How To Become Smarter

    There are three things that will get you ahead in life: Good looks, smarts and being considered as being smart. The first is God-given. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In this article we explore some different ways to become smarter.

   Go to college, and get an education.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It means that you will have been exposed to many different ideas and hopefully you will have learned how to think. Being able to think outside the box and for yourself are features smart people possess.

    Read books and educational magazine.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Educational magazines such as Discovery or National Geographic are a wealth of knowledge that you can share with others, thus making you sound very smart. If you do watch television, try watching something where you can learn such as the History Channel, Discovery etc.

    Expand your vocabulary. Try to learn one new word a week. It does not seem like much, but adding 52 new word to your vocabulary will make you appear much smarter. Subscribing to vocabulary. com is a good start.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}This way you are actually getting 365 words a year, but that is usually more than most people can absorb.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Uneducated people and people not considered as being smart tend to do this. They hear an outrageous(骇人的) claim and they repeat it to the nearest ear. You can do much harm to your quest for being smart if you are known for giving bad information.

A. That is my exact point.

B. And unluckily most of us are not good-looking.

C. You will have a new word sent to your e-mail address daily.

D. The programs actually provide you with information you can see.

E. Reading books works the brain out more than viewing television.

F. Do not repeat everything people tell you until you know that it is true.

G. College does not necessarily mean you will be smarter, just educated.

    Universities are doing everything they can to become a green campus. But there are also items students can do to make your campus more eco-friendly.

1）Recycle everything, especially paper!

    There is a large amount of paper a college student goes through every term.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} We know that these things can't be avoided, but the way you handle the use of all the paper can really help create a better green campus.

2）Buy green.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Paper, cleaning products and water are products that can be bought as recycled goods. They're slightly more expensive than the normal products, but it's worth it to make a green campus.

3）Walk and bike to school.

    Most campuses, especially those that are trying to become a more eco-friendly campus, have pretty good public transit (公共交通系统).{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Walking or biking will help make your campus a green university.

4） {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    A water bottle can be refilled at any water fountain and can easily be drunk in class or while riding a bike. This will save the environment by decreasing the amount of plastic waste on your campus.

5）Buy used clothing.

    It is usually thought of as something to do to save money. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Recycling clothes minimizes the use of resources to make clothing and puts a dent in the problem of worldwide sweatshops.

A. Carry a water bottle.

B. It is also good for the environment!

C. Buy recycled goods as much as possible.

D. Paper made of this kind of wood is much stronger.

E. On top of that, almost all universities are pedestrian (步行者) friendly.

F. It includes class notes, term papers, student newspapers and so on.

G. Universities call on all the students to learn to recycle all the waste paper.

    How to Prepare for an Exam

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There's no need to be tense (紧张的) or cram (死记硬背). By doing a couple simple things ahead you can ensure that you are confident and ready for anything that comes up on the test.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} After you have taken notes from studying all of your material including the book and your notes, use that information to make flash cards. Turn statements into questions

    Quiz yourself. Once everything is written down on flashcards, quiz yourself with the cards. Keep reviewing the questions that you get wrong until you get them right. You can carry flashcards around with you and quiz yourself when you're on the subway or riding in the car.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Definitely continue to quiz yourself until you get them all right.

    Do practice questions.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Practice doing the questions in the book that you were assigned for homework. Do extra questions in the back of the book. Re-do questions that you got wrong, and try to figure out why you got them wrong. Do practice questions until you feel more comfortable with subject matter.

    On the day of the exam, set your alarm at least two hours before the test. Scientists believe that a good night's rest is the key to better test scores. An hour and a half before the exam, start running through all the themes and sub-topics in your head. Like always, check your notes if you get stuck. Use your flashcards to help you commit all the tiny details to memory if they're not already memorized.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you're given yourself enough time to study, you should feel well prepared and relaxed.

A. Goon a balanced diet.

B. Take exercise and keep it up.

C. Make flash cards.

D. This is especially helpful for subjects such as math.

E. You might quiz yourself for a half hour or so, then take a break

F. Stop studying at least 15 minutes before the exam, but an hour is preferable.

G. Preparing for an exam can be stressful and time-consuming, but it doesn't have to be.

    In a few months you'll go to college. Are you ready for some of the newness that is about to come your way? Take a look at this “mental preparation” checklist and make sure you have given these topics some thought.

    ⒈Remind yourself that it's new for everyone.

    Going to college is a big change, and it's important not to get overwhelmed (压垮). {#blank#}1{#/blank#} That's OK. Accept that you're in a new stage of life and it won't feel familiar for a bit.

    ⒉Commit to time management.

    Organizing your time properly will make your life in college much easier.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Create a detailed daily schedule that blocks out time for classes, homework, studying, and anything else. Stay organized and spend a few minutes each evening planning ahead for the next day.

    ⒊Be open to new things.

    College will open your eyes in more ways than one. It's a time to find yourself, discover new passions, challenge old ways of thinking, and meet new people from all backgrounds and places.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Embrace (欣然接受) the idea of exploration!

    ⒋Don't be afraid to ask for help.

    With anything new, it's best to go in with a positive attitude. But life has its ups and downs.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Take a moment to find out the college services that can help you: disability services, tutoring services, and any other services that will give you support when you need it.

    Congratulations on this exciting time of your life.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} You'll be glad you have done.

A. So, try something different.

B. Knowing where to turn for help is important.

C. Things might feel a bit uncomfortable for a while.

D. Plan to pay them a visit early in your first semester.

E. Get yourself a time planning app or a good old day planner.

F. Remember that you're in college to build a foundation for your future job.

G. As you get prepared for the first day of classes, get mentally ready for this new life stage too.

    If You Can't Fall Asleep When Your Head Hits the Pillow. Here's What to Do Schedule Worry Time

    Just as you schedule time to see friends or get a massage do the same with your worries,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}In addition to writing down what's worrying you, create at least one action item you can do to help deal with the issue. Thinking through those potential stressors earlier in the day should help ease how much you worry about those things when your head hi is the pillow.

    Create a Routine to Power Down Your Brain

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Not true. Modern busy living has created so much stimulation (刺激) in the day that brains now operate at super-fast speed. If you don't give them time to rest; they'll continue going at that speed at bedtime. At least 30 minutes before you go to bed, start your probed preparations and then do something relaxing. Keep it consistent, and you'll train your body to expect sleep after that relaxation period.

    Keep a Gratitude List

    Now that you've thrown away your worries, replace the void (空白) where those negative thoughts once lived with positive ones by starting a gratitude journal. The impact of I hose positive thoughts is greater when you write them down,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Practice 4-7-8 Breathing

    Deep breathing is so effective for sleep. In order to get to sleep，your heart rate needs to slow down.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Practice 4-7-8 breathing before you go to bed: Inhale (吸气) for a count of four, hold for seven counts，and then blow out for eight counts.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    As you lie in bed, relax all of your muscles one by one, starting at your toes and ending at your head. Not only is this incredibly relaxing，as the name implies, it also forces you to think about the physical parts of your body, directing your attention away from whatever is stressing you.

A. Exercise Right Before Bed

B. Do Progressive Muscle Relaxation

C. Consider the relaxing effects of positive thoughts on your mind.

D. Schedule a consistent time every day to write down those worries on paper.

E. Most people assume that sleep is like breathing your body will just do it.

F. And breathing techniques are one of the most effective ways to achieve his goal.

G. So try spending a few minutes each night listing several things you're grateful for.

Voluntourism

    Volunteering to help people in need combined with travelling to faraway places is a new trend in the travel industry. It is called voluntourism. People travel to other countries, learn languages and gain new experiences. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Recent statistics show that in the past few years voluntourism has been one of the fastest-growing areas of tourism. More than 1.6 million people around the world are volunteers in other countries. They help build schools, assist in hospitals and do farming work in developing countries. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They keep in touch with their host families after they return home, and many return to visit.

    There are many reasons why people want to engage in voluntourism. When people choose to join a voluntourism program, they are joining a global network of volunteers who are living and working with diverse cultures on projects that have a positive effect. The volunteers come from all over the world, and they will share the passion for giving back and the desire to broaden horizons. Some students also see it as a gap year after school, while others simply want to take time out from a job and do something else. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, many voluntourists do not see volunteering as what it is. They think it is a cheap way of travelling and don't really want to get involved in hard work.

    While voluntourism has been around for over a century, modern volunteering started with the Peace Corps, a program that the US government started in the 1960s. From then on, voluntourism has become more and more popular. Many organizations start similar projects. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} And they have hundreds of different types of programs for people to choose from in more than 30 developing countries. The programs run year round and each volunteer chooses when they want to start and the duration they would like to stay for.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They say that if people really want to help those in need, there are many opportunities in their own community to do this. On the other side, volunteers are often not skilled enough for the tasks that they do. Travel experts point out that in some cases voluntourists are often taken advantage of by the organization that sets up the trips.

A. Not everyone sees voluntourism in a positive way.

B. Some of them establish lasting bonds with people there.

C. And there are those who are bored and merely seek adventure.

D. Most voluntourism organizations employ people from similar fields.

E. They find it is the best way to get the best of the world.

F. By participating in voluntourism, they are contributing to local economy.

G. They offer voluntourism trips to suit people's interest, experience level or age.