This Way to Dreamland

Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what's happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} ey annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.

         But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?

         So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?

First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you're daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.

It's also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concerntrate. “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

            Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

           Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.

A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.

B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.

C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn't have relatively, Coke or Post-it notes.

D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.

E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.

F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.

G. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you're in the daydream zone.

    Clara Barton，founder of the American Red Cross，gained worldwide honor for her dedication to easing human suffering and earned the nickname  “Angel of the Battlefield.”

    Barton was born into a liberal (开明的) freethinking family in 1821. Her elder brothers and sisters happily tutored her in math and reading, so when she entered school at three years old, she could read and spell three-syllable words. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Concerned about Barton's difficulty in making friends, her parents sent her to a boarding school, hoping it would make her more comfortable with her peers. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Barton lost her appetite and cried constantly. After only one term, she had to be brought home. Then, Barton stayed out of school to nurse her older brother through a serious injury and also volunteered to care for poor families during a smallpox (天花）outbreak.

    In 1861，the Civil War broke out. The sight of wounded soldiers touched Barton deeply. She began to collect and distribute food, bandages, medicines, and other supplies for the Union army.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} There, with little concern for her own safety, she cooked meals, assisted surgeons, and comforted wounded soldiers.

    Eventually，because of working too hard，Barton collapsed，ill with typhoid fever (伤寒症). {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It was there that she learned of an organization based in Switzerland — called the International Red Cross, whose work mirrored her own.

    Shortly after Barton arrived back home in 1873，her sister died. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When recuperating (休养）at a health facility in New York，she began planning for the establishment of an American wing of the International Red Cross. Although at first the government resisted，her efforts finally paid off. The American Red Cross was officially organized on May 21, 1881. Her influence lives on today in the work of the organization she founded.

    Every one complains. Even if you argue that you are the happiest person in the world you still complain sometimes. Sometimes you complain: without even realizing it, but rarely is it ever helpful.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some tips to stop complaining and give up the negative thoughts:

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    When you find yourself thinking or saying a negative comment about something or someone stop and force yourself to say something positive instead. Seek the help of a cheerful friend to change you when you complain and help you to see the positive in the situation

    Make a list of things we are grateful for.

    We often complain about the things we don't have without noticing those things we already have been grateful for what we have in our life because we are lucky simply for being ourselves.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Learn to adapt to the changes.

    There are many things we can't change.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Always find the positive side of each situation regardless of however difficult the situation is with parents' and friends' support we can survive any life changes

    Al low yourself to vent（发泄）your feelings every once in a while.

    Constantly ignored negative thoughts could add up If you are really going through a rough time don't be afraid to share your feelings with a close friend or family member or see a therapist

    Find what makes you happy.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Maybe it is time to make the hard decision to move on to another job or career. Uncover what your biggest complaints are about and see if you can change the situation to make you happy. Choose happiness, focus on the positive and be kind always!

A. Change the way you think

B. Make positive people friends

C. Sometimes this list can be easy full of hobbies you enjoy

D. Are you constantly complaining about your present job?

E. The best and only thing we can do is to accept them

F. So how can you manage to force yourselves to end complaining?

G. Set down things we are thankful for and we'll see that we don't have any reason to complain.

3-2-1 GREEN!

    You already know an environmentalist's three R's: reduce, reuse, recycle. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are three things you can do for the Earth Day.

    Be a real cut-up

    The next time you're about to throw out the plastic rings that hold a six-pack of soda together, reach for a pair of scissors.

    As a young turtle, Peanut got stuck in one of these rings. As she grew, the ring stayed put, forcing her shell to grow around it. By the time someone found her and cut her free, her shell was permanently deformed. Thanks to her hard shell, Peanut is alive and well. She now lives at a nature center in Missouri. But most animals that get caught in six-pack rings die.

    WHAT YOU CAN DO

    Easy! {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Hunt for vampires（吸血鬼）

    You know all those electronic inventions you've got at home? Even when you switch them off, they are really still on. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Anything with a glowing LED off/on light, a remote control, or a clock display is always on.

    WHAT YOU CAN DO

    Just pull out the plugs or tap the OFF switch till you really need the electronics.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Matt Damon really cares about clean water. So in February, he announced that he was going on strike against toilets. " Until everybody has access to clean water and sanitation（卫生设备）," he said. "I will not go to the bathroom!" He was kidding but to make a serious point. Around the world, he said, "780 million people lack access to clean water; 2.5 billion people lack access to a toilet."

    WHAT YOU CAN DO

    No need to go on a toilet strike. Just don't waste water. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Take shorter showers.

A. Use water wisely.

B. How to recognize vampire electronics?

C. Cut the rings apart before you trash them.

D. Use toilets less.

E. But how else can you help?

F. Don't run the water while brushing your teeth.

G. Things that can help with good living conditions are important.

Ways to Worry Less

    Do you want to worry less? Of course you do. That's like asking if I can send you free bacon. Worry is like black mold—it appears in damp conditions and spreads uncontrollably. And very often we don't realize it's there until it's killing us. We must get rid of worry before it destroys us. But how should we do it? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Do what you need to do.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You ought not to avoid tough projects or hard conversations. If you don't do what you should be doing, you will end up spending the rest of the time worrying about the must-do things. Believe it or not, the anxiety that comes from the worry is much worse than the task we're worried about.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    I think many of us act like we're puppets (木偶) in a play and we're waiting for something or someone to put us in the right place. We just react to whatever is going on. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} We need to live purposefully. Nothing can cause more worry than purposelessness.

    Make plans.

    You can't succeed without making plans. Making plans will enable you to achieve your aims more smoothly. However, your plans aren't set in stone. You can adjust your plans flexibly. Accept changes. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    There are other ways to lessen worry. As long as you are determined to take action, you will live a worry-free life.

One of the healthiest Foods on the planet

    There is probably no flower more hated, or misunderstood, than the bright yellow dandelion (蒲公英). {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In an effort to have the perfect green grass lawn, people try their best to kill all dandelions with chemical products. Or they dig them out at the roots—only to see them grow right back.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They are a great source of vitamin K and also are a good source of vitamins A and C. They also have vitamin E, folate and small amounts of other B vitamins. Also, they provide lots of iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

    Besides nutrition, another great thing about dandelions is that you can eat every part of them—from the bottom of the roots to the top of the flower. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Do not eat ones that have been treated with dangerous chemicals or are growing near high traffic areas.

    Dandelions are said to provide several possible health benefits such as helping in digestion and improving some skin conditions. They may also reduce inflammation (炎症).

    Children in many parts of the world have had the simple pleasure of blowing the soft, white dandelion tops. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In fact, there is a game children play with dandelions that have gone to seed. Pick the white top, make a wish, close your eyes and blow! If you blow all of the seeds off in one breath, your wish will come true! {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Well, that is what many children believe.

B. They watch the seeds float easily in the air.

C. At least the seeds have traveled far and wide.

D. Just make sure to take care when picking wild dandelions.

E. You can let more of this nutritious food source continue to grow.

F. Dandelions are actually one of the most nutritious foods in the world.

G. In the United States, they are considered "weeds", the name for any unwanted plant.