A strong memory depends on the health and vitality （活力） of your brain. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old saying simply isn't true. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

      Give your brain a workout. Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to “use it or lose it”. The more you work out your brain, the better you'll be able to process and remember information.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

        Don't skip the physical exercise. While mental exercise is important forbrain health, that doesn't mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercise helps your brainstay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss.

        Get enough sleep. There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function at your best.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Keep stress in check. Stress is one of the brain's worst enemies. Over time, stress destroys braincells. Studies have also linked stress to memory loss.

        Have a laugh.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} That holds true for the brain and the memory, as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specificareas of the brain, laughter engages multiple regions across the whole brain.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably already know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, “healthy”fats and lean protein will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. For brain health, though, it's not just what you eat—it's also what you don't eat.

A. Eat a brain-boosting diet.

B. Play games with memory.

C. Laughter is the best medicine.

D. But oversleeping is not good for yourbrain.

E. Even skipping a few hours makes adifference!

F. You have to shake things up from timeto time!

G. The human brain has an astonishingability to adapt and change.

    The Open Hand — a Universal Sign

    When meeting people at the airport,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} We know that a smile is usually a sign that people feel friendly and happy, but what if we don't know who the new person is?{#blank#}2{#/blank#} What if we are meeting a stranger in an unfamiliar place? Sometimes people are dangerous and humans have to find ways to protect themselves. We have to make sure we can trust people we do not know,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Showing our hands means that we are not armed（武装）. In many cultures today, the Western custom of shaking hands is used. We use our right hand, which is usually stronger than the left one. If we are using our hand this way, it cannot be holding a knife or a gun. It shows that we trust the other person,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Not all cultures use the handshake,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Japanese people might cover one hand with the other and, depending on whom they are greeting, bow slightly or quite low. In India, Hindu people join their hands in front of their faces and bow their heads. A Muslim will touch his heart, mouth and forehead（前额）to show respect. Even young people in the West now give each other the “high five”, when they slap（拍）each other's hands high in the air. They are all keeping their hands busy. In almost all cultures, to smile and show an open right hand means, “Welcome, you are safe with me.”

A. What if I want to show that I am bored?

B. most people smile and shake hands with people they meet.

C. and that the other person can trust us.

D. What if we are not introduced by a friend?

E. and people in many Asian cultures do not always touch another person.

F. and we have to show that we are not dangerous.

G. nor are they comfortable in the same way with touching or distance between people.

    Christmas is a time for relaxing, having fun and spending time with family and friends.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}It can be difficult to find the motivation for study when everyone around you is having so much fun. So, here are my top five tips for revising effectively over the Christmas break.

    Set aside a few hours a day to revise.

    Find the best time to revise and make sure that you stick to your timetable! For example, I find that I work best in the morning.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Plan something fun to do every day.

    Even if it's just going for coffee with a friend or watching a film at home, this will give you something to look forward to and motivate you to finish your revision.

    Explain to your family why your revision is important.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}So, make efforts to tell them why your exams are important. Perhaps you can agree to do something nice with them when your exams are over.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    It is important to take some time to relax. When you do get back to revising, you'll probably find it easier to concentrate. Pick the most important days for you and your family to concentrate on celebrating Christmas!

    Remember that it won't last forever.

    You might have to spend your Christmas revising this year, and perhaps for a few more years, but soon enough you'll be free of exams forever.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Have a great Christmas and make sure you find a balance between studying and celebrating. Good luck in your exams!

A. Spare your time for your family.

B. Make sure that you take a few days off!

C. So I get up fairly early and do a few hours of revision.

D. Sometimes it can be difficult for family to understand you.

E. However, for many of us, it is also time to prepare for January exams.

F. Otherwise, you may probably fall into trouble with your friends and family.

G. And after spending time revising, your future Christmases will seem even better!

    Not too long ago, a young man asked me a question: how do you make study more fun? You can improve your study habits and make your process more enjoyable. It's a matter of many things.

    Manage your time

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} All it takes is sitting down with a calendar, and just mapping out everything you need to do and the time you need to do it: projects, tests, part-time work, homework, parties, doctor appointments.

    Set the mood

    First, choose a good study area. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Your spot may be in your dorm/bedroom or the library. If you prefer to lie on your bed or sit in a corner of the library, develop a study routine that will allow you to focus. Clean spaces are said to improve productivity. To help you focus, turn off your phone! And while you're at it, limit your access to the Internet.

    Make it a game

    Are you the competitive type? Try competing against yourself. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Or try joining or starting a study group with fiends and take bets on who can get the most right answers when doing homework.

    Take breaks

    In that hour or two you've scheduled for studying, make sure you also give yourself enough breaks. Set a timer-even a short one, like 25 minutes-and work during that time. When the timer goes off, give yourself a few minutes to relax, drink some water, etc. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Reward yourself Sweet treats and other snacks often come to mind as a “reward”, and that might work for you, but it's also probably not a great idea to eat a bag of potato chips after every 25-minute study session. Rewards can be as simple as allowing yourself to watch some interesting videos. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. And we mean a specific, unique spot.

B. it's important to realize and make peace with the fact that studying isn't always going to be “fun”.

C. You can learn how to learn more effectively.

D. Then set another timer and dive back into your studying.

E. Or you can set goals, and then buy yourself something fun when you meet them.

F. Time management may be the secret weapon to succeeding at everything!

G. See if you can improve your reading speed to get yourself under a certain number of pages in five minutes.

    People know the dangers of fires. It's good for a family to learn how to prepare for a fire. There are some suggestions:

    Put a smoke alarm in the house. Smoke from a fire causes the alarm to go off.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.  The sound tells everyone to leave the house at once.

    Make escape plans. Everyone should know all the ways out of the house. If there is a fire, everyone should know all the ways out of the house. If there is a fire, everyone follows the plan to get out. Part of the plan is to check all the windows to make sure they can be opened easily.

    Buy fire extinguishers(灭火器) in the house.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Practice for a fire. We do fire practice because we teach children about fire safety. Everyone in the family should know the following fire rules:

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.The fire can grow more quickly if you open the door.

    Stay close to the floor.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. The best air is near the floor because smoke rises.

    What should you do if your hair or clothes start to burn？ First, stop. Don't run! The fire burns faster because of more air. Drop! Fall to the floor. Then roll! Turning over and over will make the fire go out. Put a blanket around you to keep air away from the fire that may still be on you.

    There are many possible causes for fires. A wise family is ready all the time. If there is a fire, don't forget to call 119 for help.

A. Smoke can be more dangerous than fire

B. Everyone in the family should know how to use them.

C. Don't open a hot door.

D. The alarm makes a loud sound.

E. Everyone should follow your plan.

F. Open the windows!

Sports Fans and Identity

    Many people are crazy about a particular sports team. They are big fans and seem to connect their own identity to their chosen team.

    Identity consists of things like gender (性别), personality, abilities, and social groups. The groups we belong to shape our identity. Related to this is the theory developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In knowing who we are, we may more closely identify with our social group than with our gender group. We also decide which group we belong to, based on different aspects of our identity. According to the theory, our self-esteem—how we feel about ourselves—is reflected in the group we belong to. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, we naturally protect the group we belong to, while making other groups less important. We think highly of the team we support, while we may add negative comments about an opposing team.

    Researchers have studied language used by sports fans. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} By using pronouns like “we”, fans show that they feel connected with the team when it is winning. “We really killed that team. They couldn't get the ball past us.” However, when their team didn't do well, the fans would distance themselves from the team, using different pronouns. “They didn't know what they were doing. They had no planning.”

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They have found those fans have more self-confidence and feel more competent. They are quite sure they have the ability to deal with situations successfully or do things to a satisfactory standard. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} These people will perform better at work and earn and spend more money, so experts suggest that a winning team may have a positive influence on the economy of a city.

A. They suggested that we naturally classify people into groups.

B. That causes increased competitions between different groups of sports fans.

C. It is probably because the victory reflects well on their personal sense of identity.

D. Comments from group members certainly have a strong influence on our behavior.

E. When their team did well, the fans would closely identify themselves with the team.

F. That leads to the fact that we want our group to be seen more positively than other groups.

G. Social scientists have also studied the effect of winning a championship on the fans of the winning team.