Save Your Time, Money and Stress with Savvy (懂行，悟性）Rental Car Strategies

    Renting a car can be expensive, confusing, and stressful — but it doesn't have to be. Here are several helpful strategies to save money, time, and stress on your next (and every) car rental.

Sign Up for Loyalty Programs

    Rental car loyalty programs are free to join, so register for any programs you might use in the future. My favorite car rental loyalty program benefit is that I can skip the counter and head right to my reserved car. Some programs allow members to choose a car from the available pool. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Optimize Your Strategy

    Do you really need a rental car from the airport? For instance, if your flight arrives at night, take a free hotel shuttle and pick up your car the next day. The car rental location might even be at your hotel or can pick you up (or deliver the car to you).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

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    For a city trip, you may not even need a rental car. Research whether mass transit（运输）, taxi, Uber, bike rental, and other transportation methods will suffice(足够）. Parking charges at downtown hotels may cost more than your car rental rate, so it may be doubly in your favor to give up a rental car. In some locations, a bike might be more efficient and economical than a car.

 Search for Specials

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In conjunction（结合）with your personal discount code, you may also find a last-minute rate, free rental day, or other promotion. My favorite annual travel deal is driving a car one-way out of Florida after Spring Break with rates as low as $1 per day.

Consider Alternative Rental Options

    Major car rental companies might have an associated discount brand at your rental location, like Firefly for Hertz.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

    An independent or smaller local agency may fit your needs; like A1 or Lucky Owl in Honolulu. Many people prefer to check rates on Hotwire and Priceline, especially for last-minute rentals.

A．Rental rates are likely lower away from the airport, plus you might save the cost of an entire rental day.

B．I use discount-finding websites to track my car reservations.

C．Smaller brands, like Thrifty and Fox, might offer better service and lower rates.

D．In addition to saving time and offering freedom of choice, loyalty members earn points and receive special promotions.

E．Check car rental company websites for current specials.

F．Skip the Car

G．Use a bike

    My mother is a hard-working 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 late in the 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.

    Often she says to us, “work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy and gay. 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?

    In an online class, developing healthy patterns of communication with professors is very important. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} While I have only listed two of each, there are obviously many other situations that can arise. Students should be able to extend the logic（逻辑）of each to their particular circumstance.

    Do's

    •{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Questions about subject content are generally welcomed. Before asking questions about the course design, read the syllabus（教学大纲）and learning management system information to be sure the answer isn't hiding in plain sight.

    •Participate in discussion forums（论坛）， blogs and other open-ended forums for dialogue. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Be sure to stay on topic and not offer irrelevant information. Make a point， and make it safe for others to do the same.

    Don'ts

    •Don't share personal information or stories. Professors are not trained nurses, financial aid experts or your best friends. If you are in need of a deadline extension, simply explain the situation to the professor. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    •Don't openly express annoyance at a professor or class. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When a student attacks a professor on the social media，the language used actually says more about the student. If there is truly a concern about a professor's professionalism or ability, be sure to use online course evaluations to calmly offer your comments.

A. If more information is needed, they will ask.

B. Below are some common do's and don'ts for online learners.

C. That's what they are for.

D. Ask questions, but make sure they are good, thoughtful questions.

E. Everyone has taken a not-so-great class at one time or another.

F. Turn to an online instructor for help.

G. Remember that online professors get a lot of emails.

    Today it is common to see people who walk about with colored wires hanging from their ears wherever they go. They move about in their personal bubbles, sometimes unaware of what's happening around them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Outside life is shut out. So are you one of them"?

    For me; walking around in my own personal bubble is perfect. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}What's even better, wearing earphones seems to give a signal to people which says; "I'm not available for chatting at the moment!"

    Suppose, you're at work and about to make an incredible breakthrough, but a colleague suddenly turns up. At this precise moment, the slightest disturbance would break your concentration.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Once again, those wires hanging from your ears would be sure to give that "Go away!" signal.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It's probably part of the growing up stage when they just want to ignore their whole family. While their mothers give them lectures about why they should do their ' Yes. Mum." Problem solved.

    Pretty soon, not only will we have pretty colored wires hanging from our ears-but also our brains will be directly plugged into some new high-tech instruments. We'll be in a virtual (虚拟的) world, communicating with everyone else, or choosing not to, as we like. In this world, we will all be permanently plugged in.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}And they are changing our social habits along the way.

    In the end, there is a thin line between using technology as a tool for making life better and being a slave to it! It's so strange-suddenly, I don't feel like wearing my earphones anymore.

A.Our instruments are changing quickly.

B.I also have wires hanging from my ears.

C.In the home situation, teenagers love these wires.

D.I don't have to deal with the noise from the environment.

E.After all, I am listening to my favorite music and would rather not be disturbed.

F.Listening to music through earphones is the perfect way to ignore such interruptions.

G.They walk around in their own spaces, with their personal "digital noise reduction systems".

    When everything goes wrong, always look at what you have, instead of what you have lost. Because it's not what the world takes away from you that counts; it's what you do with what you have left.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Pain is part of growing.

    Sometimes life closes doors because it's time to move forward. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}When times are tough, remind yourself that no pain comes without a purpose. Remember that there are two kinds of pain: pain that hurts and pain that changes you. When you roll with life, instead of resisting it, both kinds help you grow.

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    Every time you get hurt, you heal. After darkness there is always light – you are reminded of this every morning, but still you often forget, and instead choose to believe that the night will last forever. It won't. Nothing lasts forever.

    Complaining changes nothing.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It's always better to attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed. It's not over if you've lost; it's over when you do nothing but complain about it. If you believe in something, keep trying. Don't let the shadows of the past darken the doorstep of your future.

    The best thing you can do is to keep going.

Don't be afraid to get back up—-to try again, to love again, to live again, and to dream again. Don't let a hard lesson harden your heart. Life's best lessons are often learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes. There will be times when it seems like everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Everything in life is temporary.

B. And even if you fall short, keep going.

C. Your scars are symbols of your strength.

D. Those who complain the most, accomplish the least.

E. Here are a few tips to inspire you when you need it most.

F. That's a good thing because we often won't move unless life forces us to.

G. When you feel like quitting, remember that sometimes things can be right eventually.

The Adoption Option

There are many wonderful pets looking for new homes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. The following is some advice about introducing a rescue dog into your life.

●Choose wisely

No matter how cute a dog is, it's important not to let the heart rule the head when choosing a rescue dog. People naturally love puppies, but mature dogs are a great choice for many people. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. The dog's personality and size are usually apparent, so there should be no surprises.

●{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

That a dog is available for adoption doesn't mean they are automatically a problem dog. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. However, some may exhibit unruly（难以驾驭的）behavior due to a lack of training. It's important not to confuse a lack of training with more serious behavioral issues. Good shelters and rescue groups will have every dog assessed by a qualified behavioral trainer to identify potential problem behaviors.

●Coming home

Arriving in a new home can be stressful for an adult dog. For many dogs you will have to take a trial-and-error approach to understanding what they like, what makes them feel secure and what they fear. You had better gradually expose your rescue dog to a range of different experiences and other dogs to judge and manage their behavior appropriately. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. In this way, they will have company and can be supervised in the early stages.

A. What to expect

B. What you see is what you get

C. Common problems and special behaviors

D. Adoption provides a pet that second chance

E. Many rescue dogs are well trained and well behaved

F. Most of these issues can be overcome with good training

G. Therefore, it's wise to get time off work when the dog arrives