People have been making and flying kites for about 2,000 years. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some historians believe it the ancient Chinese may have started kite flying 2000 years ago. It is still a popular hobby in China, Japan and Korea and in other countries of the Far East where beautifully decorated appear in different colors.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Simple kites are made by crossing two sticks and covering them with paper or cloth. Then you attach a string at the end. More expensive kites have frames made of fiberglass, plastic or aluminum. The name comes from a graceful bird called kite.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}A flat kite is the oldest and simplest type of kite.  It flies because air flows over and under the kite's wing. The pressure under the wing helps the kite lift into the air.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Early scientists sent kites up into the air to measure temperature at different heights. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin used a kite to prove that lightning was a form of electricity. He attached a metal key to the string of a kite. When lightning hit the kite, electricity passed down the string and Franklin got an electric shock. It was a very dangerous experiment that you shouldn't copy.

    Kites were also used to develop airplanes. The Wright Brothers experimented with kites before they flew the first airplane. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In World War I the Germans developed a large kite that could transport people to a submarine. Kites were also used to carry radio signals over long distances.

    Today most people fly kites as a hobby. Kite festivals are organized in many cities in all parts of the world.

A. Kites are made in many different sizes, colors and shapes.

B. flying kites is great fun and it is easy if you know some secrets.

C. Kites have also been used in experiments.

D. No one knows for sure who invented the kite.

E. In Japan families fly fish kites on Children's Day, May5th.

F. Stories of kites were brought to Europe till the end of the 13^th century.

G. In the past, kites were sometimes used to take pictures in wars.

How to Be Healthy and Happy

    We all want to be healthy, happy, free of stress and more productive in life.

    ⒈Get enough sleep. It not only keeps you healthy but also you will be happier. It is said that “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒉Drink plenty of water. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The benefits of water are amazing. Water helps keep your skin clear, leaving you feeling happier and better about your body. Water is just simply an amazing source in itself for your overall health. Try to drink 8 glasses a day.

    ⒊Smile and laugh. Don't get sad over small problems or take any joke seriously which hurt you. Instead, if you feel so hurt, you prefer to stay away from that friend. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Respect your friend from a good perspective. Smile and laugh all the time and you will be happy.

    ⒋{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Help your mom do the dishes, help out your dad in the kitchen, clean your room, or do anything that could help your family. It will not only make them love you more, but you will feel happy knowing you have done good even if you moved out twenty years ago and are a father yourself.

    ⒌Have goals. Always believe you can achieve. If you can dream it, you can achieve it, no matter what. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Organization plays a very important role in achieving goals, so organize yourself.

    It can be difficult to meet new people and make friends, especially when you move to a new city or find yourself out of your comfort zone. How will you deal with the situation?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are several ways that you can meet people that you might not have considered in the past.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}You probably have several acquaintances that you see on a daily basis or a weekly basis. If you get along well with certain people, you can see if this acquaintance would like to go out and do something socially with you. If you have common interests, you might suggest that the two of you do something together that involves your interest.

    Make an effort to accept invitations. Sometimes people that you know may be having a barbecue or other types of social gathering. Try to ensure that you are able to attend and then show up at the appointed time.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you meet people that you click with, you can make a plan to see them again in the future or you can invite your friends to your own event and ask them to extend the invitation to the friends that were at their gathering too.

    Go out, even when you don't feel like it. It turns out that when people invite someone to join them for dinner or a movie or something else, they really want to hang out with you.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But once you have used the same methods a few times you will know exactly what works and what does not. Don't give up, everyone is different and it just takes time to get to know people.

A. Expand on current relationships.

B. Trying to make new friends can be annoying at first.

C. Do you work with people that you get along well with?

D. But don't call them several times a day or even several times per week.

E. Be more social and you'll make your life more exciting and fulfilled.

F. If you tend to say “no” often, people will eventually stop asking you to go with them.

G. These types of gatherings often lead to meeting different people who are friends of friends.

The Things That Keep Us From Succeeding

    We have always been told not to fear failure because it is essential to success. So we should embrace failure or at least the possibility of failure.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. If you're not reaching the kind of success you imagine, one or more of the following things might well be true of you, too.

    NO.1: You don't have a goal. A lot of time we find ourselves struggling through a day-to-day routine that isn't getting us anywhere because we don't know where we want to go. Sometimes we had goals when we set ourselves on a particular path, but we've changed along the way and those goal s are no longer that important.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, figuring out what your goals are is important.

    NO.2: You don't have a vision. Setting goals is important but isn't enough to drive you to the finish line; it's important, too, to be able to imagine yourself as the achiever of your goals. If goal s are the end result of a journey, your vision is the fuel to get you there.

    NO.3: You don't have a plan. If goals are your destination and a vision is your fuel，your plan is the map to get you there.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. The world is full of people with goals they have never accomplished because they didn't have a plan—don't be one of them.

    NO.4: You're too certain or not certain enough. Too much certainty creates inflexibility. If you're sure that your plan is correct, and refuse to accept the possibility of error, you may well find yourself stuck when an unexpected change comes about. However strong your plan and however sure you are of your goals, make room for periodic reassessment.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. If you refuse to take a step because you aren't positive that it will move you towards success, you won't make any better progress than if you had no goals at a11.Keep your eyes open and be willing to change, but have faith in yourself, too.

    NO.5: {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Often we close ourselves off from other people not because we're afraid that they will influence us but that we will influence them. We are afraid that our brilliant ideas will be taken up by someone else and no longer be solely ours. So we avoid sharing our passions, and spend our energy jealously guarding our "secret" rather than simply moving forward. In the end，we turn our passions into burdens that are difficult to carry instead of a joy.

A. Whatever the case

B. Whatever the cause

C. You worry about being copied

D. You don't learn from your mistakes

E. At the same time, too little certainty will fail you

F. However, fear isn't the only thing that keeps us from succeeding

G. Without it, you have no idea what immediate steps to take to achieve your goals

Learning how to apologize is similar to learning any new behavior. It may feel awkward and may not be polished at first {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are several tips that will help you as you learn how to apologize.

First of all, wait until the right time and you are in the right place. Although public apology is often appropriate, discretion（谨慎）should be used. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Remember, you will be raising a topic that may recall a bad experience or bad feelings. Be respectful as you approach this task.

Be direct and brief in your approach. Acknowledge the fact that injury has occurred and then take responsibility for what happened. Be sincere in expressing your regret and demonstrate your willingness to take ownership of the situation. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

Even if you follow these steps, be prepared for rejection. Sometimes, the person apologizing has an expectation that the apology will lead to immediate forgiveness and acceptance. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you think of the offense（冒犯）as an emotional bruise（瘀伤）, think of the healing process as the color changes we see as a bruise heals.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Knowing when to keep one's mouth shut is a virtue. Keeping quiet may be very difficult, as post-apology listening is not easy. We may hear unpleasant observations from another about our own shortcomings. We may hear the expression of anger. One of the ways we let others know we are truly responsible and accountable for our mistakes is by listening to the other party pour out the feelings associated with our actions.

A. Forgiveness and acceptance may take time.

B. To give or receive a good apology is an art.

C. But with practice, everyone can learn to do it.

D. Listening to the response to our apologies is important.

E. Most apologies can and should happen in a private setting.

F. In other words, avoid excuses and offer to repair the damage.

G. Taking responsibility doesn't mean accepting blame for everything.