Each one of us has different natural and acquired abilities. Some learn new languages quickly,and some are more social than others.     1    Obviously, people interpret what you're saying indifferent ways, based on the way they think.

    2    While looking to convince others,we rely on our own thinking tools and strengths. It doesn't matter if you're trying to persuade your boss to adopt a new idea. But when you need to persuade your colleague, switch chairs with your listener and ask yourself what his or her strength is. Sure,you take into account what's important to them.

    3    Try to fit someone you work with into the different thinking categories individual thinking or group thinking. To quickly identify if someone thinks better individually or in a group, I ask one simple question:Did you prefer studying by yourself or in a group in high school? You'll find out most people will answer within a blink of an eye.

Then how to communicate better after identifying individual or group thinking?     4    

Individual thinkers need some time by themselves to digest a new idea. Therefore, try sending them suggestions by e-mail or introduce a new idea and then giving them some time to think about it. Group thinkers will react much better when talking about a new idea.     5    When group thinkers ask to talk about something, they're actually asking you to brainstorm with them to help find a solution using conversation.

A. Choose your presentation strategy.

B. You can find out which category you belong to.

C. It is a challenge to convince people around you.

D. So give them opportunities to voice their thoughts.

E. But how about understanding how they actually think?

F. Most people are more productive when working alone.

G. These strengths determine how we think and make decisions.

Tipping can be confusing as the rules vary by countries. In some parts of the world,tipping can be considered rude while in other areas it is rude to avoid tipping.Being ready for whatever expenses appear suddenly is an important part of being an organized traveler.     1    

In some countries like Japan, China, South Korea, French Polynesia, staff may be offended when offered a tip.     2    If you do offer a tip in Japan,always ask, "May I present you a tip in appreciation for your service?”Be cautious and do not press if they refuse.

In Iceland, just like much of Europe,tipping is neither required nor expected in most situations. Restaurants will often include a service charge of around 10 percent on bills but feel

free to leave 10-15 percent if you had great service.     3    If the service charge is included in the total, then you needn't leave a tip. Taxi drivers,hairdressers,and tour guides include fees with prices that cover their services. If you've had a longer journey and the taxi driver was very helpful,you may wish to tip more.

    4    South Africa is a tipping country. It's encouraged to tip your restaurant server, housekeeper, tour guide, and taxi driver. In Israel, people generally tip waiters 10- 12 percent;15 percent is for really good service. If you are known to tip 20 percent, you're guaranteed to get great service.     5    So make sure you avoid common travel mistakes resulting from tipping.

A. You have to fully prepare for your trip.

B. Make sure you check your bill before tipping.

C. Anyway, traveling should be fun, not stressful.

D. However, tipping is expected in some countries.

E. Once the server doesn't intend to ask for any tip.

F. So it is important to know when and where to tip.

G. Excellent service is an expected part of their culture.

British people have some famous typical personalities and habits. Here are a few of them.

    1    

It is true that British people like talking about the weather, but there is a good reason. The weather in Britain is so changeable that nobody knows what to wear when they get up in the morning. Talking about the weather unites their country. And doing so is something they often use to strike up conversations with a stranger.     2    

Politeness.

Say "sorry”even when someone runs into them, or never complain even when they find a hair in their soup in a restaurant.     3    For example, if they arrive at the bus stop and other people are there before them. It is considered polite to stand in line and let the other people get on the bus before them.

Drinking tea.

Tea is the most popular drink in Britain. Most British people can't function without a cup of tea to start a day,and then they need tea breaks before lunch, after lunch, and after dinner and perhaps before bed.     4    

Avoiding showing feelings.

    5    Going to work in the morning on the subway，they usually look at their newspapers instead of talking with strangers. In addition, even colleagues working with each other for a long time don't know each other's addresses , family members, hobbies and so on, because they never talk about these private things.

A. Talking about the weather.

B. British people will always form an orderly queue.

C. British people often don't show their hearts to others.

D. Brits are terrible at remembering to feed themselves at regular intervals.

E. It's also one of the things when they speak to their friends and family members.

F. About 1% of the British people take teabags with them when they go on holidays.

G. A happy Brit's weekend pub-drinking starts at 6 pm on a Friday and ends on Sunday evening.

When you have got a lot of stuff, decluttering your home can be really necessary. Decluttering is just about putting new systems into place in your life.     1    , you realize how great you feel about it,and you want to keep going.

Getting rid of things gives you 'time to look after yourself.     2    , or looking for the potato peeler—because everything has a home and you know exactly where it is-you're free to spend that time on yourself and your family. It's liberating.

    3    . It has taken you a long time to get everything,and you 'won't be able to get rid of it all straight away. If you're pushed for time, there are easy ways of introducing decluttering into your life. Spend 10 minutes a day decluttering or, if that's not manageable, declutter three items a week.

Have three piles:one for things you're going to keep,one for things that are a maybe,and one for things you're going to give away. You will also need some bin bags, for rubbish. A revisiting pile is important if you're struggling to get rid of things.     4    . More often than not,you end up saying, actually,l don't need that.

Stay focused. People often get sidetracked when they're trying to declutter.They start trying on clothes they had forgotten about,or looking at old photos. Another common mistake is to just move things from place to place, instead of getting rid of them.     5    .

A. Once you start decluttering

B. You need time to reflect on what to keep

C. Don't expect to declutter everything overnight

D. When you're not always looking for the scissors

E. If you realize that you own six wine openers,keep only one

F. Start the decluttering process before you move in with a new partner

G. You can just leave things there for a few weeks before a final decision

How to Be a Hero in Real Life

You don't have to wear a cape or be a crime fighter to be a hero. You just have to know how to think and act like a hero. Here are some ways to be a hero in real life.

Take action.

    1    A true hero is always thinking about how they can take action and help others. For example, if you want to help save the environment, don't just tell people that they should recycle. You can try to start an environmental club at you school.

Volunteer your talents.

First,think about the things you are good at or the useful skills that you have. You can ask your friends and family what they think you are good at.     2    Think about how you can use your talents to help others.

Ask someone if they need some help.

Some people,such as the disabled or elderly, need help, but don't know how to ask.     3    Try asking others if there is anything you can do for them.

    4    

Think about other people's needs before considering your own. When you are making decisions at work or at home, think about how you actions will affect someone else. For example, if you take the day off work, what kind of workload will that put on your coworkers?

Be a good leader.

If you are a teacher or in charge of a team at work, know that you have people that look up to you.     5    If they see you thanking people for their hard work or going out of your way to make the classroom or work place safe, they are more likely to do the same.

A.Volunteer your time.

B. Lead them by example.

C. A true hero isn't all talk.

D.Put others before yourself.

E. Do not wait around for opportunities to be a hero.

F. A real hero knows that their actions might go unnoticed.

G.They will know your strengths and how you can best help them.

This is the season for giving. Looking to get in touch with your generous side? Learn these four habits of truly thoughtful gift givers.

    1    

Considerate gift giving is as much about planning as it is about how well you know the person. Take time to think about his or her personality and interests to figure out how he or she will get the most value.

They don't focus on cost.

The practice of thoughtful giving offers a wealth of benefits, but that doesn't mean givers should focus on expensive gifts.     2    It seems that having more cash could actually reduce compassion. And isn't compassion what this time of year is all about? So don't take it too hard if you don't have a lot to spend.     3    

They make gifts personal.

Gifting is an opportunity to let a person know how much you appreciate and love him, and show how well you know him.     4    Book a massage, take them to a wine tasting event,or get a couple of tickets to a concert or show. If you're buying for a parent, taking their kids for an evening could be the best gift of all.

They think about the presentation.

    5    See what you have around your house to customize packaging. You can use pretty towels to cover something like a bottle of wine. You can also tie on a decoration that fits the theme of your gift.

A. They plan ahead.

B. Instead,get creative.

C.They enjoy giving more than receiving.

D. In fact, thoughtful gift givers don't concentrate on the cost of presents.

E. Thoughtful gift givers pay attention to detail, including how their gifts are packaged.

F. Make a list of your ideas ahead of time to make sure you find the perfect fit for everyone.

G. If you're buying for someone who seems to have everything, consider gifting an experience.

Eating healthy may be wonderful for your body and mind, but it can influence your wallet.     1    That means eating healthy end up costing a family of four an extra $ 2,000 annually.

With a bit of planning and smart shopping, you can greatly reduce the cost of eating healthy.

    2    

If you are a restaurant frequenter, you may want to awaken your inner chef and start cooking at home more often, The reason for this is:Dining out is typically more expensive than eating at home,and many restaurant foods contain high amounts of calories,fat and sodium.     3    By doing it, you could cut down both your weekly meal costs and calorie intake.

Grocery stores and supermarkets employ a variety of techniques to encourage you to buy more,from playing slow music to get you to shop longer to doubling the size of shopping carts.     4    These tricks not only encourage customers to buy more, but to consume more.

    5    If not,you're bound to spend more than you were budgeting for. At the beginning of the week , make a seven-day meal plan that includes items that you already have and items that you need to buy. Look for savings online and try to plan your meals for the week according to what's on sale.

A. Start cooking your own meals.

B. Wander into the grocery store with a shopping list.

C. Choosing food skillfully is very important for your family.

D. To keep your diets healthy,try out the following tips for eating healthy on a budget.

E. Many studies have proven that it is the best way to save your money spent on your daily food.

F. A study found that the healthiest diets cost about $ 1. 50 more per day than the least healthy diets.

G. They put unhealthy snacks into shelves by the checkout counter so you're likely to buy them as you are waiting in line.

The benefits of keeping a journal

If you want to grow, one important thing you should do is keeping a journal. It may seem simple, but it can make a big difference in your life.I have been keeping journals for years.Writing all the lessons I learn and all the ideas I get has become a habit for me.     1    Here are some benefits you will get by keeping a journal.

It prevents you from losing an idea. Have you ever got an idea only to lose it later because you didn't write it down?     2    But then I developed the habit of writing down every idea that came into my mind as soon as possible. If I'm away from my computer, I usually write it down on a piece of paper that I bring wherever I go. I will then transfer the idea to the journal in my computer.

It helps you review all the lessons you've learned. By reviewing your journal, you can quickly see the lessons you've learned and the ideas you've got.     3    You can use the ideas to propel yourself forward.

    4    After keeping a journal for years, you can look back at it and see how far you've gone. Things that were big problems in the past might seem small today. The raw ideas you had in the past might have been realized today.

It helps you expand your ideas. When you try to come up with a sentence to express an idea, you are thinking actively about it.     5    In the end, you will expand your ideas.

A. I often experienced that myself.

B. It trains you to express your thoughts.

C. It allows you to see your progress over time.

D. Just use whatever tool you feel comfortable with.

E.Thinking actively helps you connect your idea to another idea.

F.And to be honest, I can't imagine what my life would be like without it.

G. Then you can do whatever necessary to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Four ways to get a feel for a college on your own

There's more to visiting a college than a campus tour. And there's a critical part for students and parents: testing the school on your own.     1    

The best common place where students relax and hang out is the cafeteria or student center,where you can see what college kids are like in their natural habitat.

“Go to lunch in a cafeteria right at noon,”says Edward Walker, founder of Independent Consultants in Education.“    2    ”

Sit in on a class.

A lot of high school students aren't sure what they want to study yet when they are visiting colleges, but familiarizing yourself with the academic atmosphere is important.     3    You can come up with a few academic areas that you think you'd like to study and reach out to those classes.

    4    

Chat with anyone walking around campus. Don't let Mom and Dad do it for you.“Your parents can talk to people, too. And then you can compare notes,”says Walker. "Talk to various groups of students so you'll get a well-rounded picture.”

Tour the community.

Whether the school is in the countryside or in a city center,check out the off-campus area nearest the college.     5    

A.Talk to parents.

B.Talk to students.

C. Many schools offer people chances to sit in on a class.

D. Here are four ways to get more familiar with a prospective school.

E. That's one of the best places where you can learn about a school's atmosphere.

F. Big communities are still the major places that attract tourists in our society today.

G.If there's time, tour some of the museums or other points of interest and eat at a local restaurant.

Your daytime eating and exercise habits play a role in how well you sleep. It's particularly important to watch what you put in your body in the hours leading up to your bedtime. Here are some tips on how to improve the quality of your sleep by eating properly.

Stay away from big meals at night.

Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed.     1    Also be cautious when it comes to spicy or acidic foods in the evening,as they can cause stomach trouble and heartburn.

    2    

Many people think that taking a little wine before bed will help them sleep, but it's quite the contrary.     3    

Cut down on caffeine.

    4    Consider eliminating caffeine after lunch or cutting back your overall intake.

Quit smoking.

Smoking causes sleep troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is a stimulant, which disrupts sleep,plus smokers experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep.

Exercise regularly.

You'll also sleep more deeply if you exercise regularly.     5    And you don't need to do all 30 minutes in one session. You can break it up into five minutes here,10 minutes there, and still get the benefits. Try a brisk walk, a bicycle ride,or even gardening or housework.

A. Avoid alcohol before bed.

B. Drinking alcohol properly does good to your health.

C.Fatty foods may provide you with enough energy heeded for the night.

D Fatty foods take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up.

E. You don't have to be a star athlete to get the benefits--as little as 20 to 30 minutes of daily activity helps.

F.While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your sleep quality, waking you up later in the night.

G. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it!

How to store strawberries

You've scored some beautiful strawberries and brought them home with great care. You've washed a few and eaten them immediately, but what to do with the rest?     1    These simple tips for storing strawberries guarantee the least waste.

First things first, don't wash the strawberries until you're ready to eat them. Strawberries are ready to absorb water.     2    

If you plan on eating or cooking with the berries within a day and it's not too terribly hot in your kitchen, you can leave the strawberries out at room temperature. Put them in a pretty bowl within easy eyesight so people remember to eat them.

    3    Take a shallow bowl or plate with a clean kitchen towel. Place the unwashed strawberries in more or less a single layer and refrigerate them. Stored this way, very fresh strawberries will keep for several days. The closer you can create this dry and unpressed situation, the better.     4    

If you're not planning on using the strawberries within a few days, you'd better freeze them rather than keep them all fresh. Frozen strawberries are perfect for baking up in cakes,and other treats.     5    They say frozen strawberries hold their shape better. Besides, whenever you have strawberries about to be not at their best, you can also place them in the freezer. By the end of strawberry season, you'll likely have enough of them to make jam.

A. There are different answers to this question.

B. They say frozen ones are to be more easily stored.

C. Actually, many bakers prefer frozen berries to fresh ones.

D. Again, don't wash them until you're going to use them!

E. And once they've met with water, they are quick to rot away.

F. For overnight storage,however, you'd better refrigerate them.

G. Strawberries can go bad easily, especially when not stored correctly.

Good study habits for middle school midterms

Even as early as middle school, you may experience the pressure that upcoming midterm exams can cause. The best way to avoid feeling defeated by a midterm is to approach the test from a position of strength and preparation. ____1___

Manage your time.

While it can be hard to study when you participate in extracurricular activities,have an activesocial life and must keep up with your chores as well. ____2___Rather than leaving your studies until the night before the exam, start reviewing the material at the earliest possible opportunity.

Take useful notes.

____3___Rather than try to copy down huge amounts of information,record the high points in short, simple sentences. Important sentences are often produced in boldface or italicized type in textbooks.

____4___

Rather than spend all of your study time reading and rereading the chapters and class materials, find someone to help you study. Invite a friend over,and quiz each other until you know the material inside out. Ask a classmate to help you study,or spend time with your parents going over the material.

Choose the right setting.

While you may enjoy studying with music playing in the background or your favorite TV show on the flat screen, you'll probably find that studying in a quiet, peaceful atmosphere increases your concentration and may allow you to finish in a shorter period of time.____5___

Alternatively, make a trip to the library to put you in the mood.

A. Work with a partner.

B. Choosing a partner is not an easy task.

C. At home,choose the home office with the door closed.

D. it's important that you learn to manage your time wisely.

E. Different homework needs different time, so arranging time is important.

F. One way to keep what you study and have the information in one handy location is to take notes.

G. By forming good study habits, you'll be able to cover all of the necessary material, keep what you heed to know and win the test.

A strong vocabulary helps develop understanding, communication, and reading ability.     1    Consider the following tips on helping your child develop an impressive vocabulary.

Let your children tell the story.

Perhaps you read nightly to your children or take turns doing so. Of course, this is an excellent way to expand reading and vocabulary skills.     2    Then, let your children charge the end of the rope of his imagination wherever his imagination leads.

    3    

In short, you need to take an active role. If you want your children's language skills to improve,take their vocabulary questions seriously. When they express curiosity about a word, be sure to teach the correct definition and pronunciation.

Correct mistakes with care.

    4    However, it's essential not to scold them when they make such mistakes. Rather, point out what they got right,and then review the proper way to use or speak the word. The more fun and positive an experience, the more interested and able your children will be in expanding their vocabulary.

Do be patient.

You may need to repeat words and meanings many times before your children fully grasps the concept. This is completely normal.     5    Children develop at their own paces. The most important thing is to honor and balance their needs so that learning doesn't become a struggle.While you want them to get ahead, you don't want them to develop pressure with trying to do so.

A.Try your best to correct them.

B. Pay more attention to your kids' vocabulary.

C. It's natural for children to mispronounce or misuse new words.

D.It's important for children to mispronounce new words while learning.

E. That's why parents should do what they can to help kids learn new words.

F. Further, if your neighbor's child has twice the vocabulary yours does, it's not worth stressing over.

G. However, on occasion, feel free to put the book down and ask your children to create a story to tell you.

About one hundred years ago many educated people learned and spoke French when they met people from other countries. Today most people speak English when they meet foreigners.     1    There are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak English as a first language. Why is this?

    2    One of them is that English has become the language of business. Another important reason is that popular American culture ( like movies,music, and McDonald's) has quickly spread throughout the world.     3    Is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly?     4    It's important to have a language that the people of the earth have in common. Our world has become very global and we need to communicate with one another. On the other hand, English is a fairly complicated language to learn and it brings its culture with it. Do we really need that?

Scientists have already tried to create an artificial language that isn't too difficult and doesn't include any one group's culture. It is called Esperanto.     5    Maybe the popularity of English won't last that long either. Who knows? There are more people in the world who speak Chinese than any other language. Maybe someday Chinese will be the new international language.

A. People like English.

B. But it hasn't become popular.

C. It has brought its language with it.

D. There is no doubt about the question.

E.This is why English was widely spoken.

F. It has become the new international language.

G.There are many reasons why English has become so popular.

Rock music consists of many different styles. Even though there is a common spirit among all music groups, they make very different music.     1    At that time the Beatles entered the world of music from Liverpool.

After they were given an invitation to appear live on BBC,the Beatles quickly became famous in Britain with nationwide tours. By mid-1963, the Beatles had been extremely popular in England.    2    They held large concerts and performed at clubs. They became the hottest

thing on the pop music scene in England. They began as a modestly successful musician group and ended the year as show business legends. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were named composers of the year.

   3    They were not sure how the Americans would react to the new type of music. Beatlemania hit New York on February 7, 1964. Hundreds of fans jammed the airport to greet them.    4     The concert was broadcast live and attracted the largest one night audience in the history of television up to that time. The Beatles were described as a British invasion by local and nationwide newspapers at that time. Their victory in America was still remembered as a major turning point in the history of rock and roll. Thanks to the Beatles, a lot of opportunities were opened up to new faces on the market.    5    

A. They decided on a tour to the United States in 1964.

B. Even their hairstyles became major trends at that time.

C.Rock music developed in the 1950s and the early 1960s.

D.However,their songs changed the lives of generations to come.

E. Many rock bands were able to follow in the footsteps of the Beatles.

F. They appeared in the films A Hard Day's Night(1964)and Help!(1965).

G. They performed their first concert in America at CBS television's 53rd street studio.

If I could offer you a magic drug that would make you happier, healthier, more optimistic and more productive,and cost nothing and will require very little effort. Would you be interested? Of course you would! Science tells us that an“attitude of gratitude”is a good health choice.     1    And gratitude requires little time and no money.But why can gratitude improve our productivity and results?

    2    We learn the importance of saying "thank you" as little children. This childhood lesson is extremely of great use.     3    How do you feel about them? Does their appreciation positively impact your relation with them? Of course it does! So be grateful for people. For their contributions and their actions and make sure you let them know how you feel.

Gratitude improves problem solving skills. Too often we look at problem solving with a very bored or exhausted view.     4    We also enter a problem solving situation with a perspective of pavement and opportunity rather than challenge or issue.

Gratitude helps us learn. Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Behind every problem lies an opportunity.     5    

So, the more aware and grateful we are of what we have and our capabilities, the more capable and elective we become in living.

A. Gratitude improves attitudes.

B. Gratitude improves relationships.

C. Being more grateful often makes us happier and more optimistic.

D. Think about those people that you know who are most appreciative of you.

E. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and are reported feel healthier than other people.

F.However, when we think about what we are grateful for, we open our minds up to new possibilities and connections.

G. Being grateful for our situation, even if we don't like every thing about it,allows us to be thankful for the opportunity to learn something new.

Reducing class size has traditionally been seen as an important way to improve a student's educational experience. Many often believe that smaller classes would permit teachers to give more personal attention to their students.     1    

But one recent study suggests there's not much research-based evidence to support this idea.The research was collected by a team from Denmark's Danish Center for Social Science Research.

The study notes that one of the main problems with reducing class size is that it can have very high costs.     2    Financial limitations make it very difficult for many schools to reduce the number of students in the classroom.

The new study began by examining 127 studies on classroom size. Its goal was to examine the major research studies already completed on the subject.     3    In the end, the research centered on 10 main studies with possible sampling problems.

The researchers concluded that there's some evidence to suggest that reducing class size may lead to some improvement in a student's reading achievement.     4    They found just a 53-percent chance that a randomly selected test score from a student from a small class would be higher than the selected score of a student from a larger class.     5    This led the researchers to conclude that there would be no benefit at all to math students in a smaller class size.

A. But they said“the effect is very small”.

B. For mathematics achievement, the result was 49 percent.

C. This can theoretically lead to improved academic results for students.

D. Many public opinion studies have shown teachers favor smaller class sizes.

E. The effects of larger class size can stay long after the students complete their education.

F. Increasing class size is one of the most common ways school systems control education spending.

G. They especially centered on those trying to measure if smaller class size led to greater academic success.

Just as others are important to your well-being, your existence supports others, too.     1    

To develop self-acceptance, you must believe in your inner worth and uniqueness. There's no one else in the world quite like you and you're constantly changing and developing. Your value cannot be measured by how others look at you.

You're also aware of the unreliability of human nature.     2    Even great people have to struggle to achieve their goals. Also, you must also work to improve yourself.

    3    Resist labeling yourself as a failure or a bad person because of past errors. You wouldn't label your child a failure or a loser because he failed a test.

Accept your mistakes and move on when you review your mistakes, you may feel guilt and disappointment, but these are healthy reactions. They'll help you to change your behavior to something you like better.

Guilt and disappointment are different from self-accusation，which can lead to depression and shame. These unhealthy emotions may cause you to give up or avoid facing your mistakes.     4    

Try these strategies to increase your self-acceptance:

Avoid excusing yourself from your mistakes. Work on improving yourself. This will help you accept what you did but put it in the past and move on.

    5    Strengthen the qualities about you by telling yourself things like“I can do this”,"I'm good at this", "Forgiving others is perfectly like me", or "I can find a solution to this challenge”.

Be tolerant with yourself, just as you are with your friends. Judge your behavior, not yourself.

A. No one is perfect.

B. Use positive self-talk.

C.Try to be successful anyway.

D.Judging yourself makes no sense at all.

E. When you make a mistake, not judging yourself.

F. Instead, look toward what you can do to change your actions next time.

G. Since appreciation is basic for self-esteem, you're now well on your way to self- acceptance.

Imagine a child standing on a diving board four feet high and asking himself the question:“Should l jump?” This is what motivation or the lack of it can do. Motivation and goal setting are the two sides of the same coin.     1    Like the child on the diving board, you will stay undecided.

    2    More than that,how should you stay motivated to achieve the goal? First, you need to evaluate yourself, your values, your strengths, your weaknesses, your achievements, your desires,etc. Only then should you set your goals.

You also need to judge the quality and depth of your motivation. This is quite important,because it is directly related to your commitment. There are times when your heart is not in your work.     3    So, slow down and think what you really want to do at that moment. Clarity of thoughts can help you move forward.

Another way of setting realistic goals is to analyze your short and long term objectives, keeping in mind your beliefs, values and strengths. Remember that goals are flexible.     4    They also need to be measurable. You must keep these points in mind while setting your goals.

Your personal circumstances are equally important. For example, you may want to be a pilot but can't become one because your eyesight is not good enough.     5    You should reassess your goals,and motivate yourself to set a fresh goal.

You will surely need to overcome some difficulties, some planned, but most unplanned. You cannot overcome them without ample motivation. Make sure that you plan for these difficulties at the time of setting your goals.

A.This can affect your work.

B. So how should you motivate yourself?

C. However, this should not discourage you.

D. So why should we try to set specific goals?

E. They can change according to circumstances.

F. Motivation is what you need most to do a good job.

G. Without motivation, you can neither set a goal nor reach it.

Use phones respectfully

You probably spend more time with your smart phone than any other possession. You take it everywhere—to school,to meals, and even to the bathroom.     1    But we have to learn to use our phones respectfully or at least without offending others around us. Here are some tips for smart phone usage. Take a look.

Use "do not disturb” instead of "vibrate”.

Loud vibrations in your pants are disturbing. People can hear your phone vibrate,depending on how severely it vibrates.     2    

Tell others what you're doing.

Sometimes, you will be in a situation in which you need to use your smart phone.     3    If you don't,people will think that you're either interacting with someone else or just getting bored.

    4    

Respect others' privacy as text and e-mail senders by not letting what they type appear on the home screen of your phone when you receive a new message. While you're at it, use a password to make sure the information you share with others stays between you.

Ask permission to swipe.

When some people hand you their phone to look at a photo,this doesn't mean you can swipe through all of their photo albums.     5    

A. You should use your smart phone secretly.

B. So it's thrilling to look through all their photos.

C. Don't use the text preview feature on your home screen.

D. Just tell people what you're doing and why you're doing it.

E. It is difficult to ignore and distracts people from whatever they are doing.

F. Of course,a smart phone is a great way to keep in touch and share life events.

G. They probably want you to see the one photo they hand to you,not every photo they have taken.

Learning to swim is important for you in your life. Not only can swimming be an enjoyable activity, but also it can help save your life when you find yourself in a life-threatening water situation. There are several swimming strokes.      1    

Put your body in a horizontal position with your legs straight behind you.      2    However,when you master it, your face should be pointing down under the water unless coming out to breathe.

Kick your legs in an alternate pattern as you continue your alternating arm movements. The legs should start with a slightly bent knee, then kicking the lower leg and foot in a downward direction.The kicking motion makes your body's position stable in the water     3    If you are splashing with your kicks,try to make smaller kicks.

Breathe through your mouth as your face comes out of the water. Any other time while you are performing this stroke, your face should be in the water. If you need to breathe at any other time,you can stop this stroke and raise your head above water.      4    

Get into the water and position your body in the water, parallel with the surface of the water.      5    Hold onto the side of the pool or another support as you practice the motions of the breaststroke without the arm movements.

A. Kick your legs up and down quickly.

B.Try not to splash too much with these kicks.

C.Return to this swimming stroke when you are ready.

D.Use floating tools that help with practicing swimming.

E. However, learning a couple of the basic moves is a start.

F. Practice the following motions with your head out of the water.

G. Our shoulders should remain parallel to the surface throughout the breaststroke.

People often say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that's actually quite true.     1    After all, making a good first impression is all about making others feel good when spending time with them. The following tips will help you make a positive first impression every time.

Dress appropriately.

    2    

That means dressing up or putting on nice,clean, situation-appropriate clothes for social situations. It isn't difficult and it doesn't have to cost you much, either.

Be aware of your body language.

Words express very little of what you say. Body language can tell someone a lot about your mood and confidence level.     3    Eye contact is an easy way to make others feel comfortable,important and special. Nervous body language can make others uncomfortable and anxious. Try to be aware of your body language when communicating with others.

Respect the opinions of others.

Not everyone will have the same opinion with you, and friendly disagreements can be agate way to a great conversation. Respect other people's right to have their own opinions.Respect the opinions of others even if you disagree with them.     4    

    5    

People love talking about themselves,but generally, you want to be careful of taking over the conversation. By listening carefully to what others are saying, you are not only making them feel important,but you can gather cues you need to keep the conversation going and bridge to new topics.

A. Be a careful listener.

B. Show an interest in every person you meet.

C. Smile especially when first meeting someone.

D. Make sure you look nice whenever you meet someone new.

E. Meeting new people and starting conversations is often challenging.

F. Others will want to be with you and help you make a good impression.

G. Don't force others to believe what you believe or to see things only as you see them.

Color is fundamental in home design—something you'll always have in every room. A grasp of how to manage color in your spaces is one of the first steps to creating rooms you'll love to live in. Do you want a room that's full of life? Professional? Or are you just looking for a place to relax after a long day?     1    , color is the key to making a room feel the way you want it to feel.

Over the years, there have been a number of different techniques to help designers approach this important point.     2    , they can get a little complex. But good news is that there' re really only three kinds of decisions you need to make about color in your home:the small ones, the medium ones, and the large ones.

    3    . They're the little spots of color like throw pillows,mirrors and baskets that most of us use to add visual interest to our rooms. Less tiring than painting your walls and less expensive than buying a colorful sofa, small color choices bring with them the significant benefit of being easily changeable.

Medium color choices are generally furniture pieces such as sofas, dinner tables or bookshelves.     4    They require a bigger commitment than smaller ones, and they have a more powerful effect on the feeling of a space.

The large color decisions in your rooms concern the walls,ceilings,and floors. Whether you're looking at wallpaper or paint, the time, effort and relative expense put into it are significant.     5    

A. While all of them are useful

B. Whatever you're looking for

C. If you're experimenting with a color

D. Small color choices are the ones we're most familiar with

E. It's not really a good idea to use too many small color pieces

F. So it pays to be sure, because you want to get it right the first time

G. Color choices in this range are a step up from the small ones in two major ways

When to Say "No" to Antibiotics

Although they know that antibiotics kill only bacteria but not viruses and the obvious risk of antibiotic overuse to personal health, many doctors still use antibiotics when the drugs are not necessary.     1    In some serious cases, the patients with them failed to respond to any medical treatment and died within days. Therefore, several medical organizations have tried to correct antibiotic misuse by explaining when the drugs are not needed.

Ear Diseases

Earaches account for over half of ear related diseases for children. Most earaches gradually heal with no antibiotic in days,especially in children two and older.     2    In severe cases or when children under two years old experience moderate to severe pain, antibiotics might be required.

Eye Diseases

Doctors often use antibiotic eye drops after treating related diseases. Macular Degeneration,for example,is an eye disease generally treated with injections or laser operation, But those dropsare rarely needed after such procedures and can even damage patients' eyes.BE0B

Lung Diseases

For older patients, particularly those who live in long-term care centers,doctors need to useantibiotics when a routine test finds bacteria in lung.     3    

    4    

Therefore,antibiotics shouldn't be widely used in treatments for such diseases. Only less than one third of strep throats are bacterial. If you suspect bacterial throat, get tested to find out for sure.

Another report,conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,also indicates that antibiotic misuse affects at least two million people annually, killing more than23,000.     5    Therefore, health experts urge all doctors in practice to follow the above instructions.

A. Most throat diseases are caused by viruses.

B. Just wait two days to see if symptoms disappear.

C. But if the result proves normal,the drugs won't help.

D In this case,antibiotics are the most effective for the old.

E. Most doctors already know it,so they say no to antibiotics.

F. Under such circumstances,limiting antibiotic misuse is a must.

G. This may develop the“superbugs”, which can't be easily controlled.

Having a happier life is something we all always struggle for. One of the key foundations of that is to be consistent in doing things that bring happiness.     1    Consider these four habits.

Laugh in the middle of a busy day.

It's 3 pm on a Sunday afternoon and you're desperate to leave for school. On top of the homework, you're running close to super important deadline.     2    Just take a moment to laugh. You should laugh more often,especially on a busy day.

Do not compare yourself to others.

Measure your own successes based on your progress and only yours.     3    No one is better than any one else.

Find time to work out regularly and eat well.

Exercise can produce tons of feel-good hormones.     4    Feeding your body with whole and nutritious foods,on the other hand, can positively affect your body in both short and long term. Find time to schedule in a workout even if it's only thirty minutes and do something you love. Eat well because foods can help you stay focused and more energized, and happier as a whole.

End each day with gratitude.

    5    It might be something as small as a child's laugh or something as huge as a praise from the headmaster. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.

A.All of our lives are unique.

B. Surround you with people who matter.

C. Don't blame everything not going your way.

D. Try to think you are better than anyone else.

E. Develop right habits to ensure we live a happy life.

F.These hormones can help avoid stress and depression.

G.Just before you go to bed,write down at least one wonderful thing that happened.

You are enjoying a nice dream until your alarm suddenly rings.     1    Is your clock out of control? No, it's just winter, making the sun rise later, so it will be twice as hard to crawl out of bed into the cold darkness.

As the days get shorter,our mornings lose that crucial light to wake us up, so waking up gets harder. That means you'll need to put in extra effort to get to work on time.     2    

    3    Summer or winter, you should aim to go to bed at about the same time every evening and wake up at about the same time every morning. Try to give yourself time for eight hours per night.

Avoid strong light near bedtime. So if you like reading before you close your eyes, try an actual book or an E-ink screen like a Kindle, which doesn't emit the harsh light that phones and tablets do.

Buy a wake-up light. If you still have trouble with dark mornings, it might be time to introduce more light into your room.     4    

Give yourself something to look forward to.     5    Sure, you might have to get up for work, but you'll want to be awake if you are expecting a delicious breakfast,or a workout that is actually fun.

A.Stick to a regular schedule.

B. We have a few tips that might help.

C.Too much light can do harm to your eyes.

D. But you just don't want to get out of your warm bed.

E. But when you look out of the window,it's still black outside.

F. Waking up is easier when you have a good reason to be conscious.

G. Philips makes some popular lamps that produce natural light during gray winter days.