How to Care for Your Ears?

        Ears not only let us hear, but they alsoplay a role in maintaining our balance, which is vital to our ability to function in daily life. Yet, we ignore them. We can't even see our ears, exceptin a mirror. We take for granted what they do for us day in and day out－untilwe notice something's wrong, such as when an earache strikes or when we starthaving to ask people to repeat what they say.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

◆ Clean your ear with a washcloth－coveredfinger only.

      Never put anything inside your earcanal, including cotton swabs (药签).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}．

◆ Leave earwax(耳垢)alone.

      Wax is your ear's way of eliminating(消除)anything foreign that gets into the ear canal.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you find you have too much earwax,use a few drops of earwax remover(去除剂) in the canal. After a few minutes,wash the ear with warm water.

◆ Avoid noisy places.

      Rock concerts and construction sites are just a few places that frequently have noise levels that can damage hearing.Any place where you have to shout to be heard should be avoided.

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      Be careful not to play MP3 too loud, especiallyif using earphone.

◆Be careful with illness andmedications.

      Respiratory (呼吸的) illnesses should be treated to avoid their spread to the ears. Certainmedications can damage hearing, so follow the directions carefully beforetaking them.

      See your doctor if you suffer fromsudden hearing loss or hear noises in your head.   

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A. Most people don't need to clean waxout of their ears.

B. In such case, go to see a doctor assoon as possible.

C. These can be symptoms of a seriousillness which needs to be treated.

D. This article will show you how tocare for your ears.

E. Turn the volume(音量)down

F. Avoid using earphones while listeningto MP3.

G. Your ear canal is very narrow, and aswab can damage it.

    Mom and Dad are two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day. If your dad worships(崇拜) the Pittsburgh Stealers, you're likely to grow up being a big fan of that football team. And if your mom loves to read, you just might grow up carrying a book wherever you go, just like she does.

    Here are four ways you can stay close and build a strong relationship with your parents.

( 1 )Spent time together. How much time do you spend just enjoying each other's company?

Instead of playing a computer game or watching TV, maybe you can ask your mom and dad to play with you. Go outside together, try a board game, or read a book out.

( 2 )Share your feelings and ask for help. Your mom or dad might not know that you're having a problem. Tell a parent if you're sad or struggling with something.

( 3 )Show your care. Some families are always kissing, hugging, and saying “I love you”. It's important to show that you care for each other. In addition to kisses and hugs, kids and parents show their love by respecting each other, being caring, polite, and thoughtful.

( 4 )Whatever you do, do your best! You don't have to be perfect, but when you do your best, you make your parents proud. It makes them happy to see how you're turning into such a great kid. Why? Because it lets them know they're doing a good job.

    Renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking died peacefully at his home in the British university city of Cambridge in March 14 at age 76.

    Hawking, whose 1988 book “A Brief History of Time” became an unlikely worldwide bestseller and cemented (奠定) his superstar status, dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the Universe. He held the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, which is a position that was once held by Sir Isaac Newton.

    Born in 1942 in Oxford, where his parents spent the final months of pregnancy to avoid the bombings of London, Hawking was said to have been a good student although it wasn't until he was in his 20s that his true potential began to really shine through. Having initially wanted to study Mathematics, Stephen Hawking chose, instead, to read natural sciences with emphasis on Physics.

    Having found University life boring, so much so that he joined the University rowing team to relieve the boredom, it was only following an oral examination that he was awarded a first class degree.

    While at Cambridge, Hawking was diagnosed with a motor neurone (神经元）disease. He was initially given two to three years to live. The illness gradually robbed him of mobility, leaving him confined to a wheelchair, almost completely paralysed and unable to speak except through his trademark voice synthesiser (合成器）.

    Stephen Hawking led an incredible and well documented life. He was referred to in many TV programs, films, and even songs, and appeared as himself in a number of programs including Red Dwarf and the Big Bang Theory. His genius and wit won over fans from far beyond the world of astrophysics (天体物理学）, earning comparisons with Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton.

    It's a classroom. Instead of being told to sit quietly and listen, you are encouraged to stand up, jump around, imagine and act out. It's a class full of laughter and applause (鼓掌), emotion and energy. Welcome to drama class, one of my favorite classes at high school.

    In drama class we used to play a lot of “drama games”. We would improvise (即兴表演), copy and above all use our imagination.

    My favorite game was called “Spotto”. One person stood in the front of the class and performed a scene, completely out of their imagination. When one audience member yelled “Spotto!”, the performer had to freeze. Then the person who had yelled Spotto had to get up and improvise a new scenario (剧情) based on the position the first performer froze in. This went on as more and more people were added to the scene. Eventually the entire class would have joined the scene. Then the performers would start to leave in reverse (颠倒的) order.

    It was a lot of fun, and a good test of everyone's imagination to see what they would come up with. Drama class at my school often involved a big performance at the end of the term as well. We would work on a production throughout the term and put on a show for our parents and the school community.

    It was a great experience to perform on stage in front of a large audience. Drama class can help shy children, like me, to come out of their shells. It helped them become more confident and developed their public speaking skills. Drama class is also a great place to express oneself, and a way for children to use up some of their energy.

    D. Mike Miles hadn't had a stable job in years. He bounced around from temporary agency to temporary agency, never sure when his last day would be. Sometimes, he lost a job with less than a day's notice. This was not due to a poor work ethic (职业道德) - from arriving early to staying late, Miles said he did everything he could to leave good impressions on employers in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the US. But because Miles had a criminal record, he was always cut loose when it was time to let staff go.

    "It was like walking on eggshells. You just never knew when you'd be gone," he said.

    After his release from prison in 2007, Miles struggled to find stability – both mentally and financially. During this time, he lived in his mother's house and she helped him raise his daughter. When his mom passed away two years later, Miles said he became more determined than ever to create a healthy environment for his family.

    "I'm all she has, and she's all I have," he said. "I had to build a whole new relationship with my daughter, while building a whole new life for myself."

    It wasn't until October 2015, nearly a decade after he got out of prison, that a cousin told Miles about a food company that hires people who have difficulty finding jobs.

    Hoping this would clear up what felt like a thick cloud of uncertainty over his future, Miles submitted an application. He got an interview and soon after that, began his new job. His work involves everything from food production to maintenance (保存), not to mention it pays a livable wage of $15 an hour. He said it's the best job he's ever had.

    Miles' story is rare in Lancaster, where the poverty rate is around 30 percent – about double the national average. This figure annoyed Charlie Crystle, the co-founder and CEO of the company that gave Miles his job.

    Crystle said he wanted to inspire other companies and entrepreneurs (企业家) to rethink their current practices and ignite(引发)conversations about minimum wage and employment opportunities for everyone, including ex-offenders (有犯罪前科的人).

    Beyond providing employment and livable wages, the company also helps employees deal with the many challenges of reentry into society. This means anything from helping them find housing and health benefits to changing their schedules.

    Miles is now saving for a house. "It doesn't have to be a big house," he said. "I just want to be stable."

"Don't get dirty!" was once often shouted by parents angrily watching their children ruin their best clothes. It was unavoidable that children's whites would turn brown before the day was over. 

Today, many parents may secretly wish their children had the chance to pick up a bit of dirt. With the rise of city life, and the attraction of video games and social media, contact with nature is much less than in the past. For many, there is simply no opportunity to get muddy. According to recent research, the dirt outside is teaming with friendly microorganisms (微生物) that can train the immune (免疫的) system and build the body against illnesses, such as anxiety. 

These findings show that outdoor exercise is not only beneficial because of the chance to run around free—but that certain natural materials, such as soil and mud, also have powerful microorganisms which have positive effect on children's health. Outdoor play can also offer valuable learning experiences. For example, the act of rubbing and shaping materials like mud or sand can help children develop their senses and movement. 

Such activities—away from the house or classroom—may also help children to find ways to deal with emotions that may be hard to explore in other environments. So-called "Sandtray Therapy (沙盘疗法)", which includes using sand to express one's thoughts and feelings, is an accepted form of guidance for children who are struggling to speak out their inner emotions. 

Surprisingly, people who spent most of their childhood in the countryside show a better reply to stressful events like public speaking compared with those who grew up in cities. "The people who grew up in cities are kind of ‘walking time bombs' when facing the stress we meet today. However, people who have spent lots of time in nature since childhood are generally stronger in recovery and more positive." says Christopher Lowry, a professor of University of Colorado Boulder.