Matthew Youlden speaks nine languages fluently and understands more than a dozen more. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When I told Matthew how I've been working hard to only pick up a second language, he had the following advice for me.

    Know why you are doing it

    This might sound easy , but if you don't have a good reason to learn a language, you are less likely to stay interested over the long-run. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Wanting to get to know a French person in his or her own language is another matter entirely. No matter what your reason is, once you've decided on a language, it's important to carry out .

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    Matthew learned several languages together with his twin brother Michael. They learned their first foreign language, Greek, when they were only eight years old! Even if you can't get a sister or brother to join you on your language adventure, having any kind of partner will push both of you to always try just a little bit harder and stay with it.

    Have fun with it

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Think of some fun ways to practice your new language: make a radio play with a friend, draw a comic strip, write a poem, or simply talk to whomever you can. If you can't find a way to have fun with the new language, chances are you aren't following step four.

    Act like a child

    We learn by making mistakes. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But as adults, mistakes become taboo(禁忌). Think how an adult is more likely to say, “I can't”, rather than, “I haven't learned that yet” (I can't swim, I can't drive, I can't speak Spanish). When it comes to learning a language, admitting that you don't know everything is the key to growth and freedom.

A. Find a partner

B. Leave your comfort place

C. We work in the same office in Berlin.

D. As kids, we are expected to make mistakes.

E. You are learning a language to be able to use it.

F. Using your new language in any way is a creative act.

G. Wanting to impress English-speakers with your French is not a very good reason.

    The jobs of the future have not yet been invented. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. By helping them develop classic skills that will serve them well no matter what the future holds.

1). Curiosity

    Your children need to be deeply curious. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Ask kids, “What ingredients (配料) can we add to make these pancakes even better next time ?” and then try them out. Ingredients make the pancakes better? What could we try next time?

2). Creativity

    True creativity is the ability to take something existing and create something new from it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. There are a dozen different things you can do with them. Experimenting with materials to create something new can go a long way in helping them develop their creativity.

3). Personal skills

    Understanding how others feel can be a challenge for kids. We know what's going on inside our own head, but what about others? Being able to read people helps kid from misreading a situation and jumping to false conclusions. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. “Why do you think she's crying?” “Can you tell how that man is feeling by looking at his face?” “If someone were to do that to you, how would you feel?”

4). Self expression

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} there are many ways to express thoughts and ideas—music, acting, drawing, building, photography. You may find that your child is attracted by one more than another.

A. Encourage kids to cook with you.

B. And we can't forget science education.

C. We can give kids chances to think about materials in new ways.

D. So how can we help our kids prepare for jobs that don't yet exist?

E. Gardening is another great activity for helping kids develop this skill.

F. We can do this in real life or ask questions about characters in stories.

G. Being able to communicate ideas in a meaningful way is a valuable skill.

    A major source of teen stress is school exams, and test anxiety(焦虑) is not uncommon. When you recognize your teen is under stress，how can parents help your teen stay calm before an exam?

    Be involved. Parents need to be involved in their teen's work.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}What they look for is your presence—to listen, to talk，to cry, or simply to sit with them quietly. Communicate openly with your teen. Encourage your teen to express his worries and fears，but don't let them focus on those fears.

    Help them get organized.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Together，you and your teen can work out a time-table in which he/she can study for what he/she knows will be on the test.

Provide a calm setting. Help your teen set up a quiet place to study and protect his/her privacy. Give them a nutritious diet. It's important for your teen to eat a healthy，balanced diet during exam times to focus and do his/her best.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If this happens，encourage your teen to eat light meals or sandwiches. A healthy diet，rather than junk food，is best for reducing stress.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Persuade your teenager to get some sleep and do something active when he/she needs a real break from studying. Making time for relaxation，fun，and exercise is all important in reducing stress. Help your teen balance his/her time so that he/she will feel comfortable taking time out from studying to spend time with friends or rest.

    Show a positive attitude.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Your panic, anxiety and blame contribute to your teen's pressure. Make your teen feel accepted and valued for his efforts. Most importantly，tell your teen that things will be all right，no matter what the results are.

A. They will only make the situation worse.

B.A parent's attitude will influence their teen's emotions.

C. The best thing is simply to listen.

D. Help your teen think about what he has to study and plan accordingly.

E. Exam stress can make some teens lose their appetite（胃口）.

F. Encourage your teen to relax.

G. Your teen may also make negative comments about themselves.

    When you got sick, did your parents and doctors make you drink a "terrible soup"?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}, but it can really make you feel better in several days. The "soup" is actually a kind of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

    In recent years, TCM has become more popular around the world.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. China has 10 TCM centers abroad, such as in France and the United States. Doctors give TCM treatment to local people there. They also teach TCM knowledge to local people. Now, there are over 100,000 TCM clinics, with about 300,000 TCM workers around the world.

    TCM came from China thousands of years ago. It is based on the Chinese philosophy (哲学) of yin and yang.

    Humans should follow the natural rules to stay healthy. Old Greece and Egypt created western medicine.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Western doctors check people's height, weight, blood pressure and body temperature.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. "Bringing together western medicine and TCM can use collective knowledge, rather than create competition between them. It can develop the great effects of both of them," said Bernhard Schwartlander, a World Health Organization representative in China.

    On Dec 6, a government document reported that 86 countries and regions are now developing TCM together with China. In 2015, Chinese scientist Tu Youyou won the Nobel Prize.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Today, with more and people paying attention to TCM, it will definitely have a bright future.

A. Let's see some facts and figures

B. It might be a bad drinking experience

C. It is difficult to compare which one is better

D. Then the idea took shape in Europe in the 19th century

E. There are many women of great achievements in history

F. Many people believe western medicine is more effective than TCM

G. It's because she made an important drug using traditional Chinese medicine

Not all English is the same

    To many learners of English, it's easy to think that all native speakers have no trouble communicating with one another.

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    Well, it turns out that being a native English speaker from one country doesn't mean that you're able to perfectly understand a native English speaker from another country, and vice versa (反之亦然)

    Take the UK and the US for example.

    As a Briton, I grew up hearing American accents alongside British ones – on TV shows, movies and in songs.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} and how they would eat “cookies” instead of “biscuits”.  And it took me a while to figure out that the “trunk” (n. 后备箱) of a car is what us Britons call its “boot”.

    The confusion didn't stop at just vocabulary –{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, when talking about shopping malls, Americans pronounce it “mawl” instead of “mal”. And for some reason that's hard for Britons to understand, Americans remove the “H” sound from “herb”, pronouncing it “erb”.

    These small differences may not change much in a day-to-day conversation between a Briton and an American.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Recently, for example, an American friend told me that she liked my pants. “You can see them?” I asked, shocked. Pants means “underpants” to most British people, which explains my horror.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In the US, for example, a “bum” is a homeless person, while the same word in the UK is used to describe one's backside（n.臀部）.

    And, more amusingly, “trump” was only ever really used as a verb in the UK – meaning “to pass gas” – until the US' current president came into the spotlight.

But as long as you can speak one version of English, it's easy enough to understand any other – and any confusion just makes your day more interesting.

A. English is changing as it spreads around the world.

B. After all, English is English, isn't it?

C. I soon noticed how Americans would put “gas” in their cars instead of “petrol” .

D. However, confusion can still happen every now and then.

E. There are different words that mean the difficult thing.

F. Some words can even be offensive (adj.无礼的) without you realizing it.

G. I discovered that many words are even pronounced differently.

Having the option to study abroad is exciting. It's what you call an once-in-a-lifetime experience that you should take full advantage of if you have the chance. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So before you get excited and book that plane ticket to a new world, take these tips into consideration.

Make new friends.

No matter where you end up studying abroad, take this time to make new friends. That could mean someone from your school in your program or major. It could also mean a native of the city or country you're visiting. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Do your best not to isolate yourself. Instead, reach out to others actively.

Overcome homesickness.

No matter where you go, you'll probably get a little homesick. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Luckily for you, with social media, you can connect with your loved ones almost instantly at any time of the day. Besides, we're almost positive that everyone back home misses you just as much as you miss them. However, they probably want you to enjoy yourself as much as possible and not to feel sad because you miss them.

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One of the best parts of studying abroad is learning the local language. By doing this, you'll be able to communicate with people in your new home. After all, that is your home for a limited time. Also, speaking the local language is another useful skill. Local employers take interest in that when considering applicants.

The world is full of so many great places. We will support you if you'd like to study in one of them. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Learn the local language.

B. Master some useful languages.

C. But don't forget to follow these suggestions.

D. That is quite normal, especially the beginning.

E. Turn to your new friends for help if you feel homesick.

F. Remember, even your best friends started out as strangers.

G. However, studying abroad is not as simple as you just thought.