For thousands of years, people have tried to find ways to keep food for a long time. In the past, this was important as people needed to save food for times like winter.

Why doesn’t food last long? The problem is that bacteria (细菌) grow in all food and they make food go bad. To save food, you have to kill the bacteria or slow down their growth. There are different ways to do this.

Drying

Drying is the oldest way to save food. If there’s no water in the food, the bacteria can’t grow. In ancient times, people simply left fruit outside to dry in the sun and the wind until all its natural water was gone in hot places. This made the fruit last a very long time. Drying fruit sometimes results in completely new things. For example, grapes turn into raisins (葡萄干).

Salting

Salting food, especially meat and fish, is another very old way. Bacteria can’t grow in a very salty environment, so salted food lasts a long time. In many countries, it has become a traditional food and people still eat it today.

Canning (把食物装罐)

An inventor called Nicolas Appert found an easier way in 1809. He found that if food is cooked at high temperatures and then sealed (密封) in a can, the food can last for months. This is because the bacteria are killed when the food is cooked and can’t grow again without air.

Are you feeling a little upset in life? It’s normal to feel that way. The most important part is to take action to change. 【小题1】

First, write down your happy memories. As time passes, you might forget some of the happy moments.【小题2】 Studies show that happy memories will help you lower your stress levels and give you the courage to face difficulties.

【小题3】Take house cleaning as an example. We are often afraid of cleaning a big house. Why not start with one small room? You can sweep the floor in your bedroom first. After cleaning up the bedroom, you can clean another room. Step by step, the hard task can be finished easily.

Third, make your daily life effective (有效的). Effective morning activities can wake up your mind and body.【小题4】 Effective evening activities can relax your mind and body after a long day. You could do things that you enjoy, such as reading, writing or watching a relaxing TV show.

If you want to change your life by developing these habits, it’s important to remember that habits are difficult to build. You must take time to put them into practice.【小题5】

The teen years are an exciting time for girls, but these years can also be filled with worries and struggles. Parents really care for them, even if they don’t always act like it. They need your love, guidance, and support each day to help them become healthy and happy.

With the busy lives we lead today, how can you do this?

Spend time with your daughter. Set a good example to your daughter. Eat right, exercise, deal with stress in healthy ways, and don’t use drugs (毒品), alcohol (酒), or cigarettes.

Try to find a good balance between work and fun in your own life. This will show your daughter that she can have balance in her life.

Teach her good values and a sense of responsibility (责任). Then trust her to make good choices.

Set rules with them. Setting fair rules can help girls keep away from social settings where they can’t solve.

It’s normal for a girl to want to try new things. When your daughter is angry with you, she may make poor choices. Turn her mistakes into lessons, show her you still love her, and point out the good thing she does. Teach her not to be ashamed of having a problem with stress, grades, weight, drugs, or alcohol. Even though you might feel upset and tired at times, everything you do will make a difference in your daughter’s life and she will thank you!