I like travelling very much.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}They are wonderful adventures filled with new sights and experiences. And my wife and I have another trip in the planning stages．

    We're home now and have settled back into our daily routine of life.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I find that when I am at home, particularly for a while when we have just returned from a trip, I feel very comfortable. Perhaps it is because everything around me is familiar and the daily routine is so much the same and I can move through it almost without thinking.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Perhaps it is because we can have meals at home instead of always being in restaurants, although it's nice to let someone else do the cooking, and because I can sleep in my own bed. There are times I think it would be nice to simply stop travelling and stay home．{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Yet I guess I am probably a restless soul because I know that after I have been home for a while I will start to think about other places we might go and other things we want to see.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} We will travel again and we feel fortunate to be able to do so. Still, one of the best things about travelling for me is coming home. I'm very comfortable here at home even if it is difficult to say exactly why．

A. I enjoy local food while travelling．

B. I like being home，for whatever reason．

C. Perhaps it is because our friends are here．

D. And I enjoy my daily life at home so much．

E. It's lucky that my wife and I both love travelling.

F. The world is filled with people who are travelholic．

G. I have been fortunate enough to make trips to many countries.

How to Store Strawberries

    You've scored some beautiful strawberries and brought them home with great care. You've washed a few and eaten them immediately, but what to do with the rest? Strawberries can go bad easily, especially when not stored correctly.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    First things first, don't wash the strawberries until you're ready to eat them. Strawberries are ready to absorb water. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    If you plan on eating or cooking with the berries within a day and it's not too terribly hot in your kitchen, you can leave the strawberries out at room temperature. Put them in a pretty bowl within easy eyesight so people remember to eat them.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Take a shallow bowl or plate with a clean kitchen towel. Place the unwashed strawberries in more or less a single layer and refrigerate them. Stored this way, very fresh strawberries will keep for several days. The closer you can create this dry and un-pressed situation, the better. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    If you're not planning on using the strawberries within a few days, you'd better freeze them rather than keep them all fresh. Frozen strawberries are perfect for baking up in cakes, and other treats. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}They say frozen strawberries hold their shape better. Besides, whenever you have strawberries about to be not at their best, you can also place them in the freezer. By the end of strawberry season, you'll likely have enough of them to make jam.

A. Different people have different opinions.

B. They say frozen ones are to be more easily stored.

C. Actually, many bakers prefer frozen berries to fresh ones.

D. Again, don't wash them until you're going to use them!

E. And once they've met with water, they are quick to rot away.

F. For overnight storage, however, you'd better refrigerate them.

G. Here are some simple tips for storing strawberries to guarantee the least waste.

Steps for a Successful College Application

    When it comes to getting into the college of your choice, your college application is the most important tool you have in your hands. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, while a bad one can land you at the bottom. Keep the following tips in mind when you are going through the college application process and you'll be on the road to admission.

    Be Prepared

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, carefully look over all the questions and requirements. Dedicate a page to each college with a checklist of everything you'll need to submit, such as transcripts, recommendations, the essay, copies of awards/certificates, etc.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Former Records Technician, Carmen Huff, says the best thing students do is to get their applications early—or at least by the deadline. Colleges and universities receive so many applications that they don't have the time to accept late ones. The more time you give the college or university to process your application, the more time you'll have to deal with any problems that might arise, Huff says.

    Watch Your GPA and Test Scores

    This is the first thing that most universities look at. For example, most four- year colleges don't have a GPA requirement, but top Ivy Leagues(常春藤联盟) usually only accept students with a 3.5 or higher GPA. However, if your GPA is weak, don't give up applying. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Write an Amazing Essay

    A great essay can help tip the balance in your favor. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Many colleges require two essays, one short and one long. What you write not only shows how literate you are, but also provides the reader with an impression of your values and beliefs.

A. Be On Time

B. Be Patient and Determined

C. When you have a test or an exam

D. When you first receive the application

E. A great application can zip you to the front of the line

F. So, take the time to think your essay through carefully

G. Instead, be sure to emphasize your other good qualities such as any awards or community involvement

Ways to Fight and Overcome Laziness

    You read productivity tips, you've used a million to­do list apps, and you promise yourself every month that you're going to start being productive, but it never happens. Here's how to break the cycle when you feel like your problem is just laziness.

    Simple things first: It's important to get started with the task you're willing to perform in order to fight laziness. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Doing so will help you to break your inner resistance.

    Step­by­step: {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And it will keep us motivated to perform these tasks one after the other in a relaxed manner. Once you have completed one sub­task you can tell yourself that you're on a roll and that you will soon have finished the next sub­tasks as well.

    Remove distractions: Whatever it is that distracts you (TV, the Internet, etc.), remove it! {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Make sure that once you have started with one of your tasks, you will not get distracted from it by any means.

    Reward yourself: Every time you manage to overcome laziness and successfully complete a task you should reward yourself, as this will give you positive feeling about making efforts to get things done. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Little reward for small efforts and vice versa (反之亦然).

    Don't give up: It's one thing to find your motivation. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Rather than letting difficulties demotivate you, see them for what they are and refuse to be beaten by them. You're not alone and staying focused on working through challenges is one of the best ways to fight them.

A. Turn off distractions and focus on your goals.

B. Just make sure to adapt the reward to the efforts you made.

C. A list of weekly goals will help you stay focused and motivated.

D. A method that helps you do so is to start with the simple things first.

E. Occasional rewards will sweeten the tasks and help keep you on track.

F. But it's quite something else to keep it going when running into difficult problems.

G. Breaking down tasks into smaller tasks helps us to reduce the pressure of deadlines.

    As a senior year student, you may have so many pressures coming from so many directions that you can't figure out what to do first.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    When you have many things to do and a lot of demands on your time, you can lose sight of what's important. One of the best ways to see the big picture – what you want out of life – is to lay out your goals.

    Pressure Points and How to Deal With Them

    Confused or overwhelmed -- {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Discuss your concerns with a friend, parent or teacher. They may help you find solutions to your problems and worries.

    Being too hard on yourself – ease up, take a break and do something you enjoy. Daydream, read a book, go out with friends – anything that helps you relax.

    Problems, problems, problems – recognize your limits. It's too stressful to try to  deal with all your problems at once. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Goal-Setting Tips

    It's important to remember that goals belong to you – not to your parents, your teachers, or your friends. After you've set your goals, identify the skills you have to achieve those goals. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, do some research. Try the library, your guidance adviser and teachers, and other people who could help you.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If your goal is something you no longer want, change it. Identify the barriers to getting your goals. Consider ways to overcome them. Don't get depressed by a big, long-term goal – see what steps you can take to achieve it and set those steps down as short-term, "do-able" goals.

A. Too much to do

B. If you're not sure what skills you'll need

C. talk to someone you trust

D. Goals exist to serve you

E. Balancing goals in life

F. Choose what's most urgent and set aside the rest until later 

G. As long as you know what skill is important and what isn't

How to Make a Chinese Hot Pot

    Eating a Chinese hot pot is a very common experience. People gather around the pot, dipping their food, waiting for it to cook, mixing their own seasonings (调味品) and enjoying each other's company. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Firstly, prepare a large pot of soup. There is no right or wrong way to prepare a soup, so feel free to make your own. A simple soup can be made by boiling water with the addition of meat bones or fish heads and a mixture of herbs, seasonings and vegetables.

    Then, cut a variety of meats and fish into thin slices.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Choose any food that you enjoy. Some common choices for Chinese hot pot include thin pieces of beef, pork, lamb and so on. You can make your hot pot using the more traditional method of using the meats and seafood that are local to you. Meanwhile, select, wash and prepare some vegetables. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Mushrooms of all kinds are also common to Chinese hot pot preparations.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. At home, a single hot pot would work well up to 4-8 people depending on the size of the pot. Make sure everyone is sitting in a circle and has easy access to everything on the table. Prepare a separate small dish for each guest to mix their seasonings. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}!

A. Finally, arrange the seating reasonably

B. Now comes the turn to enjoy your hot pot

C. It will guarantee that the items will cook quickly and fully

D. Here are some easy steps to make a Chinese hot pot at home

E. For more variety, consider dumplings, rice cakes and tangyuan

F. Popular choices include: cabbage, pea leaves, winter melon and tomato

G. It usually lasts a couple of hours because you are cooking and eating in small parts