing (浏览) and give your time online a purpose: research holidays or catch up on the news of the day. Then log off.

    ⒊{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Challenge yourself to read at least 30 pages of a great book before you check your computer or mobile phone. Pick the right reading material and you'll soon find you've discovered an enjoyable pastime.

    ⒋Create projects for yourself

    It's amazing how much you can achieve when you're not glued to (长时间盯着) a screen. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Some suggestions are organizing kitchen cupboards, cleaning your bedroom. Then try to do one each evening.

A. Set aside reading time

B. Choose the suitable reading materials

C. Make a list of one-hour evening projects

D. Here are some ways to stop technology addiction

E. Whether it's Facebook or Twitter, limit the time online

F. The following are some ways to make better use of leisure time

G. Instead, you have to go for a walk, ride a bike, or swim at least an hour

How to Enjoy Life As a Teen

    Are high school days equal to the "best years of your life"? Maybe not, but you can learn to make the most of your high school days.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Whether it's having a computer, having friends, having a good supply of food, a bed to sleep on, family that loves you, having a decent education or simply being born in this world. Be happy, and life will reward you. Remember that these are the last few years you will be able to enjoy yourself without having to worry about the responsibility of an adult, but make sure you prepare yourself for when you do become one.

    Choose your friends wisely. Unlike what many articles state, you don't have to be popular and have a gazillion friends to be happy. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Try to have friends that like you who you are, not just because you are wearing a certain brand of shoes or something like that. These are people who shop at the same store as you; not someone who will sympathize with you when your dog dies.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Participating in clubs, activities, and sports increases your chances of meeting new friends. While you only need 4 or 5 close friends, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to meet new people. Participating gives you something to do instead of sitting bored at home and wallowing in self-pity.

    You can pursue interests you enjoy. Video games, for example, are good if you're the type who can get into that kind of thing. Use your "hobby time" either to gain practical skills for college apps, job resumes, and scholarships or get into something else in the creative field like painting or dance.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Work at a job you can enjoy. Working is a great way to gain experience and to meet other people. When you do get out of college, interviewing companies will look at your prior work experience. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you can't find work, especially in this hard economic time, volunteer or make your own job.

A. Remember that the point of life is for you to enjoy it.

B. In fact, many of the "friends" you have when you are popular are not true friends.

C. Learn to appreciate small things.

D. Be sociable.

E. This will look great on your resume.

F. This is the time to start developing passions.

G. You should also find a hobby that is meaningful or practical.

    Rivers play an important role on the earth, and we can't imagine what the earth would be like without rivers. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    With a length of 6, 650 kilometers, the Nile is the longest river in the world. The Nile River has been the source of human civilization since ancient times. The Nile has two main branches—the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile starts from the Great Lakes region of East and Central Africa through Lake Victoria.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The Blue Nile carries with it a lot of fertile soil which turns out to be very important to farming in Egypt.

    The Amazon River is the world's largest river with a width of about 40 kilometers during the rainy seasons but about 10 kilometers wide when it is not flooded. The Amazon River has such a big water volume that it accounts for(占.....比例) more than 20% of all the world's fresh water—far more than any other river. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The main Amazon River flows mostly through Brazil and Peru but its tributaries can also be found in many other countries.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It has a depth of about 250 meters. Its length is 4, 700 kilometers. The sources of the Congo River are in the highlands and mountains in the Eastern Africa Rift Valley. It's the second largest river in terms of water volume. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The Congo River basin(盆地) is the catchments(流域，集水区) area of the Congo River. It lies in both north and south of the Equator, making its flow very stable as there are always some tributaries experiencing a rainy season at any time.

A. Some of them are worth mentioning.

B. The Congo River is the world's deepest river.

C. Do you know which is the deepest river in the world?

D. The Blue Nile originates from(发源于)Lake Tana in Ethiopia.

E. Without rivers, there would be no living life in and along them.

F. And it flows through the second largest rain-forests in the world.

G. Streams that begin in the Andes Mountains are its sources.

Happier Babies Have an Edge

    Parents and teachers want children to grow up to be happy and successful.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#} A wide range of research, however, indicates happiness brings success in adults, and achievements do not always make adults happier.

    Recently in new study, John K. Coffey II, assistant professor of psychology at Sewanee, the University of the South, found that happiness during infancy (婴儿期) predicted childhood IQ and adult educational success.

    In his 29-year study, Coffey used the Fullerton Longitudinal Study (FLS). In 1978 the FLS research team recruited 130 parents with babies for a study that now has run for more than 30 years. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When each baby was 18 months old, one parent reported how often his or her baby expressed positive and negative emotions and researchers measured the infant's IQ. When babies were children (ages 6 to 8), they completed IQ tests. When babies had grown into 29-year-old adults, they reported how many years of education they had completed and their life satisfaction.

    As expected, Coffey found that regardless of intelligence during infancy or parents' wealth, happier babies were more likely to graduate from high school and college. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It suggests that happier babies learn more between infancy and childhood.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Parents wishing to help their children enjoy greater happiness can focus on small changes they can make in their day-to-day lives to create more positive moments. Parents do not need to aim for intense experiences or "best day ever" for their children. Although peak experiences can be fun, they also tend to be tiring for both children and their parents, which can lead to anxiety and conflict.

    Currently, Coffey and other researchers are exploring when and why some children are happier than others or whether we can increase it. Happiness during infancy and childhood is predicted by relationships with caregivers and teachers or by learning new skills. Inexpensive and easy-to-do activities like practising acts of kindness or appreciation can boost happiness. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. We often think that achieving success will ultimately make us happy.

B. We can use these activities to help children grow into happy and successful adults.

C. To test his theory, Coffey looked at how intensely children's emotions are experienced.

D. These happy babies aren't just growing up to be successful, but they are also happy adults.

E. Further, happier babies had more growth in their IQ scores between infancy and childhood.

F. Another important clarification is that happiness is about how often emotions are experienced.

G. Early on, parents reported on their background, for instance, education level and employment.

Teamwork Doubles the Strength

Admittedly, teamwork is literally important for any class or team to achieve its goals and objectives. Let me give three reasons why it is advantageous.

As individuals, we possess diverse talents, strengths, weaknesses and experiences. A team is just like a tapestry（织锦） that weaves what each of us possesses, resulting in an end product that is diverse yet homogenous（同种类的）. As team members exchange thoughts and experiences, there can be more efficiency and effectiveness at problem-solving. This pooling of talents can also lead to greater innovation and success. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. It won the Premier League in 2016, to the utter disbelief of many soccer fans. Leicester City, previousl regarded as the underdog of the League, displayed extremely impressive teamwork, which led to its unbelievable victory in soccer history.

Next, teamwork means members share the workload. When work is distributed and each of us in a team specializes in specific tasks, the stress on each of us is reduced and the completion of tasks before deadline is ensured: {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

 {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Team members learn from more experienced members who may offer deeper insights and perspectives. Newer members may also contribute new ideas. Besides encouraging the sharing of knowledge and experiences, teamwork also develops soft skills like communication and interpersonal skills. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

Some may think that working in isolation（单独） is more efficient since more time is taken when cooperating with others. For more talented individuals, working alone means being the star of a project. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. But, the loss of synergy（协同作用） that only team effort can generate may also prevent the team from reaching its full potential.

A．Take Leicester City for example

B．Thus we can expect greater job satisfaction

C．Team members can also be divided in opinions

D．They don't need to share the success with others

E．Let's not wave away the chance to work in teams

F．And finally working in a team multiplies learning opportunities

G．We learn to respect differences in working styles and opinions, and develop trust