Today we eat on the go, at our desks and even in front of computers. We eat takeout, delivered and packaged meals.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

     “Over the past three decades, people have started eating out more than ever before and purchasing more prepared foods at the grocery store, which tend to contain more fat, salt and sugar than their home-made foods,” noted US healthy living website Spark People.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It encourages us to value the time we spend preparing, sharing and consuming food, as a recent USA today article put it. It all started in 1986 with the efforts of Slow Food's founding father, Italian activist Carlo Petrini, who wanted to bring back food varieties and flavors that had gone dark in the face of industrialization.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Now his idea is almost the mainstream.

    Starting at the table, the movement promotes an unhurried way of life founded on the idea that everyone has a right to cooking pleasure, and that everyone must also take responsibility to “protect the heritage (遗产) of food, tradition and culture that make this celebration of the senses possible”, wrote The Phnom Penh Post.

    “{#blank#}4{#/blank#} It means turning down the speed at which we eat and increasing the amount of time we spend dining together with other people,” Althea Zanecosky, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, told The Huf fington Post.”{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Dinner table conversations keep families together,” noted the Belgian non-profit organization Greenfudge.

A. It is a way to bring back the social togetherness of yesterday.

B. It seems that we have adapted our foods to our fast-paced lives.

C. So the Slow Food Movement has occurred against this fast-food trend.

D. Slow Food doesn't necessarily mean food that takes a long time to cook.

E. It is based on the idea that we should spend as much time as possible on cooking.

F. It's not only the food itself but also the time we spend dining together that matters.

G. At that time, he asked people to follow a more sustainable (可持续的) living model.

    Winston Churchill once said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. “Life has never been kind, but if we really want to enjoy it, it can only be possible with a positive attitude. The only way to have a better and pleasant future is to change outlook or attitude towards life.

    Look at the Brighter Side of Things.

    Even in the most unfortunate situations, there is always something to look forward to. In life, we do come across various situations where we compare our fate with others.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Never go to the comparison road, because it is endless.

Believe in Yourself.

    Lack of motivation causes a great deal of stress, and negative thoughts easily pop up when a person suffers from an inferiority complex (自卑感).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Clear your mind and get rid of all the negativity.

Think Positively.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}it is also the first step in self-improvement, as improving oneself is only possible through positive thinking. It has been noted that positive thinkers are better equipped in handling disappointments as compared to pessimists (悲观者), as they usually focus on things that can be done to solve it rather than spending hours complaining.

    Help Others.

    Helping or being kind to someone in their time of need is probably the easiest way to be happy. It is by doing these simple deeds that important discoveries about oneself are made.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Be Thankful.

    Each day take a few moments and be thankful for all the great pleasures that life has provided. Even during tough times, remember the people who were always there and provided unconditional love and support.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Think about everything that is right and forget about the wrong; your heart will be filled with thankfulness in no time.

B. Helping others, even in small things, helps in the birth of a happier and generous you.

C. Never think less of yourself because you are as different and important as everyone else.

D. Some people will always compare their worst with the best of others.

E. The best way to live is to get used to everyday changes and work hard.

F. Thinking positively is an important part of being positive.

G. First make the situation clear and see if they are right.

    Car sickness is a common problem faced by many people.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The ears tell the brain that the body is moving, but the eyes say that the body isn't moving. This leads to many symptoms of car sickness. Though there is no solution to this problem, there are some ways to make it less unpleasant.

    Get fresh air. Some people may find fresh air can make car sickness less serious.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If symptoms remain，stop the car and get out to breathe in fresh air if possible. The air may help, and stopping the drive should help, too.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Often, car sickness is caused by movements outside the car. For this reason, you may feel better when you block your view. Simply closing your eyes may help, especially if you can fall asleep. You can also try sunglasses to achieve the same result.

    Use ginger (姜) products. Some people benefit from ginger products to reduce car sickness. You can try ginger chews, ginger cookies, and many other ginger products.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Try pressure. Putting pressure on a particular point of your body may help treat the symptoms of car sickness. Specifically, Nei Guan—a point on the underside of the wrist—may be pressed to help with an upset stomach.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Then I believe you will feel better.

A. Fall asleep as soon as possible.

B. Try to stop yourself from seeing outside.

C. It is caused by a disagreement between eyes and ears.

D. Simply opening a window may help reduce your symptoms.

E. Pressing your fingertips there would offer relief in about 10 seconds.

F. If you always have car sickness, keep one or more of these products on hand.

G. Some data has shown that eating something dry may help reduce the symptoms.

The Best Ways to Lose Weight with Walking

    Walking regularly is the easiest and least expensive form of exercise. Except for a good pair of walking shoes, no special equipment is needed. It is not necessary to join a gym. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You can walk every day with no “rest days” in between. There is nothing to learn; people already know how to walk. There are, however, a few important things to keep in mind when walking to lose weight.

    Ways to lose weight by walking

    The first way to begin to lose weight by walking is to start walking. The initial goal should be 10,000 steps per day. Using a simple pedometer(计步器) attached to the waistband or on a belt will help you to count your daily steps. Consistency—even 10 minutes 3 times a day at first will produce the immediate results. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    It is very important to check with your medical professional before beginning any exercise program; especially if you are over age 65, have been required sitting or little activity for more than a year, or have been diagnosed with heart disease, pregnancy, high blood pressure, or any other medical conditions.

    How to walk to lose weight

    A good walking technique will help you achieve the physical or mental energy you need to walk consistently for the amount of time you have set for your goal. Making sure that you are using your large muscles correctly will also help to build your muscles. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Walking regularly can aid in muscle growth and increase the amount of calories you burn throughout the day. Eating a healthy low-fat diet will raise your metabolism(新陈代谢). {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If paired the calorie burn with the correct diet, it can lead to a better form of weight loss.

A. Limit your "bad" fat intake.

B. Begin a walking program with suitable physical qualities.

C. For example, take the stairs rather than taking the elevator.

D. It can be done anywhere and anytime, alone or with friends.

E. These two methods will help lead to a safe 1 to 2 pound weight loss per week.

F. Strong muscles burn more calories throughout the day, even when you are not walking.

G. But slowly increasing the time and the distance will encourage your weight-loss efforts.

    With 17 million residents and 23 million bicycles, the Netherlands already has more bikes than people.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    The Dutch government recently announced that it will invest $ 390 million in cycling infrastructure to get 200, 000 more people commuting(通勤)by bike in three years time. Fifteen routes will be developed into “cyclist freeways”, 25, 000 bike parking spaces will be created and more than 60 bike storage facilities will be upgraded.

    “{#blank#}2{#/blank#},”says Stientje van Veldhoven, state secretary for that department, who is spearheading the project.

    It's not that people aren't already cycling in the Netherlands. In 2016, over a quarter of all trips made by Dutch residents were by bike. But only 25％of those trips were work—related, compared to 37％which were made for leisure. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    According to van Veldhoven, more than 50％of people in the Netherlands live less than 15 kilometers from work, and more than half of commuters car trips are under 7.5 kilometers long—a distance that “can easily be covered by bike, ”she says.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. The Netherlands currently rewards commuting cyclists with tax credits of $0.22 per kilometer. Companies and employees would agree on the distance of a person's cycling route.

    However, this is currently a little—known benefit not supported by many employers, according to the infrastructure ministry. That's something the government is hoping to change by better promoting the scheme and getting more companies on board. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. The government is urging employers to provide better facilities for commuting cyclists, such as showers at the office, according to the ministry.

A. The rest were for school, shopping, or other activities

B. To get people to ditch their cars, money is being laid on the table

C. Now, it wants to get even more cyclists on the roads—and will pay people to do it

D. Today the Netherlands is known for its cycling culture, but that hasn't always been the case

E. My ambition is to ensure that people can easily get to work or school, or visit family and friends

F. The Netherlands is now one of the few countries that takes cycling seriously as a mode of transportation

G. There are already 11 major employers in the Netherlands committing to measures such as financing employees' bikes

Why Do We Find It Hard to Say "No"?

    As we all know, saying "no" to others is not easy at all. But sometimes we have to learn to say "no". {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Below are common reasons why people find it hard to say "no":

    ●{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You are a kind soul at heart. You don't want to turn the person away and you want to help when possible, even if it may eat into your time.

    ● Afraid of being rude. I was brought up under the idea that saying "no", especially to people who are older, is rude. This thinking is common in Asian culture, where face saving is important. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ● Wanting to be agreeable. You don't want to alienate (疏远) yourself from the group because you're not in agreement. So you agree to others' requests.

    ● Fear of conflict (冲突) {#blank#}4{#/blank#} This might lead to an ugly confrontation (面对). Even if there isn't, there might be disagreement which might lead to bad effects in the future.

    ●{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Perhaps you are worried saying "no" means closing doors. For example, one of my friends' wives was asked to work in another department in her company. Since she liked her team, she didn't want to go. However, she didn't want to say "no" as she felt it would affect her promotion (晋升) chances in the future.

A. Wanting to help others.

B. Fear of losing chances.

C. Wanting to keep a good relationship.

D. I slowly realized I needed to learn to say "no".

E. You are afraid the person might be angry if you refuse him / her.

F. It means not making others look bad or lose face.

G. To learn to say "no", we have to first understand what's stopping us from it.