It can be challenging to find time to work out(锻炼)when your schedule is full, but unless you want to deal with a waistline(腰围) that keeps increasing in size, staying active is important. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

Workday

    You might not have time to escape the office and visit the gym during your lunch break, but that doesn't mean you can't burn calories throughout your workday. Instead of driving to work or riding the bus, walk or cycle, depending on how far you live from the office. A 30-minute bike ride at just 12 to 13.9 mph will help a 155-pound person burn 298 calories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead of phoning a colleague across the office, walk over to speak in person.

At home

    You probably want to sit or sleep on the couch, but by keeping active around the house, you can burn a significant number of calories throughout the day. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Playing with your kids for 30 minutes will help you burn 186 calories if you weigh 155 pounds, while you'll burn 167 calories in a half-hour house-cleaning session.

Outdoors

     {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you weigh 155 pounds, expect to burn 172 calories for every half hour you spend weeding the garden. You'll burn 205 calories in 30 minutes of pushing your lawnmower(割草机) around the yard. When winter arrives, cleaning snow is worth 223 calories per 30 minutes.

Other

    Everyday errands(差事) can help you burn extra calories when you can't find time to work out. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Washing your car by hand will burn 167 calories in 30 minutes. By parking your car at the far end of the parking lot, you'll burn more calories getting to and from your vehicle.

A. You can make adjustments to your lifestyle to include a variety of calorie-burning activities into everyday life.

B. Pushing a shopping cart around the supermarket causes 130 calories burned in a

half hour.

C. Instead of paying to clean up the yard, do it yourself.

D. At work, take the stairs instead of the lift.

E. Don't visit a car wash to shine up your ride.

F. If you have a family, play with your kids.

G. You have to find the time to work out.

    Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the United States and Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument or ballet, or other classes which will give them a head start in life.        {#blank#}1{#/blank#}So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.

    Parents can see that their children's skills differ. Some children are very skilled in some areas while poor in others. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills that they need to be confident, happy and clever.

    Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework. Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully step by step. The result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and lots of self-confidence.

    Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse his interest. He will spend hours looking at them, trying to repair them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}And that is more important.

A. Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter.

B. The more cost in education, the better the result will be.

C. Cooking requires patience and time.

D. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today's children are badly off for self-respect and self-confidence.

E. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is.

F. These activities are not only teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind.

G. Thus, the more the children use the computer, the better the result will be.

You Can Fly More Frequently

    When traveling, airfare can take up a large part of your travel budget. What if you could fly practically for free? If it were possible, then you would probably travel more, right?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} While it may seem like a lot of work to accumulate miles, it's pretty easy when you know how.

    Sign up for mileage (里程) programs. You can't gain miles if you don't sign up.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Pick one or two airlines that you use most often and try to bring all your points into those programs by flying with them.

    Buy gifts and have dinner out. Most mileage programs have a business list where you can register several credit or debit cards and then earn miles for each purchase you make through their participating shops or meal you have at restaurant partners.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}so why not make it count toward future travel?

    Use your credit card. Look for a card that gives you rewards. There are a ton of credit card companies that offer mileage cards that give you miles for each dollar you spend. Use it for bills, groceries, gas and anything else you would normally use your bank account for and then pay it off at the end of the month.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Rent a car. Whenever you rent a car, you have the choice to include your frequent flyer member number.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} but it can be more beneficial to pay less than a dollar a day to earn one or more miles per dollar spent on your rental.

A. Some will charge a fee

B. With frequent flyer programs, you can

C. You're probably doing these things anyway

D. It's an easy way to accumulate miles and can add up really fast

E. In fact, you can get a free plane ticket just focusing on certain ones

F. Join frequent flyer programs, so you can start accumulating those miles

G. There are plenty of ways to earn money just by doing things you're already doing

    When the kids are out of school, parents are eager to use the holidays for some quality family time.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} While there's great concern among parents about the impact of screens on physical activity and face-to-face communications, parental use of screens is often overlooked. One recent report found that parents spend over nine hours per day with screen media. It's no wonder that families find it hard to have high-quality social interactions.

    Want our kids to put down the phones and tablets?{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's necessary that we unplug when we ask our kids to do the same. Some family activities we create can help us engage with our kids without the concern of screen time.

    Why not leave the devices at home and go for a tech-free nature walk? It will be an opportunity to make us more connected to the world beyond the screen. Focus on being in the moment and kids may enjoy collecting plant seeds or stones.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    A board game night is ideal for bringing family members together and being engaged. Moreover, playing games together fosters social interaction, cooperation, and the development of Social Emotional Learning (SEL).{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Some other family activities are wonderfully fun without the use of electronic devices. For example, take the kids swimming, or bring them to an indoor rock climbing gym. Bake a cake for a neighbor or plant a garden.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Your kids will get lost in the activity, forgetting the devices.

    To be clear, technology has many benefits to parents and children. However, creating some tech-free time can help parents and kids feel more connected to each other.

A. We parents must model that behavior.

B. Even so, too much of a good thing can be bad for family time.

C. However, many of us find it hard to compete with electronics.

D. Parents may learn from their kids about science and nature as well.

E. Best of all, family members can enjoy being engaged in a shared experience.

F. The kids are more likely to have buy-in when they feel like they have a say.

G. All these activities require family members to focus their attention on the task at hand.

    It's very common these days for people to take some sort of regular exercise each week. But if you've never done it before, what's the best way to go about it? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} He or she will create a personalized plan for you based on your aims.

    However, each hourly session can be steep considering you have to pay both the personal trainer and membership of the gym, too. So what's left? Well, if you have the courage to do it, you can make your own plan. It's relatively easy to do if you have the know-how. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    First, keep your fitness goal in mind. Are you looking to slim down or increase your abilities? Whatever it is, make sure the things you choose to do are achieving that goal. Next, do your research. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Watch as many of these as possible, but make sure to be a little critical of them — everyone has a different physique and what works for one may not work for another. Finally, keep your feet on the ground. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It takes at least three months to see any realistic body changes. And don't be overzealous(过度热衷的) — never work in pain — a good workout is difficult and challenging, but never painful. Pain means you are damaging yourself.

    If nothing else, focus on calisthenics (健身操). {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Do as many of one exercise as you can without stopping, and then try and repeat that number twice more — make sure you sweat, and don't forget to rest for a minute in between each activity!

A. Be patient with yourself and set realistic goals.

B. But before you do, here are some basic pointers.

C. Well, many people make use of a personal trainer.

D. They just don't want to design their own workout plan.

E. These days, social media is full of fitness videos and advice.

F. Find a way to make each exercise more difficult as you get in shape.

G. These are the basic body movements which everyone can do anywhere.

Important Self-Care Tips

Nowadays life is so busy that you often don't have a free minute to relax with a cup of tea but such pace of life is extremely dangerous to your mental and physical well-being. If you don't take time off, you may feel extremely tired.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Here are some important tips to follow.

Listen to your body

Your body always gives you signals to meet its needs.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. If you feel that your body needs some kinds of foods, you should try to eat them with enjoyment.

Take vitamins daily

Today it's hard to be sure that you get all the nutrients (养分) and vitamins that your body needs.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. If you want to take a certain group of vitamins, then consult your doctor.

Don't forget to sleep

Sleep is going to be the best way of your body recovery.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. It can benefit your mind, weight and improve your well-being. If you aren't sleeping enough, you should be ready to face many other problems.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Office isn't the best place for your body and mind. Try to find time to breathe fresh air in and enjoy the sun. Long outside walks will make you happier. Moreover, you'll have a chance to replace time in front of television or computer.

A. Take exercise every day

B. Spend time in the open air

C. When we are busy, we focus on immediate activities

D. Enough sleep is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle

E. It's better to take vitamins daily than to spend money treating diseases

F. If you prefer to work too much, you should find time to look after yourself

G. It examines the information about the work of different systems and sends a message to your brain