If you think your vocabulary is weak, a little effort every day over six to nine months can go a long way in improving it. Here are some tips for increasing your vocabulary.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You may be comfortable reading a particular part of the newspaper but make an effort to read different articles on every page. The editorial (社论的) page is highly recommended not only for vocabulary but also for structuring and presenting thoughts.

    Make it a habit to read a new book every week. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. You can consider becoming a member of the local library. Make a list of new words and look up their meanings in the dictionary.

    Watch English movies and television shows. It's an interesting way to enrich your vocabulary. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Use vocabulary cards. Vocabulary cards are used by students who are trying to learn many words in a short time. You can make your own cards by writing the word on one side and the meaning on the other side of a piece of paper. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Use the Internet. The Internet is an unlimited resource for reading material.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You will come across plenty of material to read. The Internet will also introduce you to new words. Be sure to look them up in a dictionary.

A. Read the newspaper every day.

B. Everyone has his own way of choosing books.

C. Vocabulary is important for you to learn English well.

D. Pick up a topic you like and search for articles about it.

E. Besides, by doing this you can learn the correct pronunciation as well.

F. Flash cards are a convenient tool to use to learn new words in your free time.

G. It is not surprising that those who read a lot of books develop good vocabulary.

    The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modem traffic and modern communication means. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Pollution means making things dirty. It comes in many ways. We see it，smell it, drink it and even hear it Man has been polluting the earth.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Many years ago, the problem was not serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, Man moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Manis now slowly polluting the whole world. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It's bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city and from putting dirty smoke into the air. The earth is our home. We must take care of it {#blank#}5{#/blank#}And we must take care of the rise in population at the same time.

A. The more people, the more pollution.

B One of the biggest is pollution.

C. Air pollution is still the most serious.

D. Many countries are making rules to fight pollution.

E That means keeping the land, water and air clean.

F I hope scientists can find ways to solve the serious problem.

G Strange diseases have appeared in some places because of pollution.

    Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language， such as English？{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Be patient.

    You do not have to understand everything all at once. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We can learn from our mistakes.

    Practice your English.

    For example, write in a journal every day. You will get used to writing in English, and you will feel com for table expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks, you will see that your writing is improving.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes, but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    If you believe that you can learn, you will learn.

    Keep a record of your language learning.

    After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it.

    It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will have more confidence in yourself.

A. Write these achievements(成就) in your journal.

B. Besides, you must speak English every day.

C. Making mistakes is an unavoidable part in your life.

D. There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.

E. Share your achievement with your parents and friends.

F. Feel confident(有自信心的) about learning English.

G. It is natural for you to make mistakes when you learn something new.

    When we were kids, if our parents wanted us to stop the screen time, they would turn off the TV. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They grab the cell phone, the tablet or the laptop. Here we will talk about how to control their screen time.

    First, limit the time they use screens. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Kids are smart. Once you go back to your daily routine, they will quickly be back on a screen. Because they just don't understand that when you tell them to get off the tablet or computer, you mean for the rest of the day.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It can be going outside to play, reading a fun book or cleaning their room. Presenting them with an alternative helps the under-developed planning part of their little brains get past what they can't do and see what else is possible.

    And third, hide the screen device. That one may not seem very fair. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If they don't see the device around the house, they can't grab it. This way, works for us adult-types who may be a little too addicted to screens ourselves.

    Ultimately, the best way to help kids recognize how much is too much screen time is to limit our own. Yeah, you may have to stare at one all day for your job, but do you really have to come home and immediately turn on the TV or answer that email on your phone? Don't think your kids aren't taking excuses from your actions. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Second, give them an alternative.

B. So, it's necessary to set a limited time.

C. It may seem easy, but it can be challenging.

D. Now, kids often have a choice of which screen they want.

E. They watch you just as closely as they watch those screens.

F. Now go to find a screen and turn it off, for you and for your kids.

G. But the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” actually works sometimes.

    When things go wrong, many people turn to their friends for comfort and support. Are you the kind of person your friends trust to be there for them when they're feeling down? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You might feel awkward or nervous about comforting a sad friend at first, but with a little practice, you won't have to worry about saying the wrong thing or making the situation worse. When one of your friends is upset, help him/her by being there for him/her, finding the right things to say, and avoiding common mistakes.

    ①{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Comfort your friend according to how upset he/she seems to be. If he/she seems to be very troubled, it may take more effort on your part to help him/her. If something is bothering him/her, but he/she isn't too upset, be there for him/her without overreacting.

    ②Find out what's wrong. Before you say anything try to figure out what the problem is. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. If you try to talk to your friend without knowing the situation first, you could end up with putting your foot in your mouth.

    ③Give your friend a hug. A kind touch will do wonders for your friend, even if you don't know what he/she is upset about. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.You can also pat him/her gently on the shoulder.

    ④Let your friend vent (发泄). If your friend needs to get his/her sadness or anger out, let him/her do. Pay attention and don't interrupt. Encourage him/her to express himself/herself fully.

    ⑤Just listen. Your friend needs someone to listen compassionately to him/her right now, so focus on doing that. Be patient and non-judgmental. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Don't act bored or try to change the subject.

    Credit card debts, loans and overdrawn (透支) accounts — these are costly mistakes you don't want your children to make when they grow up. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} According to Mylene Lopa, a chief marketing officer of Sun Life Financial, you should teach your kids about money as early as possible. Start simple and expose them to the following basic concepts.

    Spending

    Giving your children some pocket money is a good way to teach them how to be responsible. "The money should just be enough to buy them a treat, like a juice or a biscuit. It's for practice more than anything," Mylene says. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Tell your kid he will get a reward if he saves some of that money.

    Saving

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They are always cute and colorful, making saving a fun and positive activity for kids. Encourage your children further by bringing them to the bank and showing them how to manage their savings themselves. It makes them feel more grown-up and they love it," says Mylene.

    Earning

    For children, earning usually comes in the form of gifts they receive for good grades or behavior. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} "Material rewards should be saved for even greater achievements," Mylene advises, "like if they top the class or they really go beyond the call of duty to help." This may let your children know making money is not so easy.

    Along with these basic concepts, another way to teach kids about money is being a good example. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It's hard to teach kids about saving if they see you splurging (挥霍) and borrowing all the time.

A. Be careful when giving them.

B. Buy your children moneyboxes.

C. Make it clear what items the money is for.

D. Set up a fund for your children when they get older.

E. Tell your children to pay a visit to the bank frequently.

F. Teaching your children about money will help them form good habits in life.

G. Avoid borrowing money from other people and use your credit card responsibly.