I had an experience once which taught me something about the ways people made a bad situation worse by blaming themselves. One January, I officiated (主持) at two funerals for two elderly women.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}At the first home, the son of the deceased (已故) woman said, “If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow, she would be alive today. It's my fault that she died.” At the second home, the son said, “If only I had not insisted her going to Florida, she would be alive today.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is my fault.”

    When things don't turn out as we would like them to, we tend to assume that had we done things differently, the story would have had a happier ending. Any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty. Because the course of action they took turned out bad, they believe that the opposite course, for example, keeping mother at home, would have turned out better.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    There seem to be two elements involved in our readiness to feel guilty. The first lies in our belief that the world makes sense—there is a reason for everything that happens.

    The second is the thought that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it. He wakes up in the morning and calls the rest of the world to its tasks.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him. Very often, we do not completely abandon that childish thought that our wishes cause things to happen.

A. That long airplane ride was more than she could take.

B. After all, how could it have turned out any worse?

C. Life and dead is an unsolved mystery.

D. The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood.

E. He cries, and someone comes to attend to him.

F. Both died a natural death.

G. They believe that they are responsible for what has happened.

The origins of football

    If I ask whether you want to come out and play Pasuckaukohowog or Aqsaqtuk, will you know what I am talking about? I don't think you will, but they are very old names for a sport which is extremely popular today{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The origins of football can be found in every corner of the world.

    Civilizations throughout history all played ball games and many of these can be considered forerunners of the modern game{#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, there is scientific evidence that suggests that ball games were played even earlier in ancient China with the name of cuju. There is evidence to show that ball games in Egypt were linked to agriculture and religious ceremonies.

    Did you know that the Native American Indians played football?{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It was quite often that players would finish the game with broken bones and other serious injuries. In fact the game was almost a war with up to 500 players on each side!

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} So they would often disguise themselves with lots of paint to avoid being recognized.

    The game was normally played on a sports field that was often one mile long with goals at either end. The game could last for hours and was often carried on from one day to the next.

    During the Mid-19th century, football was played at the public schools of England with totally different rules. To unite the widely different forms of football, they came up with the rules that were known as the Cambridge Rules.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} They allow goal kicks, throw-ins as well as forward passes and prevent running while you are holding the ball!

    So next time when you're playing football, be thankful that there is one universally accepted rule for playing!

A. Football was considered a male sport.

B. They are really a set of football rules.

C. The players understood the violent nature of the game.

D. Ball games were first played in Egypt as early as 1800 BC.

E. The sport is football.

F. This game was incredibly violent at that time.

G. These records prove that the sport has a long tradition throughout history.

How to Make Plans

    Most people get seared when talking about planning or writing plans.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} And you need to plan for success as planning redly works and inspires you to go straight ahead. However, how to create effective plans is still a problem. Don't worry, and just follow the steps below.

    Step 1{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    What plans have you had in the past? Probably, in some of your plans, you haven't ended up where you thought you were going to end up, Get a good understanding of what you have done and what you haven't done in the past. It is a primary foundation for your new plan. If having no plan, just take actions and make plans right now.

    Step 2 Think about the What - Ifs

    When you are building your plans, you should consider where you are going and make clear the What - Its, Because not everything just goes smoothly as you believe.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Step 3 Document the plans

    When starting to make plans, you should try to write them down. It is of key importance for the future.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} In addition, make sure you have the plans fully written out with all the key elements concerned, including details.

    Step 4 Update the plans

    According to your written plans and actual situation, you should check out the plans you have completed and haven't completed.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Make sure all the assumptions are there and work out the details. After hanging on for some days, planning will be getting simpler and easier.

A. Review historical plans

B. Make new plans immediately

C. Actually, people are more likely to succeed in a planned way

D. And you need to continue what you haven't done and update it

E. Not all people can memorize every word they said and thought well

F. And what you should do next is to check your plan monthly or quarterly

G. For your benefits, you need to make Plan A and Plan B in case of changes and contingencies（偶发事件）.

How to Survive High School

    High school can be a terrible phase if you get it all wrong. Find out how to survive high school with a few easy tips.

    ⒈Be Yourself.

    High school is a fun time to make new friends, meet new people, date and socialize. Make friends with all kinds of people and not just a group which you are comfortable with. Most peer pressure cases are because of the weak image created by freshmen. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Don't give in to anyone's wants.

    ⒉{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Choose your friends carefully and make sure you won't get influenced by anyone. Socialize, but by judging who you can connect to. You will find friends, but stay away from the ones who don't want to be your friends as a bad company is tempting, but the good one is true.

    ⒊Be Optimistic.

    There is nothing better than having a smile on your face whenever you can. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Don't be afraid to make friends, don't get aggressive or personal with anyone and treat others the way you want to be treated. Respect your teachers and classmates and try to be helpful if you want the same in return.

    ⒋Be Confident.

    When you believe in yourself, others believe in you. Talk, walk and address people confidently and this will create a strong image about you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Be creative and unique and learn to set trends. Confidence is one quality you grow with, and people respect you for that.

    ⒌Love High School.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Make the most out of it, and you will never get those moments back. Come up with frank ideas, get a detention(留堂), top your class, make the best friends, drink, go to prom, party, but just make as many memories as you can!

    With these tips to survive high school, you will surely be proud of graduating as an all-round approaching adult carrying the best roots. So, when you throw those hats in the air, feel the freedom and remember every moment you spent in "High School".

A. And always wear your smile.

B. Keep Good Company.

C. Just be yourself and create a strong self-image.

D. Practice positive thinking.

E. Do your thing, and don't imitate others.

F. Fall in love with it.

G. Study as hard as you can in your spare time.

Can We Stop Food Longing Through Imaginary Eating?

    Are you fighting an urge to reach for chocolate? Then, let it melt in your mind, not in your mouth. According to the recent research, imagining eating a specific food reduces your interest in that food, so you eat less of it.

    This reaction to repeated exposure to food—being less interested in something because you've experienced it too much—is called habituation. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The research is the first to show that habituation can occur through the power of the mind. “If you just think about the food itself—how it tastes and smells—that will increase your appetite,” said Carey Morewedge, a well-known psychologist. “It might be better to force yourself to repeatedly think about chewing and swallowing the food in order to reduce your longing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Visualizing yourself eating chocolate wouldn't prevent you from eating lots of cheese,” he added.

    Morewedge conducted an interesting experiment. 51 subjects were divided into three groups. One group was asked to imagine putting 30 coins into a laundry machine and then eating three chocolates. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Another group was asked to imagine putting three coins into a laundry machine and then eating 30 chocolates. Lastly, a control group imagined just putting 33 coins into the machine—with no chocolates. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When they said they had finished, these were taken away and weighed. The results showed the group that had imagined eating 30 chocolates each ate fewer of the chocolates than the other groups.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Physical signals—that full stomach feeling—are only part of what tells us we've finished a meal. The research suggests that psychological effects, such as habituation, also influence how much a person eats. It may lead to new behavioral techniques for people looking to eat more healthily, or have control over other habits.

A. What's more, this only works with the specific food you've imagined.

B. People were advised to try different methods to perform the experiment.

C. For example, a tenth bite is desired less than the first bite, according to the study.

D. All of them then ate freely from bowls containing the same amount of chocolate each.

E. It meant those who repeatedly imagined eating would concern about some specific food.

F. This requires the same motor skills as eating small chocolates from a packet, the study says.

G. This study is part of the research looking into what makes us eat more than we actually need.

    If you live in a city where everyone rushes, realise that you don't have to be like everyone else. You can be different. I can't give you a step-by-step guide to moving slower, but here are some ideas to consider and perhaps adopt, if they work for your life

    ⒈Do less

Cut back on your projects, on your task list, on how much you try to do each day. Focus not on quantity but on quality. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒉Have fewer meetings

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Try to reduce the number of meetings and have blocks of time with no interruptions, so you don't have to rush from one meeting to another.

    ⒊{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    If you're constantly rushing to appointments or other places, it's because you don't allot(分配)enough time in your schedule for preparing and for travelling. Pad your schedule to allow time for this stuff. If you think it only takes you 10 minutes to get ready for work or a date, perhaps give yourself 30 to 45 minutes so you don't have to shave in a rush or put on makeup in the car.

    ⒋Practise being comfortable with sitting and doing nothing.

    When people have to wait, they become impatient or uncomfortable. Try standing in a line and just watching and listening to people around you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ⒌Realise that if it doesn't get done, that's OK

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And yes, I know that's a frustrating attitude for some of you who don't like laziness or living without firm deadlines, but it's also reality. The world won't end if you don't get that task done today.

    Try these things out. Life is better when unrushed.

    Remember the quote: if nature can get everything done without rushing, so can you.

A. Do nothing but wait.

B. Pick two or three important things-or even just one -and work on those first.

C. Start to put off or cancel the unnecessary.

D. Give yourself time to get ready and get there.

E. Meetings are usually a big waste of time and make you rush.

F. There's always tomorrow.

G. It takes practice, but after a while, you'll do it with a smile.