"Smart" Idioms

    Today we take a look at the word “smart”.If someone says you are smart,what do they mean?Is it a good thing or something bad?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}This is because the word smart has many meanings.

●That smarts!

    For example,someone could say you look smart or are dressed smartly.That means they like what you are wearing and your physical appearance.To use a slang（俚语）expression,they could say,“You look really cool!”But if something smarts,it can be unkind or hurtful,either physically or mentally.If you accidentally trip over a chair and fall down,you might shout,“Ow!That smarts!”Or if a friend says something that hurts your feelings,you can say you are smarting from the hurtful comments.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

●Smarting

    If you are standing too close to a campfire,you could say your eyes are smarting from the smoke of the fire. Here the word “smarting” means a sharp pain.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If someone is smart as whip,they are able to think very quickly.

●Street smart and book smart

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Some people are considered street smart.They may not have a strong education.But they are good at dealing with people and problems in the real world.Other people might be book smart.This means they have spent many years in school.But they may not be so smart when dealing with people or real-world problems.

●Don't get smart with me!

    And then there is the definition of smart that means to talk or behave disrespectfully.If you say something disrespectful to your parents,they might say,“Don't get smart with me!”Here,“smart”means to show a lack of respect by saying something unkind.In fact,a child who has a smart mouth makes rude comments,not smart ones.This definition of smart can also be used as a verb.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Do they really mean you are smart?

B.People have different attitude toward being smart.

C.However,different people have different ways of being smart.

D.In fact,maybe that person is no longer you friend.

E.The answer is not as easy as you might think.

F.But the most common meaning of smart is to be intelligent.

G.If you smart off to the wrong people,they could hit you in the face.

    How to keep a travel journal

    Are you looking for fresh travel journal writing ideas? Read on these tips to get some ideas for creating a journal you will cherish.

    Just do it. A travel journal is not scholarly (学文精深的).{#blank#}1{#/blank#}There are no rules, and no one is grading what you are write. The best way to get going is to get started.

    Pay attention. Your journal doesn't have to only be about where you go each day.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Did you meet someone new? Where and when? What did you talk about? Recording observations will make your travel journal colorful?

    Try to write something every day. Make a habit of writing something every day or at least every other day.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you let more time pass, it can be different to remember what you did three or four days ago, especially the brief impressions of those experiences. Your journal will be richer if you keep up with it.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}If writing paragraphs doesn't fit either you or your trip, try something else. You can make lists, such as your favorite restaurants for dinner or the best places to watch the sunset. Try sketching(素描)too and don't be discouraged if you are not sure as an artist. Sometimes sketching is really the best way to record an experience that would be lost when described with text. As the saying goes, a picture is worth one thousand words.

    Take the bad along with the good. For all the great travel experiences we enjoy, there are days when things go wrong.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Though they are not be highlight of a trip, they are part of your unique travel story and often are as much fun to tell about in the future as the ones that go as planned.

A. Write at a comfortable place.

B. Use different ways to keep a journal

C. Be sure that the size of the notebook is right for you.

D. Then you can catch your thoughts while they are fresh.

E. It is your experiences—written by you, and for yourself.

F. Write about these experiences too for they are just as memorable

G. Stop for a moment, look around and ask yourself some questions.

    Here's how yo-yo dieting affects your body and your mind

    Yo-yo dieting, also known as weight cycling, occurs when a person experiences periods of weight loss followed by weight gain followed by weight loss and so on and so on. The effects of this weight cycling are significant, even when the weight lost and gained is as little as 10 pounds.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It can make you gain weight

    While dieting may help you lose a few pounds at first, it only works temporarily. Your body responds to the lack of calories by turning to lean muscle mass for energy. Once you have returned to your normal eating habits, the weight comes back on –{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Yo-yo dieting may increase the risk for heart disease and sudden death in post-menopausal（绝经后期）women. Studies found that when normal-weight women experienced periods of weight cycling, they were 3.5 times more likely to have sudden death than women whose weight remained stable. In the same study, yo-yo dieting increased a woman's risk of death by 66 percent.

It can be damaging to your skin

    Dermatologist (a doctor who studies and treats skin diseases) Robin Evans weighed in on the effect that yo-yo dieting has on the skin. “The up and down weight losses and gains can have harmful effects on the skin especially on the face with stretching and contracting the skin,” said Evans{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

It plays games with your mind

    Yo-yo dieting is hard on the body,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Repeatedly gaining and losing weight can leave dieters feeling more depressed about their weight and losing self-belief as a result.

    If you're a yo-yo-dieter, talk to your health care provider about lifestyle changes that can help you maintain a stable and healthy weight for years to come.

A. It only works temporarily

B. It can damage your heart

C. but in the form of fat, not muscle

D. but it's even harder on the mind

E. but with a smaller size, you will make yourself less friendly

F. The result ends up more wrinkles and an overall effect of aging the skin

G. We turned to the experts to find out how yo-yo dieting can affect your body and your mind

    Are Your Clothes Causing Pollution? Very small pieces of plastic, called microfibers, are polluting rivers and oceans. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Clothes worn for outdoor activities and exercise are often made of artificial material, which is useful in keeping warm. But they contain very small plastic fibers, which may also be harming the environment when you wash them. When people wash these clothes, very small pieces go down the drain （下水道） with the wash water.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Pollution caused by plastic is not new，but recent studies have shown the effect of microfibers in the environment.

    Studies show very small microfibers are ending up in our waters，which may come from waste water treatment factories. A 2015 study found them in fish from California.

    Microfibers, effect on food supplies.

Beyond the waterways，the researchers say microfibers may end up in soil and agricultural lands. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}This means there is much to be learned about microfibers and the environment. Some studies have shown that microfibers end up inside sea animals，like oysters. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Researchers say that the fibers tend not to move into the tissue of the fish，but it needs more study.

    Steps to save or keep microfibers from the environment.

    Until more information becomes known，there are steps to take to reduce the amount of microfibers in the environment. People should use less of the artificial materials. If we already have those in our lives and we're using them，an important step would be washing them less. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} A bag is being designed in which to wash these clothes. It traps the microfibers in the bag and it may be available for purchase soon.

A. New technology may also help.

B. Studies on microfibers in the environment.

C. They can also move around the atmosphere.

D. Studies on how much of the microfibers is released.

E. The source of these microfibers may surprise you: your clothes.

F. Washing machines keep microfibers from escaping with wash water.

G. So if these microfibers have been found in fish and seafood, are they safe to eat?

How to Enjoy Life As a Teen

    Are high school days equal to the "best years of your life"? Maybe not, but you can learn to make the most of your high school days.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Whether it's having a computer, having friends, having a good supply of food, a bed to sleep on, family that loves you, having a decent education or simply being born in this world. Be happy, and life will reward you. Remember that these are the last few years you will be able to enjoy yourself without having to worry about the responsibility of an adult, but make sure you prepare yourself for when you do become one.

    Choose your friends wisely. Unlike what many articles state, you don't have to be popular and have a gazillion friends to be happy. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Try to have friends that like you who you are, not just because you are wearing a certain brand of shoes or something like that. These are people who shop at the same store as you; not someone who will sympathize with you when your dog dies.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Participating in clubs, activities, and sports increases your chances of meeting new friends. While you only need 4 or 5 close friends, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to meet new people. Participating gives you something to do instead of sitting bored at home and wallowing in self-pity.

    You can pursue interests you enjoy. Video games, for example, are good if you're the type who can get into that kind of thing. Use your "hobby time" either to gain practical skills for college apps, job resumes, and scholarships or get into something else in the creative field like painting or dance.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Work at a job you can enjoy. Working is a great way to gain experience and to meet other people. When you do get out of college, interviewing companies will look at your prior work experience. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you can't find work, especially in this hard economic time, volunteer or make your own job.

A. Remember that the point of life is for you to enjoy it.

B. In fact, many of the "friends" you have when you are popular are not true friends.

C. Learn to appreciate small things.

D. Be sociable.

E. This will look great on your resume.

F. This is the time to start developing passions.

G. You should also find a hobby that is meaningful or practical.

    When you see cockroaches (蟑螂) in your house, your first thought might be to use a bottle of insecticide (杀虫剂). However, not only would your family be affected by harmful chemicals, but also it might not do much good. So researchers say that besides using chemical treatments, you can also use other methods like traps. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. So, how do you do it?

    As with most insects, prevention is more important. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. That means never leaving dirty dishes in the kitchen and sweeping the floor before you go to bed.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}, so it's necessary to seal (密封) the entries into your home. This may take time, but in the end, it's worth the effort, especially if you live in an apartment and have neighbors who don't reach the same standards of cleanliness as you do.

    Keep your space as cool as possible. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. They increase their activity level and even spread their wings and fly. With more heat they have more strength.

    You can also try turning to a natural insect control company. My insect control company uses diatomaceous earth, a kind of special soil, in the walls of my home.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, it's not harmful for you and your family. Best of all, it works well.

A. Cockroaches can't go very long without water

B. Cockroaches can move through even the smallest spaces

C. Or you can give up chemicals and try just natural methods

D. When temperatures rise, many of these insects become active

E. Because the earth can cause an insect to die without the use of chemicals

F. You have cockroaches in the house, but you don't want to use insecticide

G. Make sure your house is clean, because food remains are attractive to cockroaches