If something that you're doing doesn't challenge you, then it doesn't change you. We all need some normal stress in our lives, after all. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So challenge the following limits:

    Figure out what you're scared of and do it continuously.

    If you're a salesman, and you're scared of talking to people personally or over the phone, now, instead of being scared and thinking you'll fail, spend at least five minutes a day to pick up the phone and make a call. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But don't stop on the first try! Eventually, you can look at fear in the eyes and say, "Go on, I'm not scared!"

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Make sure this hobby is not linked to your career; you have to relax and relieve your stress while performing this. Some examples might be cooking, sewing, painting and so on. Apart from helping you challenge yourself, taking a class for your hobby may also give you extra income.

    Set aside at least nine minutes a day for physical exercise.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  A simple 9-minute run around your neighborhood can do wonders for yourself. Exercise can not only help you maintain your regular weight, but also make you feel better about yourself.

    Travel and allow yourself to be interested in new people.

Don't just limit yourself to your fellow travelers — try to connect with the service staff. You never know what kind of people they're going to be. Get out of your house or go online right now to book your class. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. You can never see any improvement if you stick to your comfort zone.

B. Take a class for a hobby you've been wanting to develop.

C. Start to travel now and then to challenge yourself.

D. Running in the gym may be a better choice.

E. You don't need to go to the gym.

F. Someone may hang up on you.

G. You should do it continuously.

    Question: I have recently got a senior position within my company. One of my new tasks is to make monthly progress reports on my department in front of other senior officials. During my first meeting, I presented and then opened the floor to questions.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} My first reaction was to answer defensively. Later, I realized that I shouldn't feel that way. But how can I keep cool and effectively answer questions in this type of settings?

    Answer: Congratulations on your new position! Presenting in front of your peers (同事) is a hard task in itself, and it becomes much more difficult when a question-and-answer period is required. Question-and-answer periods are a great way to clarify the message and strengthen key points. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When a person is asking a question, show interest and a desire to understand the question by listening and asking for clarification.

    Buy time

    When facing a hard question, most people can't give an answer immediately. Buy time by repeating the question in your own words. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} These techniques allow you to quickly organize your thoughts as well as to make sure you will be correctly answering the question.

    Suggest a private meeting

    A one-on-one meeting is a calmer setting than speaking in front of your peers. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or university. Having a roommate can be one of the best experiences, or easily one of the worst.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Follow these five tips to avoid the common mistakes that make good roommate relationships worse.

    Talk things out.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}If something happens, sit down with your roommates and have a face-to-face conversation. Complaining about your roommates behind their backs creates nothing but awkward situations and general unhappiness.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Some roommates become the best of friends, and some don't. Don't put pressure on yourself or your roommate to reach this level, especially when you first meet. Remember, you are trying to make a new friend, not scare your roommate away. And if your roommate doesn't end up being your best friend, there is no need to worry about it.

    Clean up after yourself. Or at least, keep your mess on your side.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}But being considerate with where you put your own stuff will help you avoid the arguments.

    Ask before you take. This applies to food, clothes, supplies and anything else that you don't own.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Even if you both agree to share everything you should still ask.

A. Don't expect to be best friends.

B. Communication is of vital importance.

C. You don't need to keep the room clean and organized all the time.

D. Rooms can be really easy for a mess to pile up.

E. If you want to have a good relationship with your roommate, it all starts with you.

F. Not all roommates can become your best friends.

G. Show your roommate that you have respect for his or her belongings.

    3D printing is becoming more and more popular. We are now able to print things such as clothing, musical instruments and so on.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some scientists are trying to revolutionize the dining experience by doing this. They hope that having a 3D printer in the kitchen will become as commonplace as the microwave or blender. Scientists say that they are easy to use: {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You can also modify the instructions to make the food exactly how you want it. This means that it would be very quick and easy to create tasty and nutritious meals.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}There would be less need for traditional growing, transporting and packaging processes as food production would be a lot more efficient.

    Printing food could also help people who suffer from dysphasia（言语困难）. They could program the printer to print softer versions of their favourite foods so that they would not have trouble swallowing them.

    However, some people think that a future of 3D-printed food would be a disaster. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Imagine a world where there was no need for farming or growing crops and the same tastes and textures could be printed from a raw 'food ink'. Likewise, traditional cafes and restaurants might lose business.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Is it really possible to get the nutrients we need from food-based inks and gels?

    What's more, cooking and eating together with family and friends will disappear. It is hard to imagine a world where the pastime of cooking is dead and meals can be created at the touch of a button.

A. It will create many jobs.

B. It could take away many jobs.

C. Also, there are concerns about the nutritional value of printed food.

D. You simply have to select a recipe and put the raw food 'inks' into the printer.

E. Using 3D printers to create your meals would also be saving the environment.

F. But can you imagine printing food?

G. Printing food is great for your health.

    If you live in a city where everyone rushes, realise that you don't have to be like everyone else. You can be different. I can't give you a step-by-step guide to moving slower, but here are some ideas to consider and perhaps adopt, if they work for your life

    ⒈Do less

Cut back on your projects, on your task list, on how much you try to do each day. Focus not on quantity but on quality. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒉Have fewer meetings

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Try to reduce the number of meetings and have blocks of time with no interruptions, so you don't have to rush from one meeting to another.

    ⒊{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    If you're constantly rushing to appointments or other places, it's because you don't allot(分配)enough time in your schedule for preparing and for travelling. Pad your schedule to allow time for this stuff. If you think it only takes you 10 minutes to get ready for work or a date, perhaps give yourself 30 to 45 minutes so you don't have to shave in a rush or put on makeup in the car.

    ⒋Practise being comfortable with sitting and doing nothing.

    When people have to wait, they become impatient or uncomfortable. Try standing in a line and just watching and listening to people around you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ⒌Realise that if it doesn't get done, that's OK

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And yes, I know that's a frustrating attitude for some of you who don't like laziness or living without firm deadlines, but it's also reality. The world won't end if you don't get that task done today.

    Try these things out. Life is better when unrushed.

    Remember the quote: if nature can get everything done without rushing, so can you.

A. Do nothing but wait.

B. Pick two or three important things-or even just one -and work on those first.

C. Start to put off or cancel the unnecessary.

D. Give yourself time to get ready and get there.

E. Meetings are usually a big waste of time and make you rush.

F. There's always tomorrow.

G. It takes practice, but after a while, you'll do it with a smile.

Unit the 1980s, scientists were trained to ignore animal pain, according to the belief that the ability to feel pain was associated only with higher consciousness. However, today, scientists view humans as a species of animals, and largely accept that many species are capable of some level of self-awareness. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

If you hit another person in the face, you can estimate their pain level by what they do or say in response. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Gradually, scientists have developed a set of indicators of pain response in non-human animals. Demonstrating a response to a negative stimulation and displaying protective behavior of injured areas are two major signs.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Some researchers argue lobsters (龙虾) are too dissimilar to vertebrates (脊椎动物) to feel pain. Nonetheless, lobsters do satisfy all of the standards for a pain response. Lobsters guard their injuries, and learn to avoid dangerous situations. They are even believed to possess some level of consciousness. In result, today most scientists agree that injuring a lobster causes physical pain.

Due to growing evidence that the lobsters may feel pain, it is now illegal to boil lobsters alive or keep them on ice in some countries. Even in locations where boiling lobsters remains legal, many restaurants prefer more humane methods. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} To satisfy picky diners, more restaurants rule out the cruel cooking methods.

Currently, the most humane tool for cooking a lobster is the CrustaStun. This device electrocutes (电击) a lobster. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The following process of cooking is sure to cause no pain. In contrast, it takes about 2 minutes for a lobster to die from boiling water during which time pain lasts.

A. But huge disagreement exists.

B. The creature instantly loses consciousness in half a second.

C. It beats the former method by saving chefs' effort in cleaning the creature.

D. It's difficult to assess pain in other species because we cannot communicate as easily.

E. People are coming to realize that other species might also enjoy the luxury of emotion.

F. Except for moral consideration, many chefs believe stress negatively affects the flavor (味道) of the meat.

G. Legal prohibition becomes the major consideration for restaurants when choosing a cooking method.