【推荐1】Fitness and exercise play an important role in the development and education of students.     1     It also helps improve their attention both inside the classroom as well as when learning at home.

    2     Keeping active on a regular basis can help sharpen a student’s attention and memory, helping him/her become more attentive in the classroom and improving recall (记忆力) of what he/she has been taught.

It’s easy for students to get frustrated or distracted (沮丧或分心) when they are sitting doing schoolwork for long periods of time.     3     So students can get up to stretch and clear their minds before getting back to work. Even a 5-minute walk around the house can help make a difference.

Choose a night during the week when the entire family spends time together doing something active. Taking a walk around the block, riding your bikes, or playing in the park are all activities that will help keep your family active while also having fun.     4     Make sure everyone gets a chance to choose something they want to do.

Organized sports like soccer are a great way for students to get the exercise they need while learning other skills like communication.     5     They will be excited to be participating in an activity they find fun and interesting, so getting that important exercise is something they will look forward to.

【推荐2】Convincing teenagers to put down their phone and dig in the flowerbeds may seem like a long shot. But if provided the opportunity, the right tools, and encouragement they might find they love gardening.     1    . Many plants can grow in containers. Here are some benefits of gardening for teenagers.

    2    . Whether flowers or vegetables, caring for plants helps teenagers develop responsibility. They also gain a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence as they raise new green shoots into full blooming beauties. Teen gardeners will get to experiment and learn what is best for each plant, experiencing the benefits of their efforts over time.

Gardening is good for psychological well-being.     3    . Gardens have been shown to reduce stress and depression, as well as promote productivity. Taking a break from electronics and social media can also improve teenagers’ attention. Research shows that spending just a few minutes outdoors, surrounded by grass, trees, and other plants can boost a teenager’s ability to focus and concentrate.

Outdoor time promotes exercise. Gardening offers fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.     4    . Sowing seeds, planting seedlings, and deadheading flowers require movement which translates to some exercise. Teenagers are likely to become so absorbed in their work that they don’t even realize the physical aspect of gardening.

Growing food encourages healthier eating habits. Teenagers that grow their own food are more likely to enjoy eating healthily. Tasting the fruits of their own efforts often inspires them to eat more of the items they grow themselves. Teaching teenagers about the nutritional benefits of the plants they grow will empower them to make wise and tasty food choices for life.     5    .

【推荐3】Landslides occur when large amounts of wet debris (碎片), including rocks, earth, and trees, slide down a slope (斜坡). They may occur as a result of fires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, or human activities. Landslides are particularly dangerous because they strike suddenly, move at extremely high speeds, and travel long distances. Although landslides are often difficult to predict, you can prepare for a landslide.     1    

1. Keep yourself alert and awake. Landslides can occur quite suddenly, so you need to be ready to take action at a moment’s notice. Many landslide-related deaths occur while people are asleep.     2    

2.    3     Your local community should have a designated (指定的) public shelter. Go to the shelter if your home is unsafe or the authorities have called for an evacuation (疏散).

3. Contact local officials about past landslides. Landslides tend to happen in the same area where they have occurred before.     4     If you are in an at-risk area, consider getting a site analysis of your property. This will help you determine any necessary corrective measures.

4. Make an emergency kit (工具箱).     5     Make your kit in advance so it is ready at a moment’s notice. Your kit should contain enough food and water to last for at least 72 hours, as well as supplies like medications, flashlights, batteries, cell phones, copies of personal documents, and cash.

【推荐2】After figure skaters finish their programs, adoring fans often throw gifts onto the ice. There have definitely been some strange ones over the years. Sasha Cohen was once given sweaters and Debi Thomas even got a box of pizza after her performance at the 1987 world championships.

Apart from cards and clothing, the gifts are mostly stuffed animals（毛绒玩具）. Though it’s not clear exactly how or when this custom began, there are a couple of factors that help explain why they’re so popular rather than flowers. One factor is that flowers, once the go-to item to throw at skaters, are messy. The “sweepers” — the kids who skate around collecting all the gifts between each program — have a much easier time picking up stuffed animals than clear up every petal（花瓣）and leaf falling off its flower.

There’s no global ban on throwing bunches of flowers, but organizations made attempts to discourage the practice in the past. In 1989, US Figure Skating banned arenas(竞技场) hosting national championships from selling flowers. And at the 2002 national championships, the association publicly prevented fans from bringing flowers to the arena at all.

“Flowers have always been a problem. Even when they’re wrapped, some parts stick out and become a headache.” Larry Kriwanek, chairman of the event’s organizing committee, told us. “Flowers were going to be eliminated. It was just a question of when.” Instead, fans could buy stuffed animals inside the arena and shower their favorite skaters with those.

Stuffed animals also give supporters an opportunity to choose presents that seem more personal. “We sometimes will get stuffed animals in custom-made costumes to match what we’re wearing.” American ice dancer Meryl Davis, who won gold with partner Charlie White in 2014, told us. It turns out that skaters often do take especially meaningful gifts home with them.

【推荐3】On December 23, 2019, a Texas couple and their 12-year-old daughter delivering furniture in a rental truck got trapped in the San Juan National Forest in Colorado. After not being able to free the truck, they spent the evening in the truck, leaving the vehicle on and wrapping up in moving blankets to keep warm. In the morning, they wrapped plastic around their feet and chose to walk out to safety. Thanks to the concern of a family member, local authorities were contacted. The couple was spotted by a member of the Sheriff’s Department flying in his private plane.

This couple was making a quick run to deliver some furniture before the Christmas holiday. They were not thinking that they were putting themselves in a life-or-death situation. But where did things go wrong? They were using their GPS to take the fastest route. The issue with this is that GPS doesn’t take weather into account, especially snow that has fallen in rural areas. Also, GPS won’t account for what kind of vehicle you are driving! They had a cellphone. But it’s possible that being in a rural location, cell towers weren’t available. Or it could have been that they ran out of battery.

Every day has the potential to become a real-life survival situation. How can you ensure your story doesn’t turn into a survival story? You should always let people know where you are going and carry your phone and a battery charger. Besides, always check the weather and adjust your trip accordingly. Always be prepared. Preparedness is a lifestyle. It means taking responsibility, hoping for the best, and preparing for unfortunate events. Taking a few moments to make sure you are prepared when you leave your home is a smart thing to do.