Ways to Find the Happiness in Front of You

    We struggle with war, poverty, global warming. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Famous people have wonderful lives, but you don't, and the "if only's" threaten to win the day: "My life would be sweet if only I were richer, had a better job..."

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}And it doesn't care how much money you have or what the circumstances of your life are. Look through the suggestions on how to look on the bright side and find the happiness in front of you.

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    If I'm feeling low, one of the best ways I know to cheer up is to make a love list. It's simple, just a list of every single person I love. Then I can put it in a pocket to take with me on a tough day, or just keep it in mind as I get on with my life.

Find Lost Friends

    I recently took some time to seek out people that I've lost touch with over the years.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Within 24 hours I had baby pictures and recent histories. But the interesting thing was that all the people I got in touch with had been thinking about contacting me a couple of days before getting my email.

Think Positively

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}I'm not saying your problems are over, but simply looking at the world through rose-colored glasses means that half your problems will look like exciting challenges, and the other half you'll probably realize aren't problems at all, just facts of life.

A. Create a love list

B. But happiness is all around you.

C. Wish upon a star

D. I wonder whether they still remember me.

E. We hear of people getting sick or dying.

F. If you can get optimistic and stay that way, you're sure to succeed.

G. It took only a little time to shoot a few quick emails around the country.

    How do you get a good night's sleep?

    You may put your pillow (枕头) at the proper height, drink a glass of hot milk or maybe listen to some light music before bedtime. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When World Sleeping Day falls on March 21, it will be a good time to explore a long-ignored fact that may make you feel tired after you wake up. Scientists have discovered that the position of your spine (脊椎) is very important when you sleep.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Let's have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each position.

On your back

    Sleeping on your back is the ideal (理想的) position to be in. First of all, your spine is in the best position.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}The downside is the greater likelihood of snoring (打鼾) and sleep apnea (窒息).

Lying on belly

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Dr Vaclav Vojta, a US child development specialist, said this is bad for your back because it takes away the natural curve (曲线) of your lumbar (腰部的) spine. But he also noted that this helps to prevent some snoring and sleep apnea.

On your side

    Sleeping on our sides happened naturally while we were in the womb (子宫).{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Plus, sleeping on your side (the left side in particular) has been reported to reduce troublesome digestive problems like heartburn. The downside is the “dead arm” and finger numbness (麻木) from this position.

A. Lying face down with your legs straight and your arms right by your sides is a bad idea.

B. Sleeping on your side can be a quick fix for snoring and can help to improve breathing.

C. Do you and your friends ever talk about your sleeping position with each other?

D. And a new study suggests that the sleeping position has something to do with it.

E. Of the three sleeping positions, which one do you usually go for?

F. You are also less likely to have digestive (消化的) problems.

G. But one thing you may tend to ignore is sleeping positions.

Common public speaking problems

    The use of "I feel", "I think" and "maybe"

    In the question-and-answer session of the speaking competition, many contestants began their answers with uncertain expressions like "I feel", "I guess", "I hear", "maybe" and "perhaps".

    These words show that the person is only speaking from his or her point of view. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

    Work on keeping your answers brief and to the point, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} . Instead of the empty-sounding "I guess", using facts, together with a clear conclusion based on those facts, is far more likely to be popular with an audience.

    Using only one speaking style

    Don't stick to the same tone. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    For example, when they spoke about their dreams, some sounded romantic. Others used humor. Very few used several different styles together. Try mixing more than one style, rather than just sticking with the same one.

    Irresponsible answers

    Public speaking is different from personal conversations. You're responsible for your words. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} So you should think twice before you talk. Don't be like the student who, when asked about his opinion on book piracy（盗版）, started by saying he supported it.

    Talking around the topic rather than directly answering it

    You should focus on one point and give a clear solution. The key is to work out what question is being asked. Is it asking you to discuss a certain topic or to present your own point of view?

    Use one or two arguments together and give a strong conclusion. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

A. It can be boring. Try to mix it up.

B. Even though you want to answer quickly, you don't want to sound foolish.

C. Also work on delivering them with calmness and confidence.

D. Deliberate gestures and affected（做作的）expressions of feelings are improper in a successful speech.

E. Remember that judges are not judging you on whether they agree, but on your ability to say what you think clearly.

F. This lacks the support of facts and seems not to be reliable for the judges and audience.

G. Confidence is extremely important in public speaking as it lets a speaker sound more convincing.

    To meet the global climate crisis that is approaching, big lifestyle changes are required of those of us. The good news is that our way of life can remain meaningful and worthy as our consumption becomes sustainable(可持续发展的).

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Eat less meat and move toward a plant-based diet. This is one of the most effective things we can do because the food we now produce and consume is destroying the very ecosystems that we depend upon for survival. Here are some of the grim facts.

    The U. S. uses about one-half of its land for agriculture.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, the U. S. uses over 90 million acres of good agricultural land to produce corn, which is mostly fed to livestock(家畜).

    With 7.6 billion people on earth, the demand for food is enormous and constantly on the rise. It's easy to feel we can't make a difference{#blank#}3{#/blank#}We should not ignore the power of the choices we make.

    Even one person can make a big difference by eating less meat and moving toward a plant-based diet and make contributions to the health of the planet as well as your own. Recognize how the food we eat is connected to other living beings. It often helps us make much wiser buying choices.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}This way, we will help people around the world enjoy more eco-friendly and nutritious foods.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}When you change your diet to be more sustainable, you become visible proof that changing our food habits is doable, healthy, and enjoyable.

A. Little things matter in your relationship with the earth.

B. By buying mindfully, we support local, affordable agriculture.

C. But we can change our diet to heal the earth as we heal ourselves.

D. Unfortunately, the majority is used to raise livestock or for crops consumed by them.

E. Your choices create positive impacts on the food system and inspire the people around you.

F. There's one step you can take right away to reduce harm to Mother Earth.

G. We can try to reduce waste by using leftovers and eating the fresh produce we buy.

    I've been keeping an English blog for many years. These practical tips have helped me over the course of my blogging.

    Read quality books, blogs, journals, etc. which are written in English.

    Blogging is not always about writing. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Reading also improves your English comprehension, grammar, spelling, vocabulary and writing.

    Practice helps, so continue writing.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Trying to make a perfect post free from grammar and spelling mistakes is good but you're not making use of your time efficiently.

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    Think about the main points you want to raise. I prepare an outline of my post and a list of the points I want to talk about. Doing this has helped me stay on track and centre on my main points. The outline and the list of points I want to write about serve as my guidelines when I'm writing.

    When writing, use simple words and sentences.

    Using simple sentences makes your job as a blogger easier. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Always remember this: The aim of your writing is to get your message across and the only way to become an effective writer is successfully getting your message across to your readers.

    Write your posts ahead of time.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} To free yourself from the pressure of making a post on daily basis, which might influence your writing, consider making your posts ahead of time.

A. Also, it makes your posts more understandable to your readers.

B. Welcome comments from your blog readers.

C. There are advantages of daily blogging, but if it becomes tiring, forget about it.

D. Don't be afraid of making mistakes.

E. Mistakes can be reduced with the help of your readers.

F. You need to read to be able to write fluently

G. Prepare an outline of your post.

Being a Volunteer

    What can you do to help people? The answer is ——to be a volunteer! Then what is the common opinion of volunteering? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Help yourself by helping others.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It's amazing to know that volunteering can calm you down when you feel upset. Lots of people really enjoy volunteering, because doing volunteer work could make a big difference in their life. So where do you start? School is a good place to start if you are looking for volunteer ideas.

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    Volunteering is a great way to have fun with your family. Talk to your parents, brothers, or sisters and see what they might be interested in. Find something you all agree on. You can do the things as a family like cleaning up a park and planting trees or flowers in your local community(社区).

    Create your own opportunity for your future.

    Kids can come up with their own ways to raise money or provide needed services. You can make and sell products, and donate(捐赠) the money. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Volunteering can also help kids learn important things about their future —— like what kinds of things they will be best at. A volunteer job can even help some kids decide what they want to do when they grow up. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Make a plan to start volunteering today!

A. So what are you waiting for?

B. Things to do with family members.

C. Clean up a school or other public buildings.

D. Volunteering gives kids a sense of responsibility.

E. Why don't you choose to do a job you like best?

F. Volunteering means spending time in helping others.

G. When you volunteer to help others, you are helping yourself.