【推荐1】If something that you're doing doesn't challenge you, then it doesn't change you. We all need some normal stress in our lives, after all.     1     So challenge the following limits:

Figure out what you're scared of and do it continuously. If you're a salesman, and you're scared of talking to people personally or over the phone, now, instead of being scared and thinking you'll fail, spend at least five minutes a day to pick up the phone and make a call.     2     But don't stop on the first try! Eventually, you can look at fear in the eyes and say, “Go on, I'm not scared!”

    3     Make sure this hobby is not linked to your career; you have to relax and relieve your stress while performing this. So some examples might be cooking, sewing, painting and so on. Apart from helping you challenge yourself, taking a class for your hobby may also give you extra income.

Set aside at least nine minutes a day for physical exercise.     4     A simple 9-minute run around your neighborhood can do wonders for yourself. Exercise can not only help you maintain your regular weight, but also make you feel better about yourself.

Travel and allow yourself to be interested in new people. Don't just limit yourself to your fellow travelers—try to connect with the local people. You never know what kind of people they're going to be.     5    

A．You should do it continuously.

B．You don't need to go to the gym.

C．Someone may hang up on you.

D．Running in the gym may be a better choice.

E．Start to travel now and learn to challenge yourself.

F．Take a class for a hobby you've been wanting to develop.

G．You can never see any improvement if you stick to your comfort zone.

【推荐3】My neighbor Orlando is a Paramedic(急救医生). He and his wife are some of the nicest people I have ever met. A few years back we started this sort of “favor war”, where one of us would do something for the other, such as shoveling( 铲 ) their driveway or helping them build a shed, and next time the other would try to top it with another favor.

Yesterday morning there was maybe 2 or 3 feet of snow on the ground and I remembered he shoveled my driveway for me last snowfall. So I took out my shovel and took care of both our sidewalks and driveways because it was time to do a favor back. It took a while but I finished and got into my car for work. What I didn’t realize was that Orlando had to work that day too.

Fast forward to this morning I got a knock on my door. It was him. He immediately shook my hand and informed me that because I shoveled his driveway and sidewalk for him, he was able to get to work earlier. As soon as he started his shift, a call came through that a young boy was in a medical emergency. Luckily he and his partner were only about 2 minutes away, but the next closest ambulance was in 10 minutes. This kid did not have 10 minutes. He barely had 2 minutes. Because my neighbor got to work sooner, the young boy got to live his life.

This isn’t humble brag(吹牛). This is to inform others that even the smallest favors can have the biggest impacts. It wasn’t too much of trouble to shovel his driveway for him, but because I did, the young kid got to see his family again, go back to school again, talk to his friends again and live his life.

1. What can we know about the writer and Orlando?

A．They once had a conflict.

B．They are always ready to help each other.

C．They favor shoveling snow together.

D．They signed a favorable agreement.

2. Who saved the boy before it was too late?

A．The writer.

B．The boy’s parents.

C．Orlando and his partner.

D．Orlando and his wife.

3. What does the writer intend to tell us?

A．Never ask for trouble.

B．One cannot always be lucky.

C．Don’t lose heart in an emergency.

D．No favor is too small.

4. What does the underlined word “impact” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．response	B．respect
C．influence	D．mission

【推荐3】The Health Benefits of Gardening

Gardening is popular in many parts of the world. This outdoor activity gives us beautiful plants, pleasant smelling flowers and fresh fruits and vegetables. But it also gives us many health benefits.

    1    

Gardening connects people. When you are gardening, you are outdoors. So it is a perfect time to socialize with your neighbors. Gardening can greatly widen a person’s community. Some people may not have the resources to have their own gardens. So, many cities and towns have community gardens. You can either volunteer or just visit to learn more.

    2    

Gardening is a great activity to do with children, It gets families outdoors and off computers, televisions and other electronics. Gardening can be a great teacher. Children can learn about nature and wildlife. Gardening can teach a child about where food comes from and healthy eating.

Getting Vitamin D

When you are in your garden, you might feel the sunshine on your skin. This means you are getting Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your bodies use calcium (钙).     3    . Vitamin D also helps you fight diseases.

Doing more exercise

Also, when you garden, you must move around, All the different movements needed for gardening—bending, twisting, stretching and lifting-work small muscles in the body.    4    .

Reducing stress

    5    . A study by the Netherlands found that gardening may reduce the stress hormone cortisol (激素皮质醇) in the brain. Scientists say that high levels of cortisol in the body interfere (干扰) with learning and memory. It can also increase a person’s weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

A．Reducing loneliness

B．Getting along with children

C．That is necessary to keep bones strong

D．Gardening may help you stay energetic

E．Gardening may also help you to feel calm and happy

F．What you grow in a garden usually looks, smells, feels and tastes really good

G．And you can easily get a good workout when you are digging holes or pulling weeds