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.

Why you shouldn't punish your kids for lying

Getting your children to stop lying is challenging. There are many influences（TV，movies and video games）in which lies are common. Children see parents lie to others，if only to be polite. Most parents add to that with tales about the lives and activities of Santa Claus or the tooth fairy. 【小题1】

The most common reactions to children who lie are explaining why it is wrong and punishments. 【小题2】 Here are three better tools supported by research to use instead.

Give praise: You could ask your child to say something that happened at school that is true. When your child obeys, praise him enthusiastically. Be specific. 【小题3】 and give your child a hug or a high five. Aim for one or two interactions（互动）like this a day. If you happen to "catch" your child in a lie，say something like，“That is not true and could get you in trouble outside of the home.”

Act as a model: Explicitly（明确地）tell the truth. This could be about something that happened when you were a child or something that happened during the day. It need not be dramatic. Another option is to play a game at dinner. Each person tells one thing that was true that day. Again，give a little praise to the child who normally lies if she plays along.

Decrease punishments and moralizing（说教）：They are unlikely to change behavior or develop the conduct you want. 【小题4】 Rather，use very mild punishments（light scolding，short loss of privileges，a brief timeout）. More severe punishments（shouting，taking away something for a week，hitting）are not more effective in actually changing the frequency of lying.

【小题5】 Usually they can be dropped by then. It is unlikely that lying will be completely removed，but with the right encouragement，it can be dramatically lessened.

How to Listen to a Teen's Complaints

As your child reaches his teen years, he's likely experiencing a conflict（冲突）between his social and family lives. This often causes frequent complaining（抱怨）. 【小题1】By listening to your teen's complaints in an active way, you make your relationship better and allow for better joint decision-making.

【小题2】You can see complaints from your teen as natural and positive, though the actual content of what he says might be negative（负面的）. Believe that listening to your teen's complaints is a chance to know your teen better. By psychologically preparing yourself in this way, the conversation will go forward more easily.

Accept your teen's feelings. Understand that your teen's complaining behavior might be wrong but that his feelings are never wrong. Recognize that negative emotions are natural and do not easily fall under the control of teens or even adults. Note that your teen is at least handling his negative emotions in the right way—through words. 【小题3】

Listen patiently and carefully. 【小题4】Listen for the words in his complaints, such as "I am sick of this" or "It's unfair to me". This often shows his feelings. Through body language or eye contact, show your teen you are listening to him carefully.

React to your teen's complaint . 【小题5】 If you disagree, explain why. Finish the conversation by praising him for coming to you and expressing himself.

   How To Be Green?

What does “green” mean? “Green” is more than just a color. 【小题1】    Why green? Plants are green, and without them the Earth wouldn't be such a lovely home for us human beings. What can we do? Here's a four-step guide to being green.

Reduce It!

【小题2】 For instance, a shorter shower means you use less water and less fuel since your house uses fuel to run the water heater that warms up the water.

Reuse It!

Sometimes people call our society a “throwaway society”. It means that we're a little too willing to throw away old stuff(东西) and buy new stuff. 【小题3】 . For instance, if your baby brother becomes older and loses interest in his plastic basketball hoop(篮圈), why not give it to another family who has a little kid?

Recycle It!

Recycling has never been easier. Many communities(社区) will pick it up right in front of your house and some towns even require it. Recycled goods go to a recycling center, where they can be turned into new cans, bottles, and paper.

Enjoy It!

It's true that rubbish and pollution are problems, but the Earth remains a huge and beautiful place that's ready for you to explore. 【小题4】  Go for a hike, visit local nature centers and gardens, and climb up mountains.

But before you travel around the world, take a look at your own backyard. Find a place where you could plant a tree or put in a little fruit or vegetable garden. 【小题5】