Why I Love Cycling

    One of the first things I did when I moved to a new city was hire a bike. Why?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} You travel much faster than on foot and you notice so much more of your surroundings than when in a bus or a car. It's more appealing to wander down small streets if they seem interesting, as you can quickly get back to the main road.

    Besides, I soon discovered plenty more benefits to cycling.

    A bike means that fewer places, especially in a small city like the one where I live now, feel far away. For example, cycling to work takes me half the time that it would to walk.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Of course, there are obvious health benefits of cycling—a bit of extra movement as part of your daily routine can help you keep fit and healthy. Cycling on my way to work also makes me feel more energetic in the mornings.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} While cars pollute the environment, bikes are carbon-neutral. Furthermore, thanks to being petrol-free, bikes are cheaper to run, buy and fix than cars. Even if you don 'town a car, a bike can pay for itself when compared to the price of bus tickets.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Always wear a helmet, pay attention to other traffic and don't forget your lights at night. Make sure you know the road rules, especially in a new place. Some cities are more cycle-friendly than others.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Luckily, where I live now is pretty easy to ride a bike around, thanks to having lots of cycle lanes and not too many hills!

A. However, be careful when cycling.

B. I have to learn to ride safely on the right of the road.

C. Importantly, cycling also helps to reduce your carbon footprint.

D. And sometimes city roads are difficult or unpleasant for cyclists.

E. Riding a bike also means you're not restricted by bus timetables.

F. Seeing a city by bike is ideal for settling in and learning your way around.

G. Cycling to work excellently fits for someone who wants to save their pocket money.

    I just realized that while children are dogs-loyal and affectionate-teenagers are cats.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You feed it, train it, and boss it around. It puts its head on your knee and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it. However, around age 13, your adoring little puppy(child) turns into a big old cat(teenager). Then when you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died. Instead of following your doorsteps, it disappears.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Not realizing that the dog is now a cat, you think something must be desperately wrong within. Since you're the one who raised it, you assume that you did something wrong. Now you're dealing with a cat. Filled with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Call it, and it runs way. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter.

    Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you can learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}You sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it. One day your grown-up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, "You've been working hard all day. Let me get those dishes for you."{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It's so easy to be a dog owner.

B. Children as cats can turn to their parents.

C. You won't see it again until it gets hungry.

D. Then you'll realize your cat is a dog again.

E. Teenagers can understand and appreciate their parents' love.

F. But remember that a cat needs your help and your affection, too.

G. However, all the efforts made before now produce the opposite of the desired result.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.Whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

    As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand(速记). When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Use words, not complete sentences.

B. There are three practical note-taking methods.

C. You must write your notes on separate paper.

D. Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later.

E. You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F. That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

G. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

    If you are thinking about studying in foreign countries, you may already know that there are a great number of colleges and universities from which to choose. How do you find the one that's right for you? Here are some tips to help you with your college search:

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Make sure you understand your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Give yourself an honest self-examination to check what kind of college you like and where you would like to stay.

    Collect Information.

    Collect as much Information as possible, from and about colleges. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Use the college search programs to research and sort for colleges that meet your personal requirements.

    Visit college campuses.

    It can be very helpful to experience the first-hand campus culture of any college you are considering. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, there are other options that can help you get a feel for the academic and cultural environment. Many schools offer virtual campus tourists on their websites.

    Talk with the students about their experiences.

    Make the students tell you stories about their experiences. Try to imagine yourself in the stories they are telling. Don't settle for "this is a great place — you'd love it here." Find out why.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Take an honest look at affordability.

    Some private colleges carry a price of $60,000 (or more）per year. Ask your parents what they can or are willing to spend. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, you had better know if there will be financial limitations on your college selections.

A. Know yourself

B. If you are not able to travel

C. Give yourself any examination

D. Before you fall in love with a school

E. After you decide which school to go to

F. It is easy to find and won't cost anything

G. Their reasons for loving it may not match with yours.

    Is our planet heating up? Are human beings to blame for climate change? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The discussion on this subject has been heated, but what are scientists actually saying? At Reader's Digest, we decided to find it out.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Yes, it has, and even warmer. Greenland was forested between 450,000 and 800,000 years ago, so temperatures were considerably warmer then. There have also been other times of relatively high temperatures.

    So why does the concern exist?

    It's all about the speed at which temperatures are changing. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} But in the 20th and 21^st centuries, especially since 1976, temperatures have probably risen more quickly than during any century in the past 1 ,000 years. Warming may bring improved crop production and other benefits to northern countries such as Canada or Russia. However, many species may not adapt to these conditions, and the one that is able to may cause a problem. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The West Nile virus, first seen in North America nine years ago, infected about 4,000 people in the US in 2006. The mountain pine beetle, which is active during warmer winters, has already destroyed about 13 million hectares of Canada's forests, worth an estimated $6. 4 billion.

    What is causing the warming?

    IPCC has concluded that human activity is very likely responsible, by increasing the concentrations of greenhouse gases and thus the greenhouse effect. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They argue the human contribution is nothing.

A. Some scientists, however, still disagree.

B. Has the planet ever been this warm before?

C. Has human behavior made the planet warm?

D. Temperatures have been changing all the time.

E. In the past, temperatures moved up or down gradually.

F. Mosquitoes have been moving northwards to higher places.

G. These questions have burst into newspapers, films and popular books.

Five steps to better handwriting

Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it's time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five steps that really work!

Get a great grasp

Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.

Let the lines be your guide

Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.

Slow down

If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it's hard to control where you stop and start your letters.

Lower the pressure

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don't hold the pencil too tightly.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it's not schoolwork, you're still using the skills you need to control your pen better.

A. Play games

B. Ask for more advice

C. So "a" should be half the height of a capital "A".

D. You've been writing since you were a little kid.

E. Some kids press down really hard when they write.

F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting.

G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the base of your thumb.