A few things to do during weekends to improve your life

    Weekend at last! Something you're so looking forward to after a tiring week at work. Here are several tips on how to make the most of your weekends.

    Spend time with loved ones. Reconnect with family members or friends you neglected(疏忽) lately. Don't do it out of guilt or because you have to. Do it because you want to. Reach out to them to see how they are doing. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Return their calls if you were busy when they last tried to reach you. Talk to them. Listen to them. Be there for them.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Stay away from TV, iPad, iPhone and any other electronic devices. Unplug! Your brain needs to clear up from all the stress you've put on yourself during the week. Why not read a book instead? A paper one. Seriously, when was the last time you did that?

    Laugh, laugh and laugh again. You can never have enough of it. Laugh is the best medicine ever. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, it helps you manage stress, strengthen your immune system and you are 40 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.

    Express appreciation. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Be grateful for your family, friends, health, the food you put on the table, the clothes you wear and the air that you breathe.

    There you are. Doing a few things during weekends will have a positive long-term effect on your life. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Apply the “no technology” rule.

B. Pause and pay attention to your thoughts.

C. Friendship is the best source of happiness.

D. Don't call them only when you need them.

E. Put them into practice and you'll beat the Monday Blues.

F. It benefits your mental and physical health in so many ways.

G. This is something you should be doing every day, not only on weekends.

    Although problems are a part of our lives, it certainly doesn't mean that we let them rule our lives forever. One day or the other, you'll have to stand up and say – problem, I don't want you in my life.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Problems with friends, parents, girlfriends, husbands, and children – the list goes on. Apart from these, the inner conflicts within ourselves work, too. These keep adding to our problems. Problems come in different shapes and colors and feelings.

    But good news is that all problems can be dealt with. Now read on to know how to solve your problems.

    Talk, it really helps. What most of us think is that our problem can be understood only by us and that no talking is going to help.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Talking helps you move on and let go.

    Write your problems.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}When you write down your problems, you are setting free all the tension from your system. You can try throwing away the paper on which you wrote your problems. By doing this, imagine yourself throwing away the problems from your life.

    Don't lose faith and hope. No matter what you lose in life, don't lose faith and hope. Even if you lose all your money, family… you should still have faith.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Your problems aren't the worst. No matter what problem you get in life, there're another one million people whose problems are huger than yours.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Your problems might just seem big and worse, but in reality they can be removed.

    Go about and solve your problems because every problem, however big or small, always has a way out.

A. But the truth is that when you talk about it, you're setting free the negative energies have been gathering within you.

B. When we have a problems, a pressing, critical, urgent, life-threatening problem, how do we try and solve it?

C. Tell yourself: when they can deal with them, why can't I?

D. Of course, we've been fighting troubles ever since we were born.

E. We can often overcome the problem and achieve the goal by making a direct attack.

F. Having a personal diary can also be of huge help if you don't want a real person to talk with.

G. With faith and hope, you can rebuild everything that you lose.

Tips for Upcoming Senior Two

    People often describe Senior Two as a year with "much more homework, more frequent exams and more fierce competitions". {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒈Manage your time carefully and make full use of it.

    Try to study not hard but efficiently. Make a to-do-list for your time after school. Don't just spend quite a long time on only one subject.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Remember to take breaks when you feel exhausted.

    ⒉Treat Competition in Class in a right way.

   Don't treat your classmates as potential(潜在的)enemies. Competition cannot be avoided, but everyone wants to study and live in a friendly environment. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}By helping others solve problems, you inspire others, enrich your own knowledge and gain lasting friendship.

    ⒊{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Don't let your former rankings limit you. What really matters is how you treat exams and ranking. Forget the class ranking or grade rankings, but compete with yourself. In a while, you will see yourself climbing in scores and rankings.

    All in all, the coming new school year is sure to be full of challenges. Too much worry only adds to your difficulties in your development. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Wish you the best of luck in the new academic year!

A. Instead, divide the hours into small periods for different subjects

B. Learn for yourself, not for others.

C. If you keep my advice in mind, you will achieve a lot and lead a happy life.

D. Have a right attitude towards your rankings.

E. Good time management skills are very important.

F. So when they turned to you for help, just share your wisdom immediately.

G. When you prepare for the battle, some advice from me may be of help.

Suggestions for cooking on a Tight Schedule

    In my opinion, there are three main reasons why people don't cook more often: ability, money and time,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Money is a topic I'll save for another day. So today I want to give you some wisdom about how to make the most of the time you spend in the kitchen. Here are three suggestions for great cooking on a tight schedule:

    ⒈Think ahead. The moments when I think cooking is a pain are when I'm already hungry and there is nothing ready to eat. So think about of the coming week. When will you have time to cook? Do you have the right materials ready?{#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    ⒉Make your time worth it. When you do find time to cook a meal, make the most of it and save yourself time later on. Are you making one loaf of bread? {#blank#}3{#/blank#}it takes around the same amount of time to make more of something. So save yourself the effort for a future meal.

    ⒊{#blank#}4{#/blank#}This may surprise you, but one of the best tools for making cooking worth your time is experimentation. It gives you the chance to hit upon new ideas and recipes that can work well with your appetite and schedule. The more you learn and the more you try, the more ability you have to take control of your food and your schedule.

    Hopefully that gives you a good start.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} and don't let a busy schedule discourage you from making some great changes in the way you eat and live!

A. Cooking is a burden for many people.

B. Make three or four instead.

C. Ability is easily improved.

D.A little time planning ahead can save a lot of work later on.

E. Let cooking and living simply be a joy rather than a burden.

F. Try new things.

G. Understand your food better.

    We know that choosing a college major can be very hard. But have no fear! Your choice of major will not lock you into a specific career for the rest of your life. Here's what you need to know about college majors before you commit.

    What is a major?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Beyond general college requirements, you'll also take a group of courses in a subject of your choosing such as Chemistry, Literature, or Political Science.

    How important is my major?

    The major you choose will neither predict nor guarantee your future. Many graduates find jobs that have nothing to do with what they studied in college. If you intend to earn a professional degree after college, you will probably need certain courses. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    When do I declare a major?

    This varies widely across schools and programs. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Others require that you declare upon a major by the time that you set foot inside your first class.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Definitely. One of the most exciting aspects of college life is that it introduces you to new subjects and arouses new passions. However, keep this in mind. Every major has necessary coursework. If you change your major late in the game, it may take more than the traditional four years to earn a degree.

    What are minors and double majors?

    If one field of study doesn't satisfy your intellectual appetite, consider a minor. A minor is similar to a major in that it's an area of academic concentration. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}A double major provides you with an understanding of two academic fields. It allows you to become familiar with two sets of values and views while it also requires you to fulfill two sets of requirements.

A. Can I change my mind?

B. Is my major time-consuming?

C. It's your specialized area of study in college.

D. Most students find one major is more than enough.

E. Some schools may give you one year or more to decide.

F. But many future doctors major in non-science related fields.

G. The only difference is that it doesn't require as many classes.

    Are you truly happy? What does it mean to be happy? What does it take to achieve happiness? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

    Make a plan for achieving goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods (心情) will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. On the contrary, if you are around people who are happy, their emotional state will be infectious.

    When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution (解决办法) instead of being absorbed in self-pity. Truly happy people don't allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can.

    Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} And this will lead you to continuous happiness.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Whether you treat yourself to lunch  take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously putting yourself in a better mood.

    Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.

    Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Surround yourself with happy people.

B. There are some tips in life that lead to happiness.

C. Eating healthy foods or being fit can have a great effect on your mood.

D. These few minutes will help you focus on the positive things in your life.

E. What makes you happy may be different from what makes someone else happy.

F. It is also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself.

G. These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves.