We all believe we listen well and yet many times we feel others are not listening to us. However, listening goes in both directions—you may believe you are listening well, but how often have you completely forgotten what was said to you? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Make eye contact.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} when People talk, they put out visual clues that add to the conversation and meaning of their words.

Stop talking.

    You can't listen, talk and at the same time completely receive the meaning of the other person's words. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

React without words.

    Let the other person know you are listening through physical reactions, such as head nods, smiles, frowns and eye movement.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Concentrate.

    Concentrate on what the other person is saying. Clear your mind of other thoughts and emotions and focus on the conversation at hand. Be in the moment of that conversation, and don't think about what you want to say back.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Behave as an effective listener. The more you continue to behave as a listener, the more you will be an effective listener.

    Harvard University health policy researcher Ellen Meara says scholars have found some clues as to why some groups of people have more or less disease than others. She says one important factor in people's health is the amount of education they have.

    In her most recent paper, Meara looked at data from the United States census(人口普查). These counts of people occur every 10 years. Meara and her colleagues examined data from several decades.

    Meara says they found that in 1990, a 25-year-old who only had some secondary school could expect to live for a total of 75 years. In 2000, a 25 year old with some secondary education could also expect to live to the age of 75.

    In contrast, for a better educated 25-year-old, they could expect to live to the age of 80 in 1990. Someone with a similar education level in the year 2000 could expect to live to be more than 81 years, 81.6 years to be exact.

    Meara says, not only do better-educated people live longer to begin with, but in the past ten years, more educated people have made gains in the length of their lives. Meanwhile, the life expectancy hasn't changed for less educated people.

    Some of these gains can be explained. Meara says researchers know that people who are more educated are more likely to quit smoking cigarettes, or not start at all, compared to people with less education.

    “I think it's a reminder not to be satisfactory,” Meara says. “Just because a population overall appears to be getting healthier, it doesn't always mean that those advantages and successes that many people have enjoyed really extend into all parts of the population. And I think that's something to really pay attention to regardless of whether you live in the US or elsewhere.”

    Meara points out that education can often determine income — people with more education frequently make more money. This makes them aware of health care, and purchase other resources and services that can keep them healthier. But the data on income do not show that people who make more money are automatically healthier. Meara says education is key. People need to be educated in order to take advantage of opportunities for better health.

    Title: The Amount of Education  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} to People's Health.

    Tips for making small talk

    Some people are not good at small talk.Making small talk doesn't have to be either awkward or boring.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Have some conversation starters ready.

    When you are sharing the same experience with someone,it's easy to start a conversation.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}If you are at a party and a song comes on that you like or that reminds you of something,you can talk about that.

    Ask open-ended（开放式的）questions.

    These types of questions require more thought and more than a simple one-word answer.If you ask questions that need more details to answer,the conversation will go on longer.If you are at a summer pool party,don't ask people if they like summer.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Become a student.

    Nobody knows everything.So,as someone is answering one of your open-ended questions,they raise something about which you know nothing.So,tell them!{#blank#}4{#/blank#}They feel good about sharing their knowledge and you get to learn something.It's a win-win situation.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Some people do not like their jobs or maybe they don't want to talk about them.So,instead of asking,“What do you do for a living?”ask something like,“So,what have you been doing these days?”or “So,what have you been up to?”One general question can contribute to an opportunity to share something you have in common.Ask people about their families,their passions,their ambitions or even their fears.However,balance these questions with comments about yourself.Asking too many questions may make people feel they are in an interview rather man in a conversation.

A.Don't ask,“So,what do you do?”

B.This lets the other person become the teacher.

C.By doing do,you can show that you are a modest person.

D.Here are some tips to improve your small-talking ability.

E.Instead,ask them what they like or dislike about summer.

F.It can be a lot of fun if you practice doing it,again and again.

G.You simply notice and comment on what's going on around you.

    My mother is a kind woman. She is very busy from morning till night. As a teacher, she works hard. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Both my brother and I love her dearly as she loves us. My mother has been teaching math at a middle school in my hometown. She goes to work early in the morning and does not return home until late in the afternoon. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} She treats them with patience and teaches them well.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Every day, when she comes back home from work, she sets about doing housework, sweeping the living room and bedrooms. As she has been very busy working every day, she looks older than her age. But she looks as cheerful and happy as ever. Mother never buys expensive dresses for herself. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Often she says to us, “Work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be a happy person. If you do not work, you will become lazy and be of no use to society". What a piece of good advice this is! {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This advice of hers will always serve as a guide to my behavior. My mother is great indeed, and I always feel proud of her.

A. She enjoys listening to classic music.

B. As a mother, she takes good care of us and gives us every comfort.

C. She loves her students and cares for them.

D. She often buys expensive and high quality clothes for us.

E. My mother is hard-working and never wastes money.

F. I never forget it and always bear it in my mind.

G. Can you tell us something about your mother？

    Do you know how to pick a good book you'll really like? Here are some tips.

    Start with Your Interest. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}  You can pick something that you love to read, not for school. They can be ancient martial arts(武术), computers, or fashion design. You name it, there are books about it.

    What's Your Type? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction (or both)? Fiction books, like novels, can transport you to another world or help you imagine something beyond your own experience. Nonfiction books give you the who, what, when, and why of something. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  Many of them read like novels from start to finish.

    Read the Description. The reviews and quotes(引语) on the back and inside covers of many books give you an idea of what the book is about. They can also help you pick future books, too. If you find a book you really like, take a minute to read the quotes and see which authors praised the book. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    Find a Family Favorite. Which book did your mother love best when she was at your age?{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Find out and give them a read — then you can share your thoughts about the book.

    Finally, you'll probably enjoy what you're reading a lot more if you find a quiet place and make time for the book. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You can put on some good music, get yourself some tea and let yourself be carried away by the book. You'll see that time does fly when you're reading something you love!

A. How about your brothers and sisters?

B. They tell stories using facts — but that doesn't mean they're boring.

C. Reading is a good way to improve your English.

D. Most reading is best enjoyed when you can concentrate on it.

E. Often, they'll have similar styles and you might find books you like by those authors, too.

F. So you should read as much as possible when you are free.

G. Reading on your own isn't like reading for school.

Spacewalk!

    Most people don't know that the anniversary of an important event in space exploration occurred last month. On March 18, 1965, spaceman Aleksi Leonov became the first human to complete an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) or spacewalk. It marked the first time that a human was able to leave a spacecraft and operate in the emptiness of space. It is a dangerous procedure, but one that is vital for the success of manned space missions.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In space, a spacesuit must protect people from extreme cold and heat, provide air to breathe, and remove extra carbon dioxide. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Too much of it, and the spacesuit becomes firm and difficult to move in. Too little of it, and astronauts can become dangerously sick after returning to their spacecraft.

    Astronauts now perform complex jobs in the emptiness of space in modern spacesuits. They have logged many hours repairing and upgrading equipment on satellites during EVAs. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} On July 20^th, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon for the first time. There is no atmosphere on the moon, but there is gravity—about 17 percent of Earth's, which means Neil needed a special suit for walking on the moon's surface. Suits for the moon are equipped for exploration far from any vehicles, including tough boots that can resist cuts from the rough surface while walking. But sharp rocks weren't the only danger to astronauts.

    The moon surface is covered with a fine and flour-like dust which consists of small particles (颗粒) left over from the numerous meteorite (陨石) strikes on the moon. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When astronauts would leave the moon's gravity, the dust on their suits began floating all over. It got into delicate equipment inside the spacecraft and the astronaut's eyes and lungs. As different space agencies plan for returning people to the moon, new EVA suit designs will have to take something else into account. Keeping astronauts safe also means keeping their suits clean.

A. However, EVAs don't just happen in empty space.

B. It sticks to everything, eventually causing joints and seals to fail.

C. Spacesuits also have to maintain ideal air pressure during a spacewalk.

D. Unfortunately, most people have no idea about space exploration or spacesuits.

E. Without the ability to work in space, we are unable to keep our space programs functional.

F. There are a few things that must be taken into account to make an EVA both safe and effective