You don't need to travel far away to write a travel diary.Your writing can start with a family vacation or a weekend get away.All you need is a destination or a place of departure（出发）!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Your trip journal can begin before your trip has started.Use your journal to start planning the things you want to do.It can be a cool restaurant where you want to eat,a hike you want to go on or different sights you want to see.

    Write about what you imagine it will be.Sometimes when you travel,your destination is wildly different from what you expected.Maybe you expected the local food to be bad and it turned out to be delicious.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Maybe you thought you would not be comfortable with the climate while you adapted to it.Whatever,tr)r to write it down before you arrive.It will be interesting to compare these predictions to what you have actually experienced.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.It is always easier to remember things when they are fresh in your brain,but it may be diluted（淡化）with time going by.So try to write as much as you can during traveling every day if you can.Your journals don't have to be long,but letting them express your feelings is the most important or exciting.

    Add pictures to your journal.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Combining pictures with your first-hand accounts of what they represent,or what happened when they were taken,will make for（有助于）a better travel journal.

    Write about your trip after you leave.It is important to reflect on your travels,so you can have a new understanding.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Ask a parent for help.

B.Use your journal to plan your trip.

C.Get prepared for your travel journal.

D.Write as much as you can during your trip.

E.Maybe you imagined the town to be smaller than it actually is.

F.This is also a great way to learn about yourself and other people you have travelled with.

G Even though your journal is meant for writing,pictures are still worth a thousand words.

    Making decisions when shopping is often a tough call. Even if you're satisfied with the first dress you try on, would you go on looking for alternatives, comparing styles and prices , until dropped dead?

    Psychology researchers have studied how people make decisions and concluded there are two basic styles. " Maximizers"  like to take their time and weigh a wide range of choices, sometimes every possible one —before  choosing." Satisficers" would rather be fast than thorough

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}So even if they see what would seem to meet their requirements, they can't make a decision until after they've examined every option to make sure that they're making the best possible choice. Researchers followed 548 job-seeking college seniors at 11 schools from October through their graduation in June. They found that the maximizers landed better jobs.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    "The maximizers is kicking himself because he can't examine every choice and at some point had to just pick something, " they say." Maximizers make best decisions and end up feeling bad about hem{#blank#}3{#/blank#}"

    Satisficers also have high standards, but they are happier than maximizers. Maximizers tend to be more depressed and to report a lower satisfaction  with life, his research found.

    Faced with so many choices in our lives, we need to learn how not to waste time and energy on our decision- making.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}For instance, if you're picking a restaurant for lunch meeting, first deciding on a certain part of town or type of cuisine can narrow your choices.

    Once you've arrived at a decision,stick with it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}To limit the number of choices you can set a time for decision-making. Say you are buying a new bag, you could spend an amount of time studying features, price and value but if you give yourself only five minutes to make a decision,and there are only bags you can consider, you'll save time.You'll be happier with your decision, too.

A.Firstly, decrease your range of choices.

B.Maximizers are people who want the best.

C.Just accept no decision is ever completely perfect.

D.Comparing is often a must when you make a decision.

E.Satisficers make good decisions and end up feeling good.

F. The other is to make decisions more accurately at the beginning.

G.Their starting salaries were 20 percent higher but they felt worse about their jobs.

    There are some people who seem to always be surrounded by friends, and there are others who always seem to be standing on the outside, looking in at the crowds of friends. If you are one of the outsiders, it is time to break out of your shell and start making new friends. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒈Be yourself. Nobody likes a phony(虚伪的人). In fact, if you aren't yourself, others won't become friends with you. When the time comes that you feel comfortable enough to act like yourself again, you may not be well received, because you are a totally different person.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Use technology. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For instance, Weibo is a great place to meet new people. It creates experiences and you get to meet like-minded people who share your interests.

    ⒊Start with people you know. Reach out and contact new friends, and reconnect with old friends you haven't seen in a long time. Don't forget about friends of friends. You may connect with some really cool people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you stay home, you aren't going to meet people.

    ⒋Keep in touch. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} With the Internet and social media, there is absolutely no need to worry about that these days. Look up old friends and contact them.

A. There are all kinds of online groups that you can join.

B. Knowing others well is very important.

C. Therefore, let people get to know the real you.

D. If you are invited to go out, go.

E. All too often, people lose touch with one another.

F. Here are some tips that will help.

G. You need to trust yourself, whatever happens.

Five steps to better handwriting

    Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it's time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five steps that really work!

    Get a great grasp

    Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.

    Let the lines be your guide

    Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.

    Slow down

    If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it's hard to control where you stop and start your letters.

    Lower the pressure (压力)

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don't hold the pencil too tightly.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it's not schoolwork, you're still using the skills you need to control your pen better.

A. Play games

B. Ask for more advice

C. So "a" should be half the height of a capital "A".

D. You've been writing since you were a little kid.

E. Some kids press down really hard when they write.

F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting.

G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the base of your thumb.

    What is a big dream? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Or, is a big dream something that provides only entertainment? Children dream big dreams, but there are three barriers to realizing dreams. They often kill dreams before children ever have a chance to grow.

    The self

    Immediately following the birth of a big dream, a negative self-talk takes over and gives all the reasons why it can't happen. This inside voice is the ego (自我). It is there for protecting and should be listened to. Sometimes it is right, but more often it is wrong. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That's why only a handful of people make their dreams come true.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    Family and friends are a lot like the ego. They want to protect those they love, so they will often list all the reasons why the big dreams won't come true. Sometimes, family and friends destroy dreams of those they love most, out of their own fear of being left behind.

    The world

    If one gets past the first two barriers, one has to face the world. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In the past, big dreamers were locked up and sometimes even killed when they were shown to the world. Fortunately, in most of the world today, big dreamers just get laughed at.

    The way to realize a big dream is with confidence and action. When children have confidence and then take action, they will be ready to accept any failure. The truth is that every great dreamer whose dreams have never seen the light of success knows failure well. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

A. How big dreams die

B. Family and friends

C. They simply fail until they succeed.

D. Does a big dream show one's future?

E. Most people are influenced by the inside voice.

F. It is the last and the most terrible barrier.

G. And their big dream is to be a rock star or a famous artist.

    Earthquakes are among the most destructive (破坏性的)natural disasters. It can strike without warning. The earthquake safety tips below will increase your chances of surviving an earthquake.

    If you are indoors, stay there. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk or a strong table. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You can also get to a corner formed by two walls with your arms over your head. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, or hanging objects.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Don't take shelter under a tree, street lights, electric poles or tall buildings. Run to open spaces and move away from the nearby buildings to avoid anything falling on you. Remember that most of the people who die in earthquakes are killed by falling buildings, broken glass and flying objects.

    If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You should also avoid stopping on or under bridges. Stay in your car.

    If you are in the event of getting trapped in ruins during an earthquake, don't panic. Instead, cover your mouth with a piece of clothing. Use your cellphone to call for help if possible. Don't shout. Shouting can cause you to breathe in dust. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Be prepared for aftershocks. They can happen in the first hours after the earthquake. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Therefore, if you are not in a safe place after the first shock, you should move quickly but carefully to a safer place.

A. Try to move about or kick up dust.

B. This can protect you from falling objects.

C. If you are outdoors, move to the nearby buildings.

D. However, sometimes they even happen months later.

E. Avoid stopping under power lines, trees and large signs.

F. If you happen to be outside during an earthquake, move to an open area.

G. Try to gain the attention of the rescuers by tapping on a nearby wall or pipe.