A few days ago, I ran into（撞上）a stranger as he passed by. I said sorry to him, and he said, "Excuse me too, I wasn't even watching for you.” We were very polite, this stranger and I.  Then we went on our way after saying goodbye.

       Later in the kitchen at home, as I cooked our meal, my daughter Betty walked up to me, very quietly. When I turned around (转身), I nearly knocked her down  "Get out of the way!" I shouted angrily. She ran away, crying.

That night, when I lay in bed, my husband said to me, “You were so rude to Betty. Go and look around on the kitchen floor, and you'll find some flowers there. Betty brought those for you. She picked them herself-pink, yellow, and your favourite blue.''

       When I heard this, I thought deeply: While meeting with a stranger, I was calm and polite; but with my daughter, I was not patient.  I felt sad and tears began to fall.

I quietly went to Betty's bed, "Wake up, my dear," I said. "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" She smiled, “I found them by the tree. I knew you'd like them, especially the blue.” I said, ‘‘I am so sorry that I treated (对待) you that way today." And she whispered（悄声地说）, “Mommy, that's okay- I still love you anyway.'' I kissed her and said, “I love you too and I do love the flowers.”

       That day Betty gave me a lesson on how to get along with each other in the family. I spent much time on work before and didn't realize how important family life was. I decided to do better in the future.

    People have always wanted to know what our future will look like. Go on reading this text, and you will know what will happen in the next fifty years.

    How can we know what the future will look like? To be able to understand the future, you have to know the past, what has taken us to where we are today and what has changed along the way? The world has changed a lot in the last 150 years, but people are driven by the same basic needs as they were 150 years ago. Will this change in the next 150 years? No.

    What inventions have really made a different in the last 150 years? In the past years, the inventions that have changed most people's everyday life are telephone, radio, television, computer, the car and the internet. Then we of course have a lot of inventions that have made life easier, like new medicine, faster cars, trains, etc. In general, people have been working hard in the last 150 years to make inventions that will make the world a better place. Since there is still much to do in the area, this will be important for at least the next 150 years.

    Why do we need to guess the future? Guessing the future is important for two reasons: First, we need to start to think about what kind of future we would like for ourselves and our children. And then we need to know what decisions we need to make today that will give us the best future.

    Mr Smith works in a big city. Mrs Smith lives in a small town（镇）。Bill 是他们的儿子。 He is with his mother.

    It's a Monday morning.Mrs Smith writes a litter（信） to Mr Smith.She says to Bill,"Go to the post office(邮局)with the letter and your father can get it on Friday. "Then Bill comes back  late(回来晚).

    "Why do you come back late?"

    "There is a new post office in South Street（南街）.Do you know that?"

    "Of course. It's far from our home. Why?"

    "The letter is in the post office. "

    "But there is a post office near our home. "

    "I know,but the post office in South Street is near Dad.  He can get the letter earlier(更早地). "

    Ms Lin, an expert on psychology, is giving a speech about how to stay relaxed.

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    Whenever you need help, turn to your parents and friends for help.  It's better to speak the worries out and get some advice from others.  Sometimes you will feel relaxed when you find that someone else has the same problems as you do. 

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    If you find yourself stressed out, try to find a way to let the feelings out. Doing breathing exercises, listening to music, doing some sports and taking a walk may help. Or just shout it out if the other things don't help you feel better.

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    When you calm down, it's time to deal with your problem. You should find out what the problem is and figure out a way to solve it. If you can't solve all of it at once, you may begin by solving part of it. When you don't know what to do with your problem, you may become stressed.  But when you've found out what the problem is and have started solving it, you will find your stress gone.

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    Every coin has two sides. Looking at the dark side can make you stressed and it won't help solve your problem. So why not look at the bright side? You may find your problem not too hard to deal with when you are less stressed out. And more ideas will come up to you when you are relaxed.

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    After you have solved the problem or part of the problem, buy yourself a gift, go and see a movie or just hang out with your friends. You will enjoy the feeling of being relaxed.

    Mr Smith was ill and he went to see a doctor. The doctor asked him to put out his tongue(舌头), and then he said," OK, You can put your tongue back now. There's nothing wrong with you, but I'm afraid you have a problem. You hardly ever take exercise."

   "But, doctor," Mr Smith said," I don't think so."

   "Don't tell me what you think," the doctor said," I know what you need. I see a lot of people like you. None of them goes any exercise. They sit in offices all day and in front of the television in the evening. You must walk quickly for at least(至少)20 minutes a day."

   "I don't want to hear any excuse," the doctor said." You must find time for exercise. If you don't, you will get fat and have health problems."

   "But I walk every day," Mr Smith said.

   "Oh, yes, and I know what kind of walking that is. You walk a few meters to the bus stop from your house, a few more meters from the bus stop to your office, and a few more meters from your office to your dining—room for lunch and back. That's not a real walk. I'm talking about a walk in the park or by the lake for twenty minutes every day."

   "Would you please listen to me, doctor? Mr Smith said, getting a little angry with his doctor.

   "I'm a postman," Mr Smith went on," and I walk for nearly(几乎)seven hours every day."

    For a moment the doctor was silent(沉默的), then he said quietly," Put out your tongue again, will you?

Information Card

    In England, usually people don't talk very much. You can go on a bus, or on a train, and everyone sits looking out of the window. Often they read. They read books and newspapers, but they don't talk much. When you meet English people, they often talk about one thing—the weather. So when you meet someone in England, you can say, "Nice weather at the time of the year!"

    "But it's a little cold," someone may answer. "But it'll be warmer later!" you can say.

    The English will think, "How friendly you are!"