1 . Back pain can make it difficult for many people to function in everyday life.     1     If you suffer from back pain, read on for four everyday fixes.

Our bodies need adequate movement throughout the day to avoid the stiffness that contributes to aches and pains. If the weather is good, don't hunt for the nearest parking spot; don't take the elevator when you have the option of one or two flights of stairs. When you need to sit for long periods, set a timer to get up every hour and be active for just a few minutes.     2    

When we overuse our dominant side, we create muscle patterns of weakness and tension that increase pain, especially in our backs. Consider the actions you take repeatedly throughout the day that shift your weight to one side.     3     And use your opposite hand every so often for basic activities, such as opening doors.

Psychological stress is a noted risk factor for back pain, according to research. Most mental stress is caused by focusing on the past or future.     4     A few minutes a day of mindfulness can go a long way toward minimizing the impact of stress. Additionally, mindfulness practices like tai chi have all shown effectiveness in reducing back pain.

    5     That is, you can create a game plan of daily activities to practice for back health. If your back hurts at the end of the day, don't just decide it was a “bad” day. Ask yourself if you practiced the activities to help you avoid the stress and tension. Taking an active, daily-life approach to maintaining a healthy body is the key to keeping back pain at bay.

A．Switch sides when you carry things.

B．It affects how you move, feel and think.

C．You should learn more about the cause of your pain.

D．Approach the health of your back as a responsibility.

E．So actively being mindful of the present reduces stress.

F．You'd better take a quick break to check in with your breathing.

G．More minutes of movement add up to big health benefits over time.

2 . A Nervous Journey

Let’s take a journey. It is going to be a fast one, so be prepared. Where are we going? We are going to start at your head and end up at your toes.     1     It may be the shortest and fastest trip of your life. Are you ready? Let’s begin. Wiggle your big toe. Okay, we’re done. You might be saying, “That’s it?” We said it was going to be a fast ride!

You just sent a message with an electrical signal from your brain to the muscles in your toe. Bingo! It moves.     2     The electrical signals in your body can move as fast as 150 meters per second. In the amount of time it takes you to say “Mississippi” three times, a nerve could send an electrical signal the length of a football field and back. Now that you know how fast a nerve impulse (神经冲动) can travel, let’s take a look at the system that is the highway for these electrical signals.

The human body is made of trillions of tiny cells. Each cell is so small that you need a microscope to see them. Your skin, your hair, your eye — all are made up of cells.     3     Muscle cells move your body. Skin cells protect your body. One special type of cell, neurons (神经元), allow your brain to send messages to every part of your body.

The center of the nervous system is the brain. The brain takes in what your eyes see and what your ears hear.     4     You can think of your nervous system as a relay team passing a baton from one runner to the next. But instead of runners, you have cells, and instead of a baton, you have information.     5     It hands its information to the next cell, which passes the information to another cell. In the end, the information reaches its destination and causes a change — maybe a muscle contracts. The “information” baton passed from neuron to neuron is usually a small electrical event called an action potential.

A．Just how fast was the signal moving?

B．A neuron in your brain starts the relay.

C．Different types of cells do different jobs.

D．You might have heard them called brain cells.

E．Did you ever wish you could go inside someone’s brain?

F．It may not seem like a long trip, but it is going to be fast.

G．If you decide that you want to move around, your brain tells your muscles to do it.

3 . Read the passage and answer the questions.

Of all the workings of the human body, there is one organ that produces the most intrigue amongst scientists. The brain is the centre of the nervous system and controls most of the body’s activities. Interestingly, it is the back part of the brain that is involved with our vision. The sides of the brain are involved in memory, speech and rhythm. Although the brain amounts to only about 2% of total body weight, it uses up to 20% of the body’s energy—more than any other organ. Scientists have been conducting research in order to seek greater understanding of the brain, especially since the 1950s. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go before we can completely understand the workings of this complex organ.

1. What functions of the brain are mentioned in the passage?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the current research situation concerning the brain?
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Do you know any other interesting facts about the brain? Share them with the class.
______________________________________________________________________________