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)  

Travelsets us thinking and makes us in discussions of major world problems. If our thinking skills decrease, they will have to wait until we’re done traveling! That’s WHY we travel. What follows is HOW we travel.

CHEAP TRAVEL

The less you spend, the closer you come to the reason you came.

We’re savers by choice when traveling, although we could afford to stay in middle-priced hotels and eat in their restaurants if we cut back on the length of our trips. By spending less we can travel longer and travel better. We meet more locals by using buses rather than taxis and by staying in small family-run hotels and eating in local-style cafes. Spending too much money makes you away from the foreign experience you came to have.

TRAVELERS --- NOT TOURISTS

What’s the difference? Travelers are more likely to get deeper into the life of a country than tourists. The way to do this is to do lots of pre-trip reading about the countries we will visit, and try to learn a few words of local languages.

Independent travel is usually far less expensive than packaged tours. We don’t use travel agents because we don’t stay in hotels that charge high, and we can get cheaper tickets on the Internet. We like figuring out where to eat and working out how to get around. This puts us into direct contact with the local people. Independent travel isn’t as comfortable or convenient, but it’s the most meaningful way to travel. 

MOVING AROUND

Despite its discomforts, we take public transportation(交通) whenever possible. Traveling in a car is easier, but also scarier. In much of the world roads are poor and driving behaviors are not fixed. Fortunately, even the less developed countries often have good public transportation systems; riding buses and trains brings us into closer contact with the local people.

CARRYING STUFF(东西)

Backpacks work better for long-term travel than the wheeled luggage most middle-aged travelers use. Bumping a “wheelie” over rough sidewalks or up several flights of stairs in a hotel is difficult. Using luggage is fine with a car, but backpacks are easier for bus and train travel. Best of all, wearing backpacks bridge the gap between age groups --- allowing gray-haired travelers like us to make friends with travelers decades younger.

When you are in a place where you are hunting for a new job or a career, you will find that there are several things that you should pay attention to. Jobs and careers are fewer than you expect, especially when satisfying employment is something you need to seriously think about. How are you going to find the job that you want and what should you avoid on your way? When you want to make use of your job search, take a moment and think about the things that you must avoid at all costs.

One of the most important rules is never to compromise on the things you ask for or desire or it will badly affect your life and peace of mind. Keep in mind your basic expectations of a dream job. They might be something about money or you might find they have something to do with time off. Whatever they are, make sure that you do not accept a job without them. Your requirements might not be easy to meet, but you have the right to try and achieve them.

What’s more, don’t shy away from odd(临时的)jobs that might actually take you to the place that you want to be in. Sometimes, finding the right job is a matter of luck and chance after you have been searching and putting in a lot of efforts. And if something unexpected happens, remember that taking the chance is of great importance and is something you might want to seriously consider. As long as you keep your goals in mind, you are going to be doing much better than other people during the job search.

If you are looking for the right job, another thing that you can do to make sure that you get the right kind of employment is to market yourself. When you do nothing to push yourself forward, you will be the one suffering for it. If required, give enough encouragement to yourself and try to confidently look at all that you have. Make sure that you can show your skills and abilities. If the jobs that you have set your sights on are challenging, set goals for yourself and work hard at them. The more efforts you put in marketing yourself, the more your chances of obtaining the job you like there will be.

Remember that when you are working on a job search, you should not short-change yourself. This is because you will only harm yourself by setting low goals.

   The back-to-school season is upon us, and once again, parents across the country have loaded their kids’ backpacks up with snack packs and school supplies. It’s a good moment to reflect on what else we should be giving our kids as they head off to school.

         American parents are feeling particularly anxious about that question this year. The educational process feels more than ever like a race, one that starts in pre-school and doesn’t end until your child is admitted to the perfect college. Most parents are more worried than they need to be about their children’s grades, test scores and IQ. And what we don’t think about enough is how to help our children build their character—how to help them develop skills like perseverance, optimism, responsibility, and self-control, which together do more to determine success than S.A.T. scores or I.Q.

         There is growing evidence that our anxiety about our children’s school performance may actually be holding them back from learning some of these valuable skills. If you’re concerned only with a child’s G.P.A., then you will likely choose to minimize the challenges the child faces in school. With real challenge comes the risk of real failure. And in a competitive academic environment, the idea of failure can be very scary, to students and parents alike.

        But experiencing failure is a critical part of building character. Recent research by a team of psychologists found that adults who had experienced little or no failure growing up were actually less happy and confident than those who had experienced a few significant setbacks in childhood. “Overcoming those obstacles,” the researchers assumed, “could teach effective coping skills, help engage social support networks, create a sense of mastery over past adversity, and foster beliefs in the ability to cope successfully in the future.”

          By contrast, when we protect our children from every possible failure—when we call their teachers to get an extension on a paper; when we urge them to choose only those subjects they’re good at—we are denying them those same character-building experiences. As the psychologists Madeline Levine and Dan Kindlon have written, that can lead to difficulties in adolescence and young adulthood, when overprotected young people finally confront real problems on their own and don’t know how to overcome them.

In the classroom and outside of it, American parents need to encourage children to take chances, to challenge themselves, to risk failure. In the meantime, giving our kids room to fail may be one of the best ways we can help them succeed.

请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。

    注意：请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号后的横线上。每个空格只填一个单词.

Aspirin has been called a wonder drug because it has so many applications. As opposed to most drugs, which have a single purpose, aspirin is a pain reliever, a fever reducer, and a blood thinner all in one. Scientists didn’t begin to truly understand how aspirin works until the 1970s, but we now know that aspirin prevents cells from producing prostaglandins (前列腺素), chemicals that carry pain messages from damaged cells to the brain.

Preventing prostaglandin production is also how aspirin helps keep blood flowing through the cardiovascular (心脏血管的) system. Aspirin shuts down the production of many types of prostaglandins, one of which causes blood cells to stick together and helps prevent clots (凝块). By preventing this particular prostaglandin’s production, aspirin thins the blood. Many people with heart disease take a low dose of aspirin every day as a preventative measure against heart attacks and strokes. While it’s not known exactly how aspirin reduces fevers, modern physicians and researchers believe that aspirin acts on the hypothalamus (下丘脑), the part of the brain that regulates autonomic functions, including body temperature.

Because of its long history and roots in traditional medicine, aspirin is often thought to be completely safe and harmless, but unfortunately, even a wonder drug can have some downsides. Doctors warn people with clotting problems against taking aspirin, since it can make clotting disorders worse, and it shouldn’t be taken for lengthened periods of time after operations, since it can slow healing by preventing blood from clotting. Aspirin is particularly inadvisable for children, because kids who take aspirin (especially for things like fevers and the flu) are more likely to develop a deadly nervous-system disorder called Reye’s syndrome.

It’s worthwhile keeping a bottle of regular aspirin in the house. Besides coming in handy for various aches and pains, aspirin is also helpful in several household applications.

Aspirin is highly effective at reducing the redness caused by insect bites. Wet the area and put an aspirin tablet on the spot. Cut flowers will last longer if their water includes a crushed-up aspirin tablet. Because it contains salicylic acid, aspirin also works to reduce the appearance of pimples (脓疱). Putting an aspirin paste on a pimple will help dry it out and get rid of the redness.

If you find that your white T-shirts accumulate yellow stains, aspirin can fix those, too. Break a few pills into pieces, mix them with some warm water, and wet the stains with the solution before washing—the aspirin will make the shirts look as good as new. Aspirin has also been recommended for bringing dead car batteries back to life and removing chlorine (氯) buildup from the hair of people who swim frequently in pools.

Considering all the things aspirin can do, modern medicine would be hard pressed to come up with something better.
       

Although many Chinese students say that their knowledge of English grammar is good, most would admit that their spoken English is poor. Whenever I speak to some Chinese students, they always say, “My spoken English is poor.” However, their spoken English does not have to remain “poor.” I would like to suggest that there may be some reasons for their problems with spoken English.

First, they fail to find suitable words to express themselves because of a limited vocabulary. Obviously the better answer is to enlarge their vocabulary. However, you can speak with a limited vocabulary, if your attitude is positive. Others will follow you as long as you use the words that you know.

Second, they are afraid of making mistakes. Sometimes they make mistakes when they are speaking because they are shy and nervous. Yet students should remember that their goal should be FLUENCY　NOT　ACCURACY. Your aim in writing is to be accurate following the rules for grammar and using them to get your message across. But talk to someone in English, as quickly and well as you can, even though sometimes you may use a wrong word or tense, but it doesn’t matter because the person you are speaking to will understand and forgive you for any mistakes he hears.

The third reason is that not enough attention is paid to listening. You have one mouth but two ears! All that hearing is necessary for you to start speaking.

Fourth, most Chinese students are reactive rather than proactive(预先主动的) language learners. Instead of actively seeking out opportunities to improve their spoken English, they passively wait for speaking opportunities to come to them and wonder why their English always remains poor. If you have this proactive outlook(观点), then, you will see English opportunities wherever you go.

If you do not use your English beyond the classroom you will forget the English you know. Remember: USE IT OR LOSE IT! You can learn how to speak English better by speaking English more.

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(选取)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 gene rations 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".                 

U7 L4:When we were on the edge of the whirlpool, I felt ________ than when we were moving towards it ... I noticed that the heavier objectswent down more quickly than the smaller, lighter ones. So I______ ______ ______ a barrel to help me_______... Without waiting, I _______ _______ the sea to try and escape.

Having a roommate can be one of the best experiences in college or, easily, one of the worst. Whether you’ve decided to room with a friend or a total stranger, the rules are still the same. If you want to have a good relationship with your roommate, it all starts with you.

Follow these four tips to avoid the common mistakes that turn good roommate relationships sour.

You’ve heard it before: Communication is key. If something happens, sit down with your roommate and have a face-to-face conversation. I’ve seen roommate relationships fall apart because something happens and, instead of talking to each other, the two start complaining about their roommates behind their backs. This method creates nothing but awkward situations and general unhappiness.

Some roommates become the best of friends, and some don’t. Don’t put pressure on yourself or your roommate to reach this level, especially when you first meet. Remember, you’re trying to make a new friend, not scare your roommate away. And if your roommate doesn’t end up being your best friend, don’t worry about it. My first-year roommate and I didn’t end up becoming best friends, but we are friends---and I couldn’t have been happier with my roommate situation.

Everyone hates dirty places. If you make a mess, don’t leave it for someone else to clean up. This should go without saying. Don’t be a slob (懒汉). Make sure you do your fair share of dormitory chores, such as taking out the trash and recycling, and cleaning the washroom. Or, at least, just don’t bury your roommate in your clothes and garbage and you should be all right. Most people I’ve come across in college are messy. You don’t have all the time in the world to clean your room and keep it organized. But being considerate with where you put your stuff will help you avoid conflict.

If you want to lose a friend, borrow everything without asking. If you want to keep the relationship going, show your roommate that you have respect for what is his or hers by asking first. Even if you both agree to share everything, you should still ask whenever you want to reach for snacks, clothes, supplies and anything else that you don’t own. And upon moving into the dorm, you need to make clear which items you both feel comfortable sharing.

If you want a good roommate, you have to be a good roommate. Yes, there are exceptions. Sometimes being a good person and reaching out to your roommate simply isn’t enough. Sometimes you get stuck with someone who has tons of negative energy or just isn’t happy and doesn’t want any sort of relationship. Whatever the case may be, the name of the game is always the same: respect. If you can’t give it, you definitely don’t deserve to get it.

Four__66__to Be A Great Roommate

The Internet has become a way of life for many people around the world. So what would happen if one fine morning, you woke up to find the Internet has no existence? How would your life be changed? Well, your lifestyle might be impacted. If you were an Internet addict, you would find that your life has come to an end. With no online facilities, a considerable part of your time would be spent waiting in long lines at banks, post offices or government offices. You would be waiting for days or even weeks for your mail to arrive from another corner of the world. Suddenly, you would realize that your fast-paced life is running at a snail’s pace.

Without the Internet, your socializing would also be impacted. If you’d gotten very used to socializing online, you would now be clueless as to how you could share the pictures of your recent trip you went for with your friends across the globe. It would be difficult to interact with people living outside your locality. You might have to become a member of a club or a community in your neighborhood to make new friends. With no online social media, you would find yourself saying this very often: Let’s go and talk to them!

With no way to use emails, instant messaging, chat or social media, we would have to take advantage of the option of a telephone conversation, or sending and receiving snail mail. Communication via the Internet is free, whereas the options available otherwise would cost you extra money and time. You would have to write letters and buy stamps, as we used to do before the Internet became popular.

The Internet has become a huge sea of information and resources. No Internet would mean no instant and easy access to information at the click of a button. You would have to walk down to your local library and actually search the whole place to get the information you’re looking for, with little chances that you’ll find what you seek instantly. The students who were accustomed to using the Internet for completing their assignments would have a tough time. There would be no way to get an education without actually going to a school or a college physically.

Without the Internet, things at your workplace would be turned upside down. If your work was largely Internet-based, your company might have to shut down. If your work involved only minor use of the Internet, for example, using online system to acquire statistics from the Internet, this simple task would now be a complicated and time-consuming process. Your desk would be full of documents and files, and you would have a nightmare searching or sorting them out by hand. In any case, life without the Internet would seem like a nightmare! So enjoy living in the paradise we call the Internet and make wise use of it!