If you cut down on the time you spend sitting，you might live longer. New research shows that sitting less than three hours a day might extend your life by two years.

【小题1】 But modern lifestyles and office jobs rarely give us the chance to move around. Sitting is something we do all the time and everywhere. We sit while we're eating，we sit in the car and we sit while we are watching TV. And many of us sit for many hours at work. So on average，Americans report that they sit between four and a half to five hours a day.

Exercise is important. But so is not sitting.

You may exercise often. But it does not mean you can sit for the rest of your waking hours. 【小题2】 Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day，what goes on in the other 23-and-a-half hours a day is also very important，according to a study on how sitting all day affects the length of life. It shows that cutting television time to less than two hours a day could add one point four years to life.

【小题3】

Change is already coming to some offices，especially in the design of desks. A "standing desk" lets people stand while they work. Another new design is called the "treadmill（跑步机）desk". A treadmill is an exercise machine that lets you walk in one place. Even some U.S. schools are beginning to experiment with desks that are part bicycles to keep children moving.

Exercising while working.

【小题4】They may have got five "standing desks" for their employees or a "treadmill desk". Some other companies may not buy one for everybody but they'll have a bank of these desks where people can go for an hour a day and answer their emails or talk on the phone. People are really trying to limit the amount of time spent sitting at the desk.

Suggestions for sitting less.

If you work in an office or have a sedentary（久坐不动的）job，scientists suggest a few simple changes. Get up from your desk as often as you can. 【小题5】 Instead of emailing colleagues，walk to their offices and talk directly. If you are sitting down reading this，stand up. Move your legs. Touch your toes，if you can. Do anything but sit.

All these activities may help you live longer.

   What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others.  These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work.  So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.

Your school may have taught you skils, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else，you may have learned how to get to work on time，to follow rules and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop，for example. Just as important，you may become interested in a particular career you see from the inside in a part-time job.

Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools；perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a number of figures. It is better to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record，for instance，may not be too good，yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic（道歉的）about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.

   When I was seven years old, I got the greatest Christmas gift ever. 【小题1】   Now I realize I actually have the power to be a superhero. I may not be able to fly, but I can make a difference to someone's life. We all have the power to be a superhero to someone. Here are four ways you can be a real-life superhero.

  【小题2】 Think about what it is. It could be your support, time, advice, a small gift or a thank-you card. Sometimes, even just the most harmless message can bring someone out of darkness and into the light. It's something that you give that can help others.

Keep yourself healthy. 【小题3】 Look after your body and helping people will be easier. You'll have a clear mind and energy to achieve any task in your way.

Pick your fight. Every superhero has a battle. It's something that drives them to be the person they are. 【小题4】It could be anything such as working towards helping reduce the number of homeless people on the street. The fight does not need to be big, but it needs to be powerful.

Make someone's day. Real-life superheroes try to improve the lives of all the people they meet. 【小题5】 You can also try your best to absolutely make someone's day every once in a while. The people who get your help will thank you for it.

   Do you like to learn about what is in the world around you？Do you often notice things that your friends don't notice？When you become interested in something，do you ask people about it and read books about it？Do you sometimes do experiments to find answers？If so，then you think in much the same way that a scientist thinks.

In school and at home no doubt you will read about scientific discoveries. Are there any good ways to help you read science then？Let's consider each of the four rules that you should follow.

1. KEEP YOUR MIND ON WHAT YOU ARE READING. Surely no one can successfully read a science article or a science textbook while thinking of other things. Many a car has run through a stop light because a careless driver was thinking of something besides his driving. The same thing is true of reading. If you think of nothing else while you are reading，you will become a better reader.

2. KNOW WHY YOU READ. The chapter titles and subtitles in science articles are usually worded in such a way that they attract your curiosity（好奇心）and make you want to read. They often tell you what you are going to read about and why you should read. The questions found at the beginning of the chapters guide you toward the information you want. Knowing why you read will help you become a better reader in science.

3. KNOW THE MEANING AND THE PRONUNCIATION OF EVERY WORD. Through the context，word structure rules and the glossary（词汇表）in your science book，you can discover the meaning and the pronunciation of most words in the articles. If a word is not in the glossary，use the dictionary.

4. FIT YOUR SPEED TO YOUR NEED. To get all the important information from your science book，you must read by degrees and carefully. Directions for experiments demand especially careful reading. If you misread them，the experiment may fail and you may reach wrong conclusions.