If you think your vocabulary is weak, a little effort every day over six to nine months can go a long way in improving it. Here are some tips for increasing your vocabulary.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You may be comfortable reading a particular part of the newspaper but make an effort to read different articles on every page. The editorial (社论的) page is highly recommended not only for vocabulary but also for structuring and presenting thoughts.

    Make it a habit to read a new book every week. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. You can consider becoming a member of the local library. Make a list of new words and look up their meanings in the dictionary.

    Watch English movies and television shows. It's an interesting way to enrich your vocabulary. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Use vocabulary cards. Vocabulary cards are used by students who are trying to learn many words in a short time. You can make your own cards by writing the word on one side and the meaning on the other side of a piece of paper. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Use the Internet. The Internet is an unlimited resource for reading material.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You will come across plenty of material to read. The Internet will also introduce you to new words. Be sure to look them up in a dictionary.

    Homework

    Do arithmetic problems 15 through 25. State the different forms of the verbs on page 50 of your French workbook. Read pages 12 through 20 of the Shakespeare play, and don't forget to fill in the missing chemical symbols on the worksheet.

    Sound like a list of your homework for the next few nights － or maybe even just for tonight? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}It's your teachers' way of evaluating how much you understand what's going on in class. And it helps strengthen important concepts.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's inviting to start with the easy things to get them out of the way. However, you'll have the most energy and focus when you begin, so it's best to use this mental power on the subjects that are most challenging. Later, when you're more tired, you can focus on the simpler things. If you get stuck on a problem, try to figure it out as well as you can － but don't spend too much time on it because this can mess up your homework schedule for the rest of the night.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}But don't pick someone whom you'll be up all night chatting with, or you'll never get it done!

    Most people's attention spans aren't very long, so take some breaks while doing your homework. Sitting for too long without relaxing will make you less productive than if you stop every so often. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Once your homework is done, you can check over it if you have extra time. Be sure to put it safely away in your backpack － there's nothing worse than having a completed assignment that you can't find the next morning or that gets ruined by a careless brother or sister.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Now you're free to hang out.

A. Homework is a major part of going to school.

B. Luckily, you can do a few things to do less homework.

C. When you start your homework, deal with the hardest tasks first.

D. But if you're really concentrating, wait until it's a good time to stop.

E. If you need to, ask an adult for help or call or email a classmate for advice.

F. And no teacher still believes that "chewed by the dog" line － even when it's true!

G. In conclusion, no one is expected to stay long, and people have very different learning styles.

    Keeping the memory in shape is important at any age, but it requires a bit more work as we grow. There are some simple activities that can improve your memory.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Awaken your senses.

    Use your senses to help your memory store(储存) needed information. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}You can ask yourself like this: Is the sky a light blue or deep purple? The more involved(参与的) you can be in the information, the easier it is for your brain to store it.

    Use imagination and relation.

    Trying to remember names? Let's say you meet a man named Frank Parker. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Tie the two together by picturing Frank dressed up in a hot dog costume(服装) parking his car in the parking lot. Now each time you see Frank, you should easily recall his name.

    Breathe deeply and relax.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Relax, breathe deeply and slowly and let your mind ease up for a minute. Being relaxed makes it easier for information to be both stored and remembered.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    When you come upon something you need to remember, say to yourself, “Hey, pay attention and remember this!” You are giving yourself a wake-up call as well as giving your mind a marker that it can use to help in storing the new information.

A. Give yourself an order.

B. Get a good night's sleep.

C. Here are four of them to get you started.

D. Picture a hot dog for Frank and a car for Parker.

E. For example, note the colors of a picture you want to remember.

F. When we try hard to remember something we often become nervous.

G. The way you live influences not only your physical health but also your memory.

    In 2015, motorcyclist Robert Jan kicked off a three-month solo(独自的) ride from the Netherlands to India.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} One day when he was watching a TV show about a man documenting his travels across countries, Robert decided he wanted to do something similar. About a decade later, he got his driver's license. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Two years after that, Robert began a solo motorcycle trip from his home in the Netherlands to India. He traveled more than 10,000 miles in just under three months.

    Robert, who is today a 30-year-old graphic designer (平面设计师), began planning the trip in September 2014, shortly after his graduation from Willem de Kooning Academy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} He secured the necessary paperwork, got cash, and supported the adventure through a graphic design job. He and his blue motorcycle—which he nicknamed Perry—took off in late August of 2015.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} He met fellow travelers along the way and slept outside, all the while writing about his experience on his blog, Going Eastwards.

    But the three-month adventure also came with its challenges. Sometimes, he would go miles without spotting a much-needed gas station, and money eventually grew scarce(不足的). {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In the end of November, Robert finally reached Mumbai, India. There, he shipped his bike back to Houten in the Netherlands and put himself on a plane back home.

    “Took 81 days to get there,” he posted on Instagram, “back within 18 hours.”

A. And in 2013, he bought his first motorcycle.

B. From a young age, Robert has been an adventurer.

C. By the time he arrived, all the beds were occupied.

D. They helped Robert get the motorcycle out of the freezing cold water.

E. Riding through 14 countries, Robert met a diverse set of people and landscapes.

F. Closer to the end of the trip, the motorcycle broke down—but a local helped him out.

G. He spent the next several months reading stories of motorcycle adventurers like Paul van Hoff and Gordon G. May.

    Music is very powerful. The kind of music you listen to says a lot about who you are. What music you choose to listen to today will help to determine what type of person you are tomorrow. Be careful about what type of music you choose to listen to. Music can either build you up or tear you down.

    Garbage in, garbage out

    In almost all categories of music, there are artists that deliver positive messages through their music and then there are artists that deliver destructive, hateful messages in their music. The kind of music you choose to listen to will help determine the level of success you achieve in life. Think negative thoughts and you will attract negative into your life. Think positive thoughts and you will see the positive in your life. Opportunities come to the optimists in life. When you entertain negativity in your life, opportunities are often lost or ignored.

    Use Positive Music to get what you want out of life

    Actively choose music with a positive message to listen to. Making this conscious choice will lead to positive experiences in your daily life. Music has a powerful effect on our beliefs and our actions. Being active in choosing the music we listen to will lead to a happier and fulfilling life. If you aren't happy with the current state of your life, a great place to start changing it for the better is to choose better music to listen to.

    Not convinced that you should listen to positive music?

    Consider that all action is preceded(先于) by a thought. It's impossible to take an action without having some thought about the action before you do it. Where do your thoughts come from? They come from what you are listening to, what you are seeing and who you are hanging out with. These influences over time, are responsible for our beliefs and ultimately our actions.

    How to make positive changes in your life

    Choosing music with a positive message is a great way to start making positive changes in your life. Don't you like where your life is headed? Changing the music you're listening to is an important first step towards creating a different, more positive life for yourself.

    If you travel, you will leave a carbon footprint in your wake. You can't help it. But eco-friendly travel practices can lighten the harm on Mother Earth. Green travel is not a passing trend but a lifestyle choice. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Choosing a green destination

    No destination is a Green Giant. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. However, some countries and cities show a deep commitment to Earth-friendly policies and practices. When researching a vacation spot, look for places that naturally embrace the green lifestyle.

    Choosing green transportation

    What makes Mother Earth proud? Seeing you use your own power to get around. Many adventure tour operators arrange cycling, hiking and walking holidays. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. The greenest rides typically run on electric power. Switzerland is taking the lead with its hybrid buses and trains powered by hydroelectricity; Japan is running close behind.

    Choosing a green hotel

    Once you are at your destination, if you can get the hotel right, you can make the greatest impact. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Look for a fact sheet online, or call the front desk. You can also search for hotels approved by respected certification programs, such as Green Key and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    The Earth-friendly choices are numerous: You can sail, bike, kayak, bike, swim, bird-watch and play I-spy-a-monkey in a tree. Visit a local food market, and don't forget to bring a reusable bag for purchases. You can also lend a hand during your holiday. The green movement has changed from how to preserve and protect to how to use less and do good when you're there.

A. Choosing green travel

B. Choosing green activities

C. Next in line are trains and buses

D. They all make environmental missteps

E. Most major chains operate in-house green program

F. If you plan to drive, consider a fuel-efficient vehicle

G. Follow the tips and watch your footprints turn greener