Easy Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp

    Everyone is forgetful, but as we age, we start to feel like our brains are slowing down a bit — and that can be a very annoying thing. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Read on for some techniques worth trying.

    ⒈ {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    People who regularly made plans and looked forward to upcoming events had a 50 percent reduced chance of Alzheimer's disease (早老性痴呆症), according to a recent study. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Something as simple as setting a goal to have a weekly coffee date with a friend will do. There's evidence that people who have a purpose in life or who are working on long or short-term goals appear to do better. In other words, keep your brain looking forward.

    ⒉ Go for a walk.

    Mildly raised glucose (葡萄糖) levels can harm the area of the brain that helps you form memories and physical activity can help get blood glucose down to normal levels. In fact, exercise produces chemicals that are good for your brain. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ⒊ Learn something new.

    Take a Spanish class online, join a drawing club, or learn to play cards. A study found that mental stimulation (刺激) limits the weakening effects of aging on memory and the mind. But the best thing for your brain is when you learn something new and are physically active at the same time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Or go dancing with your friends.

A. Focus on the future.

B. This can be especially harmful to the aged.

C. It should be something like learning gardening.

D. So take a few minutes each day to do some reading.

E. But don't worry if your schedule isn't filled with life-changing events.

F. Luckily, research shows there is a lot you can do to avoid those moments.

G. In other words, when you take care of your body, you take care of your brain.

    If you think your vocabulary is weak, a little effort every day over six to nine months can go a long way in improving it. Here are some tips for increasing your vocabulary.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You may be comfortable reading a particular part of the newspaper but make an effort to read different articles on every page. The editorial (社论的) page is highly recommended not only for vocabulary but also for structuring and presenting thoughts.

    Make it a habit to read a new book every week. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. You can consider becoming a member of the local library. Make a list of new words and look up their meanings in the dictionary.

    Watch English movies and television shows. It's an interesting way to enrich your vocabulary. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Use vocabulary cards. Vocabulary cards are used by students who are trying to learn many words in a short time. You can make your own cards by writing the word on one side and the meaning on the other side of a piece of paper. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Use the Internet. The Internet is an unlimited resource for reading material.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You will come across plenty of material to read. The Internet will also introduce you to new words. Be sure to look them up in a dictionary.

A. Read the newspaper every day.

B. Everyone has his own way of choosing books.

C. Vocabulary is important for you to learn English well.

D. Pick up a topic you like and search for articles about it.

E. Besides, by doing this you can learn the correct pronunciation as well.

F. Flash cards are a convenient tool to use to learn new words in your free time.

G. It is not surprising that those who read a lot of books develop good vocabulary.

    Shorts may feel nice and casual on your legs on a warm summer's day, but they're not so gentle on your wallet.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Usually the fact that one obviously uses less cloth than the other makes it hard to be accepted. So what gives?

    It turns out clothing sellers aren't trying to cheat you by charging you too much money. They're just pricing shorts according to what it costs to produce them.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Extra material does go into a full pair of pants but not as much as you may think. As experts explain, shorts that don't fall past your knees may contain just a fifth less cloth than ankle-length trousers{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Those same details that end up accounting for most of the material—pockets, belt loops, waist bands—also require the most human labor to make{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The physical cotton in blue jeans accounts for just a small part of its price Jag. Most of that money goes to pay the people stitching (缝合) it together, and they put in roughly the same amount of time whether they're working on a pair of pants or some shorts.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For another example, short-sleeved shirts cost roughly the same as long-sleeved shirts. There are also numerous invisible factors that make some shorts more expensive than nearly identical pairs, like where they were made9marketing costs, and the brand on the label. If you don't want to spend $40 on something that covers just a small piece of leg, stay at home with your wallet!

A. More or less, shorts almost cost what pants do.

B. This is where the true cost of a garment is determined.

C. This price trend becomes popular across the fashion field.

D. This is because most of the cloth is sewn into the top half.

E. In general, a pair of shorts isn't any cheaper than a pair of pants.

F. To tell you the truth, it is a real bargain to pay for a pair of shorts.

G. Customers are willing to purchase a pair of shorts if it is at a reasonable price.

Common public speaking problems

    The use of “I feel”, “I think” and “maybe”

    In the question-and-answer session of the speaking competition, many contestants began their answers with uncertain expressions like “I feel”, “I guess”, “I hear”, “maybe” and “perhaps”. These words show that the person is only speaking from his or her point of view{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Work on keeping your answers brief and to the point{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead of the empty-sounding “I guess”, using facts, together with a clear conclusion based on those facts, is far more likely to be popular with an audience.

Using only one speaking style

    “Don't stick to the same tone{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, when they spoke about their dreams some sounded romatic. Others used humor. Very few used several different styles together. Try mixing more than one style, rather than just sticking with the same one.

    Irresponsible answers

    Public speaking is different from personal conversations. You're responsible for your words{#blank#}4{#/blank#}So you should think twice before you talk. Don't belike the student who, when asked about his opinion on book piracy（盗版）, started by saying he supported it.

    Talking around the topic rather than directly answering it

    You should focus on one point and give a clear solution. The key is to work out what question is being asked. Is it asking you to discuss a certain topic or to present your own point of view?

    Use one or two arguments together and give a strong conclusion{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It can be boring. Try to mix it up.

B. Also work on delivering them with calmness and confidence.

C. Even though you want to answer quickly, you don't want to sound foolish.

D. This lacks the support of facts and seems not to be reliable for the judges and audience.

E. Remember that judges are not judging you on whether they agree, but on your ability to say what you think clearly.

F. Confidence is extremely important in public speaking as it lets a speaker sound more convincing.

G. Deliberate gestures and affected（做作的）expressions of feelings are improper in a successful speech.

    Food feeds the soul. To the extent that we all eat food, and we all have souls, food is the single great united across cultures. With food, there are more opportunities to connect to memory and family and place.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Food as identity. French, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cuisines each involve dozens of distinct regional foods. Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Sometimes food means living on. While the Chinese cooks who exported “Chinese” food around the world ate authentic cooking at home, the dishes they served, thus creating new cuisines entirely, were based on economic necessity.

    Food as pleasure. Things have changed dramatically in the past 20 years when it comes to food in France. Some of the ideas of French food life may be a performance. France is this pastoral nation where people are spending five hours a day going to 12 different markets to get their food.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Food as status. The introduction of global foods and brands has compounded food as a status symbol for some Chinese.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}In China, people eat food not necessarily for taste, but for texture. You can find food from all of the provinces of China in Shanghai, as well as every kind of global food style imaginable.

A. Food as survival.

B. Food as community.

C. It's the hardest to give up.

D. The celebratory nature of food is universal.

E. It is an accumulation, a function of your experiences

F. How and why you eat your food, is, of course, also very cultural.

G. But food in Italy is love, then nutrition, then history, then pleasure.

Does a Dog Help a Teen with Low Self-esteem?

    A dog is known as man's best friend for good reason. Loyal and affectionate, a dog companion can enrich its owner's life in many ways, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Many teenagers suffer from periods of low self-esteem (自尊) as they try to navigate the wavy waters of adolescence and deal with all of its associated highs and lows. A teenager who lacks self-esteem may feel isolated from his peers and unable to tell his parents about personal issues. The company of a dog can be a huge comfort and ease feelings of loneliness and awkwardness. A dog offers genuine unconditional love. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}All dogs need exercise, so taking his clog for a walk is the perfect opportunity for a teenager to get outdoors and benefit from fresh air and physical activity. Exercise allows people to take control of their bodies, which is often the first step toward regaining control of other aspects of their life, says mental health specialist Dr. Alan Cohen. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Exercise releases chemicals called endorphins (内排肽）into the brain, which create positive responses in the body, including improved self-esteem. Dogs can help teenagers be more sociable and make new friends, suggests HELPGUIDE. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A dog is a great ice-breaker, avoiding awkward social situations and putting the teenager at ease with people he meets. The more confident the teen becomes when out and about with his clog, the more his self-esteem will improve. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If a teenager is suffering from depression or developing dangerous habits such as alcohol and drug abuse, more extreme action may be required. In these cases, professional help should be sought and all treatment plans considered. Parents who suspect that their teen's low self­esteem is a sign of a far more serious problem should ask a suitably qualified health professional for advice.

A. In some cases, having a dog will not help with a teenager's low self-esteem.

B. It simply accepts its owner for who he is and doesn't judge, question or criticize.

C. Pets offer an unconditional love that can be very helpful to people with depression.

D. You don't have to worry about hurting your pet's feelings or getting advice you don't want.

E. In particular, someone with low self-esteem may find a pet dog to be extremely beneficial.

F. A teen may meet his peers while walking his dog in the park or taking part in a dog training class.

G. Many forms of exercise besides walking can be enjoyed with a dog, such as cycling, jogging and throwing a ball.