When I was young, I didn't know much about the harmful effects of smoking. I didn't know, for example, that it could do terrible damage to your heart and lungs or   (1)  I certainly didn't know their babies may have a smaller birth weight or even be abnormal in some way.  (2)  However, what I did know was that my girlfriend thought I smelt terrible. She said my breath and clothes smelt, and that the ends of my fingers were turning yellow. She told me that she wouldn't go out with me again unless I stopped! I also noticed that I became breathless quickly, and that I wasn't enjoying sport as much.   (3)  

Homework has been a topic of debate for quite some time now. People have been going back and forth, when it comes to considering the upsides and downsides of homework. Perhaps, reading the benefits of homework will help you out of the problem.

Children begin to study. Homework makes them take the initiative(主动性). Teachers get the schoolwork done from students and students start doing homework. There is a sense of responsibility related to completing their homework and a feeling of accomplishment(成就感）after completing it.

Children start to arrange their time to study and play, thus learning to complete their scheduled tasks in the time they have. They learn to set priorities(优先的事). They manage their time and complete their work on their own. Homework encourages self-discipline(自律) in kids.

Homework builds confidence in their minds. Teachers give comments on the work students do. Teachers' praise promotes the students' confidence and encourages them to keep up with their good work. They learn to follow instructions and complete their tasks with responsibility. They need to explore various topics, refer to research material, and search for information in order to do the homework. Thus, homework helps to enable the students to explore and learn.

Students get an opportunity to use their skills and develop them. Homework gives students a chance to learn from their mistakes and improve on their weaknesses. Homework provides them with a chance to express what they know or have newly found out, and exhibit their talent. Homework makes students grasp whatever they learn in school, thus helping in strengthening the knowledge learned. This helps them score better in class tests and eventually improves their academic results.

Completing homework requires planning, organizing and acting upon it. The task of completing the homework on time and regularly helps raise, in the child, a sense of proper planning. Managing time and planning are two terms with a thin line of difference between them. Planning involves ways to get all the homework done-subject by subject one after the other, based on their levels of difficulty.

I believe in the benefits of homework. Students should be encouraged to work creatively. Good homework is their window to this world.

According to the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America), 40 million adults in the US suffer from anxiety disorders. So, if you believe you are suffering from anxiety, you are far from alone. Here are some great ways of dealing with anxiety.

The ADAA says that practising yoga (瑜伽) can be a good way to calm your nerves. You can relax yourself by listening to music or exercising. Sometimes, when you step away from the problem that is causing you to be anxious and do something to get your mind away from it, it can actually help reduce the anxiety. Give yourself some time to concentrate on something else.

The website, Psychcentral.com, suggests you take a deep breath when you begin to feel anxious. Many doctors agree that taking a deep breath can be a powerful reducer of anxiety. It’s said to activate (使加快) the body’s relaxation response (反应). I have found that this has worked for me most of the time. Breathe in deeply through your nose and let it out through your mouth, as if practicing yoga.

      The professionals from the ADAA say that the intake (摄入) of caffeine has been known to increase anxiety. I know it might be hard, but if you’re suffering from anxiety, skip that cup of coffee and have some water instead.

The ADAA says that a great way to cope with anxiety is to exercise. It will help you remain healthy physically and mentally. Also, it’s a way to get your mind away from worries. Many doctors suggest running at a regular time to cope with anxiety.

Talking about your worries with a person you believe in can be a great way to take a bit of the weight of anxiety off us. Talk with your friends and family members about what you’re experiencing. You may find that some of them have even dealt with the same worries. Sometimes just taking different attitudes towards your worries can help reduce them.

     These methods have worked for me and for others that I know. However, some anxiety can be harder to deal with, so it’s important to ask for help if your anxiety continues.

What is waste and why does it matter?

Waste or rubbish is something that people throw away because they no longer need it or want it. Almost everything we do creates waste and as a society we are currently producing more waste than ever before. We do this at home and at work. The fact that we produce waste, and get rid of it, matters for the following reasons.

When something is thrown away, we lose the natural resources, the energy and the time which have been used to make the product. The vast majority of resources that we use in manufacturing products and providing services cannot be replaced. The use of these resources cannot go on indefinitely—we would run out.

When something is thrown away, we are putting pressure on the environmentˈs ability to cope —in terms of the additional environmental impacts associated with extracting the new resources, manufacturing and distributing the goods, and in terms of the environmental impacts associated with getting rid of our rubbish.

When something is thrown away, we are not able to see it as a resource. It is well understood that what is waste to one person may not be viewed as waste by another. A good example of this is scrap metal which has been recycled for many years. Increasingly people are realizing that it makes economic sense as well as environmental sense to use "waste" rather than just throw it away.

The process of using up the earthˈs natural resources to make products which we then throw away, sometimes a very short time later, is not “sustainable”—in other words, it cannot continue indefinitely.

The way we consume materials will affect whether we have a sustainable society that leaves resources available for future generations to use. As consumers and producers, we are central to the concept of sustainability. We need to think about how we can get more out of less, how we can use less and throw away less and how we can do better things with our so-called "waste" than throw it away. We need to see “waste” as a “resource”.

Once I was sent to attend a seminar（研讨会）. It was pouring outside.   (1)   I was holding an umbrella, my trouser legs as well as my shoes and socks, still got wet. When I entered the hall, suddenly I   (2)   (catch) sight of my chief boss coming in.

At that time, I just got the job. Therefore, I hurriedly went   (3)   (meet) this boss and introduced myself to him as I was   (4)   newcomer, named so-and-so. He said: “Yes, I recognize you. Got your feet wet?” I lowered my head to look at my trouser legs and with a

  (5)   (help) tone, I said, “Yeah. It’s raining cats and dogs, isn’t it?”  (6)   (stare) at me for a moment, the chief boss said nothing with a smile.

Later on, I mentioned the incident to my colleague. And I learnt that I   (7)   (make) a big fool of myself. It turns out that “Get one’s feet wet” is an American slang, with the meaning of “reaching the state of affairs.” But I regarded   (8)   ( I ) as humorous and replied with a slang sentence, which is seldom used now to describe the rain falling   (9)   

 (heavy). This was completely off the point. I am lucky that the chief boss did not point it out   (10)   the spot.

How to prepare for summer reading

Even though school is out for the summer, you still have to do summer reading. Luckily, with some planning ahead of time, you can do your reading and still have time to enjoy summer. In fact, if you pick the right books and the right places to read, you may even find summer reading to be an enjoyable experience.

Well, the first step of preparing for summer reading is to take a look at your summer reading list. While reading the list, make sure it includes books which must be read by everyone in the class, so you’ll probably be tested on them or asked to write about them shortly after starting the school year. Also, there are books you’re already familiar with, but haven’t read: You probably know about these books because they someone mentioned them to you or you read about them somewhere. Keep these books in mind if you are given any choice over what to read.

Secondly, research the books to know what to expect and find out if you actually want to read them. To achieve this, you can ask your friends or family. Many summer reading lists include classics or books that are already popular. In most cases, it is highly likely that you know someone who has read some of the books on your summer reading list. You may want to make sure that the person you ask shares your taste in literature. Also, you can research your book on the web. For example, Amazon is a good place to start to get a general idea, reviews by other readers and other useful information about a book.

The next step is to get the books you’ve decided to read. If you are relying on local book stores and libraries for your summer reading lists, it’s better to start early as summer reading titles for local schools are usually in high demand.

After the books reach you, you should decide how much time you have to read, by estimating (估算) how much time there is before school starts, how much free time you have each day and how much you have to read. You may want to set certain goals (such as a chapter a day) for yourself. Some people find it helpful to divide the number of pages they have to read by the number of days they have to read them, so they know how much they have to read each day.

When you’ve made the above preparations, you can get down to reading. For this, think about your own personal reading style by asking some questions like: Can you concentrate if there is noise around or while you’re listening to music? Which times are you most energetic or most likely to fall asleep? More importantly, choose to read in a place where you can concentrate.

Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent(程度) do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?

In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize(优先考虑) caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-con cerned.

Modern people act selfishly to survive the fierce competition of life. They say that it is a jungle and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues’ benefits. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.

In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were condemned(责难) then. But we cannot ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with people in the modern society.

Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving much to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial(互利的) relationship.

In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centred than those in the past due to heavy outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.

Being on bad terms with your neighbors can make your life frustrating day after day. But taking the time to establish a good relationship with your neighbors has a good many benefits. The community will be friendlier, the neighborhood safer, and the area a nicer place to live in. There are some suggestions to develop a good relationship with your neighbors.

Whether youˈre new in the neighborhood or new residents who have just moved into your block, introduce yourself. Say hello, offer a welcoming gift and share or ask about the local area.

Sometimes, you can remedy (补救) problems before they even start; for example, if you do a lot of yard work, let them know in advance and mention that if it’s getting too loud, they shouldn’t hesitate to let you know.

Be aware of the shared walls. If you and your neighbors share adjacent (相邻的) living spaces, try to put noisy household appliances such as washing machines and tumble dryers away from the shared walls.

Keep your pet dog on a leash (皮带) if it has a habit of running rampant on your neighborsˈ lawns, especially if they have a pet cat or a pet dog of their own, and ensure to clean up after it.

When you park your vehicle, be sure not to block anyoneˈs access, or make them have to pull out of a very tight spot. Don’t slam (砰地关上) your car doors late at night.

Weed your garden in a regular way, because the presence of weeds in your yard is not only unsightly but can also spread to your neighbor’s yard.

Really good neighbors watch out for each other. They offer to help, especially on matters that impact the larger neighborhood and look for opportunities to communicate. Great neighbors make for great neighborhoods.

A

    These changes only became possible as my memory improved．First it was stored in tubes，then on transistors and later on very small chips．As a result I totally changed my shape．As I have grown older I have also grown smaller．71．________And my memory became so large that even I couldn't believe it！But I was always so lonely standing there by myself，until in the early 1960s

they gave me a family connected by a network．I was able to share my knowledge with others through the World Wide Web．

    Since the 1970s many new applications have been found for me．I have become very important in communication，finance and trade．72．________I have even been put into space rockets and sent to explore the Moon and Mars．73．________I am no wtruly filled with happiness that I am a devoted friend and helper of the human race！

B

    Many musicians meet and forma band because they like to write and play their own music．74．________Sometimes they may play to passers-by in the street or subway so that they can earn some extra money for themselves or to pay for their instruments．75．________Of course they hope to make records in a studio and sell millions of copies to become millionaires！