How to Read a Book

    Books can be your best friends.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} They can introduce you to things you may never see… But do you know how to read them in order to get the fullest enjoyment possible? The following tips should help.

    ① Find a book. Look in the library or in one of the large bookstores. You could also ask friends if you could have a look at their book shelves. Search the shelves until you find a book that looks good Read the first page to see how it reads, and the cover text on the back of the book, if it has any{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ② Buy or borrow it and take it home. Do not start to read it until you have the time.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}And set aside time to do nothing else but read, as it can be, at times' suspenseful (悬疑的), exciting and relaxing.

    ③ Get comfortable on the couch. Have a lamp (灯) behind you, lighting the area where you are reading. Make sure the television is off and that anything else that, could distract you has been attended to {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ④ Start the book by turning the pages and really enjoy it. Do not think about anything else but what you are reading. Put yourself into the action or location in the story. Once you concentrate completely, it will be difficult to put the book down. And remember that reading is not running your eyes over a book.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} However, if you need t0 read the book quickly, then you do not need to pay attention to every word.

A. If you are busy doing other things, you should wait until you have finished them.

B. Get warm if you are going to be sitting still for a few hours.

C. If you are already concentrating, then buy it or borrow it.

D. Try to imagine the story in your head.

E. They can take you to places that you may never go.

F. You should read it actively and enjoy it completely.

G. Otherwise, you will miss it.

Rich and Famous

    Twenty years ago the most common ambition of American children was to be a teacher, followed by working in banking and finance, and then medicine. But today's situation is quite different. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Instead they most commonly say they want to be a sports star, a pop star, or an actor—in other words, they hope to become a celebrity.

    According to experts, young people desire these jobs largely because of the wealth and the fame. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Let's take athletes and singers as an example. Their careers are short-lived. Many athletes' best time only lasts a few years and singers can have a very limited career. The field that was once the focus of their lives becomes something they have little or no involvement in. As a result, they'll have a feeling of worthlessness and a lack of control. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The truth is quite simple: they have been so far removed from it for so long.

    In spite of these disadvantages, there is greater ambition than ever among young people to achieve that status. They are not satisfied just making a living—they want to be rich and famous. Globally, more and more TV shows provide talent competitions where winners can achieve their goals in just a few weeks or months. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They unrealistically believe that this lifestyle is easily obtained and leads to great satisfaction.

    While many people argue that there is nothing wrong with having such ambitions, others feel that this trend will finally lead to dissatisfaction as more and more people are unable to reach their goals. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} That means they ignore the simple fact that great effort is needed before success. As a result, many people won't realize their childhood dreams, which could have a negative effect on their happiness.

A. In many ways this has been brought about by the celebrity culture.

B. People no longer have a sense of satisfaction once their goals have been achieved.

C. Besides, it can be difficult for them to adapt back to a normal everyday life.

D. The younger generation don't favor these professions any more.

E. Unfortunately, they do not always have a positive effect on people's life.

F. The reason is that they don't realize it takes talent and hard work to be rich and famous.

G. This quick way of gaining wealth and fame creates a celebrity culture among people.

    After a long day at work, coming home is a breath of fresh air. Home is a comfortable place to sit back and relax. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Below are a number of things we can do to create a healthy home environment that will help to ease the workday stress and promote our physical and mental health.

    Cleaning the house regularly is the first thing we should do. It may seem like a tiring thing to clean but there is a reason for doing so. We can remove dust by cleaning the house. Leaving layers of dust everywhere means that there is a build-up of dust. And where do these layers of dust go?{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Making sure the rooms are full of sunlight is also important. We may not realize it but sunlight is an important part of our growth. We all know that sunlight promotes better working conditions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Think about using a Parans system where sunlight does not reach. This technology gathers the sunlight by using solar panels. It can send out sunlight wherever we are.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Going green will help to remove toxins(毒素)in the air. They also give off oxygen, which can lower stress and improve our moods.

    Along the lines of being green, it can also be vital to think about what things we are bringing into the house. Try to avoid specific plastics that are harmful to health. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They may contain poisonous chemicals that can be breathed in, or simple absorbed through the skin.

A. However, is it as healthy as it can be?

B. Is our home as comfortable as it used to be?

C. Into our lungs.

D. The same thing applies to certain carpets and paint.

E. Besides, it can reduce both stress and high blood pressure.

F. It is also a good idea to add more plants in our house.

G. It is acknowledges that a greener lifestyle is linked to better health.

    Trophies( 奖 杯 ) were once rare things.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Trophies and prizes are almost a given. One Maryland summer program gives awards every day and each player gets one. Trophy sales are now a $3 billion-a-year industry in the United States and Canada.

    Some research has been done on the effects of praise and awards on kids. Although kids can be highly driven by awards, nonstop recognition does not inspire children to succeed.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford University, found that kids respond positively to praise; they enjoy hearing that they're talented, smart and so on. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Disappointed by their failure, they say they'd rather cheat than risk failing again.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, even if they are good at something; they've got to get used to that to keep going. When children make mistakes, our job should not be to make up those losses into decorated victories. Instead, our job is to help kids overcome failures, to help them see that progress over time is more important than a particular win or loss.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. We also have to stop letting the Trophy Industry run our children's lives.

A. Let's fight for a kid's right to lose

B. Instead, it can cause them to underachieve

C. To do that, we need to refuse all the meaningless prizes

D. Kids are going to lose more often than they win in life

E. But today they began to be mass-produced, marketed and sold in stores

F. They will know improvement, character and hard work are to be valued

G. But after such praise, they break down at the first experience of difficulty

    Some embarrassing situation pack a double effect: not only do you embarrass yourself, but, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You say to a friend that another friend is such a copycat (无主见的人), and then realize the copycat is standing right behind you. You imitate your teacher's unusual accent just as teacher walks in. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Making a joke now would make the situation even worse, so don't go there. Although you might feel like running away or even crying, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Instead, apologize, "I'm so sorry. That was really mean of me."

    If you've been disrespectful to a teacher or a parent, accept whatever consequences without complaint. If you've hurt a friend, do your best to make it up to them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. If someone else bring it up, just say," I feel bad enough about that—can we just let it go, please?"

    The next time you're stuck in an embarrassing moment, remind yourself that you're a strong person and you can get through this. Stay calm and act confident and {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    Sports performance can be influenced by many different things. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    There are many physical factors(因素)that play a part in sports performance. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The natural talent and strength of the players will make a difference. Also, it is important to get enough sleep before you are in a sports event. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Eating good meals is also important. When you are hungry, you cannot perform the same. You might be thinking about food when you should be thinking about the game.

    Of course, the more a team or a player practices, the more likely they are to perform well. The same person with the same physical abilities might just become better as he practices.

    Researching your competitor can matter a lot in sports performance. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses can help you adjust how you play to give yourself a better performance against them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you can figure out where to hit the ball in tennis that would confuse your competitor, for example, then this can help you score points.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If someone is very pessimistic about a game, for example, and is sure that he will lose, then he might increase his chances of doing so. If he is very nervous then he might be thinking about that instead of focusing on the game. If he is focused then he might do better, achieving what he didn't even realize he could. His confidence can also affect how the other team views him.

A. It is important to be aware of these factors.

B. It is necessary to get to know your competitor and yourself.

C. Also, there are ways to play something smartly and do better.

D. If you are tired, you may not perform as you normally would. ools1

E. If you have practiced enough to keep fit, you should have a rest.

F. If someone is in good shape, then of course he will perform better.

G. There are many psychological factors that can play a part in how well you perform.