3 . How to improve your memory?

It’s generally accepted that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered this old saying simply isn’t true.     1     Whether you’re looking to sharpen your mind, boost your mental performance, or preserve your memory as you age, these tips can help.

    2     Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to “use it or lose it”. The more you work out your brain, the better you’ll be able to process and remember information. The best brain exercises break your routine and challenge you to use and develop new brain pathways.

Don’t skip the physical exercise. While mental exercise is important for brain health, that doesn’t mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercise helps your brain stay sharp.     3    

Get enough sleep. There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get and the amount you need to function at your best. The truth is that over 95% of adults need 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep every night.     4     Memory, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills are all harmed.

Make time for friends. When you think of ways to improve memory, do you think of “serious” activities such as mastering chess strategies, or is it more relaxing pastimes—hanging out with friends or enjoying a funny movie?     5     But countless studies show that a life full of friends and fun comes with brain benefits.

4 . With the beautiful snow-coated landscapes, winter reveals a different world of national parks with significantly fewer crowds. Here are some of the best national parks in the US for a winter getaway.

Between October and March, Acadia National Park’s Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain on the east coast, offers hikers epic views of the first sunrise in the country. Because the roads are closed to motor vehicles during the winter, those who undertake the 3.5-mile hike from Park Loop Road are rewarded with a stunning view all to themselves. Snowmobiling in the park is another special experience for visitors.

Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State is one of the oldest national parks in the US and a playground for outdoor enthusiasts in winter. Unlike other snow-crowded resorts, this park allows visitors to heartily enjoy snowmobiling, sledding and snowshoeing. Its hotel offers comfortable rooms with views of Mount Rainier, and tasty local dishes.

With its remote location and minimal light pollution, Denali National Park is an ideal place for photographers to capture the northern lights during the aurora (极光) season, between September and April. Visitors in this crowd-free park can spot wildlife such as wolves and black bears, which remain active in the winter.

In northern New Mexico, Chaco Culture National Historical Park holds stone great houses, which were the largest buildings in North America until the mid-18th century. Accessible for most of the winter, the park can see fewer than 10 visitors a day in colder months. Photographers can capture landscapes amid the constellations (星群) by night.

7 . There are countless stories of man’s best friend stepping in to ________ humans. And that’s exactly what happened between a dog named Macho and a teenage boy, Griffin.

Single mom Nicole Evans was out of town when a fire ________ inside the home. Her teenage son, Griffin, was in his room sleeping at 5: 30 am, not ________ what was happening. That’s when Macho started behaving very ________. He nipped (咬) at Griffin repeatedly, ________ to leave alone. Fortunately, Macho’s immediate ________ enabled him and Griffin to ________ from the burning house just in time.

The fire completely ________ Nicole Evans’ home. And hearing about the ________ while out of town was a nightmare for the single mom. “It was probably the worst ________ of my life to not be with my son while something’s happening to him,” Nicole explained.

________, while she lost nearly everything she owns, it’s what ________ the fire that was most important to Nicole. “All those things are just things, and they’re all ________,” she said. “It’s a(n) ________ to know both Griffin and Macho are safe, and I can’t thank Macho enough for his incredible ________.”

Meanwhile, Nicole won’t face this ________ time alone. From the moment the news of the fire spread, donations began ________. Neighbors are helping the family ________ from the great loss and a charity account is ensuring friends and strangers alike can provide ________ as well.

Our pets not only provide us with companionship and unconditional love, but can even act as our furry ________.

9 . The holidays can be a divisive season. Because the holidays are full of merriness, some love them. Others can feel troubled by them, affected by the financial pressure and family gatherings often accompanying the holidays.     1     So, what can you do if you’re feeling like that? Roll your sleeves up. We’re going to get real, make a plan and enjoy the holiday atmosphere.

    2     This may be obvious for many — you may feel triggered owing to the stress of social events or gift-giving. But others may have a harder time detecting what is going on.

Begin tracking how you’re feeling on the day-to-day life. You can keep a journal or take a brief walk where you can reflect at the end of your day. Doing this lets you see a pattern of what may be activating your negative feelings.

After getting your triggers written down, let’s make a plan. If it is money fueling the discomfort, let’s strategize how you can cut down the financial expectations. You can select a thoughtful low-cost decoration or a bunch of flowers.       3     Don’t be afraid to let them know your financial condition. If holiday gatherings are extremely stressful, it is time to see how this can shift. Avoiding holiday gatherings altogether isn’t possible for most. However, you can consider an excuse that can serve as a reason to leave early.     4    

Rethink how to love yourself rather than care for others too much. If you have to be with someone, are you at risk of yourself because of arguments or conflicts?     5     Minimizing the time you spend with them is a wise choice.

10 . I often felt there was a lack of ceremony in my life. The ceremony of passage to mark transitions was ________. Therefore, I was especially ________ when a friend invited me to go with him for a hike that would mark his ________ entry into elderhood. We would be ________ by three other companions. One of them was a wise and gentle elder who would serve as our ________. But whether it involved a ________ or not, an opportunity to walk in the backcountry with people who knew where they were going sounded ________ to me, and yes was what I said.

It was a long drive and we started out early,________ along mountain roads to a campground at the edge of a ________ area where we met our guide. We then walked along a gently rising trail. Along the way there was green grass and bursts of colorful ________, and we soon got down into a sandy creek bed, which we followed for some time. The wonders of the wilderness ________ before us, and every now and then our guide stopped to call our ________ to the shift of the environment, instructing us to ________ the spirit of attentiveness and gratitude.

________, he paused to adjust the leg brace（支架） he was wearing to support his knee, but these too were ________ moments. "Getting ________ slows us down," he said, "but when we slow down, we become aware of things. That's one of the ________ of being an elder. We are allowed to slow down and ________. Life may not have so many ceremonies, so we need to ________ changes. We should move forward with the right ________: being humble, appreciative and positive."