It's good to have friends that we can talk to and share our thoughts and opinions with.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But recently, it seems that many of us have been developing a new relationship with a mystery person that we'll never meet.

    These people are virtual (虚拟的) assistants. They are pieces of software that we can talk to and they can talk back to us. An example is Apple's Siri. They might be on your phone or computer or even a smart speaker in your home. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead of typing on a computer keyboard, we can now speak and a voice will answer. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Tom Hewitson is one of them. He told the BBC, “Now, computers are an active participant in the conversation and in guiding you to make the right decision.” So he's saying this cutting-edge(尖端的) technology has the ability to think for itself and make its own decisions. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Will it stop us using our own brains and will we lose the ability to write things down or type? They are certainly clever, helping you to book train tickets, give you the latest weather news or even tell you a joke.

    One thing we can't do yet is to make chit-chat (闲聊) or small talk with it. We have to change the way we speak. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This year Google produced a new product, described by the company as artificial intelligence “for accomplishing real-world tasks over the phone”. It's a type of chatbot(聊天机器人) that will allow you to, for example, chat to your hairdresser about when they can fit you in for a cut. Other companies are working on similar things. But before they perfect this new technology, don't forget who your real friends are.

A. The people behind these voices are called conversation designers.

B. They are different from how we speak to other people.

C. But there's no doubt that this technology will soon become common in our lives.

D. More importantly, they're people we can ask for help or advice.

E. They are changing the way we interact with technology.

F. It is a scary thought that this virtual voice can think for you.

G. They are cleverer than our real friends.

Zoo animals VS animals in the wild

    Zoo animals usually live longer than their wild counterparts. This is because they have access to medical care and better nutrition in zoos. Moreover, there is a lack of predators(捕食者).{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Elderly wild animals lose their strength, ability to find and digest food and often lose their social standing in their species social structure. Zoos are learning how to care for old animals.

    Boredom is a big problem for animals in zoos and something animals in the wild do not have to face. Animal experts believe that a small place produces boredom.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} They also provide companions and hide pieces of food so the animals have to search for it as in the wild.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} A case in point is the Asiatic wild horse. The species was hunted to extinction in the wild by 1969. The entire world population now lives in zoos and nature preserves. The largest population is kept at the National Zoo in Washington. D.C. All of those animals were zoo-born.

    Animals living in the wild may come into contact with people. The animals may hunt livestock(家畜)or eat farmers' crops.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} In good zoos, people can see that these animals are not just able to make trouble, but lead complex lives. This can help people save the animal and the habitat needed to keep the animal alive in the wild.

    Animals often reproduce better when they are in the wild.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} One of the remarkable examples is the female giant panda. Using artificial(人工的) means has helped raise the worldwide panda population. Also, by trying to recreate the animal's natural living conditions as much as possible, zoo animals will breed.

A. The goals of zoos have changed.

B. However, some animals are an exception

C. If they live in the wild, they have to battle against them.

D. As a result, they are considered harmful and are hunted.

E. Even so, it often leaves one to wonder if the animals live well.

F. For some species, living in zoos is the only way the species can survive.

G. So good zoos have replaced all metal cages for those animals that used to live in large areas.

    A simple life means getting rid of many of the things you do so that you can spend more time with people you love and do the things you love.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}It's often a journey of two steps forward and one backward.

    Evaluate your time.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}What things do you do from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep? Make a list, and evaluate whether they're in line with your priorities. If not, remove them and focus on what's important. Redesign your day.

    Limit your communications. Our lives these days are filled with a vast flow of communications: email, cell phones, paper mail, Twitter, forums, and more.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Instead, set a limit on your communications: only deal with emails at certain times of the day. Limit phone calls to certain times too. It is the same with other communications. Set a schedule and stick to it.

    Try living without a car. OK, this isn't something I've done, but many others have.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Walk, bike, or take public transportation. It reduces expenses and gives you time to think. A car is also very complicated, needing not only car payments, but insurance, maintenance, repairs, gas and more.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you rid your home of stuff, you might find you don't need so much space. I'm not saying you should live on a boat (although I know some people who happily do so), but if you can be comfortable in a smaller home, it will not only be less expensive, but easier to maintain, and greatly simplify your life.

A. Have a place for everything.

B. How do you spend your day?

C. It's something I would do if I didn't have kids.

D. They can take up your whole day if you let them be.

E. However, getting to simplicity isn't always a simple process.

F. Most people don't know what “enough” is, and thus they keep buying more.

G. Consider a smaller home.

    Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.

    Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons(神经元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

    If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information — our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

    Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} "You keep what matters," Tononi says.

A. We should also try to sleep well the night before.

B. It's as if the brain is preserving its most important memories.

C. Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

D. The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories.

E. That's why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

F. "Sleep is the price we pay for learning," says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea.

G. Tononi's team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice.

    Moving abroad can be a challenging experience. You leave your family, friends and everything you know behind. You enter a new culture where the customs and sometimes the languages are different. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. It's a time to discover new things, make new friends and begin a new adventure.

    So what are the best ways to involve yourself in the new culture while living abroad?

    Live with a native speaker

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. First, you have a friend! Living alone can be a lonely experience, especially if you're far from home. I've also had the opportunity to meet my housemate's friends and socialize (交往) with them. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. In addition, you have someone to tell you about the cultural customs and interesting places in the area.

    Socialize with the local people

    The thought of making friends and mixing with the local people may seem scary at first but it's worth it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, attending an evening class or participating in a language exchange with people that are interested in learning your native language.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    The food in France is amazing and discovering new food is a fun experience. I've tried things that I've never tried before. My knowledge of different bread and cheese types has grown greatly.

    If You Can't Fall Asleep When Your Head Hits the Pillow. Here's What to Do Schedule Worry Time

    Just as you schedule time to see friends or get a massage do the same with your worries,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}In addition to writing down what's worrying you, create at least one action item you can do to help deal with the issue. Thinking through those potential stressors earlier in the day should help ease how much you worry about those things when your head hi is the pillow.

    Create a Routine to Power Down Your Brain

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Not true. Modern busy living has created so much stimulation (刺激) in the day that brains now operate at super-fast speed. If you don't give them time to rest; they'll continue going at that speed at bedtime. At least 30 minutes before you go to bed, start your probed preparations and then do something relaxing. Keep it consistent, and you'll train your body to expect sleep after that relaxation period.

    Keep a Gratitude List

    Now that you've thrown away your worries, replace the void (空白) where those negative thoughts once lived with positive ones by starting a gratitude journal. The impact of I hose positive thoughts is greater when you write them down,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Practice 4-7-8 Breathing

    Deep breathing is so effective for sleep. In order to get to sleep，your heart rate needs to slow down.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Practice 4-7-8 breathing before you go to bed: Inhale (吸气) for a count of four, hold for seven counts，and then blow out for eight counts.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    As you lie in bed, relax all of your muscles one by one, starting at your toes and ending at your head. Not only is this incredibly relaxing，as the name implies, it also forces you to think about the physical parts of your body, directing your attention away from whatever is stressing you.

A. Exercise Right Before Bed

B. Do Progressive Muscle Relaxation

C. Consider the relaxing effects of positive thoughts on your mind.

D. Schedule a consistent time every day to write down those worries on paper.

E. Most people assume that sleep is like breathing your body will just do it.

F. And breathing techniques are one of the most effective ways to achieve his goal.

G. So try spending a few minutes each night listing several things you're grateful for.