From time to time, we all get a bit down. Maybe we are feeling bad because we're not doing well with our goals. There are many reasons for feeling down, but I'm not able to discuss all of them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Make a list. Sometimes we are sad simply because we are troubled by all the things we have to do. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Make a list of the most pressing things you have to do. Thus you're getting things under control. You can see, right in front of you, what you need to do, and that can pick up your mood.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You've made a list, and you still feel puzzled? Well, get started on the first thing you need to do. Once you get into action, you'll feel better. And once you start doing something, you will feel much better than lying around feeling sorry for yourself.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I like Brown Eyed Girl, the Kinks, the Ramones, or an upbeat Beatles tune. You might have your own brand of feel-good music. Whatever it is, let yourself move to the beat. It may just be what the doctor ordered.

    Talk about it. Get a best friend, family member or coworker you can talk to. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It can also help you work out the reasons you're feeling down.

    A class teacher, in my opinion, plays an important role in a child's development.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} This year, she is moving to Class Three and I can't wait to see how things are going on.

    Last year, my daughter did not like her teacher at all. It was so bad that she did not look forward to school. It was a year full of trouble and that worries.

   This year, Miss Purity is gentle and humorous. It's hard not to like her.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    She becomes an early bird. Last year, mornings were like a fight because I had to force Tasha to hurry up when she was preparing for school. I had to pull her out of bed, tell her to take breakfast and then drove her to school. But now, our mornings are like a party. She wakes up early, prepares everything at a high speed and then rushes to school to be with Miss Purity.

    She's happy. She enjoys school and school work and keeps talking about what they did at school when she comes home.

    She's responsible.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} But now she never forgets even her water bottle at school. She makes her bed and helps in the kitchen.

    Her diary is full of praises. The diary is the tool of communication between the teacher and the parents. Last year, her diary was always full of negative reports. One time, she poured water in a child's lunchbox, another time she threw another kid's textbook in the toilet.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} She's always volunteering to clean the blackboard, the teacher's chair and desk.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Finishing her classwork was such a big problem. She had to do it at home. But now, she finished both the classwork and homework at school.

A. Here are the changes in my daughter.

B. Now she began to share her snacks with those who did not have anything.

C. Every year when my daughter moves to a new class, I have a usual big worry—her new class teacher.

D. Her diary was good.

E. She has a good class teacher.

F. She used to be careless and forgetful.

G. She does well in school.

    A fear of public speaking is common.Unfortunately, many fail to find a way that helps themselves out of trouble.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}I'm sure the following ways can help you overcome（克服）the fear of public speaking.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}The first step in overcoming the fear is to find out why you're fearful.Probably the main reason is the fear of being embarrassed.This includes being laughed at,messing up,or doing anything foolish{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Either way,for most people,it comes down to the fear of what others might think of them.

    Change your mindset（心态）.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Think about what the audience might think of you or how you can best get your message understood, and you will be able to drive away the fear.

    Practice.

    Although you may still get nervous even if you have done dozens of speeches,the more you do it,the easier it will get{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This will not only make public speaking easier but also help you develop confidence.You can do things like joining your local Toastmasters（宴会主持人）Club where you will get the chance to practice speaking in front of people who are all there to help you become a confident speaker.

A.Understand the cause of the fear.

B.From my experiences.

C.To overcome the fear, you need to change your mindset.

D.It could also be that you had a bad experience in the past that causes fear.

E.When you practice,it's best to do it in front of a supportive group of people.

F.Nobody will never feel nervous.

G.Don't be afraid.

注意：每个空格只填一个单词。

    Every January for the past 20 years, I have taken a few moments to consider the answer to the big question, “What is the meaning of life?” The reason I ask this question year after year is that my answer changes over time, which I find interesting and insightful. There is no objectively correct answer, I believe—only answers that are right for you at any given time. This question is so important—philosophically and practically in terms of how we live our lives— yet we are unable to really think about the answer.

    Doing this simple exercise might even help you live longer. According to two separate studies —one with 9,000 participants around age 65 and another with 6,000 people between 20 and 75—those who could explain the meaning and purpose of their lives died later than those who saw their lives as aimless. It didn't seem to matter what meaning participants ascribed to their lives, whether it was personal (such as happiness), or creative (such as making art). It was having an answer to the question that mattered. The connection to longevity（长寿）could be causal—having purpose may help one manage daily stress, as other research has shown. But it could also be that those who think about life's meaning are more likely to do other activities that promote good health.

    Great thinkers have given the question thought. Leo Tolstoy wrote, “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.” Albert Einstein said: “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” My favorite answer, though, is “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”

    Some have concluded that life's meaning is subjective. “There is not one standard meaning for all,” author Anaïs Nin once said. “There is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.” I agree, which is why I recommend formulating（构想）your own answer. Taking a few moments to record your response to the question “What is the meaning of life?” is the kind of simple exercise that effectively adds meaning to your life.

    And then I suggest answering it every year. Looking back at how your thinking has evolved and been influenced by experience tells you something more about yourself. Then, it gets you closer to a deeper self-understanding.

    If you do the annual “meaning” exercise, I suggest not looking at past answers before answering anew. I write them down on the same now-yellowing piece of paper and keep it someplace safe.

    The last suggestion is to turn your answer into action. If you conclude, as Tolstoy and Einstein did, that the meaning of life is helping others, that should help motivate you to do more of it.

    This is not a theoretical exercise. Whatever small step you take toward finding the meaning of life is a step toward a more meaningful, and longer life. Why not do this simple annual “meaning” exercise from now on?

This Way to Dreamland

    Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what's happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}They annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.

    But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?

So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?

    First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you're daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.

It's also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concentrate. "Mindfulness", being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away. Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.

A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.

B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.

C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn't have relativity, Coke or Post-it notes.

D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.

E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.

F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.