A“Gap Year” is a period of time when a student takes a break before going touniversity.It is often spent traveling or working.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.The advantagesof taking a gap year are as follows：

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.Althoughyou don't have to go abroad to experience gap years，most gap year students catch thechance to travel abroad.You are able to work out who you are and what you arefor.The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons.

FaceChallenges and Have Fun.A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation，but also a time to face challenges.Gapyear students usually work，volunteeror take service projects.You have to learn how to get along in the realworld.This process isn't always easy，butit is an important part of growing up.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

            Save Money and Improve Your College Admission Chances.There's a common thought thatgap years are only for rich students，butit isn't true. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.Gap year students often take a part－time job.Besides，at the end of a gap year，students are much more likely to knowwhat to study in college.Clear learning goals can keep the students workinghard instead of wasting time and money playing.

Imaginean admission officer trying to admit only one between two students.Both of themare excellent and have high grades.However，onestudent has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Training for a marathon requires careful preparation and steady, gradual increases in the length of the runs. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, buy the best-fitting, best-built running shoes you can find. No one can say which brand will work best for you or feel best on your feet, so you have to rely on your experience and on the feel of each pair as you shop. When you have found shoes that seem right, walk in them f or a few days to double-check the fit. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. As always, you should stretch(伸展)at least ten minutes before each run to prevent injuries.

    During the first week, do not think about distance, but run five minutes longer each day. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, it is wise to take a day off to rest. But during the next week, set a goal of at least a mile and a half per run. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. After two weeks, start timing yourself. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Depending on the kind of race you plan to enter, you can set up a timetable for the remaining weeks before the race.

A. If they still feel good, you can begin running in them  

B. Before you begin your training 

C. After six days

D. For a good marathon runner 

E. Now you are ready to figure out a goal of improving distance and time 

F. Time spent for preparation raises the quality of training 

G. With each day, increase the distance by a half mile

How to teach a child to respect

    As a child grows out of being an infant and begins to notice and react to the world around him, you may find yourself wondering how you possibly impart all of the things that he needs to become a responsible, respectful adult.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} A child who learns to respect all he meets not only receives respect from others, but also learns to respect himself as well.

●Show your child respect. This is perhaps the best way to teach your child how to respect others. Listen to your child by giving him your full attention and he will learn to listen to you, understanding how important this is in communication.

●{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The more you say “please” and “thank you” to your child, the more likely he will learn to use them with you and others. Politeness then becomes a normal part of any conversation.

●Agree to disagree.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Explain your decision so that he will understand your reasoning and expect respectful responses. Disagreeing with you doesn't equate to disobedience.

●Control your impulse to overact. When a situation arises between you and your child that requires calmness, keep in mind that you are supposed to be modeling correct behavior. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

●Praise, praise, praise! So much is focused on what a child does wrong and how to correct it that the accomplishments are not celebrated enough.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A．Teach manners by using polite requests and responses.

B．Try to remember that a child won't always agree with you.

C．Respect is necessary for a meaningful and successful life.

D．If he sees you lose temper, he is more likely to respond that way in future.

E．A child may act like he pleases, but will respect being given limits.

F．When you see your child exhibit respectful behavior, make sure he knows just how proud you are of him.

G．Setting a good example is the best way to start a child on the path to respect.

    Matthew Youlden speaks nine languages fluently and understands more than a dozen more. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When I told Matthew how I've been working hard to only pick up a second language, he had the following advice for me.

    Know why you are doing it

    This might sound easy , but if you don't have a good reason to learn a language, you are less likely to stay interested over the long-run. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Wanting to get to know a French person in his or her own language is another matter entirely. No matter what your reason is, once you've decided on a language, it's important to carry out .

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Matthew learned several languages together with his twin brother Michael. They learned their first foreign language, Greek, when they were only eight years old! Even if you can't get a sister or brother to join you on your language adventure, having any kind of partner will push both of you to always try just a little bit harder and stay with it.

    Have fun with it

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Think of some fun ways to practice your new language: make a radio play with a friend, draw a comic strip, write a poem, or simply talk to whomever you can. If you can't find a way to have fun with the new language, chances are you aren't following step four.

    Act like a child

    We learn by making mistakes. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But as adults, mistakes become taboo(禁忌). Think how an adult is more likely to say, “I can't”, rather than, “I haven't learned that yet” (I can't swim, I can't drive, I can't speak Spanish). When it comes to learning a language, admitting that you don't know everything is the key to growth and freedom.

A. Find a partner

B. Leave your comfort place

C. We work in the same office in Berlin.

D. As kids, we are expected to make mistakes.

E. You are learning a language to be able to use it.

F. Using your new language in any way is a creative act.

G. Wanting to impress English-speakers with your French is not a very good reason.

    A new report says plastics are responsible for $13 billion in damage to the oceans and the undersea environment. The findings were announced recently at a United Nations conference．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Plastic thrown away carelessly makes its way into rivers and other waterways.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. After a while, it collects in the sea. And plastic never goes away. Plastic is not biodegradable—destroyed by bacteria or natural processes. Instead, it just breaks up into smaller pieces over time. The oceans contain a lot of chemicals and other pollutants(污染物).{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.That means harmful material may get into our food supply.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Human beings cause pollution and they can take steps to stop it. They can use fewer single use product containers and throw plastics away correctly. Plastic recycling programs also works—where old bottles and other plastics are collected, broken down and used to make new products. We could reuse bottles in our households many times if we wish to, rather than end it after the first use. We could, when we get rid of that plastic, recycle it and reuse it, which replaces the need for raw materials.

    The report also calls on companies to improve methods for using plastics.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. And it calls for information about the way plastic is thrown out or removed from use. By putting a new value on plastic, industry has a special reason to clean up the environment.

    But all of the companies must join to deal with the problem.

A. Then, fish may eat the plastics.

B. But people can make a big difference.

C. Plastics should be gathered together and reused.

D. It is convenient to use plastic bags in everyday life.

E. It asks for them to better measure and control plastic use.

F. The plastic eventually reaches coastal areas and ocean waters.

G. The report tells about harm to sea life and what might be done to improve the situation.

The storms in our lives often leave behind gifts if we open our eyes to see them. As the skies clear and you start to emerge from the loss, look for the silver linings. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

Going through difficulties requires courage and determination. You have to dig deep and find the strength you didn't know you possessed to overcome the challenges. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That self-knowledge and confidence in your abilities will serve you well going forward.

Coming out the other side of trouble sometimes gives you a fresh outlook. Priorities shift. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You have a deeper appreciation for life's simple moments and clarity about what matters. Use that insight to guide your choices and cherish each day.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}The old way of doing things no longer works, so you must rebuild and reimagine your life. Though change is hard, it opens up possibilities for new growth and exciting adventures. Look at this as a chance for a fresh start. You can pursue new dreams or make along-wished-for switch in your situation. The future is unwritten.

Your struggles and pain have given you understanding for what others maybe going through in their own lives. You now recognize the suffering of people around you and desire to help ease their burdens. Use your experience to be there for friends and family members facing difficulties.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Your sympathy can make a real difference.

A. Dramatic changes often lead to transformation.

B. They're there if you are bent on searching for them.

C. Offer a listening ear and share your story with them.

D. Storms shape us, but the silver linings make us suffer.

E. What seemed important before now pales in comparison.

F. Now you know you have the inner power to weather storms.

G. This new perspective removed previous doubt about yourself.