Do you know how to pick a good book you'll really like? Here are some tips.

Start With Your Interest. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You can pick something that you love to read, not for school. They can be ancient martial (武术) arts, computers, or fashion design. You name it, there are books about it.

    What's Your Type? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction (or both)? Fiction books, like novels, can transport you to another world or help you imagine something beyond your own experience. Nonfiction books give you the who, what, when, and why of something. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Many of them read like novels from start to finish.

       Read the description. The reviews and quotes on the back and inside covers of many books give you an idea of what the book is about. They can also help you pick future books, too. If you find a book you really like, take a minute to read the quotes and see which authors praised the book. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Find a Family Favorite. Which book did your mother love best when she was at your age? {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Find out and give them a read — then you can share your thoughts about the book.

    Finally, you'll probably enjoy what you're reading a lot more if you find a quiet place and make time for the book.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You can put on some good music, get yourself some tea and let yourself be carried away by the book. You'll see that time does fly when you're reading something you love!

A. How about your brothers and sisters?

B. They tell stories using facts — but that doesn't mean they're boring.

C. Reading is a good way to improve your English.

D. Most reading is best enjoyed when you can concentrate (全神贯注) on it.

E. Often, they'll have similar styles and you might find books you like by those authors, too.

F. So you should read as much as possible when you are free.

G. Reading on your own isn't like reading for school.

    Unit the 1980s, scientists were trained to ignore animal pain, according to the belief that the ability to feel pain was associated only with higher consciousness. However, today, scientists view humans as a species of animals, and largely accept that many species are capable of some level of self-awareness. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    If you hit another person in the face, you can estimate their pain level by what they do or say in response. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Gradually, scientists have developed a set of indicators of pain response in non-human animals. Demonstrating a response to a negative stimulation and displaying protective behavior of injured areas are two major signs.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Some researchers argue lobsters (龙虾) are too dissimilar to vertebrates (脊椎动物) to feel pain. Nonetheless, lobsters do satisfy all of the standards for a pain response. Lobsters guard their injuries, and learn to avoid dangerous situations. They are even believed to possess some level of consciousness. In result, today most scientists agree that injuring a lobster causes physical pain.

    Due to growing evidence that the lobsters may feel pain, it is now illegal to boil lobsters alive or keep them on ice in some countries. Even in locations where boiling lobsters remains legal, many restaurants prefer more humane methods. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} To satisfy picky diners, more restaurants rule out the cruel cooking methods.

    Currently, the most humane tool for cooking a lobster is the CrustaStun. This device electrocutes (电击) a lobster. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The following process of cooking is sure to cause no pain. In contrast, it takes about 2 minutes for a lobster to die from boiling water during which time pain lasts.

A. But huge disagreement exists.

B. The creature instantly loses consciousness in half a second.

C. It beats the former method by saving chefs' effort in cleaning the creature.

D. It's difficult to assess pain in other species because we cannot communicate as easily.

E. People are coming to realize that other species might also enjoy the luxury of emotion.

F. Except for moral consideration, many chefs believe stress negatively affects the flavor (味道) of the meat.

G. Legal prohibition becomes the major consideration for restaurants when choosing a cooking method.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} one of the best things you can possibly do is to start you own club. It's great fun especially if you are the sort of person who feels there's never anything to do during the school holidays.

    The first thing you need to come up with is an idea for your club.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}pets , clothes, pop music or dancing groups, sports, making things? The list is endless.

    Next you need some friends to be in your club with you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}all you need is three or four other people who are interested in the same thing as you.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}you should all sit down somewhere together with lots of pieces of paper and write down every name you can think up. That'll keep you busy for ages.

    At your first meeting you should make up a rule book. And the first rule should be no grown-ups or little/big brothers or sisters! The best clubs are always secret!

    Now you have just about everything you need, except membership cards. These are very important and again you can speed a lot of time making them.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}why not leave some space for a photo of yourself? That will make the membership card really look like it.

    So there you are, get clubbing! Once you get started, you'll think of loads of more interesting things to do!

A. That's easy.

B. Enjoy your own club!

C. Invite a designer to join you.

D. What are you interest in?

E. Some vacation is just around the corner.

F. Then you need to pick a name for your club.

G. Use a bright thick pen to make a special design.

    Vacations are important. We need to take time out from work to relax, and just be ourselves. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} We should all be allowed to leave our jobs behind us—at least for a few weeks each year—and just have fun. This might be something as simple as reading a good book in front of a warm fireplace and travelling to the most interesting places on our planet. Whatever we fancy doing is worth taking time out for.

    Workplace stress is on the rise. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} These include disease, depression and even death. We all seem to be running from one place to the next, never finding out where we want to go in the first place. I intend to break that trend in the coming days.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I will sleep late, write, watch movies, drink the occasional glass of wine, and eat to my heart's content ignoring calorie counting. My plan is to just enjoy the fleeting moments of being alive.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Spend your next vacation the way you want. Do what will restore your mental health. You're very valuable to the people who are close to you, and to those who depend on you. Like it or not, we are all interdependent in this great life of ours.

    You are valuable. Just remember that the next time you look at the mirror and take a deep breath. Remind yourself that there will never be anyone like you ever on this earth again.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} All you have to do is just ask yourself what you want to do.

    I like my job. It may be my nature that draws me to this kind of job. I work at Izzy's Pizza Bar.

    One day an elderly couple came in just after 3p. m. The first thing they said was, Where is Nan?" Nan is my mother. She was not in that day. It was her day off.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} , since they liked to talk with my mom. But when I explained I was her daughter, they were thrilled to meet me. We enjoyed our conversation, comparable to a girl speaking with her grandparents. They are the type of people who understand me and have a positive attitude towards my job.

    Later that night, I waited on two men. It took some effort to get them to be friendly. I explained I was waitressing over the summer to make some extra cash for school. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, since she was also my coworker. They said they were very surprised at the idea of me and my mother waiting on people at the same restaurant. The two men were quite different. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Once all the customers had finished eating, I began my closing duties, using the time to reflect on my day, or rather, life. I rushed around getting everything done, thinking about those two men.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. We should treat people with respect, regardless of their occupation. I could have let those two men make me feel ashamed, but I didn't. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. I will always have pride in the person I was, am, and aim to be.

A. I had always received a positive response from everyone else I had told

B. Everyone should have equal opportunities in getting a job

C. I also said I was grateful that my mom had trained me

D. On the contrary, I felt really proud

E. This couple got a lot of enjoyment out of eating in this restaurant

F. You could say they were very disappointed to know that

G. Your job doesn't have to state who you are as a person

Top 3 Self-Discipline Techniques

    Self-Discipline is the key to leading a healthier, happier and more successful life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} We have shared some self-discipline techniques below. Follow these self-discipline techniques to start living a better life.

    ⒈Start small

    The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, as the proverb goes. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead, stamina(耐力) is built up by doing a little more than the previous day's target.

    The same goes for discipline. Start by trying to carry out self-discipline techniques little by little every day for big results. Increase your goals over time.

    ⒉{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Staying self-disciplined requires motivation. It can be hard to stay motivated if you feel like you haven't made any progress so far. Tracking progress makes you aware of how much you've done and encourage you to keep going.

    ⒊Exercise your willpower

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Some days, sticking to the task is going to be difficult but by reminding yourself of the end in mind and how much the goal means to you, you will be able to ignore temporary temptations for long term gain.

    The above-mentioned self-discipline techniques have been proven to be extremely effective.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And it is the key to living a happy and fulfilling life.

A. Measure your goals.

B. Build a support system.

C. However, it is easier said than done.

D. Willpower and self-discipline go hand in hand.

E. Self-discipline is linked to effective time management.

F. Self-discipline is a feature found in many successful people.

G. You don't train for a marathon by running 10 Kilometers on the first day.