May the first is an important date in the college admission process in the United States. This is the last day for high school seniors to accept or reject offers of admission in the fall. But according to a recent report, there is a great change. Acceptance rates at the top colleges this year were lower than ever. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

      These days, college applicants are applying to more colleges because online and common applications make the process easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} On the other hand, deciding students for top colleges to accept can be difficult because it takes much time. Students may not like being put on waiting lists．Also, common colleges work more to getthe students they accept to accept them. Some colleges hold visiting days that offer a chance to attend classes and stay overnight. Some universities send gifts. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

      For many families, the most important thing colleges can do is show them the money, especially this year; the weak economymakes parents nervous. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The recent problems that spread from thehousing market to credit markets have even affected student's loans．Solately, top schools have to spare lots of money to increase their financial aidfor students.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}The Education Department expects the number of highschool graduates to start to go down. This will happen as the last of thechildren of the baby boom generation finish high school. Thenumber is not expected to start rising again until 2016.

A．Besides, top colleges are facing changesin the population.

B．What contributes to it?

C．But a mistake can be costly if ithappens.

D．But top colleges ignore them．.

E．They have international students whoknow English.

F．It can mean several acceptances tochoose from.

G．They cannot afford college as planned.

    Maybe you have heard the expression “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. So when you want to do business in France, you have to get to know French culture, to make marketing plans, and to run your business by local laws.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The French take great pride in their language, so anyone who does not speak it may run the risk of being disrespected by his French colleagues or business partners. Also, another reason why learning French is important is that it is a great way to show every possible French business partner that you care and respect their country's culture and language.

    The first thing that you should do when meeting someone new is to shake his hand firmly and always look the person in the eye. In social meetings with friends, kissing is common.

    Use first names only after being invited to.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The French will sometimes introduce themselves using their surname first, followed by their first name.

    Dress well.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Your business clothing is a reflection of your success and social status. Always try to be tasteful and stylish. Women are advised to dress simply but elegantly.

    The French are passionate about food, so lunches are common in doing business m France, which usually consist of an appetizer, main meal with wine, cheese, dessert and coffee, and normally take up to two hours.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Do not begin eating until the host says, “bon appetite”. Pass dishes to the left, keep wrists above the table and try to eat everything on the plate.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This may suggest that you find the food tasteless.

A. The French draw information about people based on their appearance.

B. This is a time for relationship building.

C. Wearing make-up is practiced widely by business women.

D. Language should be the focus of anyone planning to do business in France.

E. Be careful with adding salt, pepper or sauces to your food.

F. Use Monsieur or Madame before the surname.

G. If eating in a restaurant, the person who invites always pays.

    Learning English online is a good way to improve your English. But with any kind of learning you need to be prepared. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Make sure everything is ready.

    You should prepare everything before learning English online. A computer, a good Internet connection and a headset are what you will need to take classes online. A web camera is also pretty important. Make sure that your computer is turned on, that everything is ready and that you have tested the connection. Doing this before the class means that you will be ready when the lesson starts.

    Take the classes somewhere quiet.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Trying to listen and join in English classes is very difficult when there is noise around you. So find a quiet room and make sure that no one troubles you while you are taking your lesson.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When grammar or anything else is being taught, make sure that you understand it. You won't need to practice it at this time; just make sure that everything is clear. If you don't understand what is being taught, ask your teacher to explain it again. Your teacher will be very happy to deal with whatever puzzles you.

    Practice speaking English.

    Every class is a chance to practice your English with a native and good teacher. Try to allow the conversation to flow by listening and talking in a natural way. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The teacher should note the mistakes and correct them at a later time.

    Relax.

    Come to class feeling relaxed and excited. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Come into the class excited about learning English. You will be able to get more out of the class this way.

A. Ask for help from your parents.

B. Understand what is being taught.

C. Get away from everything that may be going on in your home.

D. Language learning should be enjoyable especially in online classes.

E. You will meet many problems when you are learning English online.

F. This passage will give you advice on how to make full use of your online lessons.

G. This is your chance to speak English without worrying about too many mistakes.

    Today we begin a series of programs about learning disabilities. These are disorders in the ways that people understand or use language. They can affect the ability to listen or think, or to speak or to read and write. They can also affect the ability to do mathematics. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Researchers believe that learning disabilities are caused by differences in the way that the brain works with information. They say children with learning disabilities are not unintelligent or do not want to work.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Researchers say that as many as one out of every five people in the United States has some kind of learning disability. Almost three-million children in the United States receive some kind of help in school for a learning disability.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Experts look for a difference between how well a child does in school and the level of intelligence or ability of the child. But there is no one sign of a disorder. A few signs of learning disability include not connecting letters with their sounds or not understanding what is read. A person with a learning disability may not be able to understand a funny story. They may not follow directions. They may not read numbers correctly or know how to start a task. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}One person may have trouble understanding mathematics. Another may have difficulty understanding what people are saying. Still another may not be able to express ideas in writing. These different kinds of learning disabilities are known by different names. For example, a person who has difficulty reading may have dyslexia (诵读困难症).

    Experts say learning disabilities cannot be cured.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Teachers and parents can help young people with learning disabilities to learn successfully.

A. Different people have different kinds of learning disabilities.

B. Their brains just process information differently than other people.

C. People with learning disabilities have difficulty in communicating with others.

D. But people who have them can be helped.

E. Why does a person have a learning disability?

F. A person with a learning disability has unusual difficulty in developing these skills.

G. How can you tell if someone has a learning disability?

Volunteering is a great way to support an organization and make a difference in your community. It can also be an opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}And what should we plan for? Here's a guide for beginners.

Step 1: {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Do you want to help the world, or your community? Do you want to build your own skills, make new friends, and learn? Do you love what you do? Do you want to share your gifts with others or give something back? Think about these kinds of questions. That can help you to choose the right direction for your volunteer work.

Step 2: Choose an organization that is meaningful to you.

If you feel strongly about literacy (读写), for instance, volunteer at your local library or find out if there is an organization of volunteer tutors in your area. There are organizations doing all sorts of work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Step 3: Start small.

If you already have a busy school life, volunteer your time for an hour or two a week, or perhaps one day a month. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Then, if you find you enjoy the work and have more time to do it, take on more time by time.

Step 4: Get training.

If there is a training course, attend it. If not, talk to the group leaders and other volunteers about their experiences. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Step 5: Try not to give up.

Volunteer work sometimes involves unpleasant tasks, difficult fellow workers, busy days, or bad management. If you find your work difficult, however, try to work through it before you decide to quit.

A. Do you love to work with people?

B. But how do we go about volunteering?

C. Get to know others in the organization.

D. It is important that you choose something that you like.

E. Think about why you want to volunteer.

F. You'll pick up some good tips to make your work there more productive.

G. You might be surprised by how much you can do in even a little bit of time.

When buying a backpack, there are several things you should consider. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}A backpack used for carrying school supplies, for example, may not need to have as many features as a backpack that is to be used for hiking or camping.

When buying a backpack，look for one that can easily be placed on your back. Many people carry their backpacks over only one shoulder.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Backpacks are designed to be carried completely on your back, supported by both shoulders, in order to help evenly distribute (分配) the weight. In fact, carrying a backpack that is either too heavy or used improperly is one of the leading causes of back injuries in students.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If the backpack will be used for carrying textbooks, it must be wide enough to contain the width of the books it will carry. If the backpack is for hiking, it needs to be large enough to carry supplies such as a solar blanket and other camping things.

Another consideration when buying a backpack is the number of compartments (隔层) the backpack has. When used for hiking or camping, it's often helpful for a backpack to have several smaller compartments. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

The material is also important when buying a backpack. When buying a backpack for hiking or camping, it is best to buy one that is strong enough. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you are buying a backpack for college use, it might also help prevent your books and homework from getting wet while you are walking from one building on campus to another in the rain.

A. But this is actually a mistake.

B. There are backpacks different from traditional ones.

C. It is helpful to buy a backpack with much space inside.

D. It is important to buy one that will be comfortable to carry.

E. This way, important items such as knives are easy to reach.

F. Thus, your clothing or supplies will not get damaged in bad weather.

G. The most important consideration when buying a backpack is its future use.