The days when a cellphone was used for nothing beyond calling and texting are gone. Today, we turn smart phones into magical machines with apps that transform them into musical instruments or business machines or video players. But it turns out that we are only searching the surface. Who knew that smart phones would make pretty good satellites?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Smart phones forecast the weather

      Networking expert Open Signal has discovered something interesting: the sensors in Android phones designed to measure battery  temperature, light, pressure and 80 on can be used to generate surprisingly accurate weather reports. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Smart phones save the rainforests

       Detecting illegal logging(盗伐) may sound like a novel app, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}: in Indonesia, the non-profit organization Rainforest Connection' wants to use donated Android phones to detect illegal logging. As Newscientist reports, “The phonesare equipped with solar panels specifically designed to take advantage of the brief periods when light reaches the forest floor. Their microphones stay on at all time, and the software listens for the sound of a chainsaw(链锯).”

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

        Researchers at the university of Illinois have developed an iPhones app that turns the phone into a fully featured mobile medical lab that uses the phone's camera to detect proteins, bacteria, viruses and other organisms.

Smart phones drive cars

        Google's self-driving cars carry around  $30,000 ofhigh-tech hardware and sensors, but students at Australia's Griffith University think they can get the job done with asingle smart phone.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. but it's a serious business.

B. Here are someuses for smart phones the makers probably didn't imagine.

C. so it can beused to detect the sound of a chainsaw.

D. It has been used in many fields.

E. Get enough phones involved and you will have a weather sensing network.

F. Smart phones serve as mobile medical labs.

G. They have built a model that relies mainly on the phone's camera and built—in GPS.

    There are so many expressions in American English that sound pleasant but are not.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When someone says they have to “face the music” , it does not mean they are going to a concert. “Facing the music” means to accept and deal with the punishment of an action.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, “ I can't face another night of camping! It's a cold and rainy”. Or “In life, you must face your fears”. Face used in this way is very common.

    But now, let's go back to facing the music. Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the keys and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I'm away. But please, do not drive it. It is an extremely fast car.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}You drive it around town one night. And you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. Bang!

    When your returns you must tell her what you have done and “face the music”{#blank#}4{#/blank#}It could be losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports to her sports car or both.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}To “take your medicine” means to accept the results from something bad you have done. And if someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it” they mean you created a bad station and now you will experience the results.

A. But you do not listen.

B. “Face the music ”is a good example.

C. The “music ” here is the result of your actions.

D. American often use the word “face” in this way.

E. Everyone likes to enjoy a concert in the evening.

F. You are very afraid of losing your trust of your friend.

G. There are other American expressions that mean the same thing as “Face the music”.

    You often find somebody who works around you complaining(抱怨) all the time, don't you?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} About 70% of Americans say being around nonstop complainers sometimes has a bad influence on them. Luckily, here are 4 tips to help form positive patterns.

    ⒈Self­awareness

    When a negative(消极的) thought pops into your mind, immediately correct it. Instead of telling yourself “That's a nice shirt, but I can't afford it，” change the message to “That will look great with my black pants when I can afford it.”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Of course everyone complains  sometimes. But the less frequently you complain, the better you will feel.

    ⒉Distance yourself

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Excuse yourself and go somewhere quiet, somewhere outdoors in the fresh air. Think of something pleasant before returning. You have to take this seriously because negative people can and will pull you into the quicksand.

    ⒊Don't try to change complainers

    If you find yourself trapped in a group of complainers in a meeting or at a social event, simply choose silence. Let their words bounce off you while you think of something else. Attempting to stop the complaining can make you a target.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} If someone says, “I hate Mondays; weekends are too short，” try to think, “I'm glad I rested up over the weekend, so I'm ready to make some improvement on that big project.”

    ⒋{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    When someone is shouting at you angrily, throw the responsibility back at them by asking, “So what do you intend to do about it？” In most cases, complainers don't really want a solution(解决方法). They just want to speak them out. If you make them aware that they themselves have to find the solutions, they will leave you alone and find someone else to complain to. If so, you will be happy.

A．Find solutions

B．Change responsibility

C．You have got a lot of company.

D．By doing this, it will lead to positive behaviors.

E．But you can redirect the discussion in your own mind.

F．Whenever possible, escape from negative conversations.

G．You will never know what they are going to talk about.

                                                                                             Everyday life in Britain

The weather is the most common topic in Britain. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Because in Britain the weather changes a lot. Wind, rain, sun, cloud, snow— they can all happen in Britain.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} At banks, cinemas, shops, bus stops you can always see people in queues. They stand and wait quietly, often for a long time. Each new person stands at the end of the queue—- sometimes in rain, wind or snow. They never complain and they will get quite upset when someone jumps the queue.

    Men always shake hands when they meet.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} They shook hands to show that they didn't have a sword(剑). Now shaking hands is a customer most countries. In Britain you don't shake hands with your friends or family members. But you do shake hands when you meet a person for the first time.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} And they always send birthday cards or presents. There are also other cards like Christmas cards, good luck cards, congratulations on your new baby cards and get well soon cards. They have everything for every important moment.

    British people are very superstitious (迷信的). They believe in all sorts of signs they see. For them black cats are lucky. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The more leaves you catch the more lucky you will be. On the contrary, never open an umbrella in the house and never break a mirror because they mean seven years of bad luck.

A. Shopping is another common topic in Britain. 

B. Another common thing is Britain is queuing.

C. Hundreds of years ago, soldiers began this custom. 

D. In autumn if you catch falling leaves you are lucky.

E. Why do the British talk about the weather so often?

F. They also pay attention to tiny details like your birthday.

G. Never walk under a ladder, and don't walk past somebody on the stairs.

    Recently, I've been following a simple rule that is helping me crush procrastination(拖延症) and making it easier for me to stick to good habits at the same time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are two parts to the 2-Minute Rule.

    Part 1—If it takes less than two minutes, then do it now.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, washing your dishes immediately after your meal, tossing the laundry in the washing machine, taking out the garbage, sending that email, and so on.

    If a task takes less than two minutes to complete, then follow the rule and do it right now.

    Part 2—When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.

    Can all of your goals be accomplished in less than two minutes? Obviously not. But, every goal can be started in 2 minutes or less. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    It might sound like this strategy is too basic for grand life goals, but I beg to differ. The 2-Minute Rule works for big goals as well as small goals because of the inertia(惯性)of life. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I love the 2-Minute Rule because it embraces the idea that all sorts of good things happen once you get started.

    The most important part of any new habit is getting started—not just the first time, but each time. It's not about performance, it's about consistently taking action.

    I can't guarantee whether or not the 2-Minute Rule will work for you. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Anyone can spare the next 120 seconds. Use this time to get one thing done. Go.

A. I call this little strategy the “2-Minute Rule”.

B. And that's the purpose behind this little rule.

C. Here's what you need to know to stop procrastinating.

D. Once you start doing something, it's easier to continue doing it.

E. But, I can guarantee that it will never work if you never try it.

F. The goal is to make it easier for you to get started on the things you should be doing.

G. It's surprising how many things we put off that we could get done in two minutes or less.

    From time to time, we all get a bit down. Maybe we are feeling bad because we're not doing well with our goals. There are many reasons for feeling down, but I'm not able to discuss all of them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}
    Make a list. Sometimes we are sad simply because we are troubled by all the things we have to do.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Make a list of the most pressing things you have to do. Thus you're getting things under control. You can see, right in front of you, what you need to do, and that can pick up your mood.
    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You've made a list, and you still feel puzzled? Well, get started on the first thing you need to do. Once you get into action, you'll feel better. And once you start doing something, you will feel much better than lying around feeling sorry for yourself.
     {#blank#}4{#/blank#}I like Brown Eyed Girl, the Kinks, the Ramones, or an upbeat Beatles tune. You might have your own brand of feel-good music. Whatever it is, let yourself move to the beat. It may just be what the doctor ordered.
    Talk about it. Get a best friend, family member or coworker you can talk to.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}It can also help you work out the reasons you're feeling down.

A. Take action.

B. Play some lively music.

C. Get out of the house and do something.

D. Getting things off your chest makes a big difference.

E. Start simply by picking up a piece of paper and a pen.

F. Do whatever you need to do to feel good about yourself.

G. What I can talk about are some things that have worked for me.