How to Care for Your Ears?

        Ears not only let us hear, but they alsoplay a role in maintaining our balance, which is vital to our ability to function in daily life. Yet, we ignore them. We can't even see our ears, exceptin a mirror. We take for granted what they do for us day in and day out－untilwe notice something's wrong, such as when an earache strikes or when we starthaving to ask people to repeat what they say.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

◆ Clean your ear with a washcloth－coveredfinger only.

      Never put anything inside your earcanal, including cotton swabs (药签).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}．

◆ Leave earwax(耳垢)alone.

      Wax is your ear's way of eliminating(消除)anything foreign that gets into the ear canal.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you find you have too much earwax,use a few drops of earwax remover(去除剂) in the canal. After a few minutes,wash the ear with warm water.

◆ Avoid noisy places.

      Rock concerts and construction sites are just a few places that frequently have noise levels that can damage hearing.Any place where you have to shout to be heard should be avoided.

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      Be careful not to play MP3 too loud, especiallyif using earphone.

◆Be careful with illness andmedications.

      Respiratory (呼吸的) illnesses should be treated to avoid their spread to the ears. Certainmedications can damage hearing, so follow the directions carefully beforetaking them.

      See your doctor if you suffer fromsudden hearing loss or hear noises in your head.   

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A. Most people don't need to clean waxout of their ears.

B. In such case, go to see a doctor assoon as possible.

C. These can be symptoms of a seriousillness which needs to be treated.

D. This article will show you how tocare for your ears.

E. Turn the volume(音量)down

F. Avoid using earphones while listeningto MP3.

G. Your ear canal is very narrow, and aswab can damage it.

    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, and he made him his shop accountant(会计)．The other accountants were very jealous 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 (解雇) 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.

    We all have our favourite teachers—those who treat us equally. But what about those teachers we don't know as well (for even don't like much)?

You can do lots of things to get a relation with your teacher. First，do the following:{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Complete all homework on time.Be attentive，be respectful，and ask questions.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Obviously，your teachers are really interested in their subjects or they wouldn't have decided to teach them! Show the teacher that you care，even if you're not good at math or fluent in French—send the message that you are a dedicated student.

    You can also schedule a private meeting during a teacher's free period.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can ask questions，inquire about a career in the subject，or talk about your progress in class. You may be surprised to learn that your teacher is a bit more relaxed one on one than when lecturing in front of the whole class.

However，here are some things to avoid when trying to establish a relationship with your teacher：

    ⒈{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Teachers sense when your only motivation is to get special treatment，a college reference，or a job suggestion.

    ⒉Trying to be teachers' pet. You just attract the teachers' attention on purpose and your classmates may start to hate you.

    ⒊{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It's OK to offer a small sign of thanks to teachers if they've been helpful to you. But a teacher is usually not allowed to accept the wrong message，and a teacher is usually not allowed to accept anything expensive.

A．Giving expensive gifts.

B．Show up for class on time.

C．Not being sincere.

D．Find the practical value in classes.

E．Use this time to get extra help.

F．Show an interest in the subject.

G．Get along better with your teachers.

    Global Positioning System (GPS) is now a part of everyday driving in many countries. It is a space-based system that provides position and time information in all weather conditions. GPS can help people get to where they want to go.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When this happens, the driver is often to blame. Sometimes a GPS error is responsible. Most often, it is a combination of the two.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Barry Brown, a GPS technologist, took an incident as an example. His friend once flew to an airport in the eastern United States. There he borrowed a GPS-equipped car to use. He wrongly plugged in the home address in the west. It wasn't until he was driving for thirty minutes that he realized it. Mr. Brown says this is a common human error. But he says, “One problem is that GPS has a very small screen and it can just tell you the next turn.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}”

    “The Normal and Natural Troubles of Driving with GPS” lists several areas where GPS can cause difficulties. They include maps that are outdated, incorrect or difficult to understand. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}GPS may fail due to these reasons and then lead to confusion for the drivers.

    Although GPS sometimes causes difficulties when people are driving, the most attractive point of this system is its 100% coverage on the planet. It is important for you to have to know what you are doing when you use GPS. You need to have the “ability” to be able to use GPS because it sometimes goes wrong.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. There are quite a few situations showing the problems of using GPS.

B. That means that it is not really telling you about going to the wrong place.

C. This space-based system is an important tool for civil and commercial users.

D. But sometimes it sends you to the wrong place or leaves you completely lost.

E. They also contain timing problems related to when GPS commands are given.

F. Advances in technology play an active role in modernizing GPS in many ways.

G. To make GPS well used, you need a good understanding of how drivers and GPS work.

    Earth is home to around 7,000 languages, around half of which are expected to disappear by 2100.

    Languages disappear for many reasons. Sometimes younger generations stop learning a language because parents want children to fit in. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Native American children of the late-19th century were required to attend boarding schools where educators forbade them from speaking their native languages.

    The United Nations ranks endangered languages according to their risk level. For example, a "critically endangered" language is one that even grandparents don't speak often. New York's Onondaga language is an example with only 50 speakers left. An "extinct" language has no speakers. It is gone forever. Alaska's Eyak language is one example. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}In the same way, different languages contribute to cultural diversity. Saving these languages benefits our understanding of other cultures. Languages can show how a society looks at the world and what it values. A language may describe something in a way that is funny, too. In Welsh, it rains not cats and dogs, but old wives and walking sticks.

    The Endangered Language Alliance wants to save languages from disappearing. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} However, its efforts are limited. If an endangered language is going to make a real comeback, it'll probably get its start in schools. For nearly 100 years, public schools in Hawaii did not teach the Hawaiian language. Now students can keep learning in Hawaiian from elementary schools to college and beyond.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} At least one did. In 1881, a Jewish linguist named Eliezer Ben-Yehuda brought the 3,000-year-old language Hebrew back to life. Today it is one of the official languages of the country of Israel, with more than 4 million speakers.

A. The last person who spoke it died in 2008.

B. Why should we save endangered languages?

C. Various animals and plants benefit our environment.

D. With just 5 speakers left, it is absolutely endangered.

E. Can a language with zero native speakers come back to life?

F. Sometimes societies force minorities to give up their language.

G. The nonprofit group finds native speakers and records their stories.

    Do you want to be at the top of your class? Add these tips to your life and you should be on your way to being a top student!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I cannot stress how important it is to pay attention to what your teacher is teaching you. Take part in class discussions if you have something worthwhile to add. Pay attention during class, especially during lectures.

    Taking notes is important. You don't need to write down every single word your teacher says but write down what he/she writes on the board, or any special fact you think you might need for a test. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This way it will help you learn more effectively by actually thinking about what you are writing.

    Don't skip school. You will be missing out on stuff. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, you will have more work and you have missed lectures and in-class movies. Also, try not to be late for class. It's most likely that your teacher won't appreciate it and you will get yourself behind.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you have an "I don't care about school or this class" attitude, then teachers will be less willing to help you with problems or offer you extra credit. The same goes for lazy attitude. Have a respectful attitude to the teacher and other students. Try not to laugh when other students make a mistake.

    Always ask questions.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you don't understand, ask someone. Read your textbook and notes, and then if that fails, seek help. Ask a teacher, friend, classmate, parent, etc. Get a tutor if you need one.

A. There is no shame in needing some help.

B. Staying organized will be helpful.

C. Be prepared.

D. Pay attention to everything the teacher says.

E. Write in your own words.

F. Keep a good attitude towards things.

G. It is true that you could make up the work.