I have two younger cousins starting their “Third Year of High School.” Though I don't talk to them often, I'm both excited for them and also worried. Are they growing up too fast? Are they eating right? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    I throw myself into anxiety. But, today, I stepped back for a moment and came to this realization: my cousins are smarter than my 16-year-old self. If I could go back in time, here's what I would say to myself.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} There's a time for everything—don't speed it up. This is especially true for love. Life is much longer than the distance from now until tomorrow.

    Maintain your digital diet. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Being connected has benefits, but please don't become a victim of the internet.

    Study. You're just starting to define who you want to be and what you want to do. Make sure you study, get the grades, light the midnight oil. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Study the other things in life—the people who are transforming your community and the simple stuff that makes our world go round. You will discover that each bit of detail will change how you view life.

    Be an upstander, not a bystander. Your biggest childhood regret is not standing up for that kid. The kid is the one who was accused of not fitting in right; the one whose shirt was always stained and whose eyes were dull. Your biggest regret is walking away. And, it doesn't matter if you turned away from the taunting（嘲弄）. It doesn't even matter if you were nice to him when the other kids weren't around. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Take your time.

B. You'll regret not being more sympathetic, more courageous, more of a leader.

C. Are they dating?

D. Don't be afraid of what will happen.

E. But, don't just study what teachers say you should.

F. Are you worried about your life.

G. You don't need to spend every waking moment on a device.

How to Be Grateful

    Has your mother or best friend told you that you're an ungrateful person? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Do you keep thinking about the things you don't have, instead of being thankful for what you do have? If so, then you need to work on being a more grateful person.

    ⒈{#blank#}2{#/blank#}This isn't a religious(宗教的) thing. You don't have to hold off on noting everything you're thankful for until Thanksgiving. Every Sunday, get a notebook and sit outside for fifteen minutes while making a list of all of the things you're thankful for.

    ⒉Be grateful for your friendships. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You may come to think that your friends are kind and they're just there, like the couch in your living room. If you take your friends for granted for too long, then they will slowly make their way out of your life.

    ⒊Be grateful to your family. Your family is another thing you should be grateful to.  Your parents might have even been the people who tell you that you should be more grateful. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Don't let a day go by without telling your family how much you love them.

    ⒋{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Throughout history, imagine how many people have contributed to where you are now. Realizing that you couldn't be what you are now if it weren't for all of these people is an important step in being a grateful person.

A. Make a gratitude list every Sunday.

B. Friendships are very important in our life.

C. Be grateful for all of the good deeds done for your benefit.

D. Many people are guilty of taking their friends for granted.

E. Keep everything that you are grateful for in mind every day.

F. So, take the time to tell your family how much they mean to you.

G. Do you feel unable to appreciate the beauty, nature, and love that are all around you?

    It should come as no surprise that the more stressed parents are at work, the greater the burden on their family is. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} After all, the more time parents spend working, the less time and energy they have to plan and prepare healthful meals. Previously, most studies have focused on the role of working mothers while fathers were ignored. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It adds a new wrinkle to the relationship between work stress and family nutrition. Mom's work related stress is still a central factor in how well families eat because they typically do most of the food shopping and cooking. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    The study finds that when mom or dad experience high levels of work related stress, their families are eating one-and-a-half fewer family meals per week, and the parents themselves report eating fewer fruits and vegetables, more fast food, and are less likely to eat breakfast regularly.

    It's worth noting that the study looks mainly at low income families who belong to ethnic or minority groups. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} But the implications are wide-ranging.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Teaching kids, especially teenagers, to help with grocery shopping and to cook actual meals, instead of just putting a frozen pizza in the microwave, could be an important piece of the puzzle in helping families improve their eating habits.

A. But dad's work related stress has a large impact, too.

B. As to family nutrition, the entire family plays a role, even kids.

C. Yet, the kid's stress may affect the families' nutrition, too.

D. So the findings don't necessarily apply directly to other types of families.

E. It's also probably not a surprise that this can negatively affect a family's nutrition.

F. Now, a study looks at the family as a whole and at the role of fathers in particular.

G. It is parents who give their kids a good model to develop a good eating habit.

    Everyone wants to be happy. You see people who are smiling and laughing, and you want to be like them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, there are also bad days. Here are three ways to make you happier every day.

    Smile often. Research has shown that the facial expression you wear influences your state of mind.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Wearing a pleasant expression for a long period of time will slowly improve your feelings and help you have a happier day.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The more you complain, the more annoyed(恼怒的) you become. If all you notice or talk about during the day are the things that annoy you, it is no surprise that you are unhappy. To truly increase your long-term happiness, don't complain any longer.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Practice thankfulness. Thankfulness has been shown to be the last ticket to a happy life. The more you practice thankfulness, the more you will find things to be grateful for in your life.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Even something as simple as a safe place to sleep or food to eat is worth being thankful for because not everyone is fortunate enough to have those necessities.

A. Try your best to be healthy.

B. You will slowly stop paying much attention to what worries you.

C. Have an entire day without complaining even once and see how you feel.

D. Stop complaining.

E. There are good days filled with sunshine and smiles.

F. If you try to smile, you are more likely to be happy.

G. This then leads you to realize how much goodness is in your life.

    I have seen how having an animal in your life can make things much better for all concerned. Here are some reasons.

    A pet's love never stops.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Even if you cannot return that unconditional love, just knowing that it is there will make your life better.

    Caring for something other than yourself is emotionally healthy.

    Giving and getting a little love, even if you have to say "sit down" 270 times a day, can take your mind off your troubles and help you to see what really matters.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    If you have a dog, you need to take it (and yourself) on walks. Dogs are happiest when they are walking. And it's common knowledge that taking regular walks is also good for your heart and brain health.

    Just the act of petting a creature lowers your blood pressure and helps you relax.

    The next time you are feeling uncomfortable, I suggest going to your local shelter and giving some love to an animal there. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, but notice how you feel when the two of you are exchanging emotional energy. And don't be surprised if you do adopt!

    Saving a life will make yours better.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, but what about the used ones? All my animals have been rescued, and they are as sweet as can be.

    Maybe you think you don't have enough room in your heart.

    You may already have a family to love, and that is totally wonderful. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. I know not everybody is an animal lover, but if you think you might be, don't lose this chance.

A. You won't have to take it home

B. Some people want lovely pets

C. Having a pet is also physically healthy

D. If you want more love in your life, consider a pet

E. Taking your dog for a walk can make your dog happy

F. Some people prefer their new puppy to be from a pet store

G. No matter what, your pet will always love you and remember you

Green: More than just a colour

    Green is an important colour in nature. It is the colour of grass and the leaves on trees. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Sometimes, the word green means young. fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe or finished.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}A person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.

    The Green Revolution is the name given some years ago to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The Green Revolution was the result of hard work by agricultural scientists who had green thumbs.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The green－eyed monster is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is an expression used about four hundred years ago by British writer William Shakespeare in his play Othello.

    In most places in the world，a green light is a sign to move ahead. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}In everyday speech, a green light means approval to continue with a project. We want you to know we have a green light to continue this series next week.

A. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation.

B. Someone is also the colour used to describe the powerful emotion, jealousy.

C. Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb.

D. A green light on a traffic signal means your car can continue on.

E. The new plants produced much larger crops

F. It is also the colour of most growing plants.

G. About one hundred years ago, having a green thumb was a popular expression in the American west.