Are you ready for your exam?

    So, it's exam time again -have you done the necessary work to get good marks? Sleeping with the textbook under the pillow in the hope that knowledge will be magically absorbed into your brain as you sleep doesn't work. The best strategy is to space your practice out, rather than cram(突击学习)it all together.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}!

    In an article, Tom Stafford, a lecturer in psychology and cognitive(认知的) science at the APF--University of Sheffield, advises, “If you organize five hours of study into one hour a day, you'll remember more than if you study for five hours a day.”

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}—get pen and paper and start working. Students who can test themselves in advance will be better at getting back material from their memory and learning that material in the long run. You should start by reading a textbook using your favorite highlighter(荧光笔){#blank#}3{#/blank#}.Instead of just reading those, you basically try to test yourself on them.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, but if you are still anxious, there's no harm in performing a personal ritual(仪式). In Japan, for example, it seems to be a tradition for students to eat Katsudon before a test.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. The name of the dish reminds people of the word “katsu”, meaning“ winning”. The bottom line is that you need to study, sleep well on the eve of the test, eat a nutritious meal, drink plenty of water and believe that your efforts will pay off. Good luck in your exam.

A. Don't rely on memory alone

B. That means hit the books early

C. Good revision should give you confidence

D. Then make flashcards of all the important concepts

E. They believe they could wash all the knowledge out of their head

F. This is a warm bowl of rice topped with egg and a slice of deep-fried pork

G. In different countries there are always those who swear by their “lucky underwear”

How to Love Your Parents

    Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part, a source of who you are. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Tell them you love them every morning. A gentle "good morning" and "I love you" will warm a coldest heart. Remember that they brought you into this world. Without your parents, we might still wander at an unknown corner in an unknown world.

    Respect them more and cherish these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them, preparing yourself for when you're off on your own. It's OK to get angry but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, write down your feelings, or talk to a friend. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you have to clean. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it's cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Since you can forgive your friends, why not forgive your parents?

    Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or go somewhere with them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Listen to their old stories and learn from them. You will find they are your teachers in this way or another.

    Some people simply may not be able to love their parents. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Seek help if you are being abused（虐待）in anyway. Parents do not have a right to harm you.

A. Parents will in turn express their love to you.

B. Forgiveness is the key.

C. Here are some ways to love your parents.

D. There can be realistic reasons for this, family violence for example.

E. Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can.

F. After this, share your feelings with your parents.

G. Please remember parents are as important as friends.

Being a superhero to others

    Ewan Drum has always liked superheroes. He likes how they help people. At age seven, he told his parents, “I want to dress up like a superhero and help the homeless.” {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Wearing his red superhero cape (斗篷), Ewan helped pass out  bag lunches to hungry people in a park in Detroit, Michigan. That's how Super Ewan was born.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}People donated(捐赠) money and supplies (供给物), and Ewan took them to those in need.

    When someone donated jugs(大罐) of water, Ewan and his family drove their car to get even more. They took the water to Flint, Michigan, a city that had unsafe drinking water. Another time, a businessman donated six turkeys(火鸡) for Thanksgiving.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}“In the end”, he says, “we gave turkey dinners to families all around Detroit.”

    Ewan has a motto: Everyone can be a superhero to someone. At an event called the Hero Round Table, Ewan told the audience, “It's not hard to help people. You can keep some socks and food in your car to help people in need. You can help a neighbor with doing the garden. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} ”

It's been several years since Super Ewan started his task. Every month, he still visits the same park to hand out clothes, food, and supplies to people who are hungry or homeless —his Super Friends. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    “No matter what,” Ewan says, “I will always keep helping people.”

A. News spread about Ewan's act of kindness.

B. This superhero says he'll never take off his cape.

C. Ewan says he wants more adults to act like superheroes.

D. Every little thing helps and can make someone feel happy.

E. A few months later, Ewan's family planned a day of giving.

F. Several days later, his parents drove to Flint and helped him raise a lot of money.

G. With his parents help, Ewan asked for more turkeys through the Internet, plus side dishes.

Social Phobia

    It is natural to feel nervous, or shy in front of others at times. Most people manage to get through these moments when they need to. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's probably more than shyness. It may build up into a powerful fear. As a result, people feel uncomfortable participating in everyday social activities. This is called social phobia (also called social anxiety).

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It prevents them from chatting with friends in the lunch time, joining an after-school club, or going to a party. Sometimes, they even feel too nervous to ask a question in class or go to a teacher for help. Social phobia not only prevents people from trying new things. It also prevents them from making the normal, everyday mistakes that may help people improve their skills even further

    It is really sad, isn't it? But the good news is that people with social phobia can learn to manage fear, develop confidence and communicating skills and stop avoiding things that make them nervous. Of course it's not always easy. Dealing with social phobia takes the willingness patience and courage to face fears. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Therapists (治疗师) can help people create a plan for facing social fears and build the skills and confidence to overcome it. And family or friends are especially important for them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They can encourage them to pick a small goal to aim for, remind them to go for it, and be there when they might feel discouraged.

    Little by little, someone who decides to deal with extreme shyness can learn to be more comfortable. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} As shyness and fears begin to melt, confidence and positive feelings build. Pretty soon, the person is thinking less about what might feel uncomfortable and more about what might be fun.

A. Friends can overcome their fears easily.

B. But for someone, the anxiety can be extreme.

C. They are not able to make eye contact with classmates.

D. Social phobia makes people lonely or disappointed over missed opportunities.

E. Each small step forward helps build enough confidence to take the next small step.

F. It also takes an action to go forward rather than back away when feeling shy.

G. The support from those key people helps them gather the courage to try something new.

    Most college students have their money from their parents, but college is the time for them to begin true responsibility. With the right information at hand and some practice, you can definitely get major financial assistance for college tuition(学费). {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The following is the ways you should know about.

    Play a sport{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I know it is obvious to the football player that sports will increase the possibility, but did you know you can get scholarships for less-known sports? Have a try on golf, sailboat and marathon! A senior year spent learning and perfecting a new sport can lead to a full ride in college.

    Do voluntary work. Most nonprofits have good scholarships for their volunteers Try volunteers. Try volunteering in your community or a community chapter of a major organization. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It can be best to work for an organization that you are familiar with or have a childhood history with.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Try building a personal connection with someone at a scholarship society. Building a relationship through visits, phone calls, and gifts can make you stand out of the crowd. Remember, these people chose the winners from hundreds of applications a day and a personal touch can really make a difference!

    Apply early. It can never be too early to apply for a scholarship. Applying early is another way to stand out of the crowd. You can definitely score a better scholarship earlier with much less competition. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Applying early can lead to more applications overall, and someone who applies to 100 scholarships against 10 has a much better chance of being awarded!

A. Bear in mind

B. Keep in touch.

C. It can also be a numbers game.

D. Living in a poor community may help you a lot.

E  Some of the highest scholarships are given to college athletes.

F. A high level of community service will give you a leg up in college.

G. Experience has proven that scholarships will be given to those who deserve it.

A writing club is a group consisting of writers who meet together to share and comment on manuscripts (手稿). People who write stories, poetry, or even non-fiction articles can join a writing club. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}But the usual site is in a library, bookstore, private home, or a school.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Joining a club allows writers to understand the challenges of being a writer. And members of a writing club can receive constructive criticism (评论) from their fellow writers so that they can learn how to make their articles stronger. Moreover, commenting on other writers' manuscripts allows them to see what makes a writing piece interesting or boring.

If a writer wants to become a member of a writing club, he can find one by contacting the public library or a local university. Many writing groups will advertise for new members in local newspapers as well. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

But sometimes, no matter how a writer has tried, he may still experience extreme difficulties finding a writing group to join or finding a writing group suitable for him. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} He only needs to advertise for desired members by posting online, placing an ad in local newspapers, etc.

For many writers, the journey of writing is demanding. For example, writing can be troubled by lack of inspiration. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}So joining a group of writers can be the ideal way a writer can improve his writing skills and assist others with their manuscripts.

A. And writing can be a lonely task.

B. There are many benefits of joining a writing club.

C. Members of a writing club should know each other.

D. If that happens, the writer can start his own club.

E. Joining a writing club has advantages and disadvantages.

F. It's also possible to find writing clubs on the Internet.

G. A writing club can have meetings just anywhere.