Your mobile is now much more than just a communication device - more like a remote control for your life. You still call it a "mobile" from habit, but it is an organizer, entertainment device, payment device and security（安全） center, all developed and manufactured by engineers.

    What we do need is better mobiles and more intelligence. Because it knows your travel timetable it can check for problems on the roads or with the trains, giving you the best route into work. It can control your home, reprogramming the central heating if you need to get up earlier and keeping an eye on your home by connecting your mobile with the home security system. It is your payment system—you can pay for tickets for journeys or buy items in shops by placing the phone near a sensor(感应器). With an understanding of location, the mobile can also provide directions, or even tell you if your friends or family are nearby.

    Usually it will start work even before you wake. It will work with your home entertainment system while you sleep to find programmes that will interest you and download them as a podcast to watch on the train or in other spare moments. It will intelligently work out what to do with incoming phone calls and messages. Because it knows your diary it will also know, for example, to direct voice calls to voicemail when you are in a meeting, perhaps providing a discrete text summary of the caller and the nature of their call.

    With its understanding of almost all aspects of your life; many new services become possible. For example, a “Good Food” meal planning service could send daily suggestions for your evening meal based on learned preferences, previous selections made and the likely contents of your refrigerator.

    Ten years ago the mobile was purely a device for making voice calls. Now it is a camera, MP3 player, and texting device. This is only the start of an evolution that will turn it into our trusted and indispensable companion in life.

    Scientists often see the first ten years of a child's life as the “window of opportunity”.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}And studies show that the following activities can benefit their brain greatly.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Free playtime has always been an important part of “being a kid”, but it is also important to a child's development. “Free play” not only helps kids develop different skills, it also helps them develop into happy healthy adults in the future.

Read with kids

    Reading has long been known to improve children's intelligence.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For parents who don't have much time, just surrounding your kids with books goes a long way too.

Put kids to bed early

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Preschool children should get at least eleven hours of sleep and kids up to age 12 should try to get at least ten hours of sleep.

Learn a second language

    Early studies in this field have shown that bilingual （双语的）kids can perform better under pressure. Young children can learn new languages with nearly perfect fluency （流利）and pronunciation.

Praise good effort not intelligence

    Your kids may be smart but you should mainly praise the effort they put into tasks. Kids, who are praised on intelligence, often feel it is a fixed quality, and mistakes or failures badly hurt their self-confidence. Kids who are praised on effort often focus more on learning.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Play some helpful games

B. Give them enough playtime

C. And they are not afraid to fail and try again

D. Kids still need time away from the TV to do homework

E. Kids who read often develop earlier writing and number skills as well

F. Everything at this time is very important to the development of a person's brain

G. Studies show that kids with regular bedtimes are better at languages, math and reading

    In today's busy and competitive world, we all lead incredibly stressful lives. When stress becomes overwhelming, it can affect our mood and productivity.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The good news is that it is manageable and can be reduced, or even relieved completely.

    Enter the world of books. Feeling stressed out? Pick up your favorite book and leave the reality and worries behind. It is the most effective way to relax and overcome stress.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Getting lost in a book before bedtime can calm your mind and prepare your body for a good night's sleep.

    Connect with people. Another way to successfully beat stress is meeting with friends. Friends and loved ones are important to any healthy lifestyle. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed and just can't seem to shake it off, call your best friend or a member of your family and talk to them.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Walk it off. You can also effectively relieve yourself of stress by simply taking a walk around your neighborhood.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} There's a whole new world up there that you never seem to notice while rushing to work or talking to someone. Take a moment to admire a new building or a balcony somewhere high up that reminds you of a castle from your favorite movie. Enjoy your time alone and seize every moment of it.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Nothing brings you back on track like a good laughter. It is the most powerful antidote(良方) to stress and it brings joy into your life. Laughing brings people together and drives away all stress-related problems as if they never existed. It is absolutely the best medicine there is, and it will keep you both physically and emotionally healthy.

A. Laugh it off.

B. Take some medicine.

C. As you walk, remember to look up.

D. Reading may also help you sleep better.

E. Your hobby could be reading books, or even writing one.

F. But most importantly, it can affect our physical and mental health.

G. The conversation with a close person will immediately make you feel better.

    Reading is an interesting and useful thing. You can read a novel or a poem. But do you know how to read? Here's some advice for you.

    Define your purpose for reading. Before you start reading, ask yourself why are you reading this book.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Being specific and clear about your reading purpose not only helps you to eliminate books that you don't need to read. It also reminds you why reading the book is important to you as you are reading it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Whether you are reading fiction or nonfiction, it's important to enjoy what you read. Your friends may recommend books that they love, but those books might not necessarily be the ones you enjoy.

    Give up books that you don't enjoy. You may have selected books that are aligned with (与……一致) your purpose.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} But as you are reading them, there may still be some books that you won't enjoy reading. Whenever you realize that you aren't enjoying the book you are reading, give it up. Remember reading shouldn't be a chore (杂事).

    Give yourself a deadline to complete each book. Before you read each book, ask yourself when you need to complete this book. When you don't set a deadline to complete your book, there isn't a sense of urgency.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}you tend to procrastinate (拖延).

A. When something is urgent

B. When something isn't urgent

C. Because reading is very important

D. Read only what you are attracted to

E. You may have selected books that you are attracted to

F. Most people read for two main reasons—pleasure or knowledge

G. This motivates you to keep reading and complete the book faster

How to Become a Lifelong Learner

    Learning doesn't stop just because school does. Making a commitment to yourself to learn something new every day, you will not only enjoy what you discover, but you will be able to apply your knowledge and become a teacher to future generations. Here are some steps to become a life­long learner. 

    Learn how you learn.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Note what learning techniques are most efficient for you and use them as much as is practical, such as viewing online tutorials on websites like YouTube if you're more of a visual learner. 

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Try many different things so that you don't box yourself into believing you're only good at a few things. It's probable that you're good at many things, but you won't know until you've tried. 

    Look at learning as an exploration and opportunity, not a chore (琐事)．Don't just force yourself to learn things because they are important or necessary. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Follow your heart, as well as your sense of duty. Do you remember the 8th grade history that you hated so much, with all those names and dates that seemed to mean nothing? The point was to bring you to learn details now, which will knit chunks of information together later.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}   

    Read, read, read.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Reading is a gateway into other worlds and into the minds of your fellow human beings. And reading will help you to learn the discoveries and mistakes of others who have gone before you; reading is, in effect, a shortcut so that you don't have to learn things the hard way. 

A．Learn where your talents and interests lie.

B．It was a chore then, but it makes sense, now.

C．Recognize the educational value in whatever you read.

D．Determine your own preferred learning style or styles.

E．Their ways of learning might help you to improve your own.

F．Make friends with your local library and new and used book sellers.

G．Instead, learn things that you need to learn alongside things you love to learn.

    Research suggests that at least 64% of people now spend up to four hours daily of spare time in front of a screen. Just as TV watching has been linked to higher chances of being fat and getting diseases, this extra sedentary (久坐不动) time is bad news for our health. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    ⒈Choose outdoor activities over technology

    When you're at home, make it a rule that you can't be online if the sun is shining. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Then, after taking these healthy physical activities, you can pull out your phone or tablet, or take a seat at the computer. This rule should be fit for everyone in your family.

    ⒉Limit social media use

    According to some experts, the effect of technology on human relationships is worrying as technology has become a substitute for face-to-face human relationships. And Social networks have changed computer and mobile use for people of all ages.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Avoid aimless browsing (浏览) and give your time online a purpose: research holidays or catch up on the news of the day. Then log off.

    ⒊{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Challenge yourself to read at least 30 pages of a great book before you check your computer or mobile phone. Pick the right reading material and you'll soon find you've discovered an enjoyable pastime.

    ⒋Create projects for yourself

    It's amazing how much you can achieve when you're not glued to (长时间盯着) a screen. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Some suggestions are organizing kitchen cupboards, cleaning your bedroom. Then try to do one each evening.

A. Set aside reading time

B. Choose the suitable reading materials

C. Make a list of one-hour evening projects

D. Here are some ways to stop technology addiction

E. Whether it's Facebook or Twitter, limit the time online

F. The following are some ways to make better use of leisure time

G. Instead, you have to go for a walk, ride a bike, or swim at least an hour