The Importance of Accessibility Awareness

    At a recent Teen Leadership of Jewish Family Services meeting, people with disabilities talked about their lives. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, what amazed me most was the great importance of education about handicap accommodations (残疾人便利设施).

    One school-teacher who is blind, and a woman who has used a wheelchair all her life are two important members of the National Group for Disabled Persons, devoted to raising awareness about disabilities. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} These include handicap parking spots, handrails, and wheelchair ramps. One big concern is the people who take advantage of aids, such as handicap parking spaces. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} And the meeting focused on educating the public.

    Some handicap spots have extra room next to them, marked with the “No Parking” signs. “As long as I'm not in the spot, I can take the no-parking area next to it,” some people say. However, the woman who uses a wheelchair disagrees to this. The space exists to allow someone in a wheelchair to have room to get in or out of their car. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  

    Some walkways have handrails next to them to help those who require extra assistance. Whether it is a blind person seeking guidance or an elderly person seeking support, the rail is there for walking. Sometimes the rail is blocked, by a parked bicycle for instance, and consequently made useless. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} People who are informed of the rail's use would be less likely to mistake it for a bike rack.

    Meeting some of the people who are affected by the lack of education about accommodations made me see that there is work to be done. If more people were educated about the proper uses of accommodations, there would be fewer challenges for people with physical disabilities.

A. Accommodations will vary according to the needs of the disabled.

B. As with the parking spot, this is more likely a case of lack of education. 

C. They educate about all the accommodations for people with disabilities. 

D. Improvement must be made so that disabled people can fully participate.

E. If there is a car in that space, the handicap parking spot is no longer useful.

F. So people without disabilities need to be educated about these accommodations.

G. I was amazed to hear about the challenges faced by people with physical disabilities. 

How to be a teenage role model

    In today's world, most teen role models(楷模)are famous people. They appeal to the teenagers a lot with their looks, money and fame. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you are a teen out there and you want to inspire your peers(同龄人), here are a few steps that you should follow:

Build confidence.

    People always believe in those who believe in themselves.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Build on these strengths and let them help you to develop into the kind of role model you want to be.

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    Having a unique character can really draw others to you more than being the same as others. This does not mean that you should give up the same interests you have with your friends, but just try to be a leader rather than a follower of others.

Be humble.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Many people respect those who have accomplished a lot in their lives but are still down to earth. Remember just because you have found your confidence doesn't mean you should look down upon others.

    Play the role you have created for yourself.

    After you have gotten a positive image(形象) of yourself and a good relationship with your peers, stick to it! Be guided by your desire(欲望) to be a role model in everything you do.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Having mastered the above steps, you will start noticing the positive influence you are having on others. Keep trying to better yourself as you continue to inspire others.

A. Develop your own style.

B. Choose your own role model.

C. There is nothing as golden as being humble(谦逊的).

D. Let your entire life be inspirational to others.

E. So build faith in yourself by getting to know your strengths.

F. You should overcome your weaknesses.

G. However, anybody can be a teenage role model if they put their mind to it.

    When home is far away, the sense of ease and belonging that so many people feel can transform into painful feelings of longing, commonly known as homesickness. Along with feelings of insecurity, loss of control and nervousness, physical effects, including sleep issues, tiredness and loss of appetite, are also caused by homesickness.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Check them out below:

    Realize that feeling homesick is 100 percent normal.

    Almost everyone experiences homesickness when moving to a new place—some people might just be better at hiding it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Homesickness is a normal and evolutionarily healthy reaction.

    Make connections with new people in comfortable settings.

    Feeling homesick when separated from loved ones motivates people to be with those supportive people.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} When making new connections, it's best to stick to the style that works for you in order to ease homesickness.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    This point is vital and also one of the hardest to accomplish. Self-compassion is loving yourself just as you love the ones you care about. The most important step in practicing self-compassion is substituting negative, critical and, sometimes, automatic thoughts about yourself with thoughts that are more supportive and kind.

    Keep tabs on your negativity.

    It's also useful to ask yourself how much of your homesickness is due to an event, such as being separated from loved ones, and how much is from how you're understanding a situation.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}A positive outlook on a situation can do wonders for your mood, but it often can be hard to practice. You can silence negative thoughts in many ways, including reciting positive mantras（祷文）, keeping a journal or even taking a walk in a park.

    If you're dealing with feelings of homesickness, remember you're not alone. Even though there's no place like home, give yourself some time and care, and you might find yourself falling in love with a new place.

A. Learn to help others.

B. Practice self-compassion.

C. Being homesick is abnormal.

D. Being homesick is not a sign of personal shortcoming.

E. We gathered a few psychologist-backed tips to help ease homesickness.

F. Taking a step back is recommended, instead of falling into the trap of a negative outlook.

G. But keep in mind that everyone is different when it comes to forming those new relationships.

    We all know that being grateful and appreciative is very beneficial. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Gratitude belongs to the category of advanced life skills because it can completely transform your life.

    Help others turn away from negativity. If some people you know insist in talking about negative things all the time, find a wise way to tell them that you really don't appreciate it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Look for reasons to say thank you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They'll be more likely to do nice things for you because you appreciate their efforts. In turn, you'll have even more reasons to feel gratitude. When other people sense that you appreciate them, it changes your relationship with them.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When you find yourself in a difficult situation, look for the beneficial aspects created by that situation. Ask yourself: “What have I learned here? Will it benefit me in the future? When I look back on this experience a year later, what will I be grateful for?”

    Have a gratitude review. Do this as soon as you wake up in the morning and before you go to sleep at night. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Think of all the things you have to be grateful for in your life. If you start and end each day with gratitude, your whole life will shift in a more positive direction. It only takes a minute or two to allow gratitude to fill your heart and mind.

A. See the big picture.

B. Show gratitude to others.

C. Actually, it is more than that.

D. Everyone loves to be appreciated.

E. Don't get pulled in a negative talk.

F. Remember to count your blessings daily.

G. So you could be doing them a huge favor.

    It's important to learn how we can protect the environment. Here are 5R rules for us.

    Reduce. If you want to reduce waste, you should use things more wisely.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} If everyone uses paper carelessly, soon we would not have any trees left. Other things are also being wasted, and people don't know what to do with the waste in big cities. So it is necessary to reduce the amount of waste we produce.

    Reuse. You should always think of reusing things before throwing them out. For example,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. In a family, you may pass on such clothes to younger brothers or sisters.

    Recycle. Bottles, cans and paper can easily be recycled. By doing so we can save lots of time and money. For example,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. The metal can be used to make new coke cans.

    Recover.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. You have two choices: one is to throw the apples away, the second is to throw the rotten ones and keep the good ones. In this way, you are recovering the eatable parts of food.

    Repair. If one of the legs of your table is broken, you should repair it. If you want to buy something newer and better, it is better for you to sell the old table, or {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Learn the rules to protect our environment. Let's try our best to make the earth cleaner and more beautiful.

A. give the clothes you do not use or the ones which are too small to the poor.

B. coke cans are sent to a factory, where they are smashed flat and melted.

C. A large number of trees are being cut down to make paper.

D. Trees are planted every year.

E. give it to people who can use it after repairing it.

F. don't throw it away if you can use it.

G. When you buy a box of apples, there may be a few rotten ones.

One of the healthiest Foods on the planet

    There is probably no flower more hated, or misunderstood, than the bright yellow dandelion (蒲公英). {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In an effort to have the perfect green grass lawn, people try their best to kill all dandelions with chemical products. Or they dig them out at the roots—only to see them grow right back.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They are a great source of vitamin K and also are a good source of vitamins A and C. They also have vitamin E, folate and small amounts of other B vitamins. Also, they provide lots of iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

    Besides nutrition, another great thing about dandelions is that you can eat every part of them—from the bottom of the roots to the top of the flower. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Do not eat ones that have been treated with dangerous chemicals or are growing near high traffic areas.

    Dandelions are said to provide several possible health benefits such as helping in digestion and improving some skin conditions. They may also reduce inflammation (炎症).

    Children in many parts of the world have had the simple pleasure of blowing the soft, white dandelion tops. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In fact, there is a game children play with dandelions that have gone to seed. Pick the white top, make a wish, close your eyes and blow! If you blow all of the seeds off in one breath, your wish will come true! {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Well, that is what many children believe.

B. They watch the seeds float easily in the air.

C. At least the seeds have traveled far and wide.

D. Just make sure to take care when picking wild dandelions.

E. You can let more of this nutritious food source continue to grow.

F. Dandelions are actually one of the most nutritious foods in the world.

G. In the United States, they are considered “weeds”, the name for any unwanted plant.