Training for a marathon requires careful preparation and steady, gradual increases in the length of the runs.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}, buy the best-fitting, best-built running shoes you can find. No one can say which brand will work best for you or feel best on your feet, so you have to rely on your experience and on the feel of each pair as you shop. When you have found shoes that seem right, walk in them for a few days to double-check the fit.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.As always, you should stretch(伸展) at least ten minutes before each run to prevent injuries.

    During the first week, do not think about distance, but run five minutes longer each day.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}, it is wise to take a day off to rest. But during the next week, set a goal of at least a mile and a half per run.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} After two weeks, start timing yourself.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.Depending on the kind of race you plan to enter, you can set up a timetable for the remaining weeks before the race.

A. For a good marathon runner

B. After six days

C. Before you begin your training

D. With each day, increase the distance by a half mile

E. Time spent for preparation raises the quality of training

F. If they still feel good, you can begin running in them

G. Now you are ready to figure out a goal of improving distance and time

    Why should you read every day?

    When was the last time you read a book? If you're one of countless people who don't make a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing out. Reading has many benefits, and just a few benefits of reading are listed below.

    Mental Stimulation

    Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of Alzheimer's and Dementia. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy.

    Wider Knowledge

    Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Stress Reduction

    No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other problems, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} And an interesting article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, allowing you to relax.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story— the rest of the world just falls away. Try reading for 15 to 20 minutes before work, and you'll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office.

    Tranquility(安宁)

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about a sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders or mental illnesses.

A. Stronger thinking skills.

B. Improved focus and concentration.

C. A well-written novel can transport you to other worlds.

D. Reading a good book can also bring about great inner peace.

E. That's because keeping your brain active prevents it from losing power.

F. Reading books is also important for learning new languages and cultures.

G. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to deal with your future challenges.

    In an adult's opinion, sleep is a precious commodity. Usually we don't feel as if we get enough sleep, which is something we are always longing for.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} For some reason, kids never acknowledge the feeling of "tiredness" as meaning "I need sleep". What's more, for many children, sleep represents an unwanted separation from the important people in their lives.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    How do parents make the problem worse? I hear so many parents complain that they can't get their children to go to sleep. Let's take a close look at this concept. We cannot make a child go to sleep, but we can make them go to bed.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you even try to control a child's ability to go to sleep, you are losing the battle before you begin. Even our children themselves cannot really control when they go to sleep. The most we as parents can do is to make the environment helpful to sleep.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    It's time that you decided what your own feelings are about bedtime and analyzed your feelings and needs, and your child's feelings and needs. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The most important guideline is that you decide what you are going to do, and then stick with it. Parents usually create their own problems by dancing around and between all the different bedtime methods until they get themselves angry and their kids confused. So, the first step is to decide exactly how you will handle bedtime. The second step is to communicate your rules to your child. The third step is to carry out the plan.

A. Being in bed is too lonely, too boring, and no fun at all!

B. I'm going to give you three ideas for solutions.

C. In kids' opinion, sleep plays an important role in childhood.

D. There's a big difference between the two.

E. Sleep will then come on its own.

F. Can you give me some examples to deal with kids' problem?

G. But to kids, sleep is purely and simply an unwanted interruption in a life full of fun.

    Color is fundamental in home design——something you'll always have in every room. A grasp of how to manage color in your spaces is one of the first steps to creating rooms you'll love to live in. Do you want a room that's full of life？Professional？Or are you just looking for a place to relax after a long day？{#blank#}1{#/blank#}, color is the key to making a room feel the way you want it to feel.

    Over the years, there have been a number of different techniques to help designers approach this important point. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, they can get a little complex. But good news is that there are really only three kinds of decisions you need to make about color in your home: the small ones, the medium ones, and the large ones.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. They're the little spots of color like throw pillows, mirrors and baskets that most of us use to add visual interest to our rooms. Less tiring than painting your walls and less expensive than buying a colorful sofa, small color choices bring with them the significant benefit of being easily changeable.

    Medium color choices are generally furniture pieces such as sofas, dinner tables or bookshelves{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. They require a bigger commitment than smaller ones, and they have a more powerful effect on the feeling of a space.

    The large color decisions in your rooms concern the walls, ceilings, and floors. Whether you're looking at wallpaper or paint, the time, effort and relative expense put into it are significant. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. While all of them are useful

B. If you're experimenting with a color

C. Whatever you're looking for

D. Small color choices are the ones we're most familiar with

E. It's not really a good idea to use too many small color pieces

F. Color choices in this range are a step up from the small ones in two major ways

G. So it pays to be sure, because you want to get it right the first time

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective(选择的) process. That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

    As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand(速记). When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Use words, not complete sentences.

B. There are three practical note-taking methods.

C. You must write your notes on separate paper.

D. Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later.

E. You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F. The following methods may work best for you.

G. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

Test-taking tips

    Passing tests is a huge part of succeeding at school. Clearly, if you want to do well on a test,

    you need to prepare by learning the material(资料) {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Just breathe.

    Even the best prepared student sometimes gets nervous before a test. Nervous feelings can cause people to forget facts that they know. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Breathing deeply is helpful for this. So is moving your body slightly, such as by rolling your shoulders around. Try to arrive for a test a few minutes early, so you can relax before it starts.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When you are handed a test, look over all the questions before you begin. Read them carefully, noticing details. Also pay attention to how many points each question is worth. Divide your time based on the percentage of your grade each question is worth.

    First answer questions you know and then go back to the difficult ones. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} But try to write an answer for every question on the test, even if you're not sure of the answer. The only exception(例外) is if you will lose points for wrong answers {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If you're not sure whether you should change an answer, it's best not to. More often than not, your first instinct (本能) will be correct.

    Try your best.

    Above all, study well and try your best. If you do that, you can be proud of whatever score you get.