Holiday gift buying can feel a little empty, when all of those endless lists, long lines at the shopping center and dollars spent lead to a 5-minute excitement of flying wrapping paper. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The following tips can help make gift giving more meaningful for both the giver and the receiver.

1 Know the person

    The most important thing in the exchanging of gifts is that it shows that you really know the person well, and you really care about him. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

2 Donate in their name

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Research suggests that happier people give more to others, and that giving more makes people happier. Moreover, charity-related happiness is highest when people give in a way that promotes social connection. So, try giving to the less fortunate in someone's name this holiday season.

3 Give handmade goods or hand-me-downs

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  A study suggests that people feel that homemade items show more love, and love is what they want to express to the gift receiver.

    Family heirlooms(传家宝) may be another good gift option. A 2009 study found that when families hand down even a very depersonalized thing — money — to the generations, the symbolic value of the cash is greater than the numerical value alone.

4 Provide chances for participation

    If there's a golden rule of gifts, though, it's this: {#blank#}5{#/blank#} People who receive experiential gifts, such as concert tickets or a zoo membership, feel more connected to the gift giver than people who received material gifts.

A. Give experiences rather than objects.

B. But it doesn't have to be that way.

C. Giving gifts to friends or to charity is linked to happiness.

D. That is always beyond their expectation.

E. That means catering to another's pleasure.

F. Start listing every person you plan to give a holiday gift to.

G. The new and store-bought is not always best.

    Do you long to have garden-fresh vegetables on your plate every night, or to gaze out your window at rows of colorful flowers? No matter how large or small your yard might be, you can craft a garden plan to fit your needs.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Decide what type of garden to grow. What purpose do you want your garden to serve? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Others are more ornamental(装饰用的)in purpose, serving to beautify your property and provide a pleasing sight to people passing by.

    Decide what specific plants to include in your garden. Find out what grows well in your region garden zone.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you live in a place with mild winters and hot summers, you may have trouble growing plants that require a cold snap to grow properly. As you find out more about your options, make a list of the plants you want to buy and the best time of year to plant them.

    Choose a spot for your garden. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The location you choose should both help the garden serve the function you want it to have and also be in a spot that is likely to grow strong, healthy plants.

    Make a garden deign. Draw an outline of your garden or yard space. Map out different options where you want to plant various items in the location you chose.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Make sure the ones that need shade will be planted in shade, and the ones that need full sun are in an area that isn't east in shadows during the day.

A. It takes a lot of equipment to plant a garden.

B. Tailor the design to fit the needs of your plants.

C. Some plants don't grow as well in certain zones.

D. Read on for information on how to plan a garden.

E. Here are some tips on how to make your garden more attractive.

F. Take a look around your yard to assess where you want the garden to be located.

G. Some gardens are functional, producing fruit and vegetables to feed your family.

    Oprah Winfrey is not just an {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (extreme) successful TV personality in the US, but she is also a woman who {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (inspire) millions so far. In her television shows she makes {#blank#}3{#/blank#} possible to talk about great moments and difficulties in people's lives. She has helped thousands of men and women come to terms with things {#blank#}4{#/blank#} bother them and that they could not talk about with others. Oprah's programme about literature, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}which she reviews books, is very popular. When she praises a book, it {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (become) a best-seller. Her life and her success are {#blank#}7{#/blank#}good example for many women.

    Oprah Winfrey's wonderful career inspires many people {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (believe) that success and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (happy) in life are within reach for everyone. Her life shows {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (we) that hard work and discipline are the road to self-improvement, and success lies somewhere along that road.

Diet Myths — Get the facts, or your diet may fail!

    Dieting is hard work, and there are plenty of "helpful" diet tricks that can make weight loss even harder. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Carbs(含碳水化合物的食物) are bad for you. Carbohydrates are actually an important source of energy. There are good carbs and bad carbs. Some foods, like white bread or white rice, are example of bad carbs. Good carbs include whole wheat bread and brown rice. They're rich in fiber and really good for you!

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} On the contrary, studies show that people who eat breakfast will eat fewer calories throughout the day. And if you know you're going to be eating a big meal later, don't starve yourself in order to save you calories. You'll just eat more during the meal because you're so hungry! Instead, eat smaller meals a couple days before and after, and exercise more.

    You can control where your body loses weight. Bad news – if you want a flatter stomach, just exercising your stomach won't work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Cardio(有氧运动) exercises will help burn fat, while weight training helps build muscles. Your "trouble areas" might not be the first to slim down, but keep exercising!

    Your weight depends on your genes. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} While a "fat gene" does exist, its influence on your size is small. Smart eating and exercise have a much greater effect than your genes. Only 25 percent of your weight is controlled by genes – the rest is up to you.

    Say "no" to junk food. Many people think that the key to losing weight is cutting out all bad foods. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} To lose weight and keep it off, eat great 80 percent of the time, but allow yourself in a treat or two the other 20 percent.

A. You can't target where you lose weight.

B. But the more strict your diet is, the more likely you are to break it – and in a big way.

C. Here are some common myths about losing weight and the truth behind them.

D. Skipping meals helps you lose more weight.

E. If you and your family have problems with obesity, you're not sure to be fat.

F. Don't miss meals but exercise.

G. Instead of choosing a difficult diet, find one you can manage and stick to it every day.

    A rocket problem that forces astronauts to evacuate (撤退) may appear to be a plot straight out of a Hollywood movie. However, that is exactly what happened to Russian astronaut Alexey Ovchinin and American astronaut Nick Hague. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The event happened shortly after the Soyuz rocket and its Soyuz MS-to space capsule (联盟号太空舱) carrying the astronauts took off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The takeoff went off smoothly, but just 119 seconds later, officials from Russia's space agency informed NASA the booster (助推器) had failed to separate from the capsule. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Instead, they were ordered to evacuate by separating the capsule and returning to Earth in what is known as a ballistic descent mode (弹道下降模式). The sharp drop is similar to free-falling from the skies and subjects astronauts to high levels of g-force.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They appeared to be in excellent condition when they crash-landed about 20 kilometers east of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, just 34 minutes after they stopped the task. Upon arrival, they were quickly found by the rescue team from Baikonur Cosmodrome and taken to the hospital for a quick check-up to ensure they had not suffered any injuries during their rough ride back to Earth.

    It will take a few weeks for experts to determine what caused the problem of the usually reliable Soyuz rocket. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Hague, who was on his way to the space station for the first time later joked, "I imagined that my first trip to outer space was going to be a memorable one. I didn't expect it to be quite this memorable."

A. To their sadness, this event became a nightmare for their future space journey.

B. The two scientists were on their way to carry out a six-month task at the International Space Station.

C. Surprisingly, the harrowing event has not stopped Hague's and Ovchinin's wish to go to space.

D. Thus, the astronauts didn't head to the International Space Station.

E. And luckily, they became the main characters of the movie about space exploration.

F. Fortunately, the "movie" had a happy ending with both scientists returning to Earth safely.

G. Fortunately, Hgue and Ovchinin had been well-trained for such emergencies.

    You may have grown up living with lots of siblings, or this may be your first time sharing your living space with someone else. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Follow these tips to make sure you and your roommate keep things pleasant and supportive throughout the year (or even years)!

    Be clear about your expectations from the beginning. Do you know in advance that you hate it when someone hits the snooze button (贪睡闹铃) fifteen times every morning? That you're a neat freak (怪人)? That you need ten minutes to yourself before talking to anyone after you wake up? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's not fair to expect him or her to pick up on them right away, and communicating what you need is one of the best ways to avoid problems before they become problems.

    Address problems when they're little. Is your roommate always forgetting her things for the shower, and taking yours? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Addressing things that annoy you while they're still little can help your roommate be aware of something she may not otherwise know. And addressing little things is much easier than addressing them after they've become big.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} This may seem simple, but it's probably one of the biggest reasons why roommates experience conflict. Don't think he'll mind if you borrow his shoes for a quick soccer game? For all you know, you just stepped over an uncrossable line. Don't borrow, use, or take anything without getting permission first.

    Be mindful of who you bring into your room-and how often. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But your roommate may not. Be mindful of how often you bring people over. If your roommate studies best in the quiet, and you study best in a group, can you alternate who hits the library and who gets the room?

A. Be open to new ideas and experiences.

B. Respect all the things that belong to your roommate.

C. You may love having your study group into your room.

D. Expect to learn, grow and change during the time in the college.

E. Are your clothes being borrowed faster than you can wash them?

F. Let your roommate know as soon as you can about your little preferences.

G. Having a roommate can be both a challenge and a great part of your college experience.