Saving money while traveling

    There are a lot of matters to think on before going out on a trip.  If you fail to plan the trip properly, then money will simply let itself loose from your pocket. Moreover, if you haven't planned a road map of your tour,  then confusion is quite inevitable (必然的). {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Package tours. Tours and travel agencies have attractive offers for tourists wanting to spend a couple of days on trips. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Once you have accepted the package tour, all your expenses during the travel will be greatly reduced. You can save a lot in lodging(住宿 ) and traveling.

    Inexpensive lodging. Never choose expensive lodging if your tour is a low-budget one. People tend to spend a lot booking luxury hotels (豪华旅馆),  and save little to enjoy other activities during the trip. This idea is absolutely not wise when spending limited money on the trip is your main aim. Moreover, the expenses increase quickly when your kids are with you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can use the money saved on good food and amusement.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The peak season is the time when rates are sky high due to the increase of millions of tourists who can afford to spend a lot of money. You, not being amongst this crowd that can spend generously, must book your holidays during the off season.

    A guide map. Make a guide map about the places to visit, expenses of travel and the activities to try. While planning you should also estimate (估计) your total expenses. Calculate the maximum amount and try to spend less than that. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Refer to the guide map while traveling and follow the money-saving travel tips as much as possible.

A. Reduce shopping.

B. Off season travel.

C. You must keep yourself updated with such offers.

D. This will help you to keep actual expenses below the estimated.

E. You can save lots of dollars when you don't have a credit card.

F. Therefore, book a fairly low-price lodge to save a few dollars.

G. So knowing some money-saving travel tips becomes necessary for you. 

Ways to Respectfully Disagree

    It's easier to agree than disagree.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Unfortunately, many of us either shy away completely from disagreements or lose it when things don't go our way. These tips can help keep disagreements constructive.

    Use “I' to communicate how you feel, what you think and what you want or need.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, telling your parents “You always remind me about my housework when you know I have much homework” has a very different tone from “I'm feeling pressured because I have a lot of homework tonight. Can I do those chores tomorrow?”

    Listen to the other's opinion.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}That makes it more likely that he or she will do the same for you. When the other person is talking, try to stop yourself from thinking about why you disagree or what you'll say next.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}This is the important thing you can do to keep a conversation on track. Of course, it's a huge challenge to stay calm when you feel angry about something, especially if their person you're talking to gets heated.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you've ever been on the receiving end of someone's put-downs (贬损的话), you know how valuable using respectful language and behavior can be. So instead of saying what you might be thinking (That's a stupid idea!), try saying “I don't agree, and here is why.”

    Respect goes beyond difficult conversations, of course. Being helpful and considerate towards family members, teachers or coaches in our everyday actions helps us establish a foundation for those times when we might disagree.

A. Stay calm.

B. Look into the other's eyes.

C. Using 'you' statements can sound aggressive.

D. Avoid putting down the other person's ideas and beliefs.

E. Then you can calmly present your case and why you disagree.

F. Being a good listener shows that you respect the other person.

G. But we can learn a lot from conversations where we don't agree.

    A white elephant gift exchange is a popular holiday party game in, the United States. Generally, the party needs at least six participants, and' the larger the group: is, the more entertaining the game will be{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But it can result in heated competitions between players trying to get the gifts.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Sometimes, the rule is that the item must be previously owned, which means that you can exchange an unwanted item or trinket(小装饰品) with your friends. But sometimes you can buy a new but inexpensive item just for the party.

    Every participant is expected to bring one wrapped(包装好的) gift. A white elephant gift is usually something useless or inconvenient{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Guests are asked to wrap them nicely and leave no identifying markings on the presents.

    To start the game, a participant must act as the first player to choose a gift; this can be decided randomly or by picking numbers out of a hat{#blank#}4{#/blank#}As for the next player? This person can either “steal” the first person's gift or choose an unwrapped item from the pile. Each gift can be stolen only three times before it is considered "dead".

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Any person that has to give up a gift can also pick a new gift or steal one from another person. Each turn is only allowed three swaps between the current player and the previous players. The game won't finish until all the presents are opened.

A. It all depends on how the game is organized.

B. This process is repeated until the game is over.

C. Don't forget that the game's purpose is to have fun.

D. The first player then opens the gift in front of everyone.

E. White elephant gift exchange can be run in different ways.

F. The goal of the party is usually entertainment rather than gain.

G. Trinkets, unidentifiable kitchen items and toys are typical “white elephants” .

    You only live once, and life is short. It's easy to look at people who are happy and assume that they don't understand your pain. The older you get, the more you realize that happiness takes work. People who smile in public have been through as much as people who cry, scream, etc. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}So how can you live life to the fullest? Here are some tips to help you out:

    Decide what's important to you. It doesn't matter what it is. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Your parents, friends and society in general all have their opinions, but you're the only person who will be around for every moment of your life. Do what makes you happy, and everything else will fall into place.

    Ready to take risks. Sometimes, there's danger involved in life, but every reward carries risk with it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}However, if you never take risks, you'll never get anywhere in life. When people look back on their lives, they regret the chances they didn't take more than the ones they did.

    Ignore the haters. No matter what you decide to do with your life, there will always be someone around to point out the many ways you will fail. Know that every winner loses, but not every loser wins. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Instead, they keep pushing through failure.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Your being right about something doesn't mean there aren't other ways to look at it. Listening to ideas you don't agree with or understand keeps your brain active and healthy.

A. Keep an open mind.

B. Speak through your actions.

C. Successful people don't start out successful.

D. Don't do what you think people want you to do.

E. It is true that some actions might have bad results.

F. They just have the courage and strength to smile through it.

G. Think about your past and future, but only focus on the present.

    There is an English saying that goes, "he who laughs last, laughs the hardest." High School Musical star Zac Efron is laughing a lot these days.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Because he was always the smallest in his class and was laughed at because he had a big space between his teeth. In sixth grade, Efron's basketball team made it to be the league championship. In overtime, with three seconds left, he rebounded the ball and passed it to the wrong team! {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Now Efron is one of People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People, graces (增加光彩) the cover of Entertainment Weekly, Hollywood's most influential magazine, and is traveling the world promoting the third High School Musical film. Director Adam Shankman described Efron as "arguably the biggest teen star in America right now." Simply google "Zac Efron", and you get more than 14 million responses. Yes, it seems Efron has a lot to smile about these days.

    Efron was born and raised in California. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} According to Efron, "he would flip out (发疯) if he got a B and not an A in school, and that he was a class clown." It was his father who encouraged him to act. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} He also took singing lessons. He graduated from high school in 2006 and was accepted at the University of Southern California to study film. But he put it off—why study movies when you can star in them? Efron has risen all the way to the top of the movie business. And he can now laugh all the way to the bank.

    No fight can end, and no friendship can move on, until everyone says these little words: I'm sorry. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult to say them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It is not about winning.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When you start fighting with a friend, you may feel it is important that you “win” the fight by proving you're right and he is wrong, or by making him the first to apologize. In reality, you'll both lose if you let your fight ruin your friendship, and you'll both win if you find a way to heal it.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    You may have heard the expression "His pride stood in the way." It is usually used to describe a person who is so determined to be "right" that he lets an opportunity for happiness pass him by forever. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Remember that as time goes by, we usually forget who was right and who was wrong in a disagreement, and only remember the sadness of losing a friend.

    Take the first step.

    Are you sick of fighting? Do you think this fight is just not important enough to ruin your friendship? {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You don't have to take full responsibility for starting the fight, or even say that your feelings were wrong. But you should find something you did or said that's worth apologizing for. If you say you're sorry, it's like an invitation for your friend to do the same. Once you've both said it, you'll both feel a million times better.

A. Stop thinking about your pride.

B. Then try to be the first to apologize.

C. Here are some things to keep in mind.

D. Don't let this happen to a friendship you care about.

E. It's about taking some responsibility for the argument.

F. There are some special moments when you shouldn't take the first step.

G. Friendships aren't like the Super Bowl, and there should never be the determination of a winner.