There are three things that will get you ahead in life: good looks, smarts, and being considered as being smart.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} And unluckily most of us are not good-looking. Let's explore some different ways to become smarter.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}College doesn't necessarily mean you'll be smarter, just educated. It means you'll be exposed to many different ideas and hopefully you'll learn how to think. Being able to think outside the box and for yourself are features smart people possess.

    Read books and educational magazines.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Educational magazines are a wealth of knowledge you can share with others, thus making you sound very smart. If you do watch television, try watching something that you can learn.

    Expand your vocabulary. Try to learn one new word a week. It doesn't seem like much, but adding 52 new words to your vocabulary will really make you appear much smarter. Subscribing (订阅) to vocabulary.com is a good start.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} This way you're actually getting 365 words a year, but that is usually more than most people can absorb.

    Don't repeat everything people tell you until you know that it's true.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}They hear a strange claim and they repeat it to the nearest ear. You can do much harm to your seek for being smart if you are known for giving bad information.

A. Go to college and get an education.

B. The first is God-given.

C. Get educated inside or outside college.

D. You will have a new word sent to your email address daily.

E. The programs actually provide you with information you can use.

F. Uneducated people and people not considered as being smart tend to do this.

G. Reading books works the brain out more than viewing television.

    How can I carry out a group project?

    Group projects can be so overwhelming (使人不知所措的), especially when people don't cooperate and follow through. “{#blank#}1{#/blank#}” To follow this wise advice from expert Julie Hochheiser IIkovich, simply break down that hug project into smaller jobs that can be tracked. Here's exactly how to do it:

    List it. The day the project is assigned, immediately identify the end goal.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}This should include everything from minor tasks to major ones.

    Schedule it.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}This should include meetings, tasks, and deadlines. Assign each person a color and highlight each task with those colors, so it's clear who is doing what.

    Track it. As a team, decide on a project manager who will keep everyone on track, and who you agree is allowed to call team members out if they're not hardworking. (Advice on how to choose:{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    As stressful as group work is, it can actually be beneficial in the long run. At first, groups that work well together can achieve much more than individuals working on their own. And being part of a team will help you develop your interpersonal skills. Also, working with others will help identify your own strengths and weaknesses.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Give feedback on group processes to groups

B. Then list what needs to get done to accomplish it

C. Look for the person with the most organized desk!

D. A half-hour of planning saves a week of stress at the end!

E. Create a timetable for the project and put everything from the list on it.

F. This sense about yourself will be invaluable when you enter the workforce.

G. Group projects can help people develop new approaches to solving problems.

    "Fire! Fire!" What terrible words to hear when I 1 in a strange house in the middle of the night! It was a large, 2 house —the kind that burns easily — and my room was on the top floor. I jumped out of bed, 3 the door and stepped out into the passage. It was full of 4.

    I began to run, but as I was still only half awake, 5going towards the stairs I went in the opposite direction. The smoke grew thicker and I found it hard to 6. The floor became 7 under my feet. I ran into another room and tried to reach the 8 for fresh air. Suddenly, one of my feet got caught in something 9 and I fell down. The thing I had fallen over felt like a package of 10, and I picked it up to 11 my face from the smoke and heat. Just then the floor 12 under me and I fell through to the floor below with pieces of burning wood all around me.

    13, there was a doorway in front, so I put the package over my face and 14. My feet were terribly burned, 15 I got through. As I reached the cold air outside my package of clothes gave a 16. I nearly dropped it in surprise. Then I saw there were many people in the street. A woman screamed as she saw me and came running 17.

    "My baby! My baby!" she cried. Those people 18 loudly as she took the smoke-blackened package out of my arms. I almost 19 to see who she was—my boss's wife. I had saved her baby, and become a(n) 20!

    Whether you've been in college or you're looking forward to going to university in the future, you and your family likely spend some time worrying about the cost of your college education.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, that will pay off for years to come. Earning scholarships is a great way to help you. The Financial Aid Office at Illinois State helps students identify scholarship opportunities every day. Here is some advice to help you.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Have you asked your high school or community college financial aid office about scholarships at your school? Many schools have a list of several scholarships right there.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Check with community organizations, banks and credit unions, and large employers who may offer scholarship opportunities in your area.

    Find your “hook”

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Your unique characteristics can help your scholarship applications stand out. Pay special attention to awards that mention your best qualities, whether that's academic achievements, leadership, community service, or something less common. Think about why a donor wants to assist you in paying for your education. Most scholarship providers want to encourage a particular behavior. Companies may want to attract future employees.

    Develop a routine

    Every scholarship is different in terms of when you can apply, what you need to turn in, when the winner is announced, and how the money is given to you.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} There isn't a single application or search engine that allows you to find and apply for everything. Visit the website for the Office of Student Financial Aid for lists of scholarship opportunities. Go through the lists to find the ones that match you best and keep track of when you can apply for them.

A. While you're searching, consider what makes you special as a student.

B. Typically, scholarship applications open in the late fall or early spring for the next school year's awards, but that also varies depending on the donors.

C. There is no doubt that college education is a necessary step to get yourselves prepared for the future.

D. Local awards can often be easier to get as the application pools are smaller and less competitive.

E. Begin in your own backyard

F. It's no secret that college is one of the biggest investments.

G. Believe in yourselves

Be a Green Child

    What does it mean to be green? "Green" is more than just a color. It also means taking special steps to protect the environment. Why green? Plants are green, and without them the Earth wouldn't be such a lovely home for us human beings. What can we do? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Reduce It!

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} For instance, a shorter shower means you used less water and less fuel since your house uses to run the heater that warmed up the water.

    Reuse It!

    Sometimes people call ours a "throwaway society". It means that we're a little too willing to throw away old stuff (东西) and buy new stuff.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For instance, if your baby brother becomes older and loses interest in his plastic basketball hoop (篮圈), why not give it to another family who has a little kid?

    Recycle It!

    Recycling has never been easier. Many communities will pick it up right in front of your house and some towns even require it. Recycled goods go to a recycling center, where they can be turned into new cans, bottles, and paper.

    Enjoy It!

    It's true that rubbish and pollution are problems, but the Earth remains a huge and beautiful place that's ready for you to explore.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Go for a hike, visit local nature centers and gardens, and climb up mountains.

    But before you travel the globe, take a look at your own backyard. Is there a spot where you could plant a tree or put in a little fruit or vegetable garden?{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Here's a four-step guide to being green.

B. Many times, even if you no longer need something, someone else just might.

C. You can start locally by visiting the naturally beautiful spots in your city.

D. Turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth.

E. Get out there and get your hands dirty.

F. You can watch with pride as your tree takes root and your garden plants grow.

G. When you use less of something, you do a good thing for the Earth

Some Texting Rules You Should Be Following by Now

    Don't text and drive {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Don't do it. Personal safety always comes first and staying off your hand-held while driving is extremely important. If you can't resist, then keep your phone where you can't reach it while you're driving.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    If you're texting someone who says "driving", stop texting. Period. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Just stop texting. You can consider calling the person, but please bear in mind that some states have laws in place restricting talking on the phone while driving. But if you don't get a response…

    "Don't keep texting until they respond," an article in LifeHack suggests." {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. And if they're not, maybe they just don't feel like texting." While not getting a response likely makes you feel anxious, and while many consider it rude, it's also rude to continue bombarding someone with messages when that person is not replying to you.

    Avoid group texts "Most would say group texts are the worst," notes an article in Mashable." They take up more time than you ever expected. Reading through all of your messages is boring. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. It's that simple

B. Don't even say "OK"

C. They're probably busy

D. They seem to never end

E. Stop driving immediately

F. Just think of any other means of communication

G. Don't put others in the situation of texting and driving