The main cause of death and disability in the US

    Stroke (中风) is the main cause of death and disability in the United States. Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is the nation's third leading cause of death, ranking behind diseases of the heart and all forms of cancer. The following is something more about stroke.

Definition and description of a stroke

    Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries(动脉) leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel（血管） that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So stroke forms.

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    The American Stroke Association has identified several factors (因素) that increase the risk of stroke. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that he or she will have a stroke. Some of these you can't control, such as increasing age, family health history, race, and previous stroke. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Factors resulting from lifestyle or environment can be improved with a healthcare provider's help.

Breakthroughs in treatment

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In fact, about 600,000 people have strokes every year. For many years, there was no hope for those suffering a stroke. However, recent breakthroughs have led to new treatments. For the treatments to work, the person must get to a hospital immediately.

Easy Ways to Improve Your Mood

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Taking an extra moment for yourself will make your day brighter and give you a healthier outlook on life. Here are some simple ways you can bring a little happiness into your life right now:

    Go for a walk.

    Grab your dog, best friend, or your significant other and head out on a brisk(轻快的) walk. Just a little bit of exercise can improve your mood and give you a fresh perspective on problems that have been bothering you. Think walks are boring? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Take a trip to the mall, or even walk to get some frozen yogurt. Make it a fun trip and you'll surely make it part of your routine.

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    After all, laughter is the best medicine. Pick up something that makes you laugh like a funny picture, book, magazine, or a DVD of your favorite comedy. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Giving yourself time to laugh increases feel-good endorphins(胺多酚).

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    Take a photo of yourself doing something you enjoy, like roller skating, skiing, swimming, playing an instrument, or being with friends and family. Place the picture on your desk to remind yourself that you lead an amazing life and have lots to be happy about.

A. Model behavior.

B. Buy something silly.

C. Ten minutes of relaxation can do wonders.

D. Try walking to a place that seems exciting to you.

E. You could even plan a date night out to a comedy club.

F. Tell someone that you're guaranteed to brighten their day.

G. Even the most optimistic people can use a mood boost every once in a while.

    Global Positioning System (GPS) is now a part of everyday driving in many countries. It is a space-based system that provides position and time information in all weather conditions. GPS can help people get to where they want to go.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When this happens, the driver is often to blame. Sometimes a GPS error is responsible. Most often, it is a combination of the two.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Barry Brown, a GPS technologist, took an incident as an example. His friend once flew to an airport in the eastern United States. There he borrowed a GPS-equipped car to use. He wrongly plugged in the home address in the west. It wasn't until he was driving for thirty minutes that he realized it. Mr. Brown says this is a common human error. But he says, “One problem is that GPS has a very small screen and it can just tell you the next turn.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}”

    “The Normal and Natural Troubles of Driving with GPS” lists several areas where GPS can cause difficulties. They include maps that are outdated, incorrect or difficult to understand. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}GPS may fail due to these reasons and then lead to confusion for the drivers.

    Although GPS sometimes causes difficulties when people are driving, the most attractive point of this system is its 100% coverage on the planet. It is important for you to have to know what you are doing when you use GPS. You need to have the “ability” to be able to use GPS because it sometimes goes wrong.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. There are quite a few situations showing the problems of using GPS.

B. That means that it is not really telling you about going to the wrong place.

C. This space-based system is an important tool for civil and commercial users.

D. But sometimes it sends you to the wrong place or leaves you completely lost.

E. They also contain timing problems related to when GPS commands are given.

F. Advances in technology play an active role in modernizing GPS in many ways.

G. To make GPS well used, you need a good understanding of how drivers and GPS work.

    Like many people, the start of the day maybe isn't your favourite time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Try at least one of these tomorrow.

    Stretch（伸展）every part of your body for 15 minutes.

    Try this before you open your eyes. Lift your arm and begin by stretching each finger, then your hand, then your wrist, then your arm. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Then your toes, feet, ankles and legs. In this way, you upped the flow of blood through your body, providing more oxygen to all parts of your body.

    Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can begin your day by lying in bed, slowly waking up, mentally ticking off the decisions you made in advance about what you're going to wear, what you are going to do.

    Brush your tongue for 2-3 minutes.

    There's no better way to rid you of bad morning breath and begin your day fresh and clean. After all, more than 300 types of bacteria stay in your mouth every night. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Avoid any decisions.

    For truly relaxing mornings, reduce the number of choices and decisions you make to zero. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Really, there's no need to vary your breakfast, timetable or clothes to wear every morning.

A. Repeat with the other arm.

B. You can change your living habits.

C. Make your decisions the night before.

D. These few minutes in bed are all yours.

E. Quick brush can't make them all disappear.

F. Here are some healthy habits you can learn without much efforts.

G. In this way, you don't have to jump out of bed and rush through your morning.

    The “best years of your life”? Maybe not, but you can learn to make the most of your high school days.

    Learn to appreciate small things. Whether it's having a computer, having friends, having a good supply of food, a bed to sleep on, family that loves you, having a good education or simply being born in this world.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Be happy, and life will reward you. Remember that these are the last few years you will be able to enjoy yourself without having to worry about the responsibility of an adult, but make sure you prepare yourself for when you do become one.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Unlike what many articles state, you don't have to be popular and have many friends to be happy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Try to have friends that like you who you are, not just because you are wearing a certain brand of shoes or something like that. These are people who shop at the same store as you; not someone who will sympathize with you when your dog dies.

    Be sociable.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} While you only need 4 or 5 close friends, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to meet new people. Participating gives you something to do instead of sitting bored at home.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Video games, for example, are good if you're the type who can get into that kind of thing. You should also find a hobby that is meaningful or practical. Use your “hobby time” to either volunteer (to gain practical skills for college apps, job resumes, and scholarships) or learn an instrument, or get into something else in the creative field like painting or dance.

A. You can pursue interests you enjoy.

B. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C. Choose your friends wisely.

D. Participating in clubs, activities, and sports increases your chances of meeting new friends.

E. In fact, many of the “friends” you have when you are popular are not true friends.

F. Being confident in your appearance makes you more confident in other areas.

G. Remember that the point of life is for you to enjoy it.

Traditional Chinese Culture

    Chinese culture is over 5,000 years old.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The spirit of the tea ceremony

    Xihu Longjing(West Lake Dragon Well)and Yunnan Pu'er have long been world famous.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The spirit of the Chinese tea ceremony captures the Chinese attitude towards life and spirituality. These are the things that people all over the world can benefit from.

    A handful of good tea leaves with some boiling water and a set of lovely tea ware are the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon and gain some insights into the wisdom of that ancient civilization.

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    During the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, many different flavors, styles, and cuisines(烹饪)have developed, based on traditional philosophy and culture. This ancient food culture has had a direct impact on the countries such as Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore. It has benefited billions of people around the world through innovations such as Chinese vegetarian culture, tea culture, vinegar, pasta, medicinal diets, ceramic tableware, and the use of soybeans in the diet.

    Confucianism

    Confucianism emphasizes peacefulness and harmony between heaven and humanity, through pursuing the "Tao", which is the harmonization between nature and mankind. It advocates harmony and moderation, including the harmony between individuals, as well as the harmony between a man and his inner self.

    Confucianism has flourished during the last 2,500 years of China's 5,000­year history.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} This school of thought has had the most profound and long lasting influence in China's history. Seventy­four Nobel Prize winners and many other highly respected scholars have stated that for the benefit of mankind's livelihood and development into the next century, these teachings should be promoted and adopted worldwide.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Chinese cuisine

B. Traditional Chinese culture

C. It has been the mainstay of that ancient civilization.

D. They are pretty popular due to their superior color and flavor.

E. The following three items of traditional Chinese culture have had a worldwide impact.

F. This wonderfully rich food culture has also had an impact on Europe，America and Oceania.

G. This would provide long lasting benefits for man，helping to ensure a peaceful and happy life.