Both men and women are living longer these days in industrialized countries. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In general, they can expect to live six or seven years more than men. One reason for this is biological.

    One important biological factor(因素) that helps women live longer is the difference in hormones between men and women. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Between the ages of about 12 and 50, women produce hormones that are involved in fertility(生育能力). These hormones also have a positive effect on the heart and the blood flow. In fact, women are less likely to have high blood pressure or to die from heart attacks.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They help the body defend itself against some kinds of infections. This means that women generally get sick less often and less seriously than men. The common cold is a good example: women, on average, get fewer colds than men.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Scientists are still not exactly sure how genes influence aging, but they believe they do. Some think that a woman's body cells have a tendency(倾向) to age more slowly than a man's. Others think that a man' s body cells have a tendency to age more quickly. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. However, women, on average, live longer.

B. The biological factor plays an important part.

C. Women are also helped by their female genes.

D. The female hormones also protect the body in another way.

E. Recent research seems to support both of these possibilities.

F. Therefore, women are more healthy than men and can live a better life.

G. Hormones are chemicals which are produced by the body to control various body functions.

    When difficult people express themselves orally, they generally want at least two things: they're been heard and they're been understood. As a good communicator should be a good listener, five steps are advocated towards good listening.

    The first step is cooperating. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In fact, it's through the way you look and should while he is talking. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You do this by nodding your head in agreement, making certain sounds of understanding.

    When the person begins to repeat what's been said, it's signal of step two: turning back. It means that you repeat back some words he is using, sending a clear signal that you're listening carefully and that you think what he is saying is important.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} At this point, you start to gather information about what is being communicated. Ask some open-ended questions, which will allow you to figure out what intention he is hoping to satisfy.

    The fourth step is to summarize what you've heard. This allows you to make sure that both you and the difficult person are on the same page. When you do this, two things happen. First, if you've shown that you're making an effort to understand completely. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Having listened carefully, you've now arrived at the point of confirming with the person that he feels that his thoughts have been fully voiced. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    When enough sincere listening, questioning, and remembering are brought together, understanding is usually achieved and a difficult person becomes less difficult and more cooperative.

A. You may help him to fully express his thoughts and feelings.

B. Why does this happen?

C. Ask if he feels understood.

D. This increases possibility of gaining cooperation from him.

E. Talk with him about what he thinks of his expression.

F. Having heard what he has to say, the next step is clarifying.

G. How does a difficult person know that you're listening and understanding?

    Making decisions when shopping is often a tough call. Even if you're satisfied with the first dress you try on, would you go on looking for alternatives, comparing styles and prices , until dropped dead?

    Psychology researchers have studied how people make decisions and concluded there are two basic styles. " Maximizers"  like to take their time and weigh a wide range of choices, sometimes every possible one —before  choosing." Satisficers" would rather be fast than thorough

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}So even if they see what would seem to meet their requirements, they can't make a decision until after they've examined every option to make sure that they're making the best possible choice. Researchers followed 548 job-seeking college seniors at 11 schools from October through their graduation in June. They found that the maximizers landed better jobs.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    "The maximizers is kicking himself because he can't examine every choice and at some point had to just pick something, " they say." Maximizers make best decisions and end up feeling bad about hem{#blank#}3{#/blank#}"

    Satisficers also have high standards, but they are happier than maximizers. Maximizers tend to be more depressed and to report a lower satisfaction  with life, his research found.

    Faced with so many choices in our lives, we need to learn how not to waste time and energy on our decision- making.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}For instance, if you're picking a restaurant for lunch meeting, first deciding on a certain part of town or type of cuisine can narrow your choices.

    Once you've arrived at a decision,stick with it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}To limit the number of choices you can set a time for decision-making. Say you are buying a new bag, you could spend an amount of time studying features, price and value but if you give yourself only five minutes to make a decision,and there are only bags you can consider, you'll save time.You'll be happier with your decision, too.

A.Firstly, decrease your range of choices.

B.Maximizers are people who want the best.

C.Just accept no decision is ever completely perfect.

D.Comparing is often a must when you make a decision.

E.Satisficers make good decisions and end up feeling good.

F. The other is to make decisions more accurately at the beginning.

G.Their starting salaries were 20 percent higher but they felt worse about their jobs.

Top 5 Ways to Build a Wonderful Life

    Live below your means(收入).

    We all want to buy that new piece of technology, or take out a loan(贷款) for the expensive car we can't afford. It might feel great at the time but spending too much hurts a lot later on.

    Enjoy life's simple pleasures and save as much as you can. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Careful spending will bring you greater enjoyment in the long run.

    Put your money to work.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Good investments(投资) can be the difference between retiring in your 40's or in your 60's. If a person in their 20's invests 20% of their income, the interest(利息) they earn will equal their current salary when they reach their early 40's. They could retire without a drop in income!

    Educate yourself.

    To be happy we need continuous growth. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This doesn't mean you need to get a doctor's degree or spend 2 hours every day. Self education can be anything that takes you out of your comfort zone. The important part is keeping an open mind and searching for fresh ideas and perspectives.

     {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Suppose you had everything you wanted. Would you be happy without anyone to share it with? The personal relationships with friends and family members are the greatest source of happiness in our lives. Don't forget about them. Without the people you care about you'll probably be miserable, no matter how successful you are.

    Work towards a dream.

    Even if your life isn't perfect, you can always build towards a goal. If you aren't building towards something, you'll probably stagnating(停滞). {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    We can't control everything about lives, but working towards a goal lays the basis for future success. No matter what your dream is, get out there and start doing something.

A. Take care of others.

B. Education builds over time.

C. Develop lasting personal relationships.

D. The best way to grow is life-long education.

E. The best way to avoid this is working towards a goal.

F. Expensive things don't create lasting happiness and security.

G. Saving is great, but to make the most of your money, you need to put it to work.

Spreading smiles at Birchwood

    When Ava McCarver was in kindergarten, her class visited a nursing home (疗养院). Ava learned that many of the residents (住户) there receive few visitors. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}"I asked my mom if I could visit them," she says. Soon, Ava and her mom became volunteers at Birchwood Health Care Center.

    That was six years ago. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}She enjoys hanging out with Mary, Shirley and other residents during her twice-monthly visits. "I paint their nails, and I talk to a lot of them," she says. Sometimes she helps lead craft (手工艺) projects. Other times they play card games. "It's good for the residents to see little kids," Ava says. "That makes them really happy."

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}She has raised money for the nursing home by making refrigerator decorations and selling them at a craft fair. She has also collected used puzzles from garage sales and donated them to Birchwood.

    Ava wrote a book called The Squirrel Family. In the book, two squirrels raise a family and eventually move into a place called Birchwood where they live happily. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Ten stores in her city agreed to display the books, along with a can to collect money. Ava's project raised about $750. Birchwood used that money to buy furniture for the residents.

    Ava says she enjoyed the look of "pure joy" on a resident's face after a hug from her. That's why she started visiting Birchwood — to bring happiness to others.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}"It's really fun," she says. "They have good stories, and I enjoy my time there."

A. She decided to take action.

B. But she has gained happiness for herself, too.

C. Since then, Ava has made many friends at Birchwood.

D. Ava used her book to raise money for the nursing home.

E. Birchwood needs more volunteers for its craft project.

F. Ava has found some creative ways to help her friends at Birchwood.

G. Ava's book has achieved a great success and earned a large amount of money for her.

    UK readers set a new record in translated fiction sales in 2018, with Chinese novels contributing to the boom.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} . It says the sales have increased by 20% in 2018 compared with the previous year in an article on March 6. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} , such as Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem and Jin Yong's A Hero Born. According to annual research commissioned by the Man Booker International(MBI) prize, total sales of translated fiction in the UK increased last year by 5.5 percent, amounting to a value of 184m yuan (£20.7m)-the highest figure since the research was first conducted in 2001.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} . "The rise in sales of translated fiction shows how hungry British readers are for terrific writing from other countries," said the administrator of the MBI prize, "This in really exciting news, and welcome confirmation that publishers have responded to the proven popularity and marketability of translated literature," said Charlotte Collins, co-chair of the UK's Translators Association.

    Anna Holmwood, translator of A Hero Born, has worked as a literary agent, and has seen firsthand how Chinese titles continue to gain a greater audience worldwide, particularly in the English speaking world. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} . She said the success of books by Louis Cha and Liu Cixin reflects British readers' growing appetite for new stories outside the English-speaking world. Publishers need to be more willing to introduce fresh work to readers. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} . "I think British readers are more open-minded because of the diversified culture in the UK," Holmwood said. She also said that cit typically takes a few books into a series for sales to truly pick up, and "book two (of Jin Yong's four-volume series, Legends of the Condor Heroes) only just came out" in late January, suggesting Yong may have another hit on his hands.

A. It means taking more of a risk though

B. She sees it as a sign of the UK's market shifting

C. The record of sales in the UK comes from Chinese fiction

D. Chinese science-fiction and fantasy novels were sold strongly

E. Reading is the best way of putting themselves in others' shoes

F  Award-winning science fiction have been put into many languages

G.The Guardian highlighted the "extreme growth" in translated fiction sales