Snow falls in the Earth's extreme North and South throughout the year. However, the heaviest snowfalls have been reported in the mountains of other areas during winter. Snow is even known to fall near the Equator (赤道), but only on the highest mountains.

    Snow contains much less water than rain, but much of the water the world uses comes from snow. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In the western United States, mountain snow provides up to seventy-five percent of all surface water supplies.

    Snowfall helps to protect plants and some wild animals from winter weather. Fresh snow is made largely of air trapped among the snow crystals (晶体). Because the air has trouble moving, the movement of heat is limited. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The surface of the snow takes in, or absorbs, sound waves. As snow grows older or if there have been strong winds, it can become hard and flat. Then, the snow's surface will help to send back sound waves.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people. Many people die in traffic accidents on roads covered with snow and ice or from being seriously stuck in the winter storm. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    People may not be able to avoid living in areas where it snows often. However, they can avoid becoming victims of snowstorms. People should stop driving and stay at home until the storm has passed. People living in these areas should carry emergency supplies in their vehicle. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. These include food, emergency medical supplies, and extra clothing to stay warm and dry.

B. Snow also influences the movement of sound waves.

C. Melting snow provides water for rivers, electric power stations and agricultural crops.

D. Mountain snowfall is heavier than that in the South and the North Poles.

E. In many places, streets were blocked; houses fell down and supplies were short.

F. Others die from heart attacks caused by too much physical activity out in the cold.

G. Snow may be beautiful, but it can be deadly.

    You may use banknotes every day. But did you know that there is a lot of science behind the money? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Australia was the first country to use polymer(聚合物）banknotes in 1988. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

They can stop water from making them wet. They are also cleaner because bacteria don't grow easily on them.

Now, the Australians have improved their banknotes again by creating a new 5-dollar note. The new one has a clear window in the middle in which there are pictures of an Australian bird and a building. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Tilt (倾斜）the note a little and you will see the bird flapping its wings as if trying to fly away. Turn the note from side to side and you will notice the building come to life and spin. While these features are impressive and entertaining, that was not the reason why the Australian Government spent ten years perfecting them. Their primary purpose was to make it impossible to fake a banknote.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The new $ 5 bill now has a raised bump alongside the two long edges, enabling the blind or those with limited vision, to quickly determine its value.

The Australian government will give the new 10-dollar note the same features in a year's time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Note makers still have a long way to go.

B. Other notes will have them in the future.

C. The magic of the new features lies in them.

D. They have many advantages over paper notes.

E. The new Australian 5-dollar note is a good example.

F. The new note is also the first touchable Australian banknote.

G. Their material and pattern set them apart from ordinary banknotes.

    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 arid 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.

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    Note any questions or idea 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.

A．Slow Down Your Life

B．Escape Now and Then

C．Separate Your Actions

D．Allow Yourself to Be Weak

E．Relieve Pressure by Firmly Saying “No”

F．Stop Expecting Everything to Be Perfect

How to Simplify Your Life

    Less is more. This is why we say: reduce things by half instead of doubling them, get rid of junk instead of piling it up, relax instead of stressing, slow down instead of speeding up. Apply these principles in your everyday life in a conscious way. You will then find yourself well along on your journey to simplification.

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    When you concentrate on one task, you find you have energy that you didn't even know you had. Just imagine: you are at a fair and you have to carry two heavy pigs over 100 yards. If you keep grabbing one and then the other, it will take forever, because one of them will keep slipping out from under your arm and running off. But if you tie one pig in a place, pick up the other, gather all your strength and make a dash for the finish line, pause for a moment, run back and get the other one, and with great determination, carry the second pig to the finish line, then you can be sure of success.

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    The pressure at work is on the increase in all occupations. In the modern nuclear family, the expectations that formerly would have been shared among all the relatives are now concentrated on the individual partner.

If you have the feeling that 24 hours per day are not enough for all the things you need to do, then it's not because the day has too few hours, but because you have too many activities. A simple fact that overloaded people often tend to forget. The solution is equally simple: refuse to accept so many work assignments in your private life or your working life.

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     “I can handle stress” is regarded as a positive statement in the world of work. People who can handle stress are given more and more to cope with—until one day they break.

    Pay careful attention to the signs that tell you that you are under more stress than you can cope with. These signals can come from various areas of life. You become ill, or your work efficiency decreases.

If you have any of these symptoms, change your life goals and decrease your tolerance of stress. Say quite openly, “I can't manage that.”

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     “If only I were slimmer, more beautiful, richer, more clever, then I would be happier.” This is a dream that makes a lot of people ill, depressed, and unhappy. Life has its flaws, defects, corners, and edges. Only those who accept this reality can lead a really full life.

Of course there are activities in which errors are dangerous：driving a car, crossing the road. But life doesn't consist entirely of these things. In among them there is a lot of room for small and large mistakes.

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    Successful people all have their own places where they can withdraw in order to work. Find out which places improve your creativity. For me it's the train. When I know that I'm going to be traveling for four hours without phone calls and people knocking on my door, I find my mind is free and I can read or write complex articles. There can be problems working on the train, of course: if the person sitting opposite you keeps talking away, or if train trips make you tired(some people fall asleep after a few miles)．

    Speaking English is not only about using proper grammar.To use English effectively,you need to understand the culture in which it is spoken.Here are a number of important tips to remember when speaking English in the United States.

    Conversation tips.

    Talk about location{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When speaking to strangers,ask them where they are from and then make a connection with that place.For example:“Oh,I have a friend who studied in Los Angeles.He says it's a beautiful place to live in.”  Most Americans will then willingly talk about their experiences living or visiting that particular city or area.

    Talk about work{#blank#}2{#/blank#}It's not considered impolite and is a popular topic of discussion between strangers.

    Talk about sports.Americans love sports!{#blank#}3{#/blank#}When speaking about football,most Americans understand “American Football”,not soccer.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Many Americans prefer first names.Americans often prefer using first names,even when dealing with people in very different positions.Americans will generally say,“Call me Tom.”and then expect you to remain on a first name basis.

    Public behavior.

    Always shake hands.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This is true for both men and women.Other forms of greeting such as kissing on the cheeks is generally not appreciated.

    Smoking is out!Smoking,even in public places,is strongly disapproved of by most Americans in the modem United States.

A.Addressing people.

B.Talking with people.

C.However,they love American sports.

D.Americans love to talk about location.

E.Americans commonly ask “What do you do?” .

F.Americans prefer to make friends with foreigners.

G.Americans shake hands when greeting each other.

    As most of us know, talking and listening don't go smoothly every time. Will parents take you seriously, believe what you say, listen to and respect your opinions? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But some of what happens depends on you, too. Since communication is a two-way street, the way you talk can influence how well a parent listens and understands you. So here are some guidelines to consider when talking to parents:

    Be clear and direct. Be as clear as you can about what you think, feel, and want.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} They can listen better or be more helpful if they understand what you mean and what's really going on.

    Be honest. If you're always honest, a parent will be likely to believe what you say. If you sometimes hide the truth or add too much drama, parents will have a harder time believing what you tell them. If you lie, they'll find it hard to trust you.

    Try to understand their point of view. If you have a disagreement, can you see your parents' side?{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Telling parents you understand their views and feelings helps them be willing to see yours, too.

    Try not to argue or complain. Using a tone that's friendly and respectful makes it more likely parents will listen and take what you say seriously.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you think your emotions might get the better of you, do something to blow off steam before talking: Go for a run. Cry.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Do whatever it takes to sound calm when you need to.

A. Hit your pillow.

B. If you can, say so.

C. A lot depends on your parents.

D. Think twice before you make a decision.

E. Your parents won't always see things your way.

F. Give details that can help parents understand your situation.

G. Of course, this is hard for any of us when we're feeling heated about something.