In classes, your teachers will talk about topic that you are studying. The information they provide will be important for you to know when you take tests. So you must be able to take good written notes from what your teachers say.

Here are the three stages(阶段) of taking notes and what you should do during each stage.

1. Before Class Review your notes you have taken before you come to class. This will be good for remembering what was covered. Get you ready to understand new information your teacher will provide.

2. During Class Keep your attention on what your teacher is saying and „the signal words that tell you what your teacher is going to say and it is important to write in your notes. Examples of signal words are „The most important point…and „Remember that… Be sure to include in your notes information that your teacher repeats or writes on the blackboard. Write quickly so that you can include all the important information in your notes. Do this by writing abbreviations(缩写） such as med for medicine, using symbols such as % for percent, and writing short sentences.

3. After Class Rewrite your notes to make them more complete and accurate (准确的) by changing abbreviations into whole words, symbols into words, and shortened sentences into longer sentences. Use them to answer your questions. If necessary, ask your teacher for help.

  Hi, my name is Mei Shan. I study in a high school now. It seems that my life has changed a lot in the past few years. For example, I used to be short but now I am tall. I used to have long hair, but now I have short hair because I have no time to take care of it. I used to be afraid of the sea because I didn't know how to swim, but now I am a good swimmer in our school. As for eating, I used to have meat and eggs but now I like eating more vegetables.

  When I was young, I didn't use to read any books, but now I often read some storybooks. When I was in primary school, I used to play ping-pong with my friends after school, but now I have to go home right now and do my homework. I didn't like math and I used to be terrified of tests, but now I like all the subjects and never mind any tests. In the past, I used to have time to chat with my friends online, but now I am too busy to do it. How I miss my old days!

    I was waiting on the station platform for the Tianjin train when a man asked me if I knew the time of the next train to Tianjin. I often had to go there myself, so I knew and told him. A few minutes later an old lady wanted to know whether the train to Shanghai had already left. I knew that it had not, So of course, I told her. Then a girl came to me and asked why the train from Nanjing was late. I just told her that when trains were late, it was usually because something had happened. I was wondering why all these people were asking me those questions when I noticed that I was standing next to a sign that said "Inquiry Office."

    When Ana Dodson was 11 years old, she travelled to Peru. She went on more than just a vacation. She was visiting her native country.

    Ana was born in Peru, but she was adopted(领养)by an American family and grew up in the USA. While in Peru, Ana wanted to know what her life could have been like if she had not been adopted. She visited several orphanages, including one in the hills of Cuzco, near her birthplace.

    "The orphanage was really cold and dry," Ana said. "The paint was falling off. The girls were in poor health."

    When Ana returned home, she kept thinking of the orphanage in Cuzco." I really couldn't get the girls out of my mind, and I really wanted to do something because I could have been one of those girls in that orphanage."

    Ana decided to start a group called Peruvian Hearts to help. Her goal was to improve orphans' living conditions. In the first two years, Peruvian Hearts raised about $18, 000 for the orphanage. The group also bought a chicken coop(鸡舍)so the girls can eat fresh eggs.

    Ana's efforts have been noticed. She won a Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The prize is given to kids who make a difference. Ana says any kid can do what she did. "Really believe in yourself, and follow your heart, "she says.

Starting high school is a great experience for any teenager. Whether you are coming from a middle school(grades six through eight) or a junior high school(grades seven through nine), there are many things about high that are different from your old school environment.

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    You will face being in a new school, making new friends in an unfamiliar class and getting to know new teachers. These new teachers will usually have higher academic(学术的) level than your middle and junior-high schoolteachers.

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    In return, they expect you to work hard and develop your skills, On top of all this, peer pressure(同伴压力) to drink and smoke often increases in high school.

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Although there is a lot of pressure, it is nothing you cannot deal with. If you are feeling pressure to do something that you feel is wrong, talk to a friend, parent or counselor to find a solution(解决).

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you are not succeeding academically, find someone to help you. If you feel lonely, try to join a school club or group to make new friends.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}With time, you will come to be thankful for everything about your experience. On the point of starting you high school, are you ready?

   Taking a nap(小睡) every single day may be the least favorite thing for a child in kindergarten. However, being able to relax and get some rest in the middle of the day is great for many adults. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}People who take naps are seen as lazy. You can even be kicked off your job if you fall asleep at work. This kind of thinking dates back to the founders of the US, Puritans(清教徒). {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Some people even bring their pillows(枕头) to work for nap time. People have a much more relaxing attitude towards taking naps than in the US.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But on the other hand, having a short rest can help you work better. A good rest can improve your mood as well. So why not take a nap during lunch break and make the rest of the day more enjoyable?