I was ten when I first sat with my grandmother behind the cashier（收银台）in her general store. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I quickly learned the importance of treating customers politely and saying “thank you.”

    At first I was paid in candy{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I worked every day after school, and during the summer and on weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. My father helped me set up a bank account. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    By the time I was 12, My grandmother thought I had done such a good job that she promoted me to selling cosmetics（化妆品）. I developed the ability to look customers directly in the eye. Even though I was just a kid, women would ask me such things as “What color do you think I should wear?” I took a real interest in their questions and was able to translate what they wanted into makeup（化妆）ideas. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

The job taught me a valuable lesson: to be a successful salesperson, you didn't need to be a Rocket scientist—you needed to be a great listener. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Except they are no longer women purchasing cosmetics from me; instead, they are kids who tell me which toys they would like to see designed and developed.

    At what age does a child became an adult?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are a few examples.

    First, in some North American Indian culture, a boy became a man around the age of 13. At that time, he would go into the woods alone, without food or water, for several days.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Girls became adult women as soon as they were old to have babies, also around the age of 12 or 13.

    In the Jewish religion, children spend years studying their history and religion. Then, at age of 13 for boys and 12 for girls, they go through an important religious ceremony.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    In Japan today, young people become legal adult at age 20. Each year on January 15th, they celebrate “Coming-of-Age Day”, when the 20-year-olds in a town are invited to attend to special ceremony.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Finally, in the United States, the passage into adulthood takes several years. American teenagers look forward to their 16th birthday because in most states that is the age when can get a driver's license. The legal age of adulthood is 18, when Americans can vote, get married and work full-time. However, they must wait until age 21 to buy alcohol.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Many people celebrate their 21^st birthday by having a drink with friends in a bar.

B. It's hard to answer the question.

C. The answer depends on your culture or religion.

D. From that day, they are adults, and they become responsible for their own religious development.

E. When he returned safely, he became an adult man.

F. The teenagers are not allowed to drink alcohol.

G. They wear traditional clothes, listen to speeches and visit old friends.

    What do the world's most successful people all have in common?

    By examining the work habits of over 150 greatest writers and artists and scientist,the researchers including Stanford Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer found that high achievers like Robert Moses turn out to be all alike:

    Busy! Busy!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}In a study of general managers in industry,John Kotter reported that many of them worked 60 to 65 hours per week―which translates into at least six 10-hour days.The ability and willingness to work difficult and tiring hours has characterized many powerful figures.Energy and strength provide many advantages to those seeking to build power.

    Just Say No!

    The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say “no” to almost everything.And that's what gives them the time to accomplish so much.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}And focus means saying “no” to a lot of distractions.

    Know What You Are!

    Ignore your weakness and keep improving your strengths.Don't waste time exploring skill areas where you have little competence.Instead,focus on―and build on―your strengths{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Create Good Luck!

    Luck is not magical-there is a science to it.Richard Wiseman studied lucky people for his book Luck Factor,and broke down what they do right.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}By being more outgoing,open to a new ideas,following the feeling that something is true,being optimistic,lucky people create possibilities.

    Does applying these principles to your life actually work? Wiseman created a “luck school” to test the ideas―and it was a success.In total,80 percent of people who attended Luck School said that their luck had increased.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Spend enough time improving your weakness.

B. Achievement requires concentration.

C. On average, these people reported that their luck had risen by more than 40 percent.

D. High achievers never stop working and they never lose a minute.

E. Busy people are more likely to be lucky.

F. This means knowing who you are and what you are good at.

G. Certain personality types are luckier because they behave in a way that offers the chance for good opportunities.

How to get siblings (兄弟姐妹) to get along

    One of the greatest gifts of parenthood is seeing your children form a relationship with each other that is independent of you. By giving hem someone else to play with, you can free up some time for yourself. Here are four techniques you can use to help your children appreciate each other while they're young.

    ⒈{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The No.1 thing parents can do to help their kids stay on good terms with each other is not to compare them with each other. Never say “Your sister never. . ”or “Why can't you do what your brother does?”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Try out of the way. Try not to get too involved in your kids' arguments. Learning cooperation and problem-solving is an important skill in life{#blank#}3{#/blank#}And don't blame the older one for not “knowing better,” That puts pressure on the older child and leads to unhappiness.

    ⒊Activities and opportunities. Have your kids go to their siblings' games and activities{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    “My kids go to each other's activities, and take part in activities together,” says Patricia Walters-Fischer, mother of two. Not only do her children go, but they also offer support, encouraging each other before a big game or performance and offering comfort when things don't go well.

    ⒋Vacations. Don't ignore the value of a family vacation for bringing siblings together. When kids are away from their friends and forced to spend time together, they often enjoy each other{#blank#}5{#/blank#}In fact, a weekend camping trip offers some of the best opportunities for working together, having fun and experiencing something new.

A. Never shout at them.

B. Don't compare.

C. It doesn't need to be anything extremely great.

D. That only serves to fuel the competition.

E. Give them a project, and they will learn how to work together.

F. They may need help solving a conflict, but try not to take sides.

G. Get them involved in one another's lives, so they can have a better appreciation of who their sibling is.

    Stress occurs when you feel that demands placed on you — such as work, school or relationships — are beyond your ability. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, untreated long-term stress can result in serious health conditions including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Everyone is different, and so are the ways they choose to manage their stress. Some people prefer pursuing hobbies such as gardening, playing music and creating art, while others find relief in more solitary (独自的) activities: meditation, yoga and walking. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Do some exercise. The research keeps growing — exercise benefits your mind just as well as your body. We keep hearing about the long-term benefits of a regular exercise routine. But even a 20-minute walk, run, swim or dance session in the midst of a stressful time can give an immediate effect that can last for several hours.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It may seem difficult to get away from a big work project, a crying baby or a growing credit card bill. But when you give yourself permission to step away from it, you let yourself have time to do something else, which can help you have a new perspective or practice techniques to feel less overwhelmed. It's important not to avoid your stress (those bills have to be paid sometime), but even just 20 minutes to take care of yourself is helpful.

    Smile and laugh. Our brains are interconnected with our emotions and facial expressions. When people are stressed, they often hold a lot of the stress in their face. So laughs or smiles can help relieve some of that tension and improve the situation.

    Try meditation. Meditation and mindful prayer help the mind and body to relax and focus. Mindfulness can help people see new perspectives, develop self-compassion and forgiveness. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Much like exercise, research has shown that even meditating briefly can bring immediate benefits.

A. Take a break from the stressor.

B. Get some social support from whatever sources you can access.

C. Too much stress can affect body systems and cause mental problems.

D. Here are four healthy techniques that may help reduce stress in the short- and long-term.

E. But by finding positive, healthy ways, many of these negative health consequences can be reduced.

F. When practicing mindfulness, people can release emotions contributing to the body physical stress.

G. Some stress can be beneficial at times, producing a boost that helps people get through tough situations.

    Constantly. About a half-million quakes rock the earth every day. People don't feel most of them because the quake is too small, too far below the surface, or deep in the sea. Some, however, are so powerful that they can be felt thousands of miles away.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But you can prepare for the unpredictable with a family safety plan, emergency kit and supplies and act properly when facing it and the disasters it brings.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}On one hand, make sure you have a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight and extra batteries at home. Learn first aid and learn how to turn off the gas, water and electricity. On the other hand, make up a plan of where to meet your family after an earthquake.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Do fix them to the wall or the floor.

    Pay attention to what you can do during an earthquake. Stay calm! If you're indoors, stand against a wall near the center of the building, stand in a doorway, or crawl under heavy furniture (a desk or table). Stay away from windows and outside doors.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Stay away from buildings considering something might fall off the building or the building could fall on you.

    Take some useful measures after an earthquake.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Provide first aid for anyone who needs it. Check water, gas, and electric lines for damage. You should stay out of damaged buildings. Be careful around broken glass. Wear shoes to prevent cutting your feet. Be careful of chimneys-they may fall on you.

A.Stay indoors before an earthquake.

B.Check yourself and others for injuries.

C.Maybe you think the earthquake can be predictable.

D.Some actions matter to you when an earthquake is coming.

E.That's to say，earthquakes can happen anytime or anywhere.

F.Don't leave heavy objects on shelves because they'll fall during a quake.

G.If you're outdoors，stay in the open away from power lines or anything that might fall.