How to Improve Your English

    One of the most important questions that every student asks is how to improve your English. There are probably as many answers to this question as there are people {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Let's begin with the three most important rules to help guide you. You'll find further ideas below.

Rule 1:{#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    The most important rule to remember is that learning English is a process. It takes time, and it takes lots of patience! If you are patient, you will improve your English.

Rule 2:Make a Plan

    The most important thing to do is to create a plan and follow that plan.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Patience is key to improving your English, so go slowly and focus on your foals. You'll speak English well soon if you keep to the plan.

Rule 3:{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    It's absolutely necessary that learning English becomes a habit. In other words, you should work on your English every day. It's not necessary to study grammar every day. However, you should listen, watch read or speak English every day even if it's for a short period of time.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When you truly understand and master these three rules, then you will find your English level is really great.

    Are you simply moving through your day without fully living? I think many of us have done this. Everyone wants to fully live every day.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}So I've decided to share with you some ways to help you enjoy every moment.

    Sit in the morning. When you wake up in the quiet of the morning, sit on the floor. I often use this opportunity to stretch. I feel every muscle in my body.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I like to take breaks from work, and go outside for a slow walk. Pay attention to your breathing, to everything around you, to the sounds and light of objects.

    Read in silence. Find a quiet time, and a quiet place, and read a good novel. Have no television or computers on nearby. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It might seem difficult to let your mind move from the present into the time of novel more than almost anything else.

    Look at someone in a grateful way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you want, you can tell that person how thankful you are to him.

A. Work with force.

B. Walk slowly.

C. But this is easier said than done.

D. And just put yourself in the world of the novel.

E. It's a way of building something good into your life.

F. I also just sit, and focus on my breathing going in and out.

G. Find someone you care about and be grateful for his existence.

                                                                                                   Money Matters

    Parents should help their children understand money. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So you may start talking about money when your child shows an interest in buying things, candy or toys, for example.

    ⒈The basic function of money

    Begin explaining the basic function of money by showing how people trade money for goods or services. It is important to show your child how money is traded for the things he wants to have. If he wants to have a toy, give him the money and let him hand the money to the cashier (收银员). {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When your child grows a bit older and understands the basic function of money, you can start explaining more complex ways of using money.

    ⒉Money lessons

    Approach money lessons with openness and honesty. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you must say no to a child's request to spend money, explain, “You have enough toy trucks for now.” Or, if the request is for many different things, say, “You have to make a choice between this toy and that toy.”

    ⒊{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Begin at the grocery store. Pick out two similar brands of a product— a name-brand butter and a generic (无商标产品)，for example. You can show your child how to make choices between different brands of a product so that you can save money.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} If he chooses the cheaper brand, allow him to make another purchase with the money saved. Later, you may explain how the more expensive choice leaves less money for other purchases.

A. Wise decisions.

B. The value of money.

C. Permit the child to choose between them.

D. Tell your child why he can —or cannot — have certain things.

E. Ask yourself what things that cost money are most important to you.

F. Talk about how the money bought the thing after you leave the toy store.

G. The best time to teach a child anything about money is when he shows an interest.

    If anyone had told me three years ago that I would be spending most of my weekends camping, I would have laughed heartily. Campers, in my eyes, were people who enjoyed insect bites, ill-cooked meals, and uncomfortable sleeping bags. They had nothing in common with me. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The friends who introduced me to camping thought that it meant to be a pioneer. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We slept in a tent, cooked over an open fire, and walked a long distance to take the shower and use the bathroom. This brief visit with Mother Nature cost me two days off from work, recovering from a bad case of sunburn and the doctor's bill for my son's food poisoning.

    I was, nevertheless, talked into going on another fun-filled holiday in the wilderness. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Instead, we had a pop-up camper with comfortable beds and an air conditioner. My nature-loving friends had remembered to bring all the necessities of life.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} We have done a lot of it since. Recently, we bought a twenty-eight-foot travel trailer complete with a bathroom and a built-in TV set. There is a separate bedroom, a modern kitchen with a refrigerator. The trailer even has matching carpet and curtains.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It must be true that sooner or later, everyone finds his or her way back to nature. I recommend that you find your way in style.

A. This time there was no tent.

B. Things are going to be improved.

C. The trip they took me on was a rough one.

D. I was to learn a lot about camping since then, however.

E. I must say that I have certainly come to enjoy camping.

F. After the trip, my family became quite interested in camping.

G. There was no shade as the trees were no more than 3 feet tall.

How to treat your guests at a dinner party

    Almost everyone has attended a dinner party where they felt awkward. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}So it's very necessary to prevent unpleasant party situations for your guests with the following useful tips and find out how to treat your guests at a dinner party.

    As guests arrive, greet them at the door saying "Hello" and ask how they are. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If there is a wine table, show them to the table and allow them to mix with other guests.

    If a guest arrives who doesn't know the majority of the people in the room, announce his presence and introduce him to everyone. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Be modest about your food even if the food is great. And don't apologize either—your guests may think they shouldn't try your food. Serve your guests or allow guests to serve themselves if food has been placed on a serving table. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Make sure that they are as comfortable as possible.

    As you and your guests dine, play a "get to know each other" game. Have the guests go around the room and give a fun fact about themselves, their favorite things to do, where they would like to live and their worst or best cooking experience. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    After the main course is served, offer your guests dessert. Have a dessert wine ready to serve in case a guest would like to pair wine with dessert.

A. This would help him feel more comfortable.

B. This is a great ice­breaker as well.

C. Take their coats, welcome them and make them feel at home.

D. Ask your guests often if they need more food.

E. Choosing a specific theme for your party is definitely a great idea.

F. Still more people remember dinner parties where they didn't have a good time.

G.A great dinner party allows you to enjoy one­on­one time with your guests.

    With a tough economy, it's difficult to meet our employees' expectation of salary increases. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Well, here are four important factors that help keep employees motivated, in addition to money.

    The first one is recognition. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Examples include taking someone to lunch and letting them know how much you value their performance and how you thank them because they're loyal, publicly recognition someone's performance with details of what they did, and presenting certificates of recognition for "extraordinary contributions to the business and the organization".

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you can't afford to give every deserving employee a raise, invite them to a party to simply celebrate their good work, and tell them how much you appreciate their hard work and loyalty. Ask them to help you achieve your business goals so that next time you can reward them in better ways.

    Another one is motivational climate. Take a look around at the work environment and do whatever you can to make it a more pleasant place. Redecoration, better work spaces and working environment that isn't expensive will be appreciated by those who spend 8-10 hours a day working there. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    The last but most important factor that can motivate employees is trust. It's important to build trust in all your work relationships. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Take an interest in their families, their hobbies, and their development. Treat people with respect.

A. The next one is celebrations.

B. The second one is persuasion.

C. Conduct team discussions on ways to increase business profits.

D. Appreciating a person's strong contribution can make a difference.

E. To achieve this, spend time with your employees and show your care about them.

F. If you aren't sure what to do, ask your employees what they'd like in terms of it.

G. How can we motivate them in other ways to keep them from leaving the company?