How to Pick the Perfect Watermelon

    I love watermelon, but what I don't love about watermelon is picking them out. There is nothing worse than cutting into a watermelon and having it taste not sweet.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Evaluation: You need to evaluate your watermelon to make sure that the watermelon is symmetrical. Irregular shapes typically indicate the watermelon received inconsistent amounts of sunshine and water.

    Color and Appearance: The color of the surface is extremely important.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}If it's shiny, it's not ripe yet. Another important thing is to look for the field spot. This will be a yellow spot on the underside of a watermelon. It should be a creamy yellow color.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Don't take the watermelon if the field spot is white or non-existent.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} For a sweeter and riper watermelon, there shouldn't be a visible stem (茎) on the surface. If there's a stem, it indicates that the watermelon doesn't fall off the vine on its own.

    Knock on it: Gently knock on the watermelon, and listen to the sound it makes. A ripe watermelon should have a full, deep, and hollow sound.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Make sure of the firmness of the melon when you knock on it. You want the surface to be hard and firm.

A. Look at the stem.

B. The darker the yellow, the sweeter the melon.

C. Watermelon can help you increase your brain power.

D. While an under ripe melon will make a more dull one.

E. The perfectly ripe watermelon should be dark green in color.

F. Here are some helpful tips on how to pick the perfect watermelon.

G. Watermelon is one of the most popular summer fruits that almost everyone loves.

    Teachers love to put students into teams.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Why? Because they know the responsible team members will come through for a good grade.

If you are teamed up with a student who is lazy, the worst thing you can do is let it get you down.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} and it might create a positive change in your partner!

    Try these tips for working with a slacker(懒虫).

    Be excited and provide a good example. Your slacker may be a good person who has developed bad work habits. You may be able to teach your partner some valuable skills for a successful future.

    Think rewards!{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For instance, you could promise to make cupcakes for the next work meeting and encourage your partner to bring a good snack.

    Make some time to sit with your partner and establish a set of work rules and deadlines. Don't quarrel, though. Make it clear that you would like to establish rules to keep you both on track.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Keep a record of your rules, your initial meetings, and your work. When it becomes obvious in the records that you're doing all the work, talk with the slacker.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Don't let the anger and pain defeat you.

B. Come up with a great reward for meeting some goal.

C. Instead, take some steps to encourage your partner to work.

D. Unavoidably one or more members will try to do nothing.

E. Start out by giving your partner a clear task with a deadline.

F. Show him/her the evidence and suggest he or she pick up the pace.

G. Think about the future and the fact that you are going to be rewarded.

How to be a good apartment neighbor

    When you live in an apartment, everything comes with responsibilities. An apartment lifestyle can be complicated when it comes to social behaviors or manners. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}This article offers a few helpful tips on maintaining（维持）a good relationship with your apartment neighbors, so that you can live in harmony.

    Be friendly towards others. You don't necessarily need to know them. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Greetings bring friendly relationships and make it easier to communicate with others in the future if anyone has questions or concerns.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It may be normal to walk from the parking lot to your front door, but you'll need to consider how loud a person is. Avoid stepping heavily on stairwells, especially when leaving before sunrise or coming back late at night. Keep the noise at whisper-level in hallways. Close doors behind you gently. Don't shut them loudly.

    Care the old. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you see them in the parking lot with groceries, ask them if they need help carrying them inside the building and hold doors open for them.

    Be considerate of the noise level inside the apartment. This is one of the most common complaints reported to managers. More attention to noise is needed if you live above another person. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If a neighbor requests that you keep the noise level down, take it to heart.

A. Remember to make an apology.

B. But a simple hello goes a long way.

C. Be soft-spoken when entering and exiting.

D. Soft footwear makes less noise than boots or high heels.

E. Always offer positive assistance to your elderly neighbors.

F. Good manners can certainly make apartment life much easier.

G. Loud laughter and conversations in public place are annoying.

    Did you make financial decisions last New Year's Eve? Did they fall by the wayside? If so, you are not alone.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Make a smart budget

    Did you plan to make a budget and fail to do so? This is a perfect time to start, as you are heading into the new year. You may be able to stop yourself from overspending if you realize how overextended you are. If you've taken no other financial steps this year, start by setting a realistic budget.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Control your spending

    Even if you had a budget, were you able to stick to it?{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Use it as a psychological advantage－you have less to spend so you need to shop harder for bargains and research prices. Impulse buying (即兴购买) will be less likely to attract you and your spending should be more focused as a result.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    You had a savings goal, didn't you? If you didn't have a specific goal, it may be why your savings effort failed. Set a smaller savings goal now, and use that to build a larger savings goal for the upcoming year. Make sure that you equate（使等同）your savings with a specific goal.

    Reduce your debt

    Debt reduction is an important goal, especially in the case of high-interest debt such as credit cards. It's easy to get into an unrecoverable increase of debt if you have no plan to keep debt in check. It is a longer-term goal, but one you need to start right away.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. That may be a tall task, which is all the more reason to start immediately.

A. Increase your savings

B. Have a clear goal for your debt

C. You will go on with your new decisions

D. Most other financial improvements will follow

E. Start small by setting a spending budget for your shopping

F. But this year, you can make some progress on your financial goals

G. Attack the debt with the highest interest rate, and control your spending

How to Pass Final Exams

    If you're a student, exams are an important part not only of any class, but also your final grade. Preparing throughout the semester is the most effective way to do well on your final exams. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}There are things you can do to help you pass your exams.

    Attend class regularly. You cannot successfully pass a class or exams if you do not attend the class. This will allow you to hear important lectures and take notes. It also helps you understand your readings and assignments. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Teachers usually discuss what is on an exam during classes. If you aren't in class, you can, t get this important information.

    Start studying early. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}A month before the test date is a good time to begin your preparations. You can study simply by reviewing your notes for 20­30 minutes a day. If you have questions, ask the teacher.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Practice exams are a highly effective way to study for tests. They will help you relax and point out any weak areas you may have going in to the final exam date. If you test yourself just twice, you will remember 75% ­ 80% of the material two weeks later. With no practice tests, that figure is just 20%.

    Reduce your anxiety. You wouldn't have anxiety if you weren't worried about passing your final exam. However, research shows that anxiety blocks your ability to focus, which can really put a damper （抑制）on your studying and test performance. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Do a practice exam.

B. Understand how you can study best.

C. Every individual learns differently.

D. Most exams are based on what happens in class.

E. It is never too early to start studying for a final exam.

F. Basically, there's just no shortcut for knowing the material.

G. Try some relaxation techniques when you're feeling worried.

Every time you're online. you are bombarded by pictures, articles, links and videos trying to tell their stories.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Sometimes they want you to click on another story or advertisement at their own site, other times they want to upset people for political reasons. Experts in media studies and online psychology have been examining the fake news phenomenon. Read these tips, and don't get fooled!

Check the source. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Fake news websites often use addresses that sound like real newspapers, but don't have many real newspapers, but don't have many real stories about other topics. If you aren't sure, click on the "About" page and look for a clear description of the organization.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Look to see if the story you are reading is on other news sites that you know and trust. If you do find it on many other sites, then it probably isn't fake, as many big news organizations try to check their sources before they publish a story.

There are other techniques that fake news uses. These include using ALL CAPS and lots of ads that pop up when you click on a link. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}If the news story makes you angry, it's probably designed to make you angry.

If you know these things about online news, and can apply them in your everyday life, then you have the control over what to read, what to believe and most importantly what to share. If you find a news story that you know is fake, the most important advice is: {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Don't share it.

B. Read about it in print media.

C. Check the story in other places.

D. Unfortunately, not all of these stories are true.

E. Also, think about how the story makes you feel.

F. Look at the website where the story comes from.

G. However, the rash of fake news is a relatively new problem.