Having a great collection of books at home doesn't really mean that you are a person who loves reading. It may be got from your father or your father's father, and it can just impress people around you with the fact that you are a person of culture. From my point of view, reading is very important in our daily life. For example, reading is a way of gaining knowledge in different areas. It can help us have a great imagination, and it makes things easier when it comes to making compositions on different themes. It gives you the possibility to speak about science, even if you don't work in this field. You can express your opinions about a political event because you have read something about that. Secondly, reading gives us the possibility to enter the world of imagination. We can imagine what life will be like in the future. Sometimes, we compare ourselves with the people in the stories we read and they can give us some clues to solve the problems and tell us what to do in certain situations. Books are based on real life. Even if writers are considered to be somehow different from common people, they often face the same problems as we all do. In short, I would like to say that literature is the perfect way of enriching our culture, expressing correctly, having a rich vocabulary, being able to understand different fields and really being considered to be a learned person. What can be the best title for the text? A) Why Is Reading Important in Our Life B) How Can We Become a Learned Person C) Different Reading, Different Functions D) Having a Good Collection of Books Means a Lot
A
To be able to motivate oneself, or self-motivate, occurs when a person has the willingness to do something and is internally motivated to do it. Sometimes it's very difficult to get ourselves moving.The natural tendency is to postpone.Life just seems to get in the way! There is a job to go to, groceries to do, television to watch--whoops! I guess we get pretty good at finding excuses to escape getting started on goals like an exercise routine or reading a new book.The fact is that we are creatures of routine and habit.So what can we do to motivate ourselves to accomplish our goals? Here are some tips on how to get moving: Decide what you want.It's hard to motivate an aimless mind.Set a goal and decide how you are going to go about it.Then break it down into smaller sections so it's easier to handle and less overwhelming. Keep track of your progress.Keep a log or journal where you can measure how much you have accomplished.Looking at it can also motivate you to keep pushing ahead. Post motivating pictures or slogans within your sight.It is always inspiring to see pictures of people who have accomplished what you're going for.It makes it attainable and realistic.Likewise, little slogans like "go for it" or "just do it" can give you the little support you need. _ .If you remind yourself to go for the desired promotion, it will re-establish why you are doing what you're doing. Make it a habit.Once you have accomplished your objective, e.g.becoming an early riser, keep it up so that it's second nature to you and you don't have to think about it anymore. According to the author, some people fail to achieve their goals because _ . A) they don't have enough desire B) their life is filled with routine work C) they benefit from the force of habit D) they naturally put off forming new habits
D
Q: Ask anyone what is the most difficult part of changing their lifestyle habits and they are most likely to say, "Staying motivated." But a 36-year-old professor from Carnegie Mellon University claims it may have the answer in the form of robot weight loss coach that dishes out daily health advice and encouragement. Autom is the work of Intuitive Automata, a company based in Sha Tin which claims to be a pioneer in commercial socially-interactive robots. The robot, which stands around 38 centimeters tall, has a head that swivels , blue eyes, and a touch screen which allows the user to input information daily about exercise and diet Its creators say Autom will have a daily conversation with its user lasting up to five minutes, giving feedback and encouragement.Over time, it will interact more with the user as it gathers more information about them. Cory Krdd, a research team manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency claims research has shown that people find robots a more reliable source of information than on-screen-based character. In a controlled study in Pittsburgh City Council, 15 dieters were given Autom for six weeks. Another 15 received a touch-screen computer with identical software and 15 were given a paper log.The study found, people using the robot are more likely to stick with their diets longer, in fact twice as long as those using just a paper log. "While not one person among the computer or paper groups continued past six weeks, most who had Autom did not want to give her back at the conclusion of the study," he said. The bottom line is that a robot creates a more powerful and long-lasting relationship with the user than a character on the screen. Autom is expected to go on sale later this year in the United States for around $500.A robot which speaks and understands Cantonese and Mandarin in addition to English according to the demands is also being developed. What's the passage mainly about? A) The development of Autom. B) The automated way to motivation. C) The working principle of robots. D) The way to change the lifestyle habits.
A: B
How do you celebrate New Year's Day? If I had to take a guess, you probably celebrate New Year's Day surrounded by family and friends, enjoying drinks of your choice (probably wine and champagne) and watching the ball drop. If you're particularly lucky, perhaps you share a kiss with that special someone when the clock hits 00:00am. Have you ever imagined how New Year's Day would look in another country? Listed below are five of the top ten "Unique New Year Traditions from Around the World." 1. Breaking Dishes on Neighbor's Door----Denmark A strange and weird Danish New Year tradition, depending on how you look at it, is throwing dishes at neighbor's door. Strangely, this makes them happy instead of annoying them. The family with the tallest tower of broken plates, glasses, cups and other crockery is considered to be the luckiest person because it symbolizes their large amount of loyal friends. 2. Talking to Spirits----Mexico Talking to spirits is a part of Mexican belief. Mexicans strongly believe that they can communicate with the souls of their dead loved ones. New Year's Eve is considered the best time to communicate with dead spirits to convey a message or ask for guidance. And this is not done at home on an individual basis but is a legal Mexican practice. Taos Inn, in New Mexico for example, offers 15 minutes session of spiritualism and meditation for $15. Not a bad price for some helpful guidance! 3. Wearing Polka Dots ----Philippines Imagine streets full of people wearing polka dots and dining room tables full of round shaped food and fruits on one single day of the year. This all actually happens in the Philippines on New Year's Eve every year. Philippines believe that this will bring them prosperity by associating the round dots to coins and wealth. 4. Burning Scarecrow Dummy----Ecuador Ecuador has a unique custom of crafting scarecrows and then burning them at midnight. They adorn them and fill the scarecrows with newspapers and pieces of wood. As midnight approaches, everyone gathers outside... The single women of Ireland always _ hoping to catch their future husband on New Year's Eve. A) wear polka dots B) burn scarecrow dummy C) break dishes on neighbor's door D) place mistletoe leaves under their pillow
D