Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think we buy too much. They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Buy Nothing Day is November 29. It's 25 days before Christmas. It's after Thanksgiving and often the first day of Christmas shopping.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, British Columbia.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}In California, parents and children get together to read stories, sing songs, and paint pictures. The children talk about why they don't need a lot of toys. This year, in Manchester, England, people dressed up in costumes to tell people that we buy too much.

    In Albuquerque, New Mexico, high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a spaghetti dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They made posters and talked to other students about it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The students at high schools liked the idea of this new tradition. Next year, they want to have another dinner to tell more people about Buy Nothing Day.

A. They asked restaurants in the neighborhood to donate the food.

B. At this time, we see ads in Newspapers and, on TV telling us to “buy, buy, buy!”

C. Buy Nothing Day has successfully persuaded people not buy anything.

D. Many people think highly of the idea of Buy Nothing Day.

E. They don't want anyone to go shopping on that day.

F. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day.

G. The dinner was a big success, and many students agreed not to buy anything on November 29.

    It's not easy to just get up and go if you're not a morning person. But with some preparation, you can have a great morning routine (常规) before school, which can also make for a good day.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A great morning routine doesn't include cramming (突击式学习) for a test or struggling to get your homework done as you're running out of the door.

    Shower the night before. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And if you can, do your hair the night before so when you wake up, you'll be able to freshen yourself quickly to get to school and get on with the day.

    Lay out your clothes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Make sure to lay out everything you need, including your socks and shoes. Another thing is hair. If your school has a preference (偏爱) of what you do with your hair, be sure to respect that.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It helps in the morning if you have something in front of you to check off as you're walking out of the door. The list should include your homework, books and your lunch or lunch money as well as anything else you normally take with you to school.

    Eat a good breakfast. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  Eating a healthy breakfast helps improve your focus and allows you to stay active in your classes. If you can, prepare your meal the night before. At the least, set out your spoons and plates.

A. Make a list of everything you will take.

B. Brush your teeth after you eat breakfast.

C. Get all your homework done before going to bed.

D. Check the weather forecast and choose your clothing.

E. A great morning routine should always include a good breakfast.

F. Don't hurry and make sure you have everything before you leave.

G. That helps you have a good sleep and save much time in the morning.

    Any exercise is good exercise, but when it comes to losing weight, it's hard to beat running. After all, running is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories and get fit without having to restrict your diet. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you're not a runner yet but interested in losing weight, here are four reasons running can be the best exercise for weight loss.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}When comparing running with walking the same distance, studies find that running will lead to greater weight loss, most likely because your resting energy expenditure stays elevated(高的) after you run. In a long-term comparison study of runners and walkers, calories burned through running led to 90% more weight loss than calories burned through walking.

    Running is time-efficient. Even if the myth that running a mile and walking a mile burn the same number of calories were true, running is a considerably faster way to burn those calories.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    Running is convenient. Though many of us have accumulated a vast arsenal（武器，装备） of GPS gadgets and tech tees over the years, little is actually required to go running. You can do it alone. You can do it almost anywhere. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} For this reason alone, running is the best workout for weight loss because it's cheap and accessible, and there are fewer barriers to maintaining a routine, even while traveling.

    Two words: runner's high. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Fortunately, studies support what many runners have experienced on an anecdotal level—running can actually get you high. Scientists have found links between moderate to intense exercise and morphine-like brain chemicals, which explains the occasional flood of thrill that rushes over you during a hard run. That happy sensation you had after your last race makes you want to go for another run, right?

A. Cultivate the good habit of running.

B. Running works even when you're at rest.

C. You will never stick to a habit if you don't like it.

D. The first rule of exercising for weight loss is that if you don't enjoy it, you won't stick with it.

E. You don't need any equipment beyond a pair of running shoes.

F. If you're already a runner, keep on.

G. Most people can run two or three times as far as they can walk in a given amount of time.

    Lavender essential oil (熏衣草精油) is obtained mostly from the flowers of the lavender plant. It has not only been used in making perfumes for many years but also has various health benefits.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Lavender essential oil is known as an excellent treatment for various types of pains including those caused by sore and tense muscles, muscular aches, backache, and So on. A study on postoperative pain relief showed that combining lavender essential oil vapor with the oxygen significantly reduced the amount of pain experienced.

    Induce (引起) sleep. Frequent studies on elderly patients have shown an increase in their sleep regularity when their normal sleep medication is replaced with some lavender essential oil being placed on their pillows. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Therefore, it often replaces modern medicines for sleep issues.

    Reduce mental stress and anxiety. Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent treatment for the nerve and anxiety issues. The refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness while also increasing mental activity. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Provide hair care. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}A Scottish study reported that more than 40% of alopecia(脱发)patients in the study reported an increase in hair growth when they regularly applied lavender essential oil to the skin under their hair. Therefore, lavender oil is sometimes recommended as a preventative measure for male pattern hairlessness.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}There is a significant research on the effects of lavender, in combination with other essential oils, as a way to prevent the occurrence of breast cancer in mice. However, this could be an indication of an increased chance of lavender battling the presence of other cancers.

A. Prevent cancer.

B. Relieve muscle pain.

C. It has a relaxing impact on people.

D. Promote muscle strength and health.

E. It has a well-researched impact on the automatic nervous system.

F. Lavender essential oil is very helpful in the treatment of hair loss.

G. Therefore, it can be helpful in treating depression, nervous tension and emotional stress.

    If your family is thinking of getting a pet, consider adopting from an animal shelter, where all animals are in need of loving homes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are some tips for you to find great animals.

    Make some decisions.

    Think about what you want in a pet and remember that all pets have different personalities. Cats tend to be more independent, but kittens need lots of attention. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, they are usually great companions and love to spend time with their family.

    Visit the shelter.

     {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Remember that you may need to visit more than one shelter, or you may need to make more than one visit. Try to bring along everyone who will be living with the new pet. Ask the shelter staff lots of questions. And never adopt an animal because you feel sorry for it—be patient so you can find a pet who is truly a good match for your family.

     {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Buy all necessary supplies and food well before the animal comes home. Make sure that the entire household is in agreement about rules and responsibilities—will the dog be allowed on the couch? Who will clean the litter-box? Put it in writing before the pet arrives.

    Bring your new friend home!

    You'll probably be excited when your new pet arrives, but be sure to give it space and time to get adjusted to a new home and a new family. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Interact with your pet a lot and get it used to a routine, and soon you'll be one big happy family!

A. Get everything ready

B. Both cats and dogs are human's good partners.

C. Dogs need to be walked at least twice a day.

D. The pet may act differently once they leave the shelter.

E. Set aside at least a few hours to visit shelters in your area.

F. Put away the garbage cans.

G. Some may come with emotional or behavioral issues, but most are happy, healthy, and ready for a loving home.

    Multitasking-doing several things at a time-was once applauded as the best way to work. But does it actually help you get things done, or does it make you less effective?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you can actually do two or more things at one time, that clearly saves time.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}And it can fill time that would otherwise he spent poorly.

    However, a growing body of research shows that multitasking is not as productive as it appears. It turns out that when most people multitask, they don't actually focus on more than one thing at a time.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}But changing your focus constantly uses mental energy that could he spent working. It also causes you to take longer and make more mistakes. In addition, it creates stress. People who try to multitask often end up feeling more anxious and less peaceful than people who don't.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}A very small group of people-about two percent of the population-excel at multitasking. These people, called supertaskers, are able to work on several things at once without their performance suffering. But experts caution: supertaskers are very rare. The majority of people who think multitasking makes them more productive are fooling themselves.

    If you do want to multitask, productivity experts recommend doing it carefully.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. There are some exceptions to the no-multitasking vile.

B. Instead they switch back and forth between concentrating on two or more tasks.

C. Doing things one at a time usually helps people produce better work.

D. To some people, the advantages of multitasking seem obvious.

E. Multitasking actually works against the goal of getting things done.

F. It might also make you feel productive, which can in turn make you happy.

G. Pair a mentally challenging task with a physical task you don't have to think about.