Fitting in fitness

    Do you find excuses not to exercise? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are a few ways to get you going.

Do what you love.

    The easiest way to fall into the habit of doing exercise is to choose an activity you enjoy — one that doesn't feel like exercise, even though it is. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you play to your strengths, you'll find fitness activities you can enjoy for years.

Choose your hour.

    Studies have shown that people who work out in the morning are most likely to stick with a routine. By doing exercise before the day starts, they can avoid the last-minute scheduling conflicts. But if you' re not a morning person, choose whatever time works best for you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Call it by another name.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If it's something you have to do anyway — like washing the car or planting some bushes in the yard — you'll achieve two goals at once.

Partner up.

    Exercise is more fun when you do it with others. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} On days when your motivation is low, you' re more likely to stick with the programme to avoid disappointing your exercise partners. You can also train with an expert. A personal trainer will help you set goals, design a personalized fitness programme, and vary your routine to keep it challenging.

    The Internet has opened up a whole new online world for us to meet, chat and go where we've never been before.

    But just as in face to face communication, there are some rules of behavior that should be followed when on line. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Imagine how you'd feel if you were in the other person's shoes.

    For anything you're about to send: ask yourself, “Would I say this to the person's face?” if the answer is no, rewrite and reread. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    If someone in the chat room is rude to you, your instinct (本能) is to fire back in the same manner. But try not to do so. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If it was caused by a disagreement with another member, try to fix the situation by politely discussing it. Remember to respect the beliefs and opinions of others in the chat room.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Offer advice when asked by newcomers, as they may not be sure what to do or how to communicate. When someone makes a mistake, whether it's a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. If it's a small mistake, you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strongly about it, think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn't give you license to correct everyone else. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} At the same time, if you find you are wrong, be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended.

    It is not polite to ask others personal questions such as their age, sex and income. Unless you know the person very well, and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information, don't ask such questions.

A. It's natural that there are some people who speak rudely or make mistakes online.

B. Repeat the process till you feel sure that you'd feel comfortable saying the words to the person's face.

C. Everyone was new to the network once.

D. The basic rule is simple: treat others in the same way you would want to be treated.

E. When you send short messages to a person online, you must say something beautiful to hear.

F. You should either ignore the person, or use your chat software to block their messages.

G. If you do decide to tell someone about a mistake, point it out politely. 

    If you were like most kids, your mother told you there were three no-no's when it came to your fingers: Don't put them in an electrical outlet, don't stick them up your nose ( at least not in public ), and don't use them when you are counting.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But experts in education and cognition now believe that using your fingers to do math is not only a perfectly good idea but may even help children become superior students.

    It certainly makes sense. When children count on their fingers, they take an abstract concept— mathematics—and translate it into the most basic and visual form.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Even when we aren't actually counting on them, they still can help us on math problem,

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It activates when we respond to heat, pressure, pain, or the use of a given finger. Studying brain scans, researchers discovered that when students aged 8 to 13 work on subtraction (减法) equations, this region “lights up” on the scans, even if the students aren't using their fingers. The more complex the problem, the more activities are detected.

    The connection between finger use and math ability has been shown on old-fashioned math tests as well. With their eyes closed, first graders were asked to identify which of their fingers a researcher was touching,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}When college students were given the same quiz, the highest scores once again performed best on calculation tests.

    So what does all this mean? For one thing, parents and teachers shouldn't discourage children from counting on their fingers.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Memorizing the multiplication tables may help, but it is not the best option. “I would like to see interesting and creative representations of ideas.” says Jo Boaler, a professor of math education.

    Recently, a series of activities have been designed to strengthen students' perception of their fingers. Maybe in the near future, there will be only two no-no ¹s regarding the use of fingers.

A. The first two laws of fingers are as true as ever.

B. There is a section of the brain, called the somatosensory finger area.

C. Researchers also stress that students simply learn better using visual tools.

D. Researchers are unimpressed by those students who finish quickly as well.

E. In fact, experts believe the brain is able to “see” a representation of our fingers.

F. That may sound simplistic, but the researchers offer an interesting explanation.

G. Researchers found those scoring highest on the finger-ID questions scored higher on a math test.

Kids' health: Four steps for fighting stress

    Everybody gets stressed from time to time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some ways of dealing with stress — like screaming or hitting someone — don't solve (解决) much. But other ways, like talking to someone you trust, can lead you to solving your problem or at least feeling better.

    Try taking these four steps the next time you are stressed：

    ⑴Get support. When you need help, reach out to the people who care about you. Talk to a trusted adult，such as a parent or other relatives. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They might have had similar problems，such as dealing with a test, or the death of a beloved pet.

    ⑵Don't take it out on yourself. Sometimes when kids are stressed and upset they take it out on themselves. Oh, dear，that's not a good idea. Remember that there are always people to help you. Don't take it out on yourself. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ⑶Try to solve the problem. After you're calm and you have support from adults and friends，it's time to get down to business. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Even if you can't solve all of it，you can solve a piece of it.

    ⑷Be positive. Most stress is temporary (暂时的). Remember stress does go away, especially when you figure out the problem and start working on solving it.

    These steps aren't magic，but they do work. And if you can stay positive as you make your way through a tough time，you'll help yourself feel better even faster. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Ask for a helping hand to get you through the tough situation.

B. Notice your friends' feelings and find a way to help them.

C. Different people feel stress in different ways.

D. Ah, it feels so good when the stress is gone.

E. You need to figure out what the problem is.

F. And don't forget about your friends.

G. Then, find a way to calm down.

    If you're looking for ways to increase your income, you might be considering accepting ads for some companies' products on your website. Here are the ways:

    Promote an affiliated (附属) product on your site. Joining a company's affiliated program is one of the simplest ways to start Internet advertising. While affiliated links aren't technically ads, they allow you to make money by promoting someone else's product. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Use targeted advertising with Google AdSense. Google's AdSense program allows you to make money by placing targeted text ads made by Google on your pages. The ads appear in the bottom of a web page with the words "Ads by Google" over the top. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Anyone, even students, can use it. Google does all the work of finding relevant ads for your site, and you just collect the payments.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If your site is already getting lots of trade, try looking for sites that offer more products. Be sure to contact potential Internet advertising partners in a profession manner. Call them on the phone instead of just e-mailing them so your communication is more personal and professional. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The more information you can give them, the more likely they will be to consider your offer.

    Sign up for a blog-specific ad program. If you have a blog, consider signing up to feature blog-specific ads on your site. The key is to consider the kinds of ads your target audience will find valuable. Get advertisers interested in your blog with a link they can use to contact you for rates and requirements. This link can be a simple message saying "Click here to find out how to advertise on this blog!" {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It's easy and free to join.

B. Approach companies directly.

C. Sign up for a context-based ad program.

D. Be ready to supply them with information about your business.

E. Making money from your site isn't a matter of putting up a few ads.

F. Through it, you can earn payments when someone makes a purchase.

G. In that way, anyone is free to discuss advertising opportunities with you.

    The job interview is an important part of your job search because it's an opportunity for the employer to figure out if you're right for the job. The following tips may help you prepare for your job interview.

    ●Dress for success. Professional business clothes are always appropriate, regardless of the type of job you are applying for.

    ●Be there on time. Try to arrive 5 to 10 minutes early to be safe. Find out ahead of time where you're going and how long it will take you to get there. Drive or travel the route a day or two ahead, at the same time of day as you will on the day of the interview. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Have a backup(备用)plan.

    ●Let your personality shine. If you're excited about the job, don't be afraid to show it. Employers want passionate employees, so be yourself.

    ●Be confident. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But just don't let your nerves overpower your interview. Eye contact and a calm, clear speaking voice are excellent ways to show your confidence.

    ●Watch your body language. During your interview, relax and sit naturally, but don't slouch(没精打采地坐)in your chair or lean on the interviewer's desk.

    ●Be polite. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Remember, this is your first introduction to the organization, so be polite to everyone you meet and turn off your cell phone.

    ●Listen and ask for clarification(阐明), if you need it. Remember to listen carefully to the interview questions so that you can actually answer the questions, and never interrupt. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ●Let them know what you have to offer. When answering the questions, let the employer see what you have to offer to his organization. Talk about your past experiences and achievements honestly, and tie those experiences to how they can help you contribute to his organization.

    ●{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Although you want to be open and honest in your interview, avoid talking about your personal or financial problems.

A. Think before you speak.

B. Confirm how often the buses run.

C. This begins with a smile and a firm handshake.

D. If you believe in yourself, you will surely succeed.

E. Feeling nervous in an interview is perfectly normal.

F. Make sure you have enough to answer the questions.

G. If you don't understand something, just ask for explanation.