You know that eating a suitable diet and getting plenty of exercise help make your body healthy and strong. But did you know that there are ways to make your brain healthier and smarter?
Studies show that when the brains is forced to do something new, it creates new neural (神经元) pathways. The more pathways you have, the faster you can think and the better memory you will have. Wonderful steps towards a smarter brain are as follows:
Choose proper TV programs
Watching an average TV show needs very little brain power and brings the same result as giving no care to physical exercise. Your brain will become weak just as your muscles do,if you watch TV, choose something educational and full of information.
Travel
Traveling to a new country forces you to see and do things in a new way, making your brains more active.
Learning a new language
A new language learner usually uses different learning methods. Learning a language sharpens your brain and helps you prevent memory problems in later years.
Master a new subject
Each week, choose an animal, a bird or a fish, and read everything you can about it. Go on learning unitl you become an expert on the subject.
Use your non-dominant hand
If you are right-handed,use your left hand for everyday activities, or use your right hand if you are left-handed. Doing familiar things in a new way will cause your brain to create new neural networks.
Read often
As you read, take the time to look up people or places that aren’t familiar. Reading can enlarge your vocabulary if you search for words and expressions that you don’t know.
Calculate while you shop
As you put things in your shopping bag, total everything in your head. See how close you get to the actual total.
Play video games
Studies have found that some video games force you to use critical decision-making skills and can even improve students’ math grades.
So get into the habit of challenging your brain, and make yourself smarter!
【小题1】The passage can most probably be found in a _____book.

When you speak, write a letter or make a telephone call, your words carry a message. People communicate (交流) with words. Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are __1__ . Tears in your eyes tell others you are sad. When you __2__ your hands in class, the teacher knows you want to __3__ something or ask questions. You __4__ your head from side to side, and people know you are saying no.

Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the __5__ helps you know which bus you can take here. A sign on the wall of your school helps you __6__ the library. Signs on the doors tell you __7__ to go in or out. Have you ever noticed that there are lots of signs round you and that you receive messages __8__ them all the time? Books, newspapers, TV, radios and __9__ all help us to communicate with other people. They all help us __10__ what is going on in the world and what other people are thinking about.

　　A doctor was once teaching a class of students at a famous hospital in London. An injured（受伤）man came in, and the doctor turned to one of the __1__ and asked him,“What's wrong __2__ this man?”

　　“I don't know, sir,”the student answered,“Shall I examine（检查）him and __3__?”

　　“There is no need to examine him,”said the doctor.“You should know without __4__ questions. He hurt his right knee（膝盖）. Didn't you notice the way he __5__? He hurt it by burning. You can know from his trousers. This is Monday morning. Yesterday was fine, but on Saturday the roads were wet. __6__ the man's trousers. He fell down on Saturday night.”

　　The doctor then turned to the man and said,“You had your pay on Saturday and went to have a __7__ at some place in the street. You fell down and got wet on the __8__. You tried to __9__ your clothes by the fire when you got home. But because you drank __10__, you fell on the fire and burnt your knee. Is that right?”