3 . It is well known that smoking is harmful to health. It is unfortunate that despite some individuals who choose not to smoke, they remain to be victims of various diseases caused by cigarette smoking.

Cigarette smoke contains thousands of dangerous chemicals that are unhealthy for both smokers and non-smokers. Secondhand smoke refers to the smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed by smokers. More than 126 million Americans are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke at home, at work, and in enclosed public spaces.

The Deadly Effects

Secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and lung cancer in non-smoking adults. Breathing secondhand smoke for even a short time increases risk for those diseases.

Children and infants are especially attacked by the poisons in secondhand smoke. Almost 3 million children in the United States under the age of six breathe secondhand smoke at home at least four days per week.

Secondhand smoke is a known cause of the sudden infant death syndrome, breathing problems, ear infections, and asthma attacks in infants and children.

Secondhand smoke in the home environment can slow the lung growth of exposed children. Older children whose parents smoke get bronchitis and pneumonia more often than the children of non-smokers. Wheezing (气喘) and coughing are also more common in children who breathe secondhand smoke.

Protecting Yourself and Others

The only way to fully protect yourself and loved ones from the dangerous chemicals in secondhand smoke is through 100 percent smoke-free environments. Opening a window; sitting in a separate area; or using ventilation (通风), air conditioning, or a fan cannot get rid of secondhand smoke exposure. If you are a smoker, the single best way to protect your family is to quit smoking.

Nowadays in real life, many people have all kinds of bad habits, but getting rid of them takes a bit more effort. Whether they’re “traditional (like biting your nails, snacking on junk food, gossiping, or twirling your hair) or more hi-tech (like texting), bad habits all have one thing in common: They’re hard to break. You can do it, though.

So if you’re ready, gather your willpower, follow these steps, and wave goodbye to that bad habit forever!

Step 1     1    

Make a note every time you engage in your habit. Write down the time and where you are, as well as how you’re feeling. Are you bored, angry, or sad? The more you understand the reason behind your habit, the more control you’ll have over it.

Step 2 Pay attention to when your bad habit pops up.

Do you see any patterns in your journal? Do you always bite your nails before a test? Are you more likely to eat junk food, like chips or candy, when you’re doing your homework? If you notice a pattern of your habit,     2     For example, if you bite your nails when you’re stressed, try to find other ways to calm yourself, like taking slow, deep breaths.

Step 3 Replace your bad habit with a good.

Instead of biting your nails or twirling your hair, keep your fingers busy drawing or knitting. If gossip is your problem, challenge yourself to say nice things about people. Each time you substitute your new activity for your old one,     3    

Step 4 Stay focused.

Write down a promise to yourself: “I will stop biting my nails” or “I will stop texting so much”. Make a list of the days of the week, and place a gold star next to each day that you don’t engage in your habit. If you can’t get through a whole day at first,     4     Before you know it, you’ll have a whole page of gold stars!

Step 5 Keep at it.

Maybe you’ve heard the expression “Old habits die hard”? Well, it’s true! It usually takes three weeks to a month to break a bad habit. So if you mess up one day, don’t give up!     5     Eventually you’ll have more successes than failures.

Remember, if you put your mind to it, you can do anything—even break that bad, bad habit!

From this year’s trip through Southeast Asia, last year’s Central America adventure and traveling within Canada, travel has been a(n)     1     (wonder) part of my life. My study abroad in Australia had such a huge impact     2     my life that I created my own travel blog Little Miss Ottawa as a way     3     (challenge) myself to experience Ottawa as a traveler would.

Whenever a friend or family member comes back from a trip, they always can’t wait to tell you about the highlights (最好的部分)! Research from San Francisco State University has shown that people feel     4     (comfortable) when they spend money on experiences than on other things and they feel the money is better spent.

Experiences are something I truly value. Your     5     (happy) increases with experiences, but the impact of people you meet along the way also matters. Some of my best    6     (trip) were when I went alone and I     7     (lucky) met people who would become friends for life. Now I have people I can visit all over the world. In fact,     8     is so easy to build friendships with other travelers because everyone is ready to meet new people. I jumped into my study abroad in Australia     9     (know) no one. I left with friendships     10     will last a lifetime. There’s something about going through experiences together that has bonded (建立关系) us for life.

8 . Brad Ryan, 38, is taking his 89-year-old grandma Joy Ryan on a tour of all 61 US national parks.

The idea for the________ came in 2015, when Brad told his grandma about a hike he had completed. Joy really________ that she didn’t get to do more of that type of thing and have more________ in life. She grew up in a small town and worked into her 80s without going out to see the world. So when Brad________ to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park, he called to invite his grandma to________ with him.

As for Grandma Joy, she was ready for that________. “You can just stay in your________ old corner of the world for so long,” she________. “There wasn’t anything there. And so, I just thought it would be________to have an adventure.”

After that first trip, Brad________taking Grandma to national parks. So far, they have visited 21 US national parks.

“Grandma helped me to slow down. She would________ the little things like the color of the mushrooms (蘑菇),” Brad said. “My attention was on goals, like climbing a mountain, but sometimes it’s not all about the________views, it’s about________ those little moments too.”

“I just hope everyone gets some________and realizes your life’s not over. You can always________one more thing,” said Grandma Joy.

9 . The best trips with friends are the ones that are well-planned. Here are a few tips on planning an incredible trip with friends and making memories that last.

    1     Someone might be looking to rest and relax on a beach, while another person might be looking to enjoy as much nightlife as possible. Figure out what everyone wants and find out what everyone’s top three destinations are, and research places that have all of your common interests.

Nothing puts a damper on (使扫兴) vacation planning with friends than arguments over money.    2     Meeting at a friend’s house or talking over dinner can reduce what can sometimes be an awkward discussion by group texts or emails.    3     When the major (主要的) costs are out of the way, don’t forget about smaller joint (共同的) expenses like taxis and tips.

It’s fun to get lost in the excitement of booking things and crossing off your checklist of to-dos.    4     It’s important to provide a window of opportunity for everyone to comfortably share their opinions and concerns about trip decisions.

Despite all the late-night planning and lunchtime meetings, some situations will be totally out of your hands.    5     Remind everyone not to focus narrowly on a few dollars, and whatever you do, don’t ever let arguments get out of control.

10 . A company, called Mario Cucinella Architects, has made the House of Music, a solar-powered ( 太阳能的) building in Pieve di Cento that celebrates the town’s long-standing musical tradition. Designed to represent an orchestra ( 管弦乐队), the building is made up of nine small music rooms that connect to a central open space. The curved oak front not only helps to make sound louder like an instrument’s music box, but also ensures high levels of energy efficiency (效率).

Finished in 2017 after four years of planning and building, the House of Music of Pieve di Cento is located in the former Lamborghini (a famous Italian car company) production area that had been changed into a park. The recently completed building gets an advantage from a cycling path that connects the House of Music to the town center and beyond to an area to the south. There is also a wooden bench running around the building and creating resting places facing the park.

To prevent heat, cold, or noise from passing through the building, Mario Cucinella Architects used a special design for the House of Music. The flat roofs are topped with a series of curved and raised disks (圆盘) that help make unwanted sunlight change its direction and are engineered to bring more natural air into the building. The energy-efficient design was influenced by the architects’ (建筑师的) study of the site.

The nine music rooms open up to a central outdoor space that serves as a meeting area. The architects noted, “The House of Music’s outside lighting makes it a comforting place that encourages people to continue to do musical activities after the earthquake that shook the area in 2012.”