When I was 17, I paid a long visit to Iowa to see a college I was thinking of attending. While the _______ was fun for the most part, I was feeling depressed and _______. I was realizing that I wouldn't be seeing my family _______ if I went to school here. I was also _______ the forests in Appalachian mountains of my home. I loved how the leaves turned a thousand _______ of green in spring and then became a sea of colors in autumn. I loved the _______ of the forget-me-nots and countless wild flowers that grew on the hillsides.

Here in Iowa everything was _______. The grass looked brown and _______. All that I could smell was a_______ of corn, mud, and pigs. One day I lay down on the ground. Eyes closed, I ________ being back home over and over again. When I ________ opened them, however, I saw something that ________ my soul: a prairie (草原) sunset. It seemed to fill the whole sky from the________. Gold, red, purple and pink clouds all flowed together and________ an amazing picture. It was so huge that I was________. In comparison with it, our mountain sunsets ________. I was filled with wonder and a sense of ________. I realized too that I had been picky and________. This place too had its own special ________

Over the years to come I learned something else. Each of us has a special beauty too —everyone has their own________talents and abilities to share.

   Undoubtedly, the best way to prevent illnesses of the mind is to exercise the brain. Here’re some great exercises to sharpen your mind.

Never stop learning. 【小题1】 One way is to take classes online through websites like Coursera, org or Edx. org, where you can take courses from the top universities for free. Perhaps you would like to learn a new language. 【小题2】 There are wonderful language programs available through RosettaStone. com and Duolingo.com which offer many lessons to choose from.

Read something everyday. Reading itself is a wonderful brain exercise. Make a point to read something every day. It could be a newspaper, book, blog or magazine, but the more informative it is, the more of a workout it will be for your thinking cap. 【小题3】

Exercise your body. Exercising your body affects your strength, mood and fitness. Exercise excites the nervous system and causes you to perform at a higher level.

【小题4】 Communicating with others on topics of common interest is a great workout. Talking about in-depth topics like headline news and political interests exercises your ability to pay attention and focus. There are always many like-minded people who enjoy the same hobbies or share the same beliefs.

Play games. The act of solving problems and figuring out puzzles is excellent for keeping your brain in shape. 【小题5】 Solving math equations or word puzzles, and even just a quick game of Bubble Witch will do wonders for your thinking processes.