How old is “old”? 【小题1】 Two hundred years ago, you were old at 35. That was the average life then. At the turn of this century, as medical knowledge advanced, the average life span(长度) increased to 45. In 1950, 70-year-olds were really old. Today, a healthy 70-year-old is looking forward to many more active years.
So, how old is old? The answer is one you’ve heard many times, from all sorts of people. “You are as old (or young) as you feel!” The calendar(日历) simply tells you how many years you have lived.   【小题2】
Once an unknown author wrote,“  【小题3】. Nobody grows old by living a number of years; people grow old by giving up their goals.”
【小题4】. Alice Brophy, when she was with the New York City commission for the Aging, said, “It upsets me when people say, ‘Gee, you look young for your age!’ What does that mean? Is there some model that you’re supposed to look a certain way at 65 and 75 and 85? You know you can die old at 30 and live young at 80”
There are many wrong ideas about aging.  【小题5】. Here are some of the more common ones. For example, most older people are in poor health, or older people are unable to change.

A．It’s extremely terrible to be grown old.

B．Youth is not a time of life but it is a state of mind.

C．These ideas stereotype(固化) people on the basis of age.

D．Old is a point of view.

E. Older people are stubborn, unable to change.
F. The answer has changed over the years.
G. Your body tells you how well you’ve lived.

Christina Lim sits in a hospital bed. Her face is very swollen (肿). It is two times its normal size. She has blue and green bruises under her eyes. She is in terrible pain. She speaks, but it is difficult to understand her.【小题1】
Lim is experiencing horrible pain.【小题2】 Lim is one of the millions of people every year worldwide who choose to have cosmetic surgery (整形手术).
Like any other surgery, cosmetic surgery involves risks. One of the most common is hematoma. It is blood that collects m the body. This can be very painful 【小题3】 Fluid (液体) can also collect in the body. This can lead to damage and sickness.
Most people who get cosmetic surgery are women.【小题4】 A little over 12% of all cosmetic surgery operations are for men. And the number of men getting cosmetic surgery grows every year. The number of both men and women getting cosmetic surgery is increasing in many places around the world.
In the United States, one in every 20 women has had some kind of cosmetic surgery or procedure. But the country of South Korea has the highest rates of cosmetic surgery in the world.【小题5】
People from other countries also travel to South Korea to get cosmetic surgery. ABC News reports that more than seven million people have travelled to South Korea to get cosmetic surgery. From 2013 to 2014, the number of Chinese people travelling to South Korea for cosmetic surgery increased by 45%. But the number of cosmetic surgeries IN China is also increasing.

A．It can lead to more surgery.

B．But men get cosmetic surgery too.

C．She did not really want to get surgery.

D．But Lim did not need to have this suffering.

E. Her mouth is too swollen for her to speak clearly.
F. In South Korea, one in every five women has had cosmetic surgery.
G. A rare, but very dangerous risk of cosmetic surgery is getting a Wood clot.

Everyone has a burning drive inside of them. 【小题1】 For others, the drive comes naturally and pushed them to do great things. See what those naturally highly motivated people do differently and what they can teach us.
• They read a lot
When Bill Gates and Warren Buffet were asked if they could have one super power, they answered the same thing: to be able to read faster. 【小题2】 Reading allows one to take in the knowledge of some of the smartest people who have ever lived. Highly motivated people don’t spend much time watching reality TV—they do, however, spend their time reading.
• They plan
Highly motivated people don't leave things up to chance. 【小题3】 They know this, and they make use of it. Start waking up and planning all the things you have to do for the day. You’ll be amazed at how much more productive you are.
• 【小题4】
Highly motivated people are always working for something. They know what they want, and they search for ways to achieve it.
• They seek advice when needed.
There will be points in everyone's life where they just can’t do it on their own. 【小题5】 They don’t let stubbornness keep them from reaching their goals. Oftentimes, the best resource can be a person you see every day. Help them and they’ll help you in return. Yes, it's that simple.

A．They set goals.

B．They practise gratefulness all the time.

C．It doesn't matter if they're big or small.

D．Highly motivated people are always learning.

E. For some, they need to learn from others to find it.
F. Planning allows people to get things done faster and better.
G. Highly motivated people are not afraid to go out and look for help.

How to Cut Back on Playing Video Games
As you get older and shoulder more responsibilities in your life, your gaming time might need to adjust. Here’s what worked well for me.
Start Tracking Your Gaming Time
One of the reasons why video games eat up so much time is that they’re so engaging. I can’t count how many times I’ve sat down to play games for “a couple of minutes” then looked up to see hours have gone by.
Tracking your gaming time can help, says psychologist John M. Grohol. Prepare a spreadsheet or a piece of paper, and write down when you start playing a game and when you stop.【小题1】I found it helpful.
Start Choose Games Wisely
【小题2】. MMOs and RPGs, for example, are major time sinks. I would probably cry if I looked at my total time spent during the golden age of World of War-craft.
If you’re having a hard time stepping away from these kinds of games because there’s so much to do in them, cut them out of your gaming diet.【小题3】. That way, you can play in short bursts. I still indulge in these kinds of games occasionally, but I don’t play as much as I used to.
Figure Out What You’re Escaping
Video games are a fun way to de-stress and also one of the most advanced forms of escapism out there. To reduce my gaming thirst I started looking at my escapism habits from another angle.【小题4】.
Video games do offer a nice respite from the harsh truths of reality. More often than not, I would be able to identify the things that were stressing me out and making me want to escape to virtual worlds in the first place. If work was getting me down, I’d make a practical plan on how to improve it instead of grapping a controller.【小题5】. The real world doesn’t always offer that, but it never will if you always run from the issues in your life.

A．Why not get away from the game you are crazy about?

B．Shift your focus to games that are more pick-up-and-play.

C．Then add up your total gaming time at end of each week.

D．We find it hard to get rid ourselves of the addiction to games

E. I asked myself “What am I hiding from?” and worked from there
F. Some games require a much bigger time investment than other games
G. We often run to video games because they make us feel powerful and in control

The kitchen is one of the most important parts of the house.You may think that since it’s only used for cooking,there’s no need to pay much attention to pay much attention to its color. 【小题1】 Color influences people’s mood and creates an atmosphere,and atmosphere,and surely you want to be in a good mood when you’re cooking.
To decorate a kitchen, first look for a theme which will then influence the color scheme (方案). The most common colors in kitchens are white, yellow and other light colors. Kitchens are usually painted in one color to create a clean and neat look.
【小题2】Also, since kitchens tend to have smaller windows, the light colors help make it brighter. Neutral colors such as gray and cream can also be used to create some contrast.
There are different ways to create a color scheme.Start with your.favorite color, or two light colors that balance each other. Make sure that you test them thoroughly first so that you can be sure they‟ll actually work. 【小题3】But these need to be carefully chosen, because one wrong color can ruin the whole look of the kitchen.
When the kitchen color scheme has been chosen, other elements must be considered. Some important things, such as cupboards, in the kitchen can affect its look.【小题4】
In a word,kitchen decoration must go together with the color scheme.
Last but not least, no matter what color scheme you use, make sure that it really is the one you want.【小题5】

A．Many people want to decorate their kitchens with bright colors.

B．Different colors have different effects on people‟s mood.

C．Otherwise, get advice from other members of the family.

D．The light colors make the room seem bigger than it is.

E. For more adventurous kitchen owners, three colors next to each other can also work.
F. Tiles (瓷砖) and the floor must be chosen to fit the look.
G . But in fact, the color schemes of kitchens are as important as those of any other rooms.

There is an English saying:【小题1】Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now, however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body.【小题2】.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while their hearts, blood pressure, breathing and muscles were checked. 【小题3】It increases blood pressure, the heart beating and breathing; it also work several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
【小题4】In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated(忍耐)the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny programme. Why can laughter reduce pain? The reason seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics.【小题5】They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.

A．They help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh.

B．Laughter can prolong one’s life.

C．Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able reduce the effect of pain on the body.

D．They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.

E. Although laughter helps cure the disease, doctors still cannot put this theory into clinic practice.
F. Laughter is the best medicine.
G. It was found that laugher has similar effects to physical exercise.

Do People Need Small Talk to Be Happy?
Psychologists (心理学家）have long said that connecting with others is an important part of happiness, but just how much conversation we require is under examination. In one study， researchers found that small talk made up only 10% of their conversation related with happiness.
【小题1】. Scientists believe that small talk could promote bonding. Late last year, Princeton researchers reported that small talk keeps closeness with loved ones, and isn’t merely the stuff of awkward exchanges with strangers.
Still, chatting with strangers could brighten your morning. In a series of experiments, psychologists gave Chicago passengers different directions about whether to talk with fellow passengers一something they typically avoided.【小题2】. None of the chatters reported being rejected.
Small talk can also help us feel connected to our surroundings. People who smiled at，made eye contact with, and briefly spoke with their Starbucks baristas (服务员）reported a greater sense of belonging than those who rushed through the transaction (交易）.【小题3】One report found that when volunteers broke the silence to chat with gallery goers, the visitors felt happier and more connected to the exhibit than those who were not approached.
【小题4】.In one study, people who were rated “less curious” by researchers had trouble getting a conversation rolling on their own, and had greater luck building closeness with others when they were supplied with questions that encouraged personal disclosure (透露）.But people who were considered “curious” needed no help when transforming conversations about ordinary things into personal exchanges. 【小题5】.     

A．The same is true of gallery goers.

B．They found that small talk is related with happiness

C．But don’t play down small talk just yet..

D．Of course, some people are better than others at turning small talk into something bigger.

E. A “curious mindset”，the author concluded, can lead to “positive social interactions”.
F. Making small talk is an important skill for all the social situations.
G. Those told to chat with others reported a more pleasant journey.

Top Ways to Spend the Holiday Season with Pets
Taking a nap is a great way to refresh during the holidays, and a nap with your dog or cat (or both) is an excellent bonding opportunity.
Holiday time is here. The decorating, the shopping, the cooking, the cleaning, the wrapping...【小题1】
In the season’s craziness, our furry family members tend to get ignored or over-stimulated (过度刺激的). 【小题2】 But they don’t have to: be sure to pay attention and give them a break from the activity when they need it and add them to the fun when they don’t.
● Rest time.
If your pet seems stressed, have a safe place for him away from activity. Cats should have a quiet, cozy spot to sleep with food, water, and their litter box. 【小题3】 Be sure to have a soft area for sleep, a toy or two, water, and some food. But you might need a nap, too, to refresh for holiday festivities. So use this time to take one together.
● 【小题4】
Many Christmas tree farms welcome pets on a leash (皮带). Your pet will just love being with you outdoors while you share one of the season’s most honored traditions—picking out the perfect tree. Just be sure to call the farm first to confirm that pets are welcome ... and you have a new annual tradition.
● Go have a catch.
Give your pup a good run and wear him out ahead of when company visits. 【小题5】 This way, he’ll be happy and relaxed when greeting guests. Dog parks are ideal as pups can run, chase tennis balls, and socialize with others. Always remember to walk to and from the park with your pup on a leash and poop bags in hand.

A．Keep pets on a leash.

B．Dogs love playing catch.

C．Dogs might also need one.

D．But where do our pets fit in?

E. Pick out the family Christmas tree.
F. As a result, pets can experience restlessness and anxiety.
G. Many pets would love to be included in some of the activities.

Do you have what it takes to survive in the desert in the event of an accident or emergency? If you're thinking of traveling in the desert, you may consider studying up to learn some desert survival skills before you go. But you don't have to be a survival expert to stay alive in the desert, as long as you can keep some important tips in mind.
Keep your head covered. It's been said that the biggest dangers in desert survival are exposure and dehydration (脱水). 【小题1】 One of the best defenses against the sun is always having a big hat or other coverings for your head with you. If the top of your head is exposed to the direct sun, or even indirect sun for long periods, your body needs to work hard to keep itself cool. 【小题2】
Cover the rest of your body as well. 【小题3】 Finding shade or constructing a shade shelter is one of the first ways for desert survival, as keeping out of the direct sun and not exposing yourself to the heat of the day will help to save water. The general idea is to stay out of the dehydrating rays of the sun during the day, and to travel during the cooler hours of the morning or evening.
【小题4】 Actually, do drink the water, if you have it. Just don't run out of it all at the first sign of thirst. A better way is to ration (定量供应) it for yourself, taking smaller sips throughout the day. If you do come across water in the desert, use extreme caution before you start drinking it down － it may not be safe for drinking.
【小题5】 The more you eat, the thirstier you'll get, so if you have food with you, take care to only nibble(小口吃) enough to keep the hunger pains away and your energy up. Your body can survive much longer without food than it can without water.

A．Stay hungry.

B．Don't drink the water.

C．Drink as much water as possible.

D．Neither of these is to be taken lightly.

E. This goes hand in hand with the first tip.
F. So the first rule in desert travel is covering the head up.
G. And the last thing you want to do is increase your thirst.

Do you ever feel like you read something over and over but you just can’t seem to remember it? 【小题1】. However, we all have to do it at some point for work or for school. Here are a few steps that will help us study more effectively and remember the information.
1. Set a goal.
Before you even start reading, it is important to set a goal. What do you hope you can learn by reading the material? What key points will you be required to know at a later date? 【小题2】. If not, you should pay mare attention to the information you are looking for.
2. Do the following things.
First you need to notice the title above each section. That will tell you what the section is about. 【小题3】. Read the first and last sentences of each paragraph slowly and carefully and re-read them if you have to.
3. Familiarize yourself with the material.
【小题4】. So for a job, you might search online for something similar to what you are reading. For students, school websites are useful or another textbook may be able to explain words in a way that is easier to understand,
4. Review the material
After you have read and understood the material, review it a few times a day, 【小题5】. Studies have shown that on average it takes several (anywhere from 3 to 8) times reading and reviewing a material before it becomes part of your permanent memory.

A．It can be very helpful to refer to extra material.

B．It can be hard to read something and keep it in mind.

C．It is easier to remember concepts when you rewrite them.

D．Also, topic sentences are valuable sources of information.

E. If everything is important, you wilt have to work a little harder.
F. This will help you understand it better and remember the information.
G. This doesn’t change the fact that it can still be very difficult to remember things.