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There is an English saying that "Laughter(笑) is the best medicine." Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter can really improve people's health.

Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their hearts, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works on several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.

Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effects of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated（忍耐）the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.

As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients' condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.

Books to Read in Your 20s

The Kite Runner   By Khaled Hosseini

As a Middle Eastern and North African Studies student, I have a great interest in books about what takes place in this area. I first read this book in high school and really enjoyed it because of its accurate language. If any of you is interested in reading this book and hasn't yet, I highly recommend it.

Fire fly Lane   By Kristin Hannah

This is my favorite book. It is a story about friendship, love and life lessons. The story covers the lives of two best friends, Tully and Kate, from childhood to adulthood. I learned so much about friendship and life. So, read Firefly Lane! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and then you'll share this book to your best friend.

Half the Sky   By Nicholas Kristof

For any person of any age, Half the Sky is a must-read. It describes the struggle of women and the most pressing human rights problems of our time: the common oppression of women and girls.

The Little Prince   By Antoine de Saint

This children's book is simple. It might seem like a wrong book to recommend to someone in their twenties, but perhaps that's what makes it a good choice. It sings praises to exploration and shows the importance of making friends.

It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon we would lose everything.

I was in the kitchen making lunch for the family when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. I could only see his back. He wasn't walking in his usual way. He was obviously walking with a great effort, trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house.

Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow and purposeful step toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey.

He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked, being very careful not to spill the water he carried. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much greater purpose. As I leaned against a tree to spy on him. I saw the most amazing site.

Several large deer appeared threatening in front of him. But Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water in my boy's hand.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

After delivering the water to the dehydrated(脱水的) animals, Billy carefully jumped up to run back.

……

Later that day, I learned what had been happening.

注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Dear Lucas,

……

Yours,

Li Hua

The Grand Tang Mall in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, offers a fascinating experience that transports visitors back to the Tang Dynasty. Even after 10 p.m. on weekdays, the pedestrian area come alive vibrant lights and lively music. The main street (line) with Tang-style pavilions, and people dressed in traditional Chinese attire(服装) can be seen (leisure) strolling. sets this modern recreation apart is a series of outdoor performances (feature) cultural elements from the Tang Dynasty presented in a contemporary way. Onstage, acclaimed Tang Dynasty poets, (play) by actors, engage visitors in conversations about ancient Chinese poetry. Within a compact area, captivating musicals and dance performances blend traditional and contemporary elements, providing an (impress) cultural experience. These interactive events (become) the city's tourism highlight, attracting daily average of 300,000 tourists to the Grand Tang Mall since June.

Inspired by the glamour of the Tang Dynasty, the Grand Tang Mall continues to create new productions showcase the era's poetry and art performances. With over 20 regular programs, each lasting 10 minutes, visitors are encouraged to arrive early to secure a good view of these popular shows.

Many blind children are also diagnosed with autism(自闭症), including my son Eddie. But we decided that we would not allow his blindness to 1  his development.

When Eddie was younger, we'd take him to the grocery store and talk about everything. We'd tell him what was on the shelves, the various smells, and even how much things 2 . We were teaching him the 3 of "grocery store". Though Eddie was not impressed, my husband James proved that we should always 4 again.

James told me one day recently that Eddie had become interested in 5 . I was very 6 . In the past, Eddie would cry in the store and not want to walk.

James' report afterwards amazed me. He would even have Eddie 7 items off the shelves and put them in the cart with his help.

The next day, we took Eddie to the grocery store. When we went to the fruit section, James let Eddie feel the apples in the whole 8 . The manager wasn't happy, and quickly came over to find out what was going on. James said Eddie was just 9 apples. As the manager looked 10 , James turned to Eddie and threw out a question he wasn't sure. Eddie would answer.

He said, "Eddie, can you pick up that bag of apples and put it in the cart?" 11 , Eddie did exactly what James asked. This one little 12 even caused our eyes to fill with tears. Due to Eddie's language delays, it's hard to know what he fully 13 .

This is one of those moments we 14 for years to see. When the day comes, we are shocked. I'm glad that we keep trying with Eddie and never give up on him. We are trying to remember he's growing every day in every way; trying to put 15 in his life that may not have worked before, but can work now; trying to be better parents.

If anyone had told me three years ago that I would be spending most of my weekends camping, I would have laughed heartily. Campers, in my eyes, were people who enjoyed insect bites, ill-cooked meals, and uncomfortable sleeping bags. They had nothing in common with me.  

The friends who introduced me to camping thought that it meant to be a pioneer. We slept in a tent, cooked over an open fire, and walked a long distance to take the shower and use the bathroom. This brief visit with Mother Nature cost me two days off from work, recovering from a bad case of sunburn and the doctor's bill for my son's food poisoning.

I was, nevertheless, talked into going on another fun-filled holiday in the wilderness.  Instead, we had a pop-up camper with comfortable beds and an air conditioner. My nature-loving friends had remembered to bring all the necessities of life.

 We have done a lot of it since. Recently, we bought a twenty-eight-foot travel trailer complete with a bathroom and a built-in TV set. There is a separate bedroom, a modern kitchen with a refrigerator. The trailer even has matching carpet and curtains.

 It must be true that sooner or later, everyone finds his or her way back to nature. I recommend that you find your way in style.

We've been told for years that self-driving cars are just approaching. But it's time to accept the truth, said Darrell Etherington on TechCrunch: they "aren't going to happen" in our lifetimes.

I've long been excited about the potential of this technology, but my remaining optimism left me finally last month when Ford and Volkswagen announced they were stopping running Argo AI, their autonomous driving tech joint firm. Argo was considered a leader in the field. But Ford feels that "producing profitable, fully autonomous vehicles on a large scale is a long way off", and it could no longer stomach the increasing costs. This is just the latest setback.

True, General Motors is making progress in trialling driverless vehicles on the roads, but only on a small scale. Tesla is pushing ahead with its self-driving technology, but its ambitions can be limited by an investigation that is looking into some accidents involving its "Autopilot" system. Some of the firmest believers in self-driving technology have turned nonbelievers. State-of-the-art robot cars still "struggle" with construction sites, road blocks, and sometimes even simple left turns.

I recently took a ride in a self-driving taxi in the city of Chandler, Arizona. There was an undeniable horror-movie aspect to sitting in the back of a vehicle and watching the steering wheel turn autonomously. To my relief, it slowed when other vehicles behaved improperly. I was just about to feel relaxed and text a coworker when the taxi came to a sudden stop at one point. A truck stopped in front of us and wanted to go backwards in order to take a missed turning. Unclear about what to do next, the taxi "chirped(吱吱叫) to call a human specialist to solve the situation". Fortunately, the truck driver decided to drive on and we continued our way. My driverless experience made me believe this technology may never be possible to make passengers relaxed when they are in a driverless vehicle. Even so, I won't undervalue the technological advances that have been made — after all, who knows what the future will look like.

Pat Corrales, who managed the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies before a long stint(任期) on the Atlanta Braves coaching staff under the Hall of Fame skipper Bobby Cox, died on Sunday at his home in the north Georgia mountains. The first Major League manager of Mexican descent(血统), he was 82.

The Los Angeles Dodgers confirmed his death. He had worked in the Dodgers' front office since 2012, most recently as a special assistant to the general manager.

A native of Los Angeles, Corrales was a backup catcher with four teams over a largely ordinary career in the majors, compiling a 216 average with four homers and 54 runs batted in over nine seasons. He made his only postseason appearance as a player with the Cincinnati Reds in the 1970 World Series.

Corrales was far more notable for his post-playing career. He became the first big-league manager of Mexican descent when, as a coach with the Rangers, he took over the team for the final game of the 1978 season.

He went on to manage the Rangers for two full seasons, finishing with a record of 160-164. He was hired as the Phillies' manager in 1982, going 89-73 in his only full season with the team. He was fired in the middle of the following season, when the team was in first place in the National League East but had a disappointing record of 43-42.

The Phillies' general manager Paul Owens, moved to the dugout(教练, 球员席) to replace him and guided the team to the World Series, where they lost to Baltimore in five games.

Corrales was quickly hired by Cleveland, finishing out the 1983 season as manager and continuing in that post over five seasons. After a 102-loss campaign in 1985 Cleveland bounced back to an 84-78 mark the next year. But Corrales was fired in 1987 with the team mired at 31-56. His overall mark in Cleveland was 280-355.

Corrales followed with a long coaching stint in Atlanta working on Cox's staff from 1990 to 2006. That stint coincided with the Braves' emergence as a Major League power house which included a record 14 straight division titles and a World Series championship.

"During that run, he was the guy, doing a lot of the heavy lifting," Braves Manager Brian Snitker said this week before a game at Colorado. "He was a baseball guy through and through." Corrales finished his career in the dugout as a coach with the Washington Nationals.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Donna Myers Corrales; two daughters, Rena Hammerness and Patricia Collins; and a son, Jason. Another son, Patrick and another daughter, Michele Pollitt, died before him.

The most valuable thing I ever lost was a pair of diamond earrings I bought many years ago at a charity auction(拍卖会). Though very beautiful, they were heavy and turned out to be painful to wear. I wrote about the lost earrings in my new children's book, The Christmas Pig. When they reach the Land of the Lost, where the hero must go to rescue his most beloved toy, my earrings are angry that they aren't treated with the respect they think they deserve. They soon find out that being made of diamonds counts for very little in the strange world where human-made objects go when lost, because a thing's importance there depends on how much it's truly loved.

The Christmas Pig explores a deep attachment to an old object. It's about the journey of a boy, Jack, who is a little lost himself but discovers his bravery and ability to love in a strange world. Of all the books I've written, this is the one that made me cry the most, because I was dealing with emotions that run deep in all of us. Loss and change are hard for children, and acceptance of these unavoidable parts of life isn't much easier for adults. The Christmas Pig shows how human beings — even small, lost ones — are capable of wonderful, heroic acts.

A very strange thing happened on the day I finished editing The Christmas Pig. After emailing the final version to my editor, I set about clearing out a cupboard. The last object I picked up was a small box. I opened it. There were my long-lost diamond earrings. I've decided to sell them and give the money to a charity. I think it will be a nice ending for my earrings' story to have them do some good for children in the Land of the Living.

How many times have I been asked whether I believe in magic? On the day I finished The Christmas Pig, for a few shining moments, I really did.

Thailand tourism has always been the top destination for Chinese travelers due to its affordable prices and excellent services. Therefore, we recommend that you also travel to Thailand after the Gaokao to reward yourself for ten years of hard work and studying.

Grand Palace, Bangkok

The Grand Palace is a stunning complex of buildings that served as the official residence of the kings of Thailand from the 18th to the mid-20th century. It features complex architecture, beautiful gardens, and several impressive temples. The palace is open daily from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and admission costs 500 baht(泰铢) per person.

Wat Arun, Bangkok

Wat Arun is a stunning Buddhist temple that sits on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The temple is known for its great design and impressive top, which are covered in colorful mosaics and seashells. It's open daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, and admission costs 100 baht per person. Note that visitors are required to dress modestly and remove their shoes before entering the temple.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai

The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is a busy market that offers a wide variety of goods, including clothing, handicrafts, and souvenirs. The market is open every night from around 6:00 pm to midnight. Admission is free, but be prepared to bargain about prices.

Phuket Old Town, Phuket

Phuket Old Town is a historic district filled with colorful shop houses, cafes, and art galleries. It's a great place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. Some of the most popular attractions in the area include the Thai Hua Museum and the Phuket Trickeye Museum. Admission prices vary depending on the attraction.

It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The rivers and streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon, we would lose everything. It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing and saw the best miracle (奇迹) in my life.

I was making lunch for the family in the kitchen when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He was obviously walking with a great effort trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again toward the house. I went back to make sandwiches, thinking that whatever task he had been doing was completed. 

Moments later, however, he was once again walking toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey. 

He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked, very careful not to spill (洒出) the water he held. I stepped closer as he went into the woods. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much greater purpose, I thought. As I came closer, I saw the most amazing sight. Several large deer stood in front of him. Billy walked right up to them, I almost screamed at him to get away. A huge buck was dangerously close. But the buck neither threatened him nor even moved as Billy knelt down. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, lifting its head with great effort to drink the water in my boy's hands.

注意： 1. 续写词数应为150 左右； 2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back to the house.

……

This time I joined him, with a small pot of water from the kitchen. 

注意： 1. 写作词数应为80左右； 2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Dear Terry,

……

Yours,

Li Hua

Huazhao Festival have remained silent for centuries. However, the traditional festival closely (connect)with spring is coming back to life,because of growing enthusiasm for traditional Chinese culture and a rising need for seasonal sightseeing tours. 

Huazhao Festival (say)to be celebrated as the birthday of the flower goddess in every second month on the Chinese lunar calendar. Its origin can date  the period before the Qin Dynasty and was (official)set as a festival during the Sui and Tang dynasties. During the Tang Dynasty,the festival(fall) on the 15th day of the second lunar month. It was one of the three nationwide celebrations back then. The other two were Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. 

However,the timing of the festival varies between regions, because of the difference in when flowering begins. As  result, many parts of the country took turns  (launch)their celebrations as if presenting a feast for the eyes in relay. 

Despite(variety)highlights, the festive celebrations across different regions shared the features of hanfu--a traditional Chinese style of clothing and flower appreciation. The festival also plays a key role in boosting shopping and caters to spending in nearby areas. 

Its renaissance reflects the change in young people's aesthetie orientation(审美取向), emotional needs and consumption preferences and indicates their  ( recognize)of excellent traditional Chinese culture. 

Behind that is the(grow)cultural confidence among young people. 

Over the past few decades, more and more countries have opened up the markets, increasingly transforming the world economy into one free-flowing global market. The question is: Is economic globalization 1  for all?

According to the World Bank, one of its chief supporters, economic globalization has helped reduce 2  in a large number of developing countries. It quotes one study that shows increased wealth 3  to improved education and longer life in twenty-four developing countries as a result of integration (融合) of local economies into the world economy. Home to some three billion people, these twenty-four countries have seen incomes 4  at an average rate of five percent—compared to two percent in developed countries. 

Those who 5  globalization claim that economies in developing countries will benefit from new opportunities for small and home-based businesses. 6  , small farmers in Brazil who produce nuts that would originally have sold only in 7  open-air markets can now promote their goods worldwide by the Internet. 

Critics take a different view, believing that economic globalization is actually 8  the gap between the rich and poor. A study carried out by the U. N. -sponsored World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization shows that only a few developing countries have actually 9  from integration into the world economy and that the poor, the uneducated, unskilled workers, and native peoples have been left behind.  10  , they maintain that globalization may eventually threaten emerging businesses. For example, Indian craftsmen who currently seem to benefit from globalization because they are able to 11  their products may soon face fierce competition that could put them out of 12  . When large-scale manufacturers start to produce the same goods, or when superstores like Wal-Mart move in, these small businesses will not be able to 13  and will be crowded out. 

One thing is certain about globalization—there is no 14  . Advances in technology combined with more open policies have already created an interconnected world. The 15  now is finding a way to create a kind of globalization that works for the benefit of all. 

Hollywood's theory that machines with evil(邪恶) minds will drive armies of killer robots is just silly. The real problem relates to the possibility that artificial intelligence(AI) may become extremely good at achieving something other than what we really want. In 1960 a well-known mathematician Norbert Wiener, who founded the field of cybernetics（控制论）, put it this way: ＂If we use, to achieve our purposes, a mechanical agency with whose operation we cannot effectively interfere(干预), we had better be quite sure that the purpose put into the machine is the purpose which we really desire. ＂

A machine with a specific purpose has another quality, one that we usually associate with living things: a wish to preserve its own existence. For the machine, this quality is not in-born, nor is it something introduced by humans; it is a logical consequence of the simple fact that the machine cannot achieve its original purpose if it is dead. So if we send out a robot with the single instruction of fetching coffee, it will have a strong desire to secure success by disabling its own off switch or even killing anyone who might interfere with its task. If we are not careful, then, we could face a kind of global chess match against very determined, super intelligent machines whose objectives conflict with our own, with the real world as the chessboard. 

The possibility of entering into and losing such a match should concentrate the minds of computer scientists. Some researchers argue that we can seal the machines inside a kind of firewall, using them to answer difficult questions but never allowing them to affect the real world. Unfortunately, that plan seems unlikely to work: we have yet to invent a firewall that is secure against ordinary humans, let alone super intelligent machines. 

Solving the safety problem well enough to move forward in AI seems to be possible but not easy. There are probably decades in which to plan for the arrival of super intelligent machines. But the problem should not be dismissed out of hand, as it has been by some AI researchers. Some argue that humans and machines can coexist as long as they work in teams—yet that is not possible unless machines share the goals of humans. Others say we can just ＂switch them off＂ as if super intelligent machines are too stupid to think of that possibility. Still others think that super intelligent AI will never happen. 

If you were bringing friends home to visit, you could show them the way. You know the landmarks—a big red house or a bus-stop sign. But what if you were swimming in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? Could you still find your way home? A loggerhead turtle（海 龟）could. 

According to Dr. Ken Lohmann, loggerheads have a magnetic（磁力的）sense based on Earth's magnetic field. It helps them locate the best spots for finding food and their home beaches. Scientists already know that several other animals, such as whales and honeybees, can detect（探测到）magnetic fields. The difference between them and loggerheads, however, is the way they learn to use their magnetic sense. Young whales and honeybees can learn from adults. Loggerheads are abandoned as eggs.

As newborn loggerheads have no adults to learn from, what helps them figure out how to use their magnetic sense? Lohmann thinks one of the cues was light on the sea. 

Baby loggerheads hatch only at night. However, a small amount of light reflects off the ocean. The light makes that region brighter. Heading toward the light helps them get quickly out to sea, where they can find food. Lohmann tested whether newborn loggerheads use this light source to set their magnetic "compasses"（罗盘）. He and his team put some newborns in a water tank and recorded which way they swam. Around the tank, the scientists created a magnetic field that matched the Earth's. They set a weak light to the east of the magnetic field. Then they let the newborns go.

At first, the newborns swam toward the light. After the scientists turned off the light, the turtles that had seen the light in the east always swam toward east. When the researchers reversed（颠倒）the magnetic field, these turtles turned around and swam toward the new "east".

This and the follow-up experiments all showed that loggerheads use light from the outside world to set their magnetic "compasses" and then remember the "correct" direction. If a turtle hatches on a brightly-lit beach, that would damage its magnetic sense forever and make survival hard for the turtle.

Lohmann's work has led others to protect the habitat of this endangered species. Yet many questions about these creatures remain unanswered, and researchers have a lot to study.

Cathy Brennan calmly paddled her bright yellow kayak（皮艇） down the Potomac River, continuing her voyage, the latest of her solo trips on major waterways. It was tough, but it allowed Brennan to let go of everything else, empty her brain of the everyday chores and focus on the now. "I'm in the moment, looking at the waves. " said Brennan.

The journey is a minimalist style: sleeping bag, small tent, rain jacket, change of clothes, first aid kit, apples and cheese sticks. When she's thirsty, she scoops water from the rivers and pumps it through a filter. "I always drink the river," she says. Brennan loves being on the rivers, seeing the bald eagles above, deer on the banks and a fascinating array of bugs and insects that never find their way into homes.

However, every few days Brennan will find a hotel for the night where she can get a shower and eat a cheeseburger. She'll also check in with her husband John, who has helped her select the river and research the trips at their home. "He's my virtual Sherpa with benefits," Brennan says, laughing. She has a phone with her but rarely calls or texts anyone. Her children usually keep track of her via the transponder that sends them her location every 10minutes or so.

Brennan knows that solo kayaking is not for everyone and she's not reckless. Brennan grew up on a lake and was a strong swimmer and boater from an early age. When going through rough rapids, she watches the weather carefully. She is cautious about where she camps and who is around her. She has packed up her gear and headed back out on the river when she has felt unsafe.

Surely, she is alone on these journeys but she isn't lonely. She suggested that we all need some disconnection from the wired world to find the wider world around us.

The UK is home to 26 world-ranked universities of the top 200 globally. At the heart of each university is the library, a space for students to access resources, absorb knowledge and gather thoughts. Here are some of our must-visit libraries across the UK. 

The British Library, London

Located in London, the British Library is home to over 170 million items. The collections offer a glimpse into literary heritage over the ages, from books to maps to manuscripts. Visitors can browse treasures including Leonardo da Vinci's notebook. Students with a reading pass are known to spend hours at a time in the reading rooms.

Bodleian Old Library, Oxford

Dating back to 1488, the Bodleian Old Library has three notable reading rooms. It is celebrated for its late Gothic architecture. You may recognize the elaborately carved ceiling from scenes in Harry Potter. Students at the university automatically get access to the library. 

John Rylands Library, Manchester

Opened in 1900, this library is part of the University of Manchester, one of the top five universities in the UK. This library offers limitless research potential for students. Whether you want to make use of the rich collections available, or simply explore the site, this library should be on everyone's must-see list.

The Mitchell Library, Glasgow

The Mitchell Library is one of Glasgow's most famous landmarks. On the top of the copper dome（圆屋顶） is a bronze statue of the Roman goddess, Minerva. Visitors can climb the dome for the city's most distinctive rooftop views.