Vegetarian UK

Vegetarians and vegans

    Vegetarians (people who don't eat meat) and vegans (people who don't eat or use any animal products) are becoming increasingly common in UK culture. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A recent survey showed that three million people were vegetarian. Visit a British supermarket and you will see a wide range of vegetarian ingredients and prepared meals on the shelves, including vegetarian sausages and vegan cheese.

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    So why are Brits cutting out meat? Many are unhappy about the poor treatment of animals and the effects of meat and fish production on the environment. Worries about food safety (for example BES or “mad cow disease”) also play a part. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} According to the Vegetarian Society, a meat-free diet could help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease, as well as obesity and high blood pressure.

    Organic farming

    Another rising trend is in how UK food is produced. Many people are rejecting GM (genetically modified) food and intensive farming practices. They want their food to be organically produced. Organic farmers use very few or no chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers and organic meat is produced without the use of drugs and antibiotics. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  

    Organic food

    According to the Soil Association, three out of every four UK households now buy some type of organic food. Some get organic meat, fruit and vegetables from farmers' markets, where products are sold directly to the consumer. Others have a box of organic fruit and vegetables sent to their homes every week. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Although it\s often more expensive, fans of organic food say it tastes much better!

A. A healthy diet

B. A balanced diet

C. Many people buy organic products in their local supermarket.

D. More and more people are deciding not to eat meat or use animal products.

E. A healthy soil reduces disease and helps crops grow strong and healthy.

F. Others choose to change their eating habits to improve their general health.

G. Organically farmed animals also have more living space and more nutritious food.

    Listening to others requires entering actively and imaginatively into the situation and trying to understand a frame of reference different from your own, and yet so many of us don't listen properly as we should. Listening means more than just sitting silently while someone else talks{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Here are some ways to become a better listener.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Make sure you actually hear fully what your friend is saying, and you can't cut your friend off verbally carelessly. While you might intend to help move the conversation along, your friend might feel as if what he has said need to be continually talked over or sound anything but interesting.

    Nod to encourage the conversation along. A better option to let your friend know you're interested in what he says is just to nod along from time to time. Sometimes you nod along but then start thinking about something unrelated to what he could say{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Turn out background noise. If you're easily distracted by laughter, glasses clinking, children crying, you might need to work extra hard to focus only on your friend{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Don't hesitate to tell them that the background noises are getting in the way. If you can't focus, try moving to another area.

    Don't text or look at your phone!{#blank#}5{#/blank#} For you see, when you're sitting in front of someone, he is the most important person in your world at that moment.

A. Stop the speaker whenever you have a question.

B. Practice silence when someone else is talking.

C. If necessary, ask your friend to repeat himself.

D. Whoever is calling or texting can wait until you're done with your conversation.

E. It means trying to see the problem the way the speaker sees it.

F. In this case, try to push away your thoughts until you're absorbed in what your friend is saying.

G. Remembering ideas from previous conversations proves that your attention is kept and encourages your friend to continue.

Making the Most of Life Experiences.

    If you ask anyone what the purpose of life is, you'll likely receive wildly different responses. The answer to this question is deeply personal because different things are important to us throughout the course of our lives.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Finding ways to make the most of our experiences is a challenge we face every day. Here are some ways to make your experiences meaningful.

    Follow your dreams.

    The number one way to live a life free of regret is to follow your dreams. Passion will die without actions supporting them.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Every day take an action, no matter how small, to achieve your goals. Each day is a step forward and none of it is wasted.

    Make lots of mistakes.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Many of my strongest memories come from the times I've failed，and those lessons have stayed with me. Failure is beneficial to us. And time allows me to see the value of even the most painful situation.

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    Difficult and painful experiences shape our character but can also weigh us down. These prevent us from moving forward. So much of our progress in life relies on willpower and a healthy emotional stale. If you're under stress, your body and mind both require time to recover.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    For me, life is about experiences. We all have to dream, work hard, and fail before we can achieve success. Maybe we'll discover along the way that the journey is more important than the destination.

A. Take care of yourself.

B. Improve your personality.

C. Making mistakes is the surest path to grow as a person.

D. It's best to rest, recover, and slowly build back up your strength.

E. Yet one thing stays with us no matter where we go: our experiences.

F. Though we try our best to make fewer mistakes, it is impossible to avoid them.

G. Though we can't choose the outcome of our actions, we can choose to keep pursuing(追求).

    It's a dream come true for many fans to get a close view of their favorite stars and take pictures with{#blank#}1{#/blank#}However, sometimes their enthusiasm can cause troubles for others.

    At Hong Kong International Airport on Dec. 15, three young Chinese people boarded a Korean Aircraft.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The three people -two from the Chinese mainland and one from Hong Kong — were fans of Wanna One, a Korean band, who were on the same flight. However, immediately after taking pictures with their "idols (偶像),the fans asked to get a repayment and got off the plane.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}They had to go through security checks again, which delayed the flight by over an hour.

    According to the flight regulations, all passengers need to get off and go through security checks once again even if only one passenger gels off the plane before takeoff.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Cases of crazy fans buying flight tickets just to follow and get a close view of their idols are common nowadays, reported CGTN. A series of rules were issued in July in order to stop crazy fans from disturbing public security at the airport.

    "{#blank#}5{#/blank#}However, it shouldn't go too far and hurt the public interest. To obey public rules is the best way to follow idols," commented People's Daily.

A. To make up for the loss, a sizable amount of money went to 357 passengers.

B. As a result, all the remaining 360 passengers had to get off the plane.

C. This is in case any dangerous things have been left on the flight.

D. It's not unusual for fans and stars to share the same flight.

E. Some fans will do anything they can lo realize the dream.

F. It wanted to fly from Hong Kong to the capital Seoul.

G. There's nothing wrong with going after idols.

    Stress is a major problem in the modern world. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is common among office workers. Managing it is necessary for people in order to create a work-life balance. So, how can you go about removing stress through the ancient art of gardening?

    Surround yourself with nature. Trees, birds and scent of the outdoors are great ways to help relax. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So, in order to remove stress through gardening, you need to grow lots of plants.

    Make it comfortable. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} After all, what's the point of making it beautiful if you can't sit or watch your flowers grow afterwards? A good-quality set of garden furniture is the only way to make sure your garden is as comfortable as possible in order to remove your stress.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} To really appreciate garden space for what it is, you need to leave all of the stresses of modern life behind, which means keeping your phone indoors. Yes, it may be hard at first. But, after a while, it will begin to feel normal and even good. Sometimes not knowing what is happening in the outside world is the only way to enjoy the tranquility (宁静) of your garden.

    Invite family and friends. Do you want to get the best way to truly remove stress through your gardening efforts? Share it with your family and friends. A good barbecue as we move into the warmer months is the best port of call. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} After a while, your garden space should become a relaxation and stress-free zone.

    Being content with what you do and your life can be troublesome these days. However, you can start being satisfied with what you have with some steps.

    There are times when some friends simply get too busy and with the passage of time visits and meet-up become less frequent. If there is anything that can help you be more content with your life, social media is certainly not the answer. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} That is simply so much better than letting your time just fly by in front of electronic devices.

    Finishing reading a book is also a good idea. We all know reading excites the mind. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It can also improve your focus, concentration and communication skills. The reason we did not ask you to start reading a book is that finishing reading a book is far more satisfying than simply reading halfway through it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    If you are stuck in a 9-to-5 job, then you need to seriously reconsider your physical activity. As time flies by, we all get older. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}So, exercise or join a sports club if you can. Exercising will not only improve your overall ability but also make you look good and know your true strength.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}However, simply giving your change to a homeless person wouldn't cut it. You need to find a cause that you deeply care about and then commit to it wholeheartedly. This will give you an opportunity to see how your small acts of kindness can bring out the best in you and the society.

A. Being selfless brings you more satisfaction.

B. You'd better start reading an interesting book.

C. Instead, you need to connect with an old friend.

D. So, pick up a nice book now and make it into a habit.

E. It is a great way to channel your energy in the right direction.

F. It works well in reducing stress and increasing your knowledge.

G. What you do with your body today can help you stay healthy in the future.