In many countries of the world, people do what is called housesitting．It means that if owners of the house are going away, they wantsomeone to come into their home and look after the house and maybe pets whilethey are away．

        In Australia, many people travel．After peopleretire, they might buy a van and travel all over the country．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}．

        So if someone wants to travel or go away for some reason, theymight want someone in their home to care for it and keep the gardens tidy．House sittersmight have to care for pets．Also, quite afew people have swimming pools in their back yard and they need cleaning．{#blank#}2{#/blank#}． I feel it isa great way of seeing the country, because you go and stay in a new city, getto meet new people, and have time to go sightseeing in a new area．

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}．There arewebsites where you find the advertisements by people who want to travel, and byreplying to the advertisement, you can make arrangements to go and look aftertheir home．

        There are some requirements to be a house sitter．You must be atrusted person, so that the home owner knows you will not steal anything．You must beable to go when the house owner wants you to go, so you need lots of free time．{#blank#}4{#/blank#}．You need to begood with pets, able to care for cats and dogs, or other pets they may have．

        Some house sitting jobs are just for a few days or a couple ofweeks while the house owners have a short holiday．Sometimes itis for much longer．We have hadone house sit for six months, while the home owner travelled to Europe．

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Then you can travel to many differentcountries and stay there．One of theimportant things to get is references from the home owners where you havestayed． A reference is a written letter to say that you are trustworthyand have looked after their home well．You can showthese letters to possible house sitting jobs and they know you will do a goodjob．

A．I have donehouse sitting many times．

B．Thousands ofpeople do this all the time．

C．It is alsopossible to do house sitting in other countries．

D．Generally youhave many opportunities to get a house sitting job．

E．You must takea little care over what your description says about you．

F．This is aninternational house sitting service for all city and country areas．

G．Youmust have a good car, so you can travel to different parts of the country．

                                                                  Questions you should ask yourself when you fail

    Let's face it.We all fail.The more new things we try the more failures we are likely to have.Experiencing failure can be a learning experience and an opportunity for a fresh start.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} A good way to begin this process is by asking yourself some tough questions.

1．What can I learn from this?

    Take responsibility for what went wrong.OK，so it was not all your fault—but some of it was.Successful people don't make excuses or blame others.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Be critical but constructive.Try to look at the experience objectively.Make a list of the key things that happened.Analyze the list step－by－step and look for the learning points.

2．Do I need to acquire or improve some skills?

    Did the problem reveal some lack of skill on your part? How could you learn or improve those skills? Perhaps there are books or courses or people you could turn to.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

3．Who can I learn from?

    Is there someone whom you can turn to for advice? Did a boss，colleague or a friend see what happened? {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Most people do not ask for help because they believe it to be a sign of weakness rather than strength.It's not.It shows that you are ready to learn and change.Any good friend will be happy to help.

4．What will I do next?

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  Will you try something similar or something different? Revisit your goals and objectives.This reversal has been a setback on your journey but think of it as a diversion rather than a halt.You can now reset your sights on your destination and plan a new course.

A．Now draw up an action plan.

B．Make them stepping stones to future success.

C．They take responsibility of the failure.

D．In fact the only way to avoid failure is to do nothing new.

E．The important thing is how we deal with failure.

F．Make a self－development plan to acquire the skills and experiences you need.

G．If they are constructive and supportive then ask them for some feedback and guidance.

    Does this situation seem familiar to you？Your English is progressing well, the grammar is now familiar, the reading comprehension is no problem, and you are speaking quite fluently.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening is probably the most difficult job for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. The most important thing is to listen as often as possible.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The Internet is really a useful tool for English students. You can download The RealPlayer from RealMedia.com.The RealPlayer allows you to use the Internet like a radio station.

    Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated(受阻) by limited understanding.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Here is some of the advice I give my students：

    Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.

    Stay relaxed when you do not understand, and try listening to the material for more times.

    Do not translate everything into your native language.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Don't concentrate on details before you have understood the main ideas.

    Listen to something you enjoy.

    I remember the problems I had in understanding spoken German when I first went to Germany. In the beginning, when I didn't understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This method usually resulted in confusion.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Firstly, translating creates a barrier between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm, I noticed that even if I didn't pay much attention I could usually understand what the speaker had said.

A．Then, after the first six months, I discovered two extremely important facts.

B．But listening is a problem for most of the beginners.

C．But you can't follow a native English speaker at all!

D.  However, after several weeks, I got used to the new environment in Germany.

E．So, what you need to do is to find listening resources.

F．What should you do?

G．Listen for the general idea of the conversation.

How to Make Friends

    It can be difficult to make friends living in a big city, especially when you don't know many people. However, over years of experience and studying social skills, I have discovered that it's possible to make friends without even trying. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒈Be seen without trying to get attention.

    You don't have to say anything interesting to get people's attention, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This can be done anywhere you go, such as the supermarket or your yoga studio.

    ⒉{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    There's an interesting phenomenon that occurs when you listen to other people. They will keep talking. Just keep giving them good eye contact and show with your body language that you care. Listening is an instant way to build trust and likeability.

    ⒊Think about what you can give to the other people.

    We often think about what we can get from others when we try to make friends. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Try offering a piece of helpful advice or invite someone you just met to grab coffee or lunch with you the following week.

    ⒋Always have some good stories to tell other people.

    When you have at least a few stories to share with others, you'll never run out of things to talk about. Try to be honest to share your stories with others. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    ⒌Smile like there's no tomorrow.

    It may not be natural for some of us to smile, but a smile is one of the most attractive things that someone can display when they're meeting new people.

A. However, that thinking needs to be changed.

B. All you have to do is place yourself in environments where people will see you.

C. Don't ever stop thinking about how you can add value to yourself.

D. There are just a few strategies that you have to use on a consistent basis.

E. Try to be involved in conversation.

F. Use the power of listening.

G. For example, you can share a story about a struggle or challenge.

    Snowblind--it's a frightening word. Thankfully, it's a condition that is totally preventable.

    Snow blindness is a painful, temporary loss of vision due to overexposure to the sun's UV rays. Essentially, snow blindness is caused by a sunburned eye.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Though it is commonly called snow blindness, the condition can (and often does) occur in the absence of snow.

    The terms "snowblind" and "snow blindness" have become popular because snow is highly reflective of ultraviolet radiation. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Also, skiing, mountain climbing and snowboarding usually take place at relatively high altitudes, where the sun's UV rays are stronger. Combined, these factors can double your risk of getting sunburned eyes, compared with being outdoors at lower altitudes in the summertime.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Television journalist Anderson Cooper experienced snow-free snow blindness first-hand a few years ago when he spent a couple hours on a boat in Portugal without sunglasses and ended up "blind for 36 hours," according to his report of the incident.

    Not only can you become snowblind without snow-- it can happen without sunlight, too! {#blank#}4{#/blank#}For example, sun lamps can cause temporary "snow" blindness if proper eye protection is not used.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}To relieve pain or discomfort from snow blindness, stay indoors and wear sunglasses. Keep your eyes well-moistened with artificial tears. For additional relief, use over-the-counter pain relievers. Be sure to use only pain relievers you know you can take without worry of an allergic reaction. You also may find that placing a cool, dampened washcloth over your closed eyelids is comforting.

A. You don't need snow to become snowblind

B. It will likely affect those traveling in snowy conditions

C. To prevent snow blindness on the slopes, wear sunglasses

D. Sometimes it occurs from man-made sources of ultraviolet radiation

E. In fact, snow can reflect over 80 percent of the UV rays that fall upon it

F. Snow blindness is scary, but usually it's temporary, and there are ways to relieve the discomfort

G. But water and white sand also are highly reflective of the sun's UV rays, thus increasing the risk

    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.