Idioms are one of the hardest parts of learning a language. For those of you who don't know, an idiom is a phrase which has a meaning, but if you translate it word for word, it sometimes makes no sense at all. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Get your act together

    This might be something your teacher says to you if you score badly in an exam or if you misbehave in class. It means you need to improve your behavior or work.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Yes, it's longer and more difficult to say than “I'm sick.” But if your English teacher asks you why you haven't done your homework, he or she is more likely to forgive you if you say that you were feeling under the weather.

    It's a piece of cake

    I don't know why this means what it does, but sometimes you just have to accept that English people use the phrase. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Break a leg

    This is perhaps one of the most confusing yet well-known English idioms. If someone says this to you, do not take offence or think they are threatening you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is most often used for people wishing success to actors and actresses before they perform on the stage, but it can be said in other situations, too.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It's definitely not a piece of cake, especially when there are so many confusing idioms. However, with enough hard work and interest, you will succeed in no time. Break a leg!

A. It shows it's so easy.

B. Pull yourself together.

C. I'm feeling under the weather.

D. They are just wishing you luck.

E. Try your best to use them in various situations.

F. All in all, learning a new language can be challenging.

G. Here are four common English idioms that you can use in a variety of situations.

    According to a study conducted in 2010, about 39 % companies had blocked employee access to Facebook. They think some employees spend their entire day sitting glued to Facebook, updating and commenting, which has a negative effect on their work. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some reasons are listed why employees should be allowed access to Facebook.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Employees may be working hard to find a particular solution, but cannot come up with anything. Browsing through Facebook can help them gel inspired to find solutions in a different way and be successful at it.

    Blocking access to Facebook means that the employer doesn't trust the employees. People are dissatisfied with the company if they're not allowed access to Facebook. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Therefore, allowing access to Facebook means that the employees are given a certain amount of freedom.

    Today many companies have pages on Facebook which they use for spreading news and something about products. If Facebook pages arc blocked in an office, how will employees like or share something from the company page? Employees can also interact with each other through Facebook. It creates a sense of bonding and they get along well with each other. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Many talented professionals don't like to join places where Facebook is blocked, and thus companies may lose talented employees.

    As far as I'm concerned, whether an organization should ban Facebook depends largely on factors like its culture, type of work, Internet policy, business goals, etc. As far as the employees are concerned, most of them will be in support of allowing access to Facebook. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. However, their banning isn't widely accepted.

B. People hold different attitudes towards Facebook now.

C. People who have special skills are interested in Facebook.

D. Keeping in touch through it helps in improving their relations.

E. So the company should take the employees, interest into account.

F. In order to keep people active, essential that they are kept happy.

G. Firm, they think it's necessary to take a break after working for hours.

    Reading books is one of the best hobbies. It not only helps you pass your time but also helps you increase your knowledge in a meaningful manner. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here we will give you a few tips that can help you.

    Fall into the habit of borrowing books to read.

    This is a very old school practice but still it can be highly effective. When you borrow a book, there is obviously a deadline set. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Read everywhere.

    Keep a book in your bag and read it anywhere you go. This will help you to pass your time in a very productive manner. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Anyway, you can read your book 24 hours a day.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    This can easily be described as a new school technique. You can read out to your brother or sister and this will enable you to finish your book as well as increase the knowledge and understanding of your brother or sister.

    Choose your books very carefully.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Thus choose your books very carefully in order to enjoy your time and also finish your book effectively. If you choose a good book that can keep you interested for a longer period of time, there is no way that you are going to leave it incomplete.

A. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the reading habit.

B. Realize the importance of reading books.

C. Read out to someone else.

D. Find an excuse to read every day just by visiting book clubs.

E. This can encourage you to read it often to finish the book on time.

F. It doesn't matter whether you are traveling or are about to sleep.

G. Yes, life is too short to read a book that doesn't impress you.

    My mother is a diligent and kind woman. She is very busy from morning till night. As a teacher, she works hard. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Both my brother and I love her dearly as she loves us.

    My mother has been teaching math at a middle school in my hometown. She goes to work early in the morning and does not return home until in the late afternoon. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} She treats them with patience and teaches them well. For her excellent quality and very good teaching results, she has been elected as a model teacher several times.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Every day, when she comes back home from work, she sets about doing housework, sweeping the living room and bedrooms or cleaning the furniture, and putting everything in good order. She seems to be busy all the time. As she has been very busy working every day, she looks older than her age. But she looks as cheerful and happy as ever. Mother never buys expensive dresses for herself, but she often buys some inexpensive but high quality clothes for us. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} She just eats a plain meal outside when she is too busy to cook herself. She lives a busy yet simple life, without any complaints.(抱怨)

    Often she says to us, "work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy. If you do not work, you will become lazy and be of no use to society". What a piece of good advice this is! {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This advice of hers will always serve as a guide to my behavior. My mother is great indeed, and I always feel proud of her.

A. She enjoys listening to classic music.

B. As a mother, she takes good care of us and gives us every comfort.

C. She loves her students and cares for them.

D. She never goes to expensive restaurants to enjoy meals.

E. My mother is hard-working and never wastes money.

F. I never forget it and always bear it in my mind.

G. Can you tell us something about your mother?

About 5% of all children experience anxiety over school. Not only can this affect their education, but it can also be difficult for you, especially if you have to take time off work because your child won't go to school. Luckily, there are tips that can help you.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Speak with your child to find out why he is anxious. Your child may have a clear-cut reason for not wanting to attend school and knowing what it is that may help you to ease his anxiety. If your child cannot or will not explain the issue, talk with his teacher, who may also be able to help you develop a solution. What also deserves your attention is any recent change at home that may be causing anxiety. Common changes can be such as moving, the loss of a pet, or a divorce. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Encourage your child to return to school

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}He may lack the courage to go back to school. So, when you intend to encourage your child, don't ask your child how he feel or place emphasis on his anxiety. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Wake your child up at the same time each morning, and encourage him to do the same things in the same order each day. If your child refuses to go to school one day, it's important to avoid anything that makes him want to do it again.

Promote self-confidence

This can be achieved in several ways. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Try to get him involved in a club or activity that he can do outside of school hours, or at least arrange a few play dates for your child to help him see that being with other kids is fun. So, your child gets the confidence in joining others. Apart from that, teach your child self-comfort techniques so he may benefit from knowing how to calm himself down. All these do help him build self-confidence.

A. They may have affected your child

B. Identify the cause of your child's anxiety

C. Make him forget about what makes him anxious

D. Instead, develop a routine to make your child feel safe

E. Encourage your child to participate in more social activities

F. As your child is not grown-up, he may have been trying to escape from it

G. When the cause of anxiety is found, you may consider inspiring your child

How to Limit Your Environmental Impact While Travelling

Travelling unlocks a world of endless possibilities and adventures, allowing us to hike through breathtaking landscapes, encounter kangaroos and deer in their natural habitat, and witness the power of volcanoes. However, tourism can also be harmful to the environment. Increased plastic waste and noise pollution can damage ecosystems.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

Try to travel by land instead of air.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, it is typically one of the most polluting forms of transport. Taking the train or driving in some countries may be better options. For example, if you're heading to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, driving for around four hours emits (排放) around 75% less CO₂ compared to the one-hour flight (provided you have several friends with you).

Be a responsible hotel guest.

A typical hotel uses about 73,000 gallons of water per year. Laundering towels (洗熨毛巾) is an energy-and-water-consuming process. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. By doing so, you'll reduce your environmental impact.

Make the most of safe tap water (自来水).

Drinking tap water may come as a shock to many travellers.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}, avoid bottled options. Not only are they more expensive, but they have a higher level of pollution compared to treated tap water. Instead, carry a bottle and refill it wherever you can.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. When visiting different destinations, we should recognize the importance of protecting the natural beauty. We mustn't throw rubbish everywhere. And we should avoid activities that may harm wildlife. Additionally, supporting local conservation efforts, such as participating in community-led clean-up projects, can make a positive impact on the local environment.

A. Respect the local environment

B. Explore with big tour companies

C. While air travel can often be quicker

D. The airlines still have 2,100 new planes on order

E. But when you're in countries where tap water is safe to consume

F. Thankfully, there are ways to limit our impact on the environment

G. Thus many hotels often put up signs asking you to re-use your towels