You are one of the most familiar faces in class, not because you are funny or have great note-taking abilities but because you ask the most number of questions.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is important to have a good way to ask questions. Here are a few tips for improving your questioning skills:

    Be clear about what you want to know.

    Be clear about what you want to know and frame your question accordingly.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you beat around the bush, your teachers won't be entirely sure what it is that you haven't understood, or need an explanation for.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you are uncertain about a particular subject, make it clear when it is being discussed. If you put your question in context (语境), you can be sure of it. Because questions often open up new avenues within a subject, doing this would benefit the whole class.

    Don't hesitate to talk to your teacher after class.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Therefore, if you feel uncomfortable about asking a question in front of your classmates, wait till the class is over. This will probably put you more at ease.

    Write down your questions.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} They may appear when you're studying, reading or taking notes. Note them down on a piece of paper so that you won't forget to ask them later. This can also make sure that you don't have any unanswered questions when the exam approaches.

A. Don't ask more questions once a time.

B. Questions may appear at any time.

C. Being curious is not a bad quality.

D. You may think it is good to ask no questions.

E. Ask questions related to the context.

F. A question needs to be easy to be understood and to the point.

G. One-to-one interactions (互动) are always much better than one-to-many.

    Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment，the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty per cent of Americans worry about losing eyesight，but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight：

    Schedule yearly exams{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eyeglasses.

    Protect against UV rays(紫外线)．Long­term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is，it's extremely important to wear sunglasses.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}  Give your eyes a break. Two­thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital products.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Experts recommend that people practise the 20/20/20 rule：every 20 minutes，take a 20­second break and look at something 20 feet away.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}As part of a healthy diet，eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins(维生素) C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

    Practise safe wear and care of contact lenses(隐形眼镜)．Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses，many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Otherwise，you may have problems such as red eyes，pain in the eyes，or a more serious condition.

A．This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness

B.  Eye care should begin early in life.

C．Eat your greens.

D．They can properly protect your eyes.

E．Stay in good shape by taking more vitamins.

F．Parents usually don't care about their own eyesight.

G．Always follow the doctor's advice for appropriate wear.

How to read more and learn more

    These days, more and more Chinese people enjoy sending and receiving messages on the phone. It can help them to get the latest news and communicate with friends. But I think I should read more books besides the textbooks, the more, the better. It can broaden my mind and improve my language skills.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some tips for you.

    Clear your purpose for reading.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Most people read for two main reasons, pleasure or knowledge. Clearing about your reading purpose can not only help you choose the books you really need to read, but also remind you why reading the book is important to you, so you will keep reading and complete the book faster.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    No matter what you are reading, it is important to enjoy what you read. Your friends may tell you the books they love, but those books might not necessarily be the ones you enjoy.

    Give up books that you don't enjoy.

    You may have chosen books that you are interested in, and they are right to your purpose. But while you are reading them, there may still be some books that you don't enjoy reading. Whenever you realize that you aren't enjoying the book you are reading, give it up.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Set a reading goal.

    It is interesting that I read the books borrowed from libraries faster than those I bought. The reason is the books I bought don't have a due date! I don't need to return those books.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Before you read each book, ask yourself what time you need to complete this book by.

A. Read only what you are interested in.

B. Read the books borrowed from others.

C. Remember reading shouldn't be a chore.

D. Of course, it also can help me to get good grades.

E. We need to get the latest news and communicate with friends.

F. Before you start reading, ask yourself why you are reading this book

G. Having a reading goal helps you work out how much reading you need to do in a week or even a day.

Four simple ways to stay positive

    Trying to stay positive, both in good times and bad, is a great way to improve your quality of life. Try these four methods on a daily basis.

    Don't think a lot about negativity.

    Of course, staying positive 24 hours a day, seven days a week is a bit difficult. Letting things get to you is normal, and it's actually healthy to cry or express frustrations once in a while. It's when those negative moments control your life that your emotional balance is at risk. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, don't give that sadness another second in your day.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    What you put into your body directly affects how you feel on the outside. Fill yourself with good, healthy foods like fruits and vegetables and limit snacking. Exercise is equally of great importance. Take a few days out of your week for at least a half an hour of activity, and try to stick to a routine. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Be kind to others.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Making someone's day a bit brighter not only puts a smile on his or her face, but also yours as well. Remember to smile and treat each person with pity and respect. Good deeds are contagious (传染的), and your positive attitude may spread among others.

    Take it one day at a time.

Being positive isn't an instant thing. It's a steady effort that we follow every hour of every day. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Instead, focus on living in the moment and doing what you can to make each moment better.

A. Eat healthy and stay fit.

B. Take your lunch breaks outside.

C. Don't worry about what the future may bring.

D. Gratefulness helps you appreciate life in bad times.

E. Good feelings come from acts of kindness and selflessness.

F. Take a few minutes to feel sad and accept what happened.

G. Even going outside for a walk and enjoying the sunshine improves your mood.

    Everyone wants to perform well at school. Add these tips to your life and you should be on your way to being a top student!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}I cannot stress how important it is to pay attention to what your teacher is teaching you. Take part in class discussions if you have something worth adding. Pay attention during class, especially during lectures.

    Taking notes is important. You don't need to write down every single word your teacher says but write down what he or she writes on the board or any special fact you think you might need for a test. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In this way it will help you learn more effectively (有效地) by actually thinking about what you are writing.

    Don't skip school. You will be missing out on stuff. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, you will have more work and you have missed lectures. Also, try not to be late for class. It's most likely that your teacher won't appreciate it and you will get yourself behind.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you have an “I don't care about school or this class” attitude, then teachers will be less willing to help you with problems. The same goes for lazy attitude. Have a respectful attitude to the teacher and other students. Try not to laugh when other students make mistakes.

    Always ask questions. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you don't understand, ask someone. Read your textbook and notes, and then if that fails, seek help. Ask a teacher, friend, classmate, parent, etc. Get a tutor if you need one.

A. It is true that you could make up the work.

B. Keep a good attitude towards things.

C. Pay attention to everything the teacher says.

D. There is no shame in needing some help.

E. Staying organized will be helpful.

F. Write in your own words.

G. Be prepared.

    The first men and women came to Britain over two and a half million years ago. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But the British Isles only became islands separated from the rest of Europe about 8, 500 years ago, when melting ice formed the English Channel!

    3,000 years after Britain became an island, new tribes who came by boat from the mainland introduced farming.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Many of these man-made hills can still be seen.

    Later on, people learned to build stone monuments. The most amazing is Stonehenge, a circle of huge stones begun about 4,500 years ago. Stonehenge is the world's most famous prehistoric monument. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    3,000 years ago the climate in Britain became colder and wetter than before. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A bit later iron started to be used for tools and weapons instead of bronze. Knowledge of ironworking may have been brought by the Celts, a new wave of immigrants who started to arrive from southern Europe in about 500 BC.

    What we know about the first people in Britain has been worked out by archaeologists from the remains they left behind them. Pytheas, a Greek, was the first person who could read and write to come to Britain. His visit was in about 330 BC, over 2, 000 years after Stonehenge was begun. Unfortunately, what Pytheas wrote has been lost, so we don't have any written record of Britain until the Romans came. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. That was almost 300 years after he did!

B. As a result, people had to move down from high ground.

C. Because of the climate change, much of the ice has melted.

D. Many archaeologists believe that Britain was once covered by ice.

E. These tribes built earthworks for protection and as tombs for their dead bodies.

F. They were hunters and gatherers of food, who used stone tools and weapons.

G. We don't know what it was used for, though many different suggestions have been made.