Happiness begins from appreciation

    If you are feeling that life just cannot be any worse for you, it can be challenging to think positive. When stressed, depressed, upset or otherwise in a negative state of mind because you are aware that misfortune keeps occurring, it is important to shift those negative thoughts to something positive. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It is often very hard to think positive when so many things are negative, but be sure that someone, somewhere is worse off than you. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you start with one small, positive thing and appreciate it during the course of your day, you will begin to move into a more positive situation and people will start showing up in your life. With appreciation, you will find that over time, you will change your outlook and choose to be happy, regardless of the events around you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Begin and end each day with a “Thank you for this wonderful, glorious day!”

    When you see the rise of gas prices, say “I am so glad to have a vehicle in which to get around.”

    When your boss is too hard on you, say “I am grateful for my job as I know that many don't have one.”

    If you are having health problems, be grateful for what does work: “I really do appreciate it that my eyes see, my ears hear, my mouth tastes, my legs walk, my arms lift and my mind thinks and everything else works.”

    Write down what you're grateful for each day. In moments when you're feeling really down, read loud what you wrote previously. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you practice this regularly, you will find your list getting longer and longer.

    The key is to move yourself into a positive thought and keep it there long enough to make it a moment of appreciation. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. This will certainly help uplift your spirits.

B. If not, you will only attract more misfortune.

C. It is of great importance to learn to be grateful.

D. The more you appreciate, the happier you'll be.

E. If you have made some achievements in your career.

F. Here are a few common examples for you to practice.

G. You can choose to think differently by beginning with the smallest of steps.

Five Steps to Better Handwriting

    Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it's time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five steps that really work!

    Get a great grasp

    Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.

    Let the lines be your guide

    Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.

    Slow down

    If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it's hard to control where you stop and start your letters.

    Lower the pressure (压力)

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don't hold the pencil too tightly.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it's not schoolwork, you're still using the skills you need to control your pen better.

A. Play games

B. Ask for more advice

C. So "a" should be half the height of a capital "A". 

D. You've been writing since you were a little kid.

E. Some kids press down really hard when they write. 

F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting. 

G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the bas e of your thumb.

How to Be Grateful

    Has your mother or best friend told you that you're an ungrateful person? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Do you keep thinking about the things you don't have, instead of being thankful for what you do have? If so, then you need to work on being a more grateful person.

    ⒈{#blank#}2{#/blank#}This isn't a religious(宗教的) thing. You don't have to hold off on noting everything you're thankful for until Thanksgiving. Every Sunday, get a notebook and sit outside for fifteen minutes while making a list of all of the things you're thankful for.

    ⒉Be grateful for your friendships. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You may come to think that your friends are kind and they're just there, like the couch in your living room. If you take your friends for granted for too long, then they will slowly make their way out of your life.

    ⒊Be grateful to your family. Your family is another thing you should be grateful to.  Your parents might have even been the people who tell you that you should be more grateful. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Don't let a day go by without telling your family how much you love them.

    ⒋{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Throughout history, imagine how many people have contributed to where you are now. Realizing that you couldn't be what you are now if it weren't for all of these people is an important step in being a grateful person.

A. Make a gratitude list every Sunday.

B. Friendships are very important in our life.

C. Be grateful for all of the good deeds done for your benefit.

D. Many people are guilty of taking their friends for granted.

E. Keep everything that you are grateful for in mind every day.

F. So, take the time to tell your family how much they mean to you.

G. Do you feel unable to appreciate the beauty, nature, and love that are all around you?

    At the end of a long day, it's all too easy to take a hot shower, brush your teeth, and then jump into bed. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} As it turns out, going to bed with wet hair isn't as harmless as you probably thought.

    The first negative result of sleeping with wet hair is purely cosmetic (美容). {#blank#}2{#/blank#} lf you try to style your hair in the morning after sleeping on it wet, you're probably going to have trouble styling the resulting curliness (卷曲), funny waves, and flat sides.

    When you wake up, you're probably going to have to re-wet it again to properly dry it and regain control. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Sleeping with wet hair does not immediately damage your hair, but it can certainly lead to hair breakage, because hair is weakest when wet.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} First, you can swap your cotton pillowcases for silk ones. Silk has a much smoother surface, so you won't experience as much unfortunate breakage.

    Next, you can make sure to sleep with your hair down, instead of up in a tight ponytail. In addition, you should replace your tight bands with a soft one that isn't going to roughly pull at night.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Dry oils and texturizing mousses (摩丝) are some of the best ways to ensure you don't wake up looking like a lion while protecting your precious hair from damage.

    Now that you know how bad sleeping with wet hair is, make sure you're not making these hairstyle mistakes.

A. Finally, never skip out on applying product.

B. Here are some tips that can help dry any hair faster.

C. This unnecessarily adds time to your morning routine.

D. If you haven't noticed, the ends of your hair tend to dry first.

E. You can't predict how your wet hair is going to look in the morning.

F. But have you ever thought about the risks of sleeping with wet hair?

G. If you must sleep with wet hair, there are a few ways to minimize the damage.

    People often say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that's actually quite true.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}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 impression every time.

    Dress appropriately

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}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.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} 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 a gateway to a great conversation. Respect other people's right to have their own opinion. Respect the opinions of others even if you disagree with them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    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.

    When I was 16 years old, a boy gave me an important gift. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It was the early autumn of my first year at a junior high school, and my old school was far away. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} I was very lonely, and afraid to make friends with anyone.

    Every time I listened to other students talking and laughing, I felt my heart break. I couldn't talk about anyone with my problems. And I didn't want my parents to worry about me.

    Then one day, my classmates talked happily with their friends, but I sat at my desk unhappily as usual. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I didn't know who he was. He passed me and then turned back. He looked at me, with a smile on his face.

    Suddenly, I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy, lively and warm {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I started to talk with other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now! {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think it lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back.

A. At that moment, a boy entered the classroom.

B. He's living in Australia now and he loves it.

C. It doesn't matter because all the dark days have gone.

D. It was a smile.

E. That smile changed my life.

F. It's practically impossible to make friends here.

G. As a result, no one knew who I was.