Easy Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp
Everyone is forgetful, but as we age, we start to feel like our brains are slowing down a bit—and that can be a very annoying thing. Read on for some techniques worth trying.
1．
People who regularly made plans and looked forward to upcoming events had a 50 percent reduced chance of Alzheimer's disease (早老性痴呆症), according to a recent study. Something as simple as setting a goal to have a weekly coffee date with a friend will do. There's evidence that people who have a purpose in life or who are working on long or shortterm goals appear to do better. In other words, keep your brain looking forward.
2．Go for a walk.
Mildly raised glucose (葡萄糖) levels can harm the area of the brain that helps you form memories and physical activity can help get blood glucose down to normal levels. In fact，exercise produces chemicals that are good for your brain.
3．Learn something new.
Take a Spanish class online, join a drawing club, or learn to play cards. A study found that mental stimulation (刺激) limits the weakening effects of aging on memory and the mind. But the best thing for your brain is when you learn something new and are physically active at the same time. Or go dancing with your friends.
| A．Focus on the future. |
| B．This can be especially harmful to the aged. |
| C．It should be something like learning gardening. |
| D．So take a few minutes each day to do some reading. |
E．But don't worry if your schedule isn't filled with lifechanging events.
F．Luckily, research shows there is a lot you can do to avoid those moments.
G．In other words, when you take care of your body, you take care of your brain.
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Many people admit that they aren't prepared financially for life's unexpected challenges and emergencies. If your New Year's decision is to become more financially prepared for a“rainy day”the following tips are helpful for you to save,
Start saving now.
Set specific savings goals and break them down to a set dollar amount to save each paycheck. Save at least a small portion of each paycheck and remain committed to saving, and then look for ways each month to increase the amount.
One of the simplest ways to find money to put toward your rainy day fund is to keep a close eye on where your money is being spent. For two or three months, try keeping track of every expense, including small ones. Once you have a better idea of where your money is going, make a budget that includes a spending and savings plan.
Make saving automatic.
If your goal is to save $5,000 this year, calculate the amount you'll need to save from each paycheck, then arrange to have it automatically saved into your savings account each time you get paid. Visit your bank branch and ask a banker if you can set up automatic transfers into your savings account.
Go on a spending diet.
Avoid spending any money on non-essentials for 30 days and challenge yourself to save as much as you can to put toward your rainy clay fund. Then make a list and determine not to spend on these items for one month,
| A．Track your spending. |
| B．Put your savings to work. |
| C．Do remember: Actions always speak louder than words. |
| D．The important thing is to start saving now, no matter how little. |
E. Treat your rainy day account like you'd treat any other financial obligation（债务).
F. Review your budget at the end of every month and determine if your spending is in line with your p1an.
G. Review your budget and identify extra or non-essential expenses, such as eating out, shopping. entertainment, etc.
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A good book can be satisfying. If reading is a habit you’d like to get into, there are some ways to develop it.
Realize that reading is enjoyable if you have a good book. If you have a difficult book and you are forcing yourself through it, it will seem like a task. _____
Set time. You should have some time during every day when you’ll read for at least 5 to 10 minutes. ______ For example, make it a habit to read during breakfast and lunch and even dinner if you eat alone.
Always carry a book. ______When I leave the house, I always make sure to have my car keys and one book at hand. The book stays with me in the car, and I take it into the office and to appointments and pretty much everywhere I go.
_____ Find a place in your home where you can sit in a comfortable chair. Don’t lie down unless you’re going to sleep. There shouldn’t be a television or a computer near the chair, and no music or no noisy family members/ roommates. If you don’t have a place like this, create one.
Reduce television/ the Internet. If you really want to read more, try cutting back on time on TV or the Internet. _____But remember: every minute you reduce of the Internet/ TV, you could use for reading. This could create hours of book reading time.
| A．Wherever you go, take a book with you. |
| B．Go to bookstores. |
| C．Have some good tea or coffee while you read. |
| D．Find a quiet place. |
E. This may be difficult for some people.
F. If this happens, give up the book and find another one that you’ll really love.
G. It means you will read no matter how busy you are.
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We are all called upon to make a speech at some point in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job.
So, you have to give a speech and you are terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank Goodness, it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again.”
Cheer up! Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the occasion? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of your time doing your research. Then spend plenty of your time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they help you make your points more clearly.
Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Just remember: Be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. Be brief. And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person-to-person contact with your audience. If you follow these simple steps, you will see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speaking. In fact, you may find the experience so enjoyable that you volunteer to make more speeches ! You’re not convinced yet?
| A．It doesn’t have to be that bad. |
| B．Take several deep breaths before your speech. |
| C．This article gives some advice on how to give good speech. |
| D．Say what you have to say and then stop. |
E. Don’t say what you aren’t familiar with.
F. Never forget your audience.
G. Give it a try and see what happens.
Parents should help their children understand money．so you may start tallking about money when your child shows an interest in buying things,candy or toys,for example．
1． The basic function of money
Being explaining the basic function of money by showing how people trade money for goods or services． it’s important to show your child how money is traded for the thing he wants to have．If he wants to have a toy, give him the money and let him hand the money to the cashier ．when your child grows a bit older and understands the basic function of money, you can start explaining more complex ways of using money．
2．Money lessons
Approach money lessons with openness and honesty．If you must say no to a child’s request to spend money, explain,‖You have enough toy trucks for now． Or,if the request is for many different things, say． ―You have to make a choice between this toy and that toy．
3．
Begin at the grocery store． Pick put similar brands of a product—a name brand butter and a generic(无商标产品),for example． You can show your child how to make choices between different brands of a product so that you can save money． If he chooses the cheaper brand, allow him to make another purchase with the money saved．Later,you may explains how the more expensive choice leaves less money for other purchases．
| A．Wise decisions |
| B．The value of money |
| C．Permit the child to choose between them |
| D．Tell your child why he can ---or cannot---have certain things |
E． Ask yourself what things that cost money are most important to you
F． Talk about how the money bought the thing after you leave the toy store
G． The best time to teach a child anything about money is when he shows an interest
Britain’s high streets are dying slowly
Twenty years ago, the prosperous high street(繁华商业区) was the heart of most cities．It was crowded with customers．Nowadays, high streets are declining, with very few shops and shoppers．With about 14 shops down every day, Britain’s high streets are dying little by little.
It’s fairly easy to understand．To start with, people are spending less because of the economic recession(衰退)．On top of that, more and more people are using the Internet to do their shopping．And it is not easy for shopkeepers in the high streets, either．
Finally, there are the out-of-town retail parks with free car parking that sell just about everything at very low prices.
What can be done? Prime Minister David Cameron has hired Mary Portas, a British business woman and star of TV show Mary Queen of Shops, to bring some life back into Britain’s high streets．She’s talked about creating “magnets(磁石)” to attract people back to the centre． In one town, a bicycle rickshaw(人力车) service is delivering people’s shopping to their homes．
where children can be cared for while parents are shopping.
Members of the public have also voiced their opinions．“My ideal shopping center is one where there’s a wide selection of attractive looking shops, with cheap parking and good public transport links,” said a 28-year-old man．“I’d like to see Night Shopping evenings where shops are open through to 10 pm or later,” said a 22-year-old girl.
| A．They have to pay increasing high rents. |
| B．But he is not the only one to solve the problem. |
| C．But that’s all changed. |
| D．In another town, they set up night shopping centers, |
E． In another town, they set up a nursery,
F． They can make a fortune overnight.
G． Why are high streets in such a desperate situation?
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