Reasons why you should travel while you're young

    I have been very lucky to travel around the world while still young. According to my experiences, I advise every young person to get out of his hometown and see what's out there. Here are three ways that traveling has changed me forever.

    Traveling changes the way you connect with the world

    I grew up in a small town.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. When you travel to other countries and see the amazing beauty of sunsets over seas, monkeys swinging through rainforests, you realize the world is-full of more beauty than you are able to see in a lifetime. But, you still want to try.

    Traveling changes the way you connect with others

    Everyone in my hometown looked and acted basically the same.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. I realized that my life could be enriched by developing friendships with people who didn't look or act like me. Far from my hometown, I developed friendships with people who were nothing like me, but were exactly what I needed.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Traveling helps develop your interest in education

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Just reading the stories in books seemed so boring to me. However, when I visited the Palace of Versailles in France and walked in the halls of the Louvre. I couldn't help but have interest in history.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Traveling taught me, not to fear.

B. Traveling makes history come alive.

C. Sadly, I never liked history in school.

D. When I traveled, I learned a lot about other cultures.

E. It also taught me the importance of communication skills.

F. The older I become, the more 1 realize I actually know very little about life.

G. If I hadn't the chance to travel, I would have a different time imagining much else outside my hometown.

M: Remember Paul from our old school?

W: {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

M: I met him at the checkout in the supermarket the other day, and he was queuing right in front of me.

W: {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

M: Well, he started out as a manager in charge of sales. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} He teaches commercial English there.

W: Why did he get this new job? {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

M: Yes. It is tiring, though. After all, he has got a family to take care of.

W: I see. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

M: Exactly!

A. Isn't he working in a company as a sales manager?

B. Then he transferred to work for an international giant.

C. Of course I do.

D. But he ended up getting a job at the local university.

E. Isn't it interesting to travel around as a sales manager?

F. That's a good point.

G. Sometimes it is a painful choice, career or family.

    How Can I Fight Laziness?

    Lazy people will never amount to anything in life. However, laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Many people lack sleep constantly, since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation once they arrive home. Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency (趋势) to put off things. By adjusting your sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest, you can fight laziness throughout the day.

    Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Others take a more active approach, viewing each task as a challenge they must overcome alone. Laziness sets in when you no longer feel in charge of your own life.

    Some people fight laziness by removing the temptations (诱惑) that surround them. A television in the living room may provide entertainment. However, watching too much TV in your spare time often contributes to laziness. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Complete a few tasks and reward yourself with what you enjoy, such as a good dinner or a film. Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home. Couples and children may all have different energy levels, but laziness can be spread if not dealt with immediately. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal. Others in the home may eventually follow your example and perform their own task. It is difficult to practice laziness when you are surrounded by motivated people.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Enough exercise and a balanced diet can enable you to have more energy and help lift your spirits.

A. To fight family laziness, set an example.

B. Knowing how to fight laziness is important.

C. One way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.

D. Finally, developing a healthy lifestyle can help you fight laziness.

E. With strong determination (意志力), you will be able to achieve your goal.

F. Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from task to task.

G. Create a reward system for yourself, just as parents do for a child.

    Americans spend a lot of money in their daily lives. Working people spend money on transportation to and from work and on various expenses throughout the day, Americans enjoy shopping and buy many things that they need and want, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}They buy sports equipment, go to movies and do many things that cost money.

    However, many Americans don't pay cash or write checks for these things. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Credit cards are small, rectangular plastic cards. It is very convenient to carry them about. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}When the customer buys something at a store, he shows his card at the store. This permits the store to charge the bank for the customer's purchase. The bank collects all the charges for each customer, Then once a month the bank requires the customer to pay the charges for that month. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It allows the customer to pay for the charges in several payments over a period of time.

    However, the bank requires the customer to pay interest(利息)on the unpaid part of the charges. In this way the bank allows customers to buy things they cannot afford at one time. People can use the card to buy what they want and pay for it over a period of time, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It brings great benefits to the rich.

B. Banks give these cards to their customers.

C. They spend a lot of money on entertainment.

D. They also do not need to carry a lot of money.

E. People may spend less money in this way.

F. More and more Americans pay for things with credit cards.

G. The bank does not force the customer to pay the full amount.

    There is no such thing as a "bad memory". {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, as long as you are not suffering from memory loss as a medical condition. If you want to improve your memory, there are a number of things you can do.

    Stop thinking that you have a "bad memory". {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves their memory is bad. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Celebrate even little achievements to keep yourself motivated.

    Exercise your brain. Regularly "exercising" the brain keeps it growing and help improve memory. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.By developing new mental skills -- especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument, you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning.

    Give yourself time to form a memory. Memories are very fragile in the short term, and distractions can make you quickly forget something as simple as a phone number. The key to avoid losing memories is to be able to focus on the thing to be remembered for a while without thinking about other things. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Often we forget things not because our memory is bad, but rather because our observational skills need work. One way to become more observant is to look at a photo for a few seconds and then describe as many details about it as possible. With regular practice you will find you're able to remember more details with even shorter glimpses of the photos.

A. Practice your describing skills regularly

B. So when you're trying to remember something, avoid distractions for a few minutes

C. Take better pictures

D. Everyone can improve their memory

E. A large portion (部分) of your brain is activated when it learns a new skill

F. So the more time you spend, the better your memory will be

G. Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve

    What to Do When Someone Doesn't Like You

    When someone tells me, “I don't care if people like me,” they are showing me the emotional wall they use to block the hurt of rejection.

    As humans are social animals, all of us care if people like us. Based on the need for social connection, your reactions to rejection and negative judgment can range from minor hurt to breakouts of depression. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The first step to handle a negative situation is to recognize your reaction. Ask yourself, “What am I feeling?”. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Any betrayal (背叛) or embarrassments in your heart? Identify what feeling has shown up in your body? So you can choose what to do next.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}When you sense yourself shutting down or feeling defensive, ask yourself what the person actually meant to do to you. Did they truly mean to offend you, or make fun of you? Your brain works very hard to keep you safe, so it will judge a situation as threatening if there is any possibility of social harm.

    When our brains sense a possible threat, we react as if we were personally attacked. Take a breath to relieve the stress, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Finally, if you believe the person doesn't like you, ask yourself if this matters. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If not, what can you do to release your need to be liked by this person? And, what can you do to stay neutral and not return the dislike? The more you can come to accept others as who they are , the more you can move forward with your goals regardless if someone likes you or not.

A. If you can, look the person in their eyes.

B. Do you feel any fear or anger in your head?

C. Ask yourself what is true about the situation.

D. Often people do not realize the impact of their words.

E. Will the person's judgment of you impact your work or life?

F. The ability to let a show of dislike roll off your back is a learned skill.

G. This will ground you in the present and take you out of your trembling mind.