May the first is an important date in the college admission process in the United States. This is the last day for high school seniors to accept or reject offers of admission in the fall. But according to a recent report, there is a great change. Acceptance rates at the top colleges this year were lower than ever. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

      These days, college applicants are applying to more colleges because online and common applications make the process easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} On the other hand, deciding students for top colleges to accept can be difficult because it takes much time. Students may not like being put on waiting lists．Also, common colleges work more to getthe students they accept to accept them. Some colleges hold visiting days that offer a chance to attend classes and stay overnight. Some universities send gifts. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

      For many families, the most important thing colleges can do is show them the money, especially this year; the weak economymakes parents nervous. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The recent problems that spread from thehousing market to credit markets have even affected student's loans．Solately, top schools have to spare lots of money to increase their financial aidfor students.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}The Education Department expects the number of highschool graduates to start to go down. This will happen as the last of thechildren of the baby boom generation finish high school. Thenumber is not expected to start rising again until 2016.

A．Besides, top colleges are facing changesin the population.

B．What contributes to it?

C．But a mistake can be costly if ithappens.

D．But top colleges ignore them．.

E．They have international students whoknow English.

F．It can mean several acceptances tochoose from.

G．They cannot afford college as planned.

    By sitting at home you can now buy anything from knives to cars. The worry you may have about traveling and parking can be avoided while you shop online. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Online shops have no holidays, closing times or any other problems. You can shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}So you can easily find out what other customers think about the product before buying it. When you go for real-world shopping, you can actually touch and feel it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also if you are shopping online, you have to be careful with your credit cards.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Once you find the required product, put it in a “shopping cart” and continue shopping. After you have got enough in your “shopping cart”, check out the product. You can add or take out the products in your shopping cart. The next step is to login (登录） using a username and a password. Enter the address where you want the product to be sent. Some sites even ask for your email, phone numbers, etc. Then wait for the confirmation (确认) of your order. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Online shopping is a different experience and you can make shopping online easy when you get used to it.

A. You can also cancel the order if needed.

B. Online shopping started not so long ago.

C. If you plan to do any shopping online, do it at home.

D. However, in online shopping you can only see the pictures.

E. With online shopping, you need not worry about the weather.

F. Some online shops also keep customers' opinions about each product.

G. The first step in online shopping is to search for what you want to buy.

    How is a smartphone different from a cell phone, and what makes it so smart? To understand this, we should start with a history lesson. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Cell phones were used for making calls while PDAs could store information and a to-do list, and could be linked to your computer. Then PDAs added cell phones' features, while cell phones added PDA-like(and even computer-like)features. The result was that the smartphone came into being.

    Here are some features of smartphones.

    Operating system. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In general, a smartphone will be based on an operating system that allows it to run applications. For example, Apple's iPhone runs the iOS, and BlackBerry smartphones run the BlackBerry OS.

    Mobile Internet. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For this we should say thanks to the growth of 4G data networks, as well as the addition of Wi-Fi.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A smartphone may allow you to download apps, edit photos, and get driving directions with GPS. The applications may also allow you to create and edit Microsoft Office documents—or at least view the files.

    QWERTY Keyboard. A smartphone includes a QWERTY keyboard. This means that the keys are laid out in the same manner they would be on your computer keyboard, where you don't have to tap the number 1 to enter an A, B or C.

    These are just some of the features that make a smartphone smart. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} What makes a smartphone today may change by next week, next month or next year. Well, a smartphone of the future may be in your brain.

A. Apps.

B. Documents.

C. In the beginning, there were cell phones and PDAs.

D. A smartphone is a mobile phone with an operating system.

E. The technology about a smartphone is always changing, though.

F. You can use your smartphone to link to the Internet at a higher speed.

G. Years ago, many people thought it must be a smartphone if it had a touch screen.

Dear Boris,

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}After I had spent a week with my English family, I slowly began to understand their English a little better. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Students in my group are from different cities of Britain and their dialects are different too! Some of their accents are quite strong and they also have their own words and expressions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Before I came to England I had thought that fish and chips were eaten every day. That's quite wrong! I get rather annoyed now when I hear all the foolish words about typical English food. I had expected to see "London fog". Do you remember our texts about it? We had no idea that most of this "thick fog" disappeared many years ago when people stopped using coal in their homes. But the idea to speak about weather was very helpful. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}On the other hand, habits are different. People tell me what is typical British here in London is not always typical in Wales or Scotland. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But what is ordinary for all British is that they follow traditions(传统). Probably Britain has more living signs of its past than many other countries. And people have always been proud of having ancient (古老的) buildings in capitals, big cities and the countryside. I will tell you more about Britain in my other letters. Love from Britain.

A. The weather in London is really changeable.

B. I have difficulty in understanding my classmates.

C. Thanks for your nice letter.

D. The family I live with are friendly.

E. It's very different from what I learned at school.

F. Local habits and traditions are not the same as what we knew.

G. But it's not the language that's different and surprising.

You may find lots of amazing people in your school who you admire. As a matter of fact, amazing students are unique individuals who have discovered and chosen to follow a few universal truths. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some hints that can help you. 

Remain organized. Amazing students know that their time and resources(资源)are valuable. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}They always keep test dates in mind. So they set aside time for studying and time for social lives. Similarly, you should also do all of this. 

Amazing students recognize the limits of their knowledge. They aren't shy of asking questions. When they need additional help, they quickly turn to their professors for help. They also find out additional resources, such as instructional videos, on topics that confuse them. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Accept and look for feedback(反馈) Negative(负面的)comments are hard to hear and easy to ignore. Amazing students, however, aren't defeated by negative comments. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They use negative comment to improve their academic performance. So you should also read through your teachers comments on papers, tests and exams, and carry out the suggested changes in your future learning. 

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Amazing students are curious about the world around them. They often pay much attention to world cultures and social events. In an effort to increase your knowledge, allow your natural curiosity to lead you to increase new knowledge and equip you with new skills. 

Walking has been considered as one kind of rewarding exercise. For many people, daily walking offers massive and long-term physical and mental benefits. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A Stanford University study found that participants were more creative when walking as opposed to sitting. 

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You've probably heard the phrase "exercise your creativity". Our creative mindset is stirred up by physical movement, which is exactly why walking with your dog, a friend, or alone feeds creative thinking. 

But the scenery is almost as important as the sweat. Just by going outside, you are stepping out of your habitual surroundings and your comfort zone, which is necessary if you want to open your mind to new possibilities. You can walk through a tree-filled neighborhood. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Even when you walk down a busy street, you can't help but get distracted by the sweet smells from a food cart or the child pointing to a building you haven't even noticed before. 

Walking outside develops our ability to collect new ideas and take in new sights, sounds, smells, and flavors. Shinrin-yoku, a common form of relaxation in Japan, suggests that being in the forest and walking among the trees there can lower your stress levels. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Research has shown that getting close to nature around your neighborhood or taking a break from multimedia increases performance on a creative problem-solving task. 

So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking outdoors? {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For example, you can turn off your phone and give yourself the chance to be present in the world, to hear conversations and natural sounds, and to notice the way people move and the way the sun reflects in a lake. 

Walk not just for exercise. Walk for wonder.

A.Unfortunately, you often fail to do it.

B.Expose yourself more to your surroundings.

C.The movement during walking is obviously key.

D.Without enough energy, you cannot wonder or create.

E.But to receive the benefits, you do not have to live in a forest.

F.This habit, however, not only benefits well-being but also contributes to innovation.

G.Wandering around a park and observing people relaxing or birds singing is also a choice.