In today's busy and competitive world, we all lead incredibly stressful lives. When stress becomes overwhelming, it can affect our mood and productivity. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The good news is that it is manageable and can be reduced, or even relieved completely.

    Enter the world of books. Feeling stressed out? Pick up your favorite book and leave the reality and worries behind. It is the most effective way to relax and overcome stress. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Getting lost in a book before bedtime can calm your mind and prepare your body for a good night's sleep.

    Connect with people. Another way to successfully beat stress is meeting with friends. Friends and loved ones are important to any healthy lifestyle. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed and just can't seem to shake it off, call your best friend or a member of your family and talk to them. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Walk it off. You can also effectively relieve yourself of stress by simply taking a walk around your neighborhood. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There's a whole new world up there that you never seem to notice while rushing to work or talking to someone. Take a moment to admire a new building or a balcony somewhere high up that reminds you of a castle from your favorite movie. Enjoy your time alone and seize every moment of it.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Nothing brings you back on track like a good laughter. It is the most powerful antidote(良方) to stress and it brings joy into your life. Laughing brings people together and drives away all stress-related problems as if they never existed. It is absolutely the best medicine there is, and it will keep you both physically and emotionally healthy.

Why Walking Your Dog Is Great Exercise

    Having trouble sticking to an exercise program?Research shows that dogs are actually nature's perfect personal trainers-loyal,hard-working,energetic and enthusiastic.Your friends may skip an exercise session because of appointments,extra chores or bad weather.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Is dog walking really effective exercise?Many people are becoming interested in exercise to help lose excess weight.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Dog owner-ship and obesity were evaluated in Seattle,Wash.,and Baltimore,Md.,in a study published in the journal Preventive Medicine in September 2008.Dog owners who reported walking their dogs were almost 25 percent less likely to be obese than people without dogs.

    What are the benefits of regular exercise?Dr.Joanna Kruk reviewed medical literature describing the health benefits of exercise.Her research showed that the risk of developing a number of serious health problems is reduced by physical activity and exercise.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It's easy to forget about healthy walking plans,so set the stage for a successful program: Establish a walking schedule; plan to walk 30 minutes total each day.This might include a 10-minute neighborhood walk in the morning and a 20-minute romp at the dog park after work.Or maybe three 10-minule walks or one 30-minute walk fit in better with your day.

    If dog walking is "scheduled" each day,you'll feel more responsible for sticking with your program.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Most importantly,daily walking your dog will keep it fit and give it an opportunity to utilize their senses while also engaging their mind.

    So,grab a leash,whistle to the pup,and go for a walk-today and every day! Take action!{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Plan for success.

B.Track your progress.

C.This will reinforce your good behavior.

D.Dog walking is a great way to start a healthy lifestyle program.

E.However,dogs never give you an excuse to delay exercising.

F.Plus,your dog will also get used to the routine and remind you when "it's time"!

G.Obesity is affecting about one in every three to four adults in the United States and Europe.

    Having a shy style isn't necessarily a problem. It's OK to take time to warm up to new people and situations.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some people want to feel less shy so they can enjoy socializing and being themselves around others. Here are some tips on overcoming shy feelings.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Practice social behaviors like eye contact, confident body language, introductions, small talk, asking questions, and invitations with people you feel most comfortable around. Smile and build your confidence.

    Think of some conversation starters. Often the hardest part of talking to someone new is getting started. Think of conversation openers, like introducing yourself, giving a compliment (赞美), or asking a question.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    Rehearse (排练) what to say. When you are ready to try something you've been avoiding because of shyness — like a phone call or a conversation, write down what you want to say. Read it out loud in front of a mirror. Then just do your social activities.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Few of the things that more confident people do are perfect, either.

    Give yourself a chance.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Practice socializing with these new people and get to know them slowly. People who are shy often worry about failing or how others will judge them. Don't let these worries and feelings keep you from trying.

A. Start small with people you know.  

B. Then you can start smiling and saying “hello” in real life.

C. One of the best ways to get over shyness is to believe in yourself.

D. Find group activities where you can be with people who share your interests.

E. Being ready with a conversation starter makes it easier to approach someone.

F. Don't worry if they're not exactly like you have practiced or they're not perfect.

G. But shyness prevents some people from being as comfortable as they'd like to be.

    When we were kids, if our parents wanted us to stop the screen time, they would turn off the TV. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They grab the cell phone, the tablet or the laptop. Here we will talk about how to control their screen time.

    First, limit the time they use screens. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Kids are smart. Once you go back to your daily routine, they will quickly be back on a screen. Because they just don't understand that when you tell them to get off the tablet or computer, you mean for the rest of the day.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It can be going outside to play, reading a fun book or cleaning their room. Presenting them with an alternative helps the under-developed planning part of their little brains get past what they can't do and see what else is possible.

    And third, hide the screen device. That one may not seem very fair. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If they don't see the device around the house, they can't grab it. This way, works for us adult-types who may be a little too addicted to screens ourselves.

    Ultimately, the best way to help kids recognize how much is too much screen time is to limit our own. Yeah, you may have to stare at one all day for your job, but do you really have to come home and immediately turn on the TV or answer that email on your phone? Don't think your kids aren't taking excuses from your actions. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Second, give them an alternative.

B. So, it's necessary to set a limited time.

C. It may seem easy, but it can be challenging.

D. Now, kids often have a choice of which screen they want.

E. They watch you just as closely as they watch those screens.

F. Now go to find a screen and turn it off, for you and for your kids.

G. But the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” actually works sometimes.

Evaluating Sources of health Information

    Making good choices about your own health requires reasonable evaluation. A key first step in bettering your evaluation ability is to look carefully at your sources of healthy information. Reasonable evaluation includes knowing where and how to fins relevant information, how to separate fact from opinions, how to recognize poor reasoning, and how to analyze information and the reliability of sources. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Go to the original source. Media reports often simplify the results of medical research. Find out for yourself what a study really reported, and determine whether it was based on good science. Think about the type of study. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Watch for misleading language. Some studies will find that a behaviour "contributes to" or is "associated with" an outcome; this does not mean that a certain course must lead to a certain result. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Carefully read or listen to information in order to fully understand it.

Use your common sense. If a report seems too good to be true, probably it is. Be especially careful of information contained in advertisements. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Evaluate "scientific" statements carefully, and be aware of quackery (江湖骗术).

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Friends and family members can be a great source of ideas and inspiration, but each of us needs to find a healthy lifestyle that works for us.

Developing the ability to evaluate reasonably and independently about the health problems will serve you well throughout your life.

A. Make choices that are right for you.

B. The goal of an ad is to sell you something.

C. Be sure to work through the critical questions.

D. And examine the findings of the original research.

E. Distinguish between research reports and public health advice.

F. Be aware that information may also be incorrectly explained by an author's point of view.

G. The following suggestions can help you sort through the health information you receive from common sources.

How to Adjust to a New School

    School is a child's base, where they learn to succeed. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When you go to a new school, you might worry that you don't know anyone. You worry that you might get lost, or if the teachers are strict. Here are some ways to help you adjust to a new school.

    Getting to Know the School

    Before you start the school, go with your parents to visit the school. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Preparing for the First Day

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Being well rested will help remove(去除) any nervousness you may be feeling. Try to get at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep if you're between 7 and 11 years old.

    Leave early for school. Make sure you leave lots of time in the morning to get to school. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Arriving early may also give you a chance to chat with a few other students and hopefully make a few new friends.

    Making friends

    Taking part in activities. Sign up for activities like drama, sports or chess club. This will put you into smaller groups with people who have the same interests as yours. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You might even be able to teach some other kids about how to do something.

A. Find out where your classroom will be, as well as other important places.

B. Start off your first day of school with a good night's sleep.

C. Learning the rules of the school will help you adjust and will keep you out of trouble.

D. But adjusting to a new school can be difficult.

E. You don't want to be rushing into your classroom after the bell rings.

F. This will also give you a chance to show your skills at a sport or other activity.

G. Go shopping for your supplies and make sure you have them all ready to take to school.