People in the United States have many ways to get news, some of which are available 24 hours a day. In a recent survey（调查）, about 15 percent of American interviewees said that they spend less than one-half to two hours per day watching, listening to, or reading the news. News comes from every source, not only from printed ways, but from TV, radio, and the Internet as well.

    With the increased availability of news, serious questions have been raised about the role of the news media in society. Should the media report every detail about every story, even when the information does not seem timely or valuable? Some researchers are concerned that by focusing on everything at once, the media increasingly ignore the more important social, political and economic problems that we face. We cannot concentrate on what's important by reading about what is not. One extreme example of this is the type of information covered by the tabloid（小报）media, which focus on negative stories of violence and crime.

    How can people deal with all the news that is available to them? Some become “news resisters” and choose to turn their backs on news, resisting their desire to turn on the TV and read the paper every day. They argue that although daily news reports may provide us with many facts, they do not include the background or some information that we need to understand news events. They suggest that, instead of daily reports, we look for information that has more in-depth analysis of the news, such as monthly magazines.

    Do you know how to pick a good book you'll really like? Here are some tips. Start With Your Interest.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You can pick something that you love to read, not for school. They can be ancient martial (武术) arts, computers, or fashion design. You name it, there are books about it.

    What's Your Type? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction (or both)? Fiction books, like novels, can transport you to another world or help you imagine something beyond your own experience. Nonfiction books give you the who, what, when, and why of something.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Many of them read like novels from start to finish.

    Read the description. The reviews and quotes on the back and inside covers of many books give you an idea of what the book is about. They can also help you pick future books, too. If you find a book you really like, take a minute to read the quotes and see which authors praised the book.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Find a Family Favorite. Which book did your mother love best when she was at your age?{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Find out and give them a read — then you can share your thoughts about the book.

    Finally, you'll probably enjoy what you're reading a lot more if you find a quiet place and make time for the book.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You can put on some good music, get yourself some tea and let yourself be carried away by the book. You'll see that time does fly when you're reading something you love!

Third-Culture Kids

    Did you grow up in one culture, your parents came from another, and you are now living in a totally different country? If so, then you are a third-culture kid!

    The term “third-culture kid” (or TCK) was coined in the 1960s by Dr. Ruth. She first came across this phenomenon when she researched North American children living in India. Caught between two cultures, they form their very own. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} About 90 percent of them have a university degree, while 40 percent pursue a postgraduate or doctor degree. They usually benefit from their intercultural experience, which helps them to grow into successful academics and professionals.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In fact many hardships may arise from this phenomenon. A third-culture kid may not be able to adapt themselves completely to their new surroundings as expected. Instead, they may always remain an outsider in different host cultures. Max, for example, experienced this fundamental feeling of strangeness throughout his life as a third-culture kid.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} While this can be a way to create a network of friends all around the world, it can be difficult for a third-culture kid like Max to maintain close friendships and relationships.

    For a third-culture kid, it is often easier to move to a new foreign country than to return to their “home” country. After living in Australia and South Korea for many years, Louis finally returned to Turkey as a teenager. But she felt out of place when she returned to the country where she was born. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} She did not share the same values as her friends' even years after going back home.

    While a third-culture kid must let go of their identity as foreigner when he/she returns, the home country can prove to be more foreign than anything he/she came across before. The peer group they face does not match the idealized image children have of “home”.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    As a part of the growing “culture”, TCKs may find it a great challenge for them to feel at home in many places.

A. Yet being a third-culture kid is not always easy.

B. In general, they often reach excellent academic results.

C. This often makes it hard for them to form their own identity.

D. However, their parents can help them see the opportunities of a mobile lifestyle.

E. Their experience abroad helps them to gain a better understanding of cultural differences.

F. Unlike other teens of her age, she didn't know anything about current TV shows or fashion trends.

G. Additionally, making new friends and saying goodbye to old ones will at some point become routine for a third-culture kid.

Tips to fight summer weight gain

    When we think of summer, most of us think of outdoor fun. So it seems like we should naturally lose weight over the summer — not gain it. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Lots of summer activities can work against our efforts to stay at a healthy weight. The good news is that it's easy to avoid problems if we know what to look out for.

    Get going with goals. When we don't have a plan, it's easy to spend summer moving from couch to computer, with regular stops at the fridge. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Just be sure to plan for some downtime so you can relax a little!

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} With school out, we lose our daily routines. If you don't have a specific job or activity to get up for, it's easy to sleep late, watch too much TV, and snack more than usual. Make sure your summer days have some structure — like getting up at the same time each day and eating meals at set times. Plan activities for specific times, like exercising before breakfast, for example. If you have time on your hands, offer to make dinner a couple of nights a week so your family can enjoy a sit-down meal together.

    Think about what and how you eat. Summer means picnics and barbecues — activities that revolve around an unlimited spread of food. Pace yourself. Don't overload your plate. Avoid going back for seconds and thirds. Choose seasonal, healthy foods like fresh fruit instead of high-sugar, high-fat desserts. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Stay busy. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In addition to helping you avoid the cookie jar, filling your days with stuff to do can give you a sense of accomplishment. That's especially true if a dream summer job or planned activity fell through. Limit your screen time — including TV, computer, and video games — to no more than 2 hours a day.

A. Stick to a schedule.

B. Plan more activities.

C. Appropriate summer eating sets you up on the right track!

D. Most of us, however, don't take summer weight gain seriously.

E. In reality, though, summer isn't all about beach volleyball and water sports.

F. When we're bored, it's easy to fall into a trap of doing nothing and then feeling low on energy.

G. Avoid this by setting a specific aim, like volunteering, mastering a new skill, or working at a job.

    Do you ever draw? Most of us don't. The reason we usually leave drawing to the artists is that we're not very good at it. Who wants to do anything they're bad at? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Studies have found drawing has many benefits, artist or not. Here are just a few reasons for picking up a pen or pencil of any kind.

    It pushes you to be patient. We're used to things happening fast these days. Drawing is not fast. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That's OK, and as something comes together over time, you'll be reminded of the value of patience. Drawing is an object lesson that not everything good comes quickly, which is an easy thing to forget.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} A few of my drawings are really kind of great. Í can look at them with pride. But plenty of my little drawings ate nonsense or unfinished. It doesn't matter. I still have the experience of drawing and the benefits that brings. Even if you're not naturally "good" at drawing, you'll get better over time if you practice. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Your drawing doesn't have to mean anything or do anything useful, Sometimes you will even fail. No big deal.

    It makes memories stick, I draw in order to capture (捕获) moments from my life. I'm not great at drawing, but that's not the point. Sometimes I draw the view from the window of my hotel room-whether it's a great view or not. Remember, the idea is to capture the moment, not create a masterpiece. Other times I draw from my dinner table. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Every day has just 24 hours -- and this applies to all people. Some people are constantly pushed for time. This article is about how we can learn to manage our valuable time more effectively.

    In reality, we cannot manage time. We can only manage ourselves and our relationship with time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} And habits are not that easy to change.

    Below here are tips that can help you manage your time better.

    Organize your goals.

    Organize your goals based on two criteria: degree of urgency and importance: a. Should be done today, tomorrow, etc. b. Should be done at "that date". c. Can be put off for so many days. d. Can ask someone else to do it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Clean up your list.

    Make a list of everything you think that is not helping or benefiting you and do not do them!

    Focus on one goal.

    Concentrate only on one goal at a time. Otherwise, if while dealing with something you think about everything you can do later, most likely you will get bored and disappointed.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} The boredom is guaranteed with this way of thinking.

    Identify your deadlines.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Divide the activities per day/week and long-term goals to get a clear picture of what you have to do and when.

    Find suitable work environment.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Be realistic.

    Make sure that your goals are realistic and do not try for the impossible.

    Say "NO".

    Learn to say "no" to other activities, requests and people who eat your time (unless indeed at that very moment it is necessary for you to help them).

A. Allow time to adjust your list if necessary.

B. After all, how we use our time is largely a matter of habit.

C. Create a suitable environment to work, one that fits your style.

D. Check the list of what you should do and when it must be completed.

E. After organizing your goals, start with the most important and urgent.

F. It is like every time you eat you think all the meals you must eat in your life.

G. Do not let boredom discourage you if what you have to complete is boring.