With more and more cars on the road, traffic jams are inevitable(不可避免的）. Traffic jams can lead to increased accidents as there are more cars. It's impossible to avoid traffic jams altogether.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Check for traffic jams before you leave.

    You can listen to the radio for traffic news, or check on the Internet to get up-to-minute information on traffic. If the route you want to take is heavy with traffic, you can choose another.

    Look for a different route all the time.

    Most traffic jams happen on busy roads.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Although the distance you may have to travel is further, it can work out quicker.

    Set your car radio to receive traffic bulletins.

    Many new car stereo systems (汽车音响系统) are equipped with a radio system by which you can hear the traffic channel.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Most traffic jams usually occur during rush hour, so try to avoid this time period if possible. Some jobs offer flexible working hours so that you can travel to work outside of rush hour. Some jobs even allow you to work at home so as to avoid moving altogether. Ask your manager to see what you can do if traffic is a problem for you.

    Use public transport alternatives where available.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Not only will you avoid traffic jams but you will most likely be saving money as the cost of motoring rises.

A. Try traveling at different time.

B. What should we do to prevent traffic accidents?

C. The easiest way to avoid traffic jams is to take buses or the underground instead of driving your own car.

D. Public transport is so important in our life that we should use it at any time.

E. This way you can get the latest traffic information and change your journey if necessary.

F. Using country roads could let you avoid a lot of traffic.

G. There are some tips you can follow to reduce the amount of time on the road.

    My mother is a hard-working and kind woman. She is very busy from morning till night. As a teacher, she works hard.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Both my brother and I love her dearly as she loves us.

    My mother has been teaching math at a middle school in my hometown. She goes to work early in the morning and does not return home until late in the afternoon.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} She treats them with patience and teaches them well. For her excellent quality and very good teaching results, she has been elected as a model teacher several times.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Every day, when she comes back home from work, she sets about doing housework, sweeping the living room and bedrooms or cleaning the furniture, and putting everything in good order. She seems to be busy all the time. As she has been very busy working every day, she looks older than her age. But she looks as cheerful and happy as ever. Mother never buys expensive dresses for herself, but she often buys some inexpensive but high quality clothes for us.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} She just eats a plain meal outside when she is too busy to cook herself. She lives a busy yet simple life, without any complaints.

    Often she says to us, “work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy and gay. If you do not work, you will become lazy and be of no use to society”. What a piece of good advice this is! {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This advice of hers will always serve as a guide to my behavior. My mother is great indeed, and I always feel proud of her.

A. She enjoys listening to classic music.

B. As a mother, she takes good care of us and gives us every comfort.

C. She loves her students and cares for them.

D. She never goes to expensive restaurants to enjoy meals.

E. My mother is hard-working and never wastes money.

F. I never forget it and always bear it in my mind.

G. Can you tell us something about your mother?

    I Think I Can: How to Push Yourself to Success

    “Because I can” is magic.It pushes us past our comfort zones.It gives us a reason to do the things that we think we can't.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Whether it is to get to the store or work,climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator.Break the “I'm tired” or “It is too hard” or “It is too far” cycle.Increasing your activity level will provide enormous benefits,both physically and mentally.

Try Something New

    It is easy for us to make excuses for why we shouldn't try new things.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.Maybe it seems too difficult.Or maybe,it is just inconvenient.Reminding yourself that You Can try something new will help you to move past these roadblocks and discover new things about yourself and possible new interests.

Speak Up

    Often,we dare not address（处理）things that bother us or make us unhappy.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.Use that voice "because you can."Communicating to loved ones,co-workers,and even your boss as to how you feel,what your needs and expectations are and what you are thinking can help your develop deeper,more meaningful and rewarding relationships.Further,you will be truer to yourself,thus making you a happier individual.

Increase Your Willpower

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.However,developing a strong willpower,whether it is in response to our favorite chocolate cake or to over-shopping is something that we can all benefit from.Next time you are tempted to do something you think you might regret,try reminding yourself that you can say no.You have the power.

A. Be More Active

B. Maybe you think it is out of your comfort zone

C. You have a voice

D. Saying “No” to our favorites can be challenging

E. “Because I can” is an easy way to include more activities into your life

F. Here are a few ways to apply this positive thinking to your own life

G.A strong willpower can keep us motivated（有动机的）and reach our goals

The man who could see the future

    The ability to predict the future is a rare talent. American author Isaac Asimov (1920-1992), one of the great science fiction writers of his age, had such a talent. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Now that we're here, let's see what he got right.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Asimov thought computers would cause a revolution comparable to the industrial revolution of the 19th century. Specifically, he said that "mobile computerized objects" would be an important part of everyday life. Here, he clearly predicted our world of smartphones, tables and other devices. He also had a great deal to say about space exploration. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    How did Asimov develop his special sense of future developments? {#blank#}4{#/blank#} He read the newspapers and magazines sold in his parents' candy store. His scientific interest gained sharper focus at Columbia University in New York. Asimov went to study chemistry, but became bored with pure laboratory science. Instead, he thought hard about the social implications (作用) of science. He wanted to communicate his ideas to the public.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Asimov had his finger on the pulse (脉搏) of both scientific and social change. He had a clear vision of what was coming around the corner for humanity in his works like the Galactic Empire series (《银河帝国系列》). "His predictions are absolutely fascinating," Calum Chase, an English writer, told BBC News. "He was a genius."

What makes a good school?

    I'm a parent of two elementary students. The experience that my children are going through now in the elementary school is so different from mine when I was at their age. What I think of a good school is communication between teachers students and parents. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Parent-teacher communication guarantees that a child is educated in the same way and in turn a child will build special bonds in communication between their teachers and parents.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}My children return home telling me that their teachers ignore their questions when they raise their hands and don't talk much. On the other hand, I feel the same when I write notes to school. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}This is telling me there is a lack in communication from the school teachers nowadays as their life is so overwhelmed by the over-crowded schools we have in the US.

    However choosing a career in education is not just for a good job. A teacher should really have heart in touching every child's life. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Even now, I still remember all my elementary school teachers' names. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The answer lies in the fact that they spent every minute of their precious time helping me and answering all my questions with patience. When you have teachers who are willing to spend time for any child and communicate with parents, it is what I consider a GREAT school for a child to attend, not just GOOD.

A. I don't get any response from the teachers to my questions, not even a one-word response.

B. There are different ways of communication, according to different cultures.

C. Why is that?

D. Strong communication is very important to a child's education.

E. I feel that schools nowadays don't communicate with parents enough and neither is involvement.

F. My elementary school teachers all touched my life.

G. What do you think of it?

    Every day can be a fresh, new beginning—this is very important if you had a difficult day before. By starting with some preparations, you can face the problems of the day in a good mood(心情). {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Exercise. Exercising is one of the best methods to start your day for your mind as well as the body. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In addition, it also reduces stress and improves your metabolism(新陈代谢). So go for a walk, go for a bike ride, or go to the gym in the morning.

    Organize yourself. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Make a to-do list and try to follow it. It will keep you organized(有条理的) and make your day easier. However, make sure that your to-do list is manageable. There are only so many things you can do in a day.

    Smile. Starting your day by acting the way you want to feel can help you be in a good mood.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}The easiest thing to do is smile. Just smile because you are alive and you can. Watch or listen to something humorous so you can laugh. It makes you feel positive and really good about yourself and the world that surrounds you.

    Keep important items in the same place. To make mornings less busy, start a habit keeping your important items in a place easy to reach.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This way, you are never looking for that lost item when you are running behind.

A. Write down the tasks for the day.

B. Try other actions to get yourself to feel happier.

C. Try some of the following tips to start your day right.

D. Put your keys, wallet, purse, and other important items there.

E. Instead of rushing through the rooming, go slow and take your time.

F. It increases brain's working speed, which can help you get a jump-start on the day.
G. If you feel angry or tired, do something physical to make yourself feel happy.