Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the United States and Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument or ballet, or other classes which will give them a head start in life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.

    Parents can see that their children's skills differ. Some children are very skilled in some areas while poor in others. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills that they need to be confident, happy and clever.

    Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework. Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in

    life. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully step by step. The result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and lots of self-confidence.

    Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse his interest. He will spend hours looking at them, trying to repair them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And that is more important.

A. Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter.

B. The more cost in education, the better the result will be.

C. Cooking requires patience and time.

D. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today's children are badly off for self-respect and self-confidence.

E. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is.

F. These activities are not only teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind.

G. Thus, the more the children use the computer, the better the result will be.

    Do you ever feel like you read something over and over but you just can't seem to remember it?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, we all have to do it at some point for work or for school. Here are a few steps that will help us study more effectively and remember the information.

    1）Set a goal.

    Before you even start reading, it is important to set a goal. What do you hope you can learn by reading the material? What key points will you be required to know at a later date?{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If not, you should pay mare attention to the information you are looking for.

    2）Do the following things.

    First you need to notice the title above each section. That will tell you what the section is about.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Read the first and last sentences of each paragraph slowly and carefully and re-read them if you have to.

    3）Familiarize yourself with the material.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}So for a job, you might search online for something similar to what you are reading. For students, school websites are useful or another textbook may be able to explain words in a way that is easier to understand,

    4）Review the material

    After you have read and understood the material, review it a few times a day,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Studies have shown that on average it takes several (anywhere from 3 to 8) times reading and reviewing a material before it becomes part of your permanent memory.

A. It can be very helpful to refer to extra material.

B. It can be hard to read something and keep it in mind.

C. It is easier to remember concepts when you rewrite them.

D. Also, topic sentences are valuable sources of information.

E. If everything is important, you wilt have to work a little harder.

F. This will help you understand it better and remember the information.

G. This doesn't change the fact that it can still be very difficult to remember things.

    Managing your time is a lot like managing money.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} With 24 hours a day multiplied by seven days a week, your weekly time budget is 168 hours per week.

    Step 1:{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Estimate(估计) the amount of time per week you spend on each activity, such as class time, athletics fitness, socializing with friends and other hobby time and so on.

    Step 2: Assess your use of time.

a) Add together the total time you will use per week.

b) Now subtract(减去)the total time from 168 hours.

    If the number you get is negative, you have used more time than there is in a week. You should cut back in certain area.

    If you have time left over, ask yourself what choices can be made.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Volunteering? Friends? If your time used equals 168, great! Now take a look at any hours you may be spending in some areas that you want to start using in other ways.

    Step 3: Determine a goal and plan of action for better time use.

    What would you most like to do to better manage your time? You should consider using a calendar or planner(记事簿).{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Some tips: Color-code your calendar or planner by the activities listed above, and once you make a schedule, do your best to stick with it.

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

    You'll want to take a look at this again at the start of each term, if you get a job, or if you notice any changes in your physical or emotional condition.

    Besides, it is advisable to make a long-term goal in the first year and work towards it in the very beginning.

A. You are in trouble.

B. This is a good start.

C. Repeat, when necessary.

D. Do you have time for more sleep?

E. Figure out how you use your time each week.

F. Once you spend it, it's gone, so you have to make it all count.

G. It can help you keep track of time, projects, tasks and be more efficient.

Changing People's Bad Impression On Us

    Some of us have made bad first impressions in front of people we wanted to become good friends with. First impressions are important because they form the foundation on which all future thoughts about someone will be based. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, there are actions you can take to change people's bad impression of you.

    ●Apologize immediately. A sincere apology can go a long way because you will prove to everyone that you value their thoughts about you. Tell the people that you didn't intend to offend (冒犯) them and that you wish to correct the situation. Explain the reasons why you acted the way you did in your apology. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Otherwise, it will make others feel uncomfortable that you keep bringing up the past.

    ●Use humor. When you are around the people you made a bad impression in front of, play a small joke on yourself. Once they know you are not afraid to laugh at yourself, it can break up some of the tension. Remember to only direct humor at yourself. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ●Do not make assumptions. After you have made a bad impression, it can be easy to assume that everyone thinks the worst of you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Instead of assuming what someone thinks about you, explain to her that you feel ashamed about how you acted and ask him how your behavior affected him.

    ●{#blank#}5{#/blank#} In order to overcome a bad first impression, your words and actions in the time to come must be consistently good. With enough time and patience, gaining trust and changing wrong beliefs is possible.

A Few Universal Truths to Transform Your Life

    Life is growth. If you are not reaching the kind of success, the following Universal Truths are just the ones that help to change your life for the better, regardless of where you are, where you've been, or what challenges you are facing. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The best way to achieve your desires is to set a goal. Sometimes we find ourselves "spinning our wheel", struggling through a day-to-day routine that isn't getting us anywhere because we don't know where we want to go. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Whatever the case is, figuring out what your goals are and whether your current actions are helping to achieve them is important.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Setting goals is important but isn't enough to drive you to the finishing line; it's important, too, to be able to imagine yourself as the achiever of your goals. How will you feel? Why is it worthwhile to follow these goals and not some other ones? If goals are the final result of a journey, your vision(愿景) is the fuel to get you there.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Whether you regard yourself as a towering tree or a blade of grass, or whether you think you are a high mountain or a small stone, you represent a state of nature that has its own reason of existence. If you truly admire yourself, you'll be courageous.

    There is no better time to begin than now. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But the truth is that your time is now. No matter what dream or desire you have, you are likely not to have more time in your life to make it happen.

A. Having a vision is undoubtedly necessary.

B. Self-appreciation gets you to be positive to move you towards success.

C. Try to understand and let it be the guide to your life as follows.

D. Be sure that you are more powerful than you know.

E. Read and allow them to change your life in beautiful ways.

F. Sometimes we simply do what is expected of us without considering what we want to achieve.

G. You can make a bunch of excuses that you'll start when more experienced or richer.

    What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, red? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be pessimist. At least, this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference, as well as the effect that colors have on human beings. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. A yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one; and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. A black bridge over the Thames River, near London, used to be the scene of more suicides(自杀) than any other bridge in the area — until it was repainted green. The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply. Perhaps it would have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. It is an established fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.

A．On the other hand, black is depressing.

B．They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favorite color as grow up — we are born with our preference.

C．The rooms are painted in different colors as you like.

D．If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement.

E. Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active.

F. Life is like a picture or a poem, full of different colors.

G. Colors do influence our moods—there is no doubt about it