How to write a Letter to Parents

    As a teacher, one of the most difficult parts of your job is working with parents. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Writing a letter to parents is one way to do this. If you do it properly, this is an excellent way to communicate when you cannot meet with parents face to face.

    Put positive communication in the letter, even if you are writing to discuss a problem. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Even if it is difficult, you must find this positive spin（言辞）, because it will make the parents more open to what you have to discuss. The general rule is “start with the good, hit them with the bad, then end on a positive note”.

    Share the problem with the parents. Express your concern and desire to help. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Show them through the letter that you want to work with them to find a solution to the problem.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You can ask them to write back, sign a part of the letter or give you a call. If you do not hear from them, you should call them. Be caring, but make sure they got the communication. Remember, your goal is to work together to help their child succeed.

    Consider mailing the letter to the parent, rather than sending it home with the student. Some students will intentionally forget to give the letter to their parents, while others will accidentally or purposely lose the letter. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Ask for a response.

B. Respect parents and never quarrel with them.

C. Whenever you meet with problems, you should keep cool.

D. Sending it in the mail makes it more certain that it will be received.

E. Do not place it completely on their shoulders, as they may hate this action.

F. You can do this by pointing out a little progress the child has made recently.

G. With proper communication, however, you can build bridges between the school and home.

    Ways to make a great first impression

    You've heard it a million times already, but it really does take but a few seconds to make that all-important first impression (印象). Here are some easy ways for you to impress your classmates or teachers.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Before you shake hands with somebody, make sure that your hands are clean. The handshake should not be too strong or weak. Most people use their right hands, unless they have a reason to use the left.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Be on time

    When meeting someone for the first time, arriving on time is as important as breathing. You may have an excuse, but that will leave the person who hardly knows you with a bad impression.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It's better to be hanging around the place than be stuck in traffic.

    Introduce yourself and ask for names

    Make sure you properly introduce yourself. Ask for their name in a polite way.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} This will increase the chances of their remembering your name in the future. Always remember to stand up when greeting someone and be sure to introduce them to anyone you're with.

    Make good conversation

    To get the most out of your discussion, try to find something common between the two of you.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} A person will feel more comfortable with someone they can relate to (产生共鸣).

A. You'll be in serious trouble if you leave them with a bad impression.

B. However, don't have your left hand in your pocket because this appears impolite.

C. Use body language

D. Have a proper handshake

E. Repeat the name and use it later in conversation.

F. As a general rule, plan to arrive about 30 minutes early.

G. It could be a similar taste in clothes or a common hobby.

    Your telephone is running low on power while you are waiting to fly out of an airport.

    Then you discover a public USB charging area close by.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Then you take a deep breath and sit back, happy to get the power for free.

What could go wrong? Plenty.

    In addition to providing an electrical current, phone charging cords can send and receive data. That free USB charging hub at an airport, hotel or any other public place may not only charge your phone.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The USB charging hub could be connecting to your phone and copying your contact list, email and text messages, voice mail, photographs and videos. It can also copy passwords, banking information and any other information stored on your phone.

    If you want to charge your phone while traveling, you have other choices that do not increase your risks.

    Connect your phone only to electrical outlets so data transfer is not possible.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It is better to use a distant wall outlet than a nearby USB charging hub.

    Carry an extra, fully-charged battery. Having one means you can charge your phone without having to worry about carrying a special cord or finding a power outlet.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    If you must use a public USB charging center, be sure to turn off your phone completely.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But it will reduce the chances of it happening, depending on what phone you have.

A. Remember to fully charge your phone before you leave home or work.

B It also could be transferring information to and from the device.

C. The public USB charging hub may even download programs to your phone.

D This may or may not prevent data transfer.

E. You can charge your phone with the extra battery wherever you are.

F. An available outlet may not be as near as a USB charging hub, but the few extra steps may keep you safe.

G. You quickly reach for a charge cord and connect your phone to the charging hub.

    For over one hundred and fifty years, Americans of all social classes have worn blue jeans. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Whether they are worn for work or for fashion today. Strauss' invention continues to be popular not only among Americans but also among people around the world.

    Levi Strauss was born in Germany in 1829. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}He grew up in Kentucky before moving to New York in 1847. Before becoming an American citizen and moving to the West in 1853, Strauss worked in his brother's dry goods business. This gave him a chance to produce his famous invention. After the gold rush of 1849, Strauss decided to move to the West to seek his fortunes.

    Strauss did not want to be a person who searched an area for minerals. Instead, he knew he could make a good living by selling supplies to the miners. At first, he planned to sell sewing supplies and cloth. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}When he heard miners complaining that their clothes were easily broken or they usually tore their pockets during mining, he decided to use a special fabric to make pants for the miners. These pants proved so popular that he quickly ran out of materials to make more.

    In 1873, Strauss received a letter from a Jewish tailor named Jacob Davis who had invented a process of connecting pockets with copper rivets(铆钉). This made the pants last a long time. Because Davis did not have the money to patent his idea, he offered to share it with Strauss if Strauss would agree to pay for the patent. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 

    By the time Strauss died in 1902, he had made a great contribution to American fashion. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The business has been growing ever since and Levi Strauss' company is now one of the largest clothing companies in the world.

A. As a young boy, he moved with his family to the United States.

B. Nobody knew what kind of material was suitable.

C. He did and Levi jeans have been made with metal rivets ever since.

D. However, he did not get much business for those products.

E. He also made a great contribution to America's clothing industry.

F. Since they were invented by Levi Strauss, they have become a symbol of American consumer culture.

G. As the business grew, Strauss got much money from it.

    I think it is safe to say that happiness is the king of emotions. Everyone wants to talk about how to get it, ways to prolong it and the benefits associated with it. Not surprisingly, negative emotions are considered to be bad. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But bad feelings can be a valuable way to arouse you to take action. In fact, they can be a surprising source of personal growth by doing the following things.

     Recognize what you are feeling. There are going to be times when the negative emotions are just temporary. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, if it happens on a frequent basis, your mind is trying to tell you something and you need to handle it.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Once you recognize the negative emotion you are feeling, you need to understand just what is behind it. The trouble is that often the cause of your bad feelings might be hard to see. Is it your home life, work, friends, unrealized dreams or various other frustrations? Take your time figuring it out and get to the root of what is causing the negative emotion.

    Take correct action. In some cases, it might be easy. If someone consistently makes you angry, you can just avoid them. In many other cases, you might need to take even bolder(大胆的) action. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Hopefully you have a different opinion on negative emotions now. They are not things designed to only make your life miserable. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Understand the causes.

B. Action is the real cause of pain.

C. Acknowledge your true feelings.

D. They are to be avoided at all costs.

E. What they really are is a signal for change.

F. Everyone feels a little down every once in a while.

G. An example of that would be ending a failing marriage or quitting your job.

The Adoption Option

There are many wonderful pets looking for new homes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. The following is some advice about introducing a rescue dog into your life.

●Choose wisely

No matter how cute a dog is, it's important not to let the heart rule the head when choosing a rescue dog. People naturally love puppies, but mature dogs are a great choice for many people. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. The dog's personality and size are usually apparent, so there should be no surprises.

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That a dog is available for adoption doesn't mean they are automatically a problem dog. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. However, some may exhibit unruly（难以驾驭的）behavior due to a lack of training. It's important not to confuse a lack of training with more serious behavioral issues. Good shelters and rescue groups will have every dog assessed by a qualified behavioral trainer to identify potential problem behaviors.

●Coming home

Arriving in a new home can be stressful for an adult dog. For many dogs you will have to take a trial-and-error approach to understanding what they like, what makes them feel secure and what they fear. You had better gradually expose your rescue dog to a range of different experiences and other dogs to judge and manage their behavior appropriately. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. In this way, they will have company and can be supervised in the early stages.

A. What to expect

B. What you see is what you get

C. Common problems and special behaviors

D. Adoption provides a pet that second chance

E. Many rescue dogs are well trained and well behaved

F. Most of these issues can be overcome with good training

G. Therefore, it's wise to get time off work when the dog arrives