Learning a second language

    Nowadays, more and more people are learning a second language. So why should we spend time learning a second language?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Let us see.

    Career

    If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own language will help you to communicate with them better.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chances of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

    Travel

    Being able to speak a foreign language, for example, the Japanese language, would benefit you greatly should you be traveling to Japan.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you are fond of tourism, then knowledge of the local language is a must-have to avoid bad experiences or discomfort.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you are a high school student who is interested in going abroad for further education, then you will have to learn the language of the country which you wish to move to. In some countries, being able to speak that country's national language is a must for students wishing to pursue (继续) education there.

    Personal growth

    Learning a second language can help in broadening one's horizons(视野). It can help in learning about the culture of that particular country{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Not only can you enjoy different forms of art and literature relating to the new language, but you can also meet new people, make new friends and develop long-lasting relationships.

A. Education

B. Challenge.

C. Is it really worth it?

D. This will save you a lot of trouble.

E. It can help you to make sales and get good deals.

F. And it can open the way for new interests and hobbies.

G. Could you be required to study a particular language at school?

    Many of us deal with the rush every morning in preparation for work or school, but it doesn't have to be this way. With a little time management, these steps can help you cut down on your morning stress.

    Create an evening preparation routine.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} These simple tasks will take you less than 30 minutes to complete each evening and will save you a huge headache every morning.

    Get a good night's sleep.

    Make sure you start winding down for bed at a reasonable hour to allow enough time for a healthy night's sleep. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If needed, set a bedtime reminder alarm on your alarm clock. Always keep the temperature in your bedroom comfortably cool.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    An extra 30 minutes in the morning will make a difference. As long as you go to bed on time, waking up 30 minutes earlier should seem natural after just a few days. Use this time to think, shower and eat breakfast.

    Plan a realistic day.

    Writing things down means you don't have to worry about forgetting to do them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Write down anything that cannot be put off to the following day.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Getting up to face a new day is far more satisfying when you have something to look forward to. Make sure you manage your time better so that you have time to do something you love on a daily basis.

A. Morning stress is very common.

B. Schedule something you love daily.

C. Never fill your mind with unnecessary worries.

D. Make a summary of what you did in the daytime.

E. Wake up 30 minutes earlier.

F. Iron your clothes, locate your keys, plan a nutritious breakfast, etc.

G. Most people require seven to eight hours' sleep each night.

Healthy eating begins with learning how to eat smart—it's not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, as well as defend against bad mood. Moreover, learning the habits of healthy eating can increase your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize(稳定)your mind.

    Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about the food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down between meetings or on the way to your school.

    Eat with others whenever possible.

Eating with other people has a lot of benefit—particularly for children—and allows you to follow healthy eating habits.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes.

    Chew your food slowly and taste every bite. We always tend to rush through our meals, forgetting to taste and feel the food in our mouth. Reconnect with the joy of eating.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.

    Eat breakfast and smaller meals throughout the day.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}And eating small, healthy meals throughout the day(rather than the standard three large meals)keeps your energy up and your metabolism(新陈代谢)going.

A. It is also about how you think about the food.

B. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.

C. Listen to your body.

D. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full.

E. A healthy breakfast can start your metabolism,

F. It is about where you eat your food.

G. Drink more water when you are hungry.

How to Turn Your Goals into Habits

    First we make our habits, then our habits make us. It's such a simple concept, yet it's something we don't always do.

    I believe that having ONE goal to focus on is much more powerful than having many goals. By putting the belief into practice, I have achieved a lot of personal goals over time.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. My answer takes a little explaining. I try to turn my goals into habits, and in doing so! I put my goals on autopilot (自动化). Turning a goal into a habit means really focusing on it for at least a month. The more you can focus, the more it'll be on autopilot.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. You'll still do it, but you only have to use minimal force to maintain it, and you can focus on your next goal or habit.

    Take my marathon goal as an example. I was just starting running and had the brilliant idea to run a marathon within a year. So that was my goal.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. First, I had to make running a daily habit. Second, I had to report to people in order to have accountability (负责) so that I could not quit easily. I focused on the daily running habit for about a month, and didn't have any other goals or habits. When the running habit stuck, I started reporting to people I knew and blogging about my running every day.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. I could focus on new goals without having to worry about the marathon. I still had to do the running, of course, but it didn't require constant focus. And eventually, I ran the first marathon in my life. I was able to achieve this because, all year long, I had daily running and accountability habits.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, so instead of struggling with it daily for an entire year, I focused on it for one month and was able to accomplish it while focusing on new habits and goals.

A. I put my marathon goal on autopilot

B. At the beginning, it was very difficult for me to achieve this goal

C. But in order to achieve it, I broke it down into two habits

D. With this accountability, there's no way I could stop running

E. Once you put it on autopilot, you don't have to focus on it much

F. My readers asked me how I was able to achieve them while working on different projects

G. Once those two habits were established, my marathon goal was pretty much on autopilot

    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.

    Whether you use a GPS device (设备) in your car or Google Maps on your smartphone, few of us travel anymore without digital help. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For one thing, GPS isn't as accurate as you might think. What's more, science is beginning to discover that people who rely only on navigational technologies may have a poor sense of place during travel.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They soon become outdated as cities change, requiring users to continually purchase updated versions. They're also easily damaged from exposure to water, poor weather conditions and other physical forces.

    However, paper maps still offer a few advantages that technologies can't. For example, studying a map allows you to get a full view of where you're going, including the roads, forests, towns, historic sites, rivers and mountains you'll come across along the way. Many older maps are wonderful, offering a lovely feast for the eyes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Research by Toru Ishikawa and colleagues at the University of Tokyo found that GPS users spent 30％ more time looking at their device than those who used a paper map. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Instead they tended to stare at their screens and follow directions, never gaining a full view of where they were going.

    Therefore, go ahead and use your GPS, but also carry a paper map as a handy backup. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Also it could even be a life-saver!