Sharks are among the oldest animals on Earth. There are hundreds of kinds of sharks. Most are about two meters long. The dogfish shark, however, is less than twenty centimeters in length. A shark has an extremely good sense of smell. It can find small amounts of substances in water, such as blood, body liquids and chemicals produced by animals. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Sharks eat fish, other sharks, and plants that live in the ocean.

    Sharks grow slowly. About forty percent of all sharks lay eggs. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Some sharks carry their young inside their bodies as humans do. Some sharks are not able to reproduce until they are twenty years old．Most reproduce only every two years. And they give birth to fewer than ten young sharks. For this reason, over-fishing of sharks is of special danger to the future of the animal.

    Sharks are important for the world's oceans. They eat injured and diseased fish. Their hunting activities mean that the numbers of other fish in ocean waters do not become too great. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    People hunt sharks for sport, food, medicine and their skin. Experts say the international market for some kinds of sharks has increased because many parts of a shark are valuable. Collectors pay thousands of dollars for the jaws of a shark. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The skin of a shark can be used like leather.  In Asia, people enjoy a kind of soup made from shark fins. Experts say a fisherman can earn a lot of money for even one kilogram of shark fins. Sharks are among the oldest animals on Earth, but some sharks are in danger of disappearing from Earth. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

A. Shark liver oil is a popular source of Vitamin A.

B. This protects the plants and other forms of life that exist in the oceans.

C. Sharks are valuable to us and we can make full use of them.

D. These powerful senses help sharks find their food.

E. If too many sharks in one area are killed, that group of sharks may never return to normal population levels.

F. This is a threat to other forms of life in the ocean.

G. The others give birth to live young.

    Do you ever wonder if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing with your life?What if you have potential talents that could lead you to a new path and change everything for the better?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}The following tips will help you discover your potential strength.

    ●Do what you love.

    One sure way to get yourself moving in the right direction is to do more of the things that make you feel good.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}That might lead to writing a book or a movie or a career in writing.If baking treats for friends and neighbors gives you great pleasure,take it one step further.Upgrade your packaging and look into selling your goodies at a local market.

    ●Complete some assessment activities.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}While none of them is perfect,each of them can help you realize the types of your strengths.

    ●{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    It's not always easy to self-identify what we're good at.So go and ask your friends what they think your strengths are.You might be surprised at what they have to say.Are you creative,organized,or socially outgoing?Sometimes your friends are more aware of your strengths than you.

    ●Find a guide.

    If you have an idea of where your potential strengths lie,it may help to find a person who has achieved success in a related area.Chances are that your guide would be happy to share tips and motivations to help you.Use this relationship to get hands-on experience.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Ask the owner of a shop you admire if you can work part time or volunteer in order to learn the business and see if it suits you.

A. Ask your friends.

B. Turn to your teachers for help.

C. Stop wondering and start doing.

D. If you love to write, start blog now.

E. Setting a goal helps you identify a potential strength.

F. There are many free self-evaluation tools on the Internet.

G. Do you think you might want to open a bookstore or cafe?

                                                                                              Positive Thoughts

    Before you read any further, will you do me a quick favor? Find a mirror, take a look at yourself, and pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that run through your head. Don't feel silly. It's okay.

    Done? Let's continue. How did that feel? Did your brain think positive thoughts like, “{#blank#}1{#/blank#}” or did you put yourself down because you hate your hips or arms? If I had to guess, I would imagine most of you put yourselves down. So to encourage you to love yourself,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    You have strength of character.

    No matter what life throws at you, you keep moving forward. No matter how many times you fall down, you keep getting back up. Your strength to keep on living and stay true to yourself speaks highly of your character.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Giggle, giggle, giggle!

    Laughing is one of the best calorie-burning activities ever. Keep sharing giggles with everyone you come across because there is already enough darkness in the world. Be a source of light instead.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Your gratefulness shows that you appreciate the people who help you and the blessings in your life. If we can't be thankful for what we do have, what makes us think that we should obtain even more things to feel better? Your thankfulness is incredibly attractive.

    You are who you are.

    Love your body. Be unapologetic about who you are. Walk with confidence.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Smile because you deserve it. There is nothing more attractive than a person who is 100 percent comfortable in his or her skin.

A. You give thanks.

B. I look super cute today!

C. I have put on weight again recently.

D. Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

E. Love yourself because you are wonderful.

F. I made a list of reasons why you are attractive.

G. No matter how many struggles you face, you stand firm.

    Once there was a very poor villager. He found it difficult even to support his family. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} He walked about in the streets, but he did not get a job. One day, he met a rich businessman, who gave him the job of cleaning the office. The villager began his work and he even started reading and writing in his spare time.

    One day, the businessman saw that the villager was writing something. He said, "You can also read and write! Your handwriting is very good." {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The villager began to do this job as best as he could.

    Later, the businessman learnt that the villager was good at accounting（记账）, and he made him his shop accountant（会计）. The other accountants were very jealous （嫉妒）of the villager's abilities. They told the businessman that the villager had a small room where he hid the money stolen from him. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    One day, they had their chance. They saw the villager going into 'that' room. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}When they came back and opened the door, there was nothing in that room except an ordinary box.

    The villager was ordered to open the box with his own hands. And there was only a pair of dirty shoes and some old clothes.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} At the same time, he was so angry with the jealous accountants that he fired them at once. The villager was made the only accountant for his office.

A. He came to a big city hoping to find a job.

B. They closed the door behind him and ran to the businessman.

C. So the businessman decided to give the villager a good lesson.

D. Seeing this, the businessman was moved by what he had seen.

E. So the villager was given the work of writing business letters for him.

F. The villager wished that some kind people might give him a good job.

G. But the businessman refused to believe them unless he had seen it with his own eyes.

A Housewarming Party

    A housewarming party is a special party to be held when someone buys or moves into a new apartment or house. The person or people who bought the apartment or house or moved are the ones who throw the party.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}It also gives people a chance to see what the new home looks like. It is an opportunity to fill the new space with love and hopeful presents.

    It is traditional to bring a gift to a housewarming party{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Some common items(物品) people will put on a gift registry include kitchen tools like knives and items like curtains. Even if there isn't a registry, a good housewarming gift is something to decorate the new house with, like, a piece of art or a plant.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}It is often appreciated since at a housewarming party there isn't a lot of food served, usually just appetizers or sandwiches.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The host or hostess of the party will, however, probably give all the guests a tour of their new home. Sometimes, because a housewarming party happens shortly after a person moves into a new home, people may be asked to help unpack boxes. This isn't usual though.

    Housewarming parties get their name from the fact that a long time ago people would actually bring firewood to a new home as a gift so that the person could keep the home warm for the winter.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. You can also bring food or drinks to share.

B. Different activities are held to make guests satisfied

C. There are usually no planned activities at a housewarming party.

D. Now most homes replace fires with central heating to keep warm.

E. Different people hold or attend housewarming parties for various reasons.

F. Some people register a list of things they need for their new home at local stores.

G. The party is an opportunity for friends and family to congratulate the person or people on the new home.

How the Elderly Are Treated Around the World

    How cultures view and treat their elderly is closely linked to their most prized values and qualities. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    In the US and UK, Protestantism (新教) is at play. Western cultures tend to be youth-centric, stressing qualities like independence. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It ties a person's value to his or her ability to work – something that becomes weaker in old age. As their health becomes worse, the elderly in these cultures often move to old people's homes and nursing homes.

    In France, parents are protected by law. It is difficult to imagine an Elderly Rights Law being a focus in the laws of many Western cultures. France did, however, pass a similar law in 2004. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} One was a group of official statistics showing France had the highest rate of pensioner suicides in Europe, and the other was the aftermath of a heat wave that killed 15,000 people, most of whom were elderly and had been dead for weeks before they were found.

     {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Native American cultures traditionally accept death as a fact of life. In many Native American areas, elders are respected for their wisdom and life experiences. Within Native American families, it's common for the elders to be expected to pass down their learning to younger members of the family.

    The way to care for Chinese elders is changing. Chinese families traditionally view respect for one's elders as the highest virtue, according to the Confucian tradition. Adult children are generally expected to care for their parents in their old age. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Nursing homes are beginning to become a more socially acceptable option for elderly care.

A. However, this tradition is beginning to break down due to rising lifetime and an aging population.

B. In the African-American area, death is seen as an opportunity to celebrate life.

C. Here's what we can learn from other cultures about treating the elderly.

D. But China faces the unique problem of tending to an increasingly elderly population.

E. Native American elders pass down their knowledge.

F. It was only passed following two disturbing events, though.

G. This relates back to the Protestant work rules.