Every animal sleeps,but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

    One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We  know that, while awake,fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强)connections between brain cells, but the  memory processes that take place while we sleep  have been unclear.

    Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons(神经元)in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep,showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information —our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

    Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapscs become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.

    Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your school work.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The following are some tips that might help you take good notes.

    Write down key facts and ignore unimportant details.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Some teachers write notes on the blackboard, and that's great. You can copy them in class. Some teachers may not write anything down. You should take notes of the important points said by them.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} don't be afraid to ask your teacher to repeat what you miss. Comparing your notes with your classmates' can be good for your learning. It can also help you and your classmates correct some mistakes.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The notes of different subjects should be written in different notebooks so that you can find everything easily when a test comes.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} but in the long run it saves time. If you get into the habit of recopying your notes every evening, you will find that you have got a better understanding of your lessons.

A. Good note-taking takes time.

B. If your teacher speaks too fast.

C. Good note-taking is not just copying.

D. Your teachers might do things differently.

E. Note-taking also needs good organization.

F. Note-taking also needs good memorization.

G. It can also make you feel more confident when you are studying.

The Value of Tears

    Tears can ruin make-up, bring conversation to a stop, and give you a runny nose．Tears leave you embarrassed and without energy．Still, crying is a fact of life, and your tears are very useful．Even when you're not crying, they make a film over the eye's surface{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    When tears fall, they reduce stress．But we tend to fight them for all! sorts of reasons． "People worry about showing their emotions , afraid that once they lose control they'll never get it back{#blank#}2{#/blank#}After we cry, the feelings that caused the tears often disappear．

    Sometimes people become much stressed and can't cry. Whatever emotion they are feeling—shock, anger, fear, or sadness—is being held back．

But everyone has the need to cry. Psychologist Vera Diamond explains that her treatment often consists of giving people permission to cry{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Patients practice crying just to become used to expressing emotions．She suggests safe, private places to cry, like under the bedcovers or in the car．Crying is a way of reducing tension, but people don't like it when others cry because it makes them tense{#blank#}4{#/blank#} And they'll do just about anything to make you stop．

    In certain situations, such as at work, tears are not appropriate．It's good not to cry during a tense business discussion{#blank#}5{#/blank#}You should also act out the whole situation again and be as noisy and angry as you like．It will help you feel better． "And," she adds, "Once your tears have taken away the stress, you can begin to think calmly of ways to deal with the problem．"

    Tears are a sign of our ability to feel．If you find yourself near someone crying, deal with it．And never be afraid to cry yourself．

A．She gives crying exercises．

B．They cry for different reasons．

C．They too may be holding back a need to cry．

D．The fact is that no emotion lasts forever．

E．It contains a chemical against infection.

F．But once you're safely behind closed doors, don't just cry．

G．It forms in response to the stress on the surface of the eye．

    Cross-country skiing can be enjoyed by a wide range of students, from the youngest kindergartners to those secondary students. It is really a fun activity, providing students a gentle workout outside in winter. While having fun, students can gain physical and mental benefits.

    The physical benefits of cross-country skiing are well-known. If we look at Olympic cross-country skiers, we can see the positive effects on the body that result from training for cross-country skiing.

    The average best female cross-country skiers carry 11 percent body fat, and best male skiers carry 5 percent. These percentages are well below the average people who are considered to be athletic—17 percent for females and 10 percent for males. Burning a high number of calories while skiing helps to keep skiers slim in a healthy and attractive way.

    Cross-country skiing is also an efficient way to exercise a large number of muscles at once. The upper body gets much more of workout because skiers use ski poles as a means of propulsion (推进), the force that drives skiers forward. Of course, the leg muscles also do their fair share. People who use cross-country skiing as a workout over several weeks will discover that the muscles of their whole body increase in strength.

    Cross-country skiing on a regular basis has a tremendous effect on a person's cardiovascular (心血管的) system. In addition to gaining strength in the muscles of the upper and lower body, people who use cross-country skiing as a workout method over several weeks will also discover that their heart is stronger. A strong heart pumps more efficiently, sending out more blood to the muscles with each contraction (收缩). Through weeks of skiing, people often discover that their resting heart rate has decreased. Highly trained Olympic cross-country skiers have resting heart rates between 28 and 40 beats per minute. Compare that to the resting heart rate of the average person, which is 60 to 80 beats per minute!

    The benefits of cross-country skiing extend beyond overall general health. A lot of evidence exists showing that regular physical activities increase the release of mood-lifting endorphins  (内啡肽) in the body. After fun skiing lessons, students will be full of energy; they will be relaxed and in a better mood than when they started class. Students will leave class with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that they have developed new skills in a fun activity.

Cross-country skiing is a great way to exercise the whole body. Now more and more students are taking part in this exercise outside during the winter months. They are enjoying it and benefiting from it!

    Bad days happens to many of us. Something makes us sad, angry, frustrated or disappointed. But you still have to get up and go to work. Everything others say to you sounds stupid.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} . Luckily, you can do something about it. Here are some ways to turn around a bad day.

    Accept your bad mood

    Being in a bad mood is not that hard. If you're mad, be mad.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} . This does not give you license to be rude and unpleasant to others. It just means that you need to recognize and accept your bad mood to be able to do something.

    Tell others

    You can try to keep your bad mood a secret and put on your happy mask. Guess what, you're fooling nobody.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} . Simply tell them “listen guys, I'm in a really sour mood today. I'm not sure why, but it's nothing to do with what you have done. If I bite your head off, I apologize in advance.”

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 

    Spend a few moments to try thinking of at least one or two things that aren't all bad: Something you look forward to, such as a person you like at work or something nice that happened recently.

    Take some quiet time

    And if you're having a really bad day, it may be a good idea to withdraw a little if you can. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} . Sit and work somewhere quiet. Take a long bathroom break. Consider going home early or taking the day off.

A. Remember the good

B. It's important to get along well with others

C. Everyone seems to annoy you

D. The best thing to do is to tell the people you work closely with

E. If you're sad, be sad

F. Ask for advice

G. Take a walk in your lunch break

    When times are tough, how should governments in poor countries ensure their citizens remain fed? In the past, most of them used subsidies (现金补助) to keep food prices low for all their citizens. But these policies have become ineffective: the cost of maintaining Egypt's food subsidies, for instance, nearly doubled between 2009 and 2013. And much of the money goes to the wrong people. In Egypt and the Philippines less than 20% of spending on food subsidies goes to poor households. In the Middle East and North Africa only 35% of subsidies reach 40% of the poorest, the IMF notes.

    Motivated by a desire to control growing budget deficits (赤字) , many countries are replacing broad subsidies with policies aimed more directly at the needy. But what form should the targeted aid take? Earlier this month Iran introduced free handouts of food to replace its subsidy method. Other countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, have chosen instead to provide extra cash benefits to the poor. So far, food vouchers (代金券) have been the least popular option. Proposals to introduce food vouchers in such countries as Malaysia have been rejected on the basis that they were too American and un-Asian.

    However, the researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) thought that might have been a mistake and analyzed the results of an experiment conducted by the World Food Programme in Ecuador, a South American country, in 2011, which compared handouts of food, cash and vouchers in the experiment. The study found that direct handouts— Iran's new policy—were the least effective option. They cost three times as much as vouchers to promote calorie intake by 15%, and were four times as costly as a way of increasing dietary diversity and quality. Distribution costs were high, and wastage was also a problem. Only 63% of the food given away was actually eaten, while 83% of the cash was spent on food and 99% of the vouchers were exchanged as intended. Food handouts have also been the costliest option in similar projects in some African countries, according to John Hoddinott at IFPRI.

    In Ecuador there was little difference in cost between handing out cash and food vouchers, the other two options. But food vouchers were better at encouraging people to buy healthier foods because of restrictions on what items could be exchanged for them. It was 25% cheaper to promote the quality of household nutrition using food vouchers than it was by handing out cash.

    A switch from universal subsidies to vouchers could be the most efficient way of promoting health as well as relieving poverty. This is very necessary in many developing countries, according to Lynn Brown, a consultant for the World Bank.