We need to every day.

    I believe listening is powerful(强效)medicine. It was Sunday. I had the last 1 to see and I got into her room. She was an old woman, sitting on the bed, trying to 2 her socks. Usually I said something like this, "How are you feeling? The nurse says your son is visiting you today. I believe you are 3 seeing him.

    She stopped me with a serious voice, "Sit down, Doctor. This is my story, not yours."

    I was surprised and embarrassed. I sat down and helped her with the socks. She began to tell me that her only son lived not far from her, 4 she had not seen him for five years She believed her health problems were worse because of 5 her son. After hearing her story and helping her put on her socks, I asked if there was 6 I could do for her. She 7 her head and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen.

    Each story is different. Some are clear, others are not. Some are true, others are not, yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is that the story is heard.

    Listening to someone's story costs nothing but it is the key to healing(康复). I often 8 what the woman taught me and I remind myself of the importance of stopping, sitting down and truly listening. I believe in the power of listening.

    "A cold can disappear in two days. Seventy percent of people who catch a cold feel better within a week, so it is unusual to have the common cold for as long as two weeks, says Gary Rogg, a medicine specialist(专家)at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

    Why does your cold stay for longer than it should? Here are some possible reasons.

    Getting Less Sleep

    Sleep plays an important role in our system. In fact, a study has proved that people who get less than seven hours of sleep per night are nearly three times more likely to catch a cold than people who sleep for eight hours or more.

    Low on Water

    Water plays an important part in your body. If your cold doesn't go away, you'll consider drinking more water.

    Treating the Illness Wrongly

    The common cold can easily be mixed with other illnesses. People often believe they've had a cold for a few weeks and may not realize that they aren't getting better because they've been treating the illness wrongly.

    Exercising Too Hard

    "People ask me all the time, 'Should I exercise when I have a cold?'" Katona says. "My answer is usually yes, but people should do it at a low level. If you do it at a high level, you may get even worse."

    So, what is Katona's low level? The answer is taking a walk instead of running five miles.

— Take the ________ and then you'll be better.

— Yes. They are good for me!