Ali is from a Middle Eastern country. He now stays in the USA. He smokes a lot of cigarettes every day. He has smoked for nine years. Ali says, “I tried to quit (放弃) smoking in my hometown, but it was impossible. My parents smoke. My brothers smoke. All my friends smoke. At parties and at meetings, almost all the men smoke. Here in the United States, not as many people smoke.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}”

Many smokers are like Ali: they want to stop smoking.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  They know it can cause cancer and heart disease. But it is difficult for them to give up smoking because cigarettes have a drug in them. The drug is nicotine. People who smoke a lot need nicotine.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} The nicotine makes him sick. In a few days, the smoker's body is used to the nicotine, and he feels fine. Later, the smoker needs nicotine to keep feeling fine. Without nicotine, he feels bad.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  Many people who quit will soon smoke again. At a party or at work they will decide to smoke “just one” cigarette. Then they will smoke another cigarette, and another. Soon they become smokers again. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

A. It is very hard to quit smoking.

B. Thus nicotine makes smokers addicted to cigarettes.

C. It will be easier to change the smoking habit here.  

D. But it is said that medicine is needed to stop them from smoking.

E. When a person first begins to smoke, he usually feels terrible.

F. Maybe there is only one easy way to quit smoking: never start.

G. The smokers know that smoking is bad for their health.

How to Improve Vocabulary Fast

    Your vocabulary refers to the words in a language you are familiar with. We should learn some ways to expand it.

    Read every day. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Choose reading material that is slightly above your level and keep a dictionary with you to look up words you do not know.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you do not meet with an unfamiliar word in your daily reading, use your dictionary to search for one.

    Learn the correct definition and pronunciation for each new word. Pronunciation is as important as definition because in order to add a word to your active vocabulary, you must be able to use it in speech.

    Elaborate(阐释)on the meaning of the word. Use imagery and personal relevance. If you have just learned that the word “stubborn” , think about the neighbor who will not lend you his car. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Use your new word in speech and in writing. E-mail your sister about how your cat is stubborn about sleeping on your pillow. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} But the more you use it, the more fluent you will become in its use. Soon it will be a regular part of your active vocabulary.

    Tell everyone you are trying to increase your vocabulary. Encourage them to ask you what your latest word is {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.The more you explain the meaning of a word to someone, the more likely you are to remember it.

A. Or let them ask for the definition of a new word you have used.

B. Your vocabulary contains the words you understand.

C. The vocabulary can be increased.

D. Imagine him shaking his head, and think of him as “stubborn in his refusal”.

E. The first time you use a new word in speech it may seem strange.

F. Find a new word every day.

G. The more often you read, the faster your vocabulary can grow.

    You are one of the most familiar faces in class, not because you are funny or have great note-taking abilities but because you ask the most number of questions.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is important to have a good way to ask questions. Here are a few tips for improving your questioning skills:

    Be clear about what you want to know.

    Be clear about what you want to know and frame your question accordingly.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you beat around the bush, your teachers won't be entirely sure what it is that you haven't understood, or need an explanation for.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you are uncertain about a particular subject, make it clear when it is being discussed. If you put your question in context (语境), you can be sure of it. Because questions often open up new avenues within a subject, doing this would benefit the whole class.

    Don't hesitate to talk to your teacher after class.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Therefore, if you feel uncomfortable about asking a question in front of your classmates, wait till the class is over. This will probably put you more at ease.

    Write down your questions.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} They may appear when you're studying, reading or taking notes. Note them down on a piece of paper so that you won't forget to ask them later. This can also make sure that you don't have any unanswered questions when the exam approaches.

A. Don't ask more questions once a time.

B. Questions may appear at any time.

C. Being curious is not a bad quality.

D. You may think it is good to ask no questions.

E. Ask questions related to the context.

F. A question needs to be easy to be understood and to the point.

G. One-to-one interactions (互动) are always much better than one-to-many.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Second,your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test.Third,note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}whenever or however you take notes,keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

    As you take notes,you may want to use your own shorthand(速记).When you do,be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Use words,not complete sentences.

B.There are three practical note-taking methods.

C.You must write your notes on separate paper.

D.Otherwise,you may not be able to read your notes later.

E.You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F.That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

G.First,the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

    Did you ever tell somebody about something that had happened at work or school that day? If so, you were reporting that event．You may think being a reporter means simply getting one's facts straight and telling a story that's of broad, general interest{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    To be a good reporter, you need to be able to read, write, speak and listen effectively{#blank#}2{#/blank#}So making your communication skills the best they can be is quite important if you want to be a good reporter．Keep a notebook or a journal, and remember to practice noting down what happens, whenever and wherever it happens．

    In addition, you should obey the following rules{#blank#}3{#/blank#}When an issue is debatable, do your best to cover both sides．Don't assume things, and never make up details; reporters are supposed to seek and report the facts．Lying, making up stories or quotes, or misquoting someone will damage your credibility(信誉)．

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}As a reporter your job is to report the facts so that others can form their own opinions．Make sure you present all the important details without twisting them to your own viewpoint．

    Generally, a story starts with who, what, where, when, why and how．Build details from there, beginning with the most important information and ending with the least important．By including the most important information first, you allow your editor to cut the back of the story if it runs too long{#blank#}5{#/blank#}You can report on current events, or you can do feature stories, which are usually of a more general interest．

    Carry a camera and a tape recorder so that you have them on hand whenever you need them．Be prepared to turn over your notes．Your news publisher may want to check your information before publishing it．

A. Strive(奋斗) for accuracy.

B. Reporters should practice noting down whatever happens.

C. You also need to be able to ask good questions.

D. Send out stories you find interesting.

E. End with some important information

F. Avoid expressing personal opinions.

G. But actually it's not so easy.

    It's sometimes hard to understand a teenager. It's even harder if a teenager doesn't agree with you.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Listen to what the teenager has to say. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} While you may not entirely agree with what he's saying, the tension will be lessened if the teenager feels like you are listening and trying to understand him. Also, he might return the favor and give you the chance to talk as well. It's best to have a conversation where both of your opinions matter rather than fight and possibly hurt each other in the process.

    Understand that while teenager may appear grown up and perhaps even sound matured, his mind has not fully developed, and he cannot think like an adult all the time. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, this doesn't mean you're completely right or he deserves to be ridiculed or treated like a child.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} However, remember that the teenager should understand when "no" is "no". Avoid bringing up a compromise every time you disagree on something. This might teach him that he can always get away with what he wants, whenever he wants it.

    If the conversation launches into an argument, stop it. Tell him that you both need to calm down and think clearly or the problem will never be solved. If he refuses to listen and continues arguing, step out of the room and allow time for both of you to settle down. Do not scold him or shout back. Your words will possibly be lost on the teenager since you both are too angry to listen to each other. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. He still needs to learn, and he doesn't know everything.

B. Avoid having a bad tone, including accusations in your words.

C. Find the good points the teenager has and mention the negative points too.

D. This article tells you how to disagree with a teenager in a kind manner.

E. People like being listened to, so give him the chance to express his opinion.

F. Come up with a compromise if the situation allows one.

G. Bring up the topic after a while and make sure you listen to each other patiently.