Making Peace with Your Parents

    As a teen, you are going through big changes physically and mentally. Your interests are expanding（增加；扩大） {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Here is the challenge: Kids need to explore the world in new ways, and parents need to protect them from the dangers that are all out in that world. These conflicts（冲突）can easily set off fireworks in otherwise calm house. Sometimes conflicts can't be avoided. But by paying attention to the building blocks of successful relationships, you can work towards making home a happy and healthy place for you and your parents.

For instance, try to find a time to talk when your parents are not angry, tired, distracted , or hungry. A good time to talk is when you are all relaxed. Timing is everything. If the conversation begins to turn into an argument, you'd better calmly and coolly ask to stop the conversation—for now. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Listen to what your parents are saying, and repeat it back to them. This shows them that you're listening. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Respect is the building block of good communication. People who respect each other and care about each other's feelings can disagree without getting things ugly.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}How do you build trust? Trust comes by actually doing what you say you're going to do. Some teens find that doing fun activities with their parents can improve their relationships. Sometimes we forget that parents are more than rule-makers—they're interesting people who like to watch movies and go shopping—just like their teenagers!

    What do you do if you are trying your best, but your relationship with your parents continues to be rocky（难以维持的；不稳定的）? {#blank#}5{#/blank#}You can find supportive adults, such as a teacher or a coach, who can lead an ear.

    Remember you can only change your own behavior. Your parents are the only ones who can change theirs.

A. It also gives them a chance to clear things up if you're not on the same page.

B. You can pick it up again when everyone's more relaxed.

C. And then you will be able to accept what your parents say.

D. Faced with the challenge, children don't know what to do.

E. You are more likely to get along with your parents and have more independence if your parents believe in you.

F. And your desire to take control of your own life is growing.

G. You may consider seeking outside help.

    Rent movies over the weekend. Try to follow the story line of comedy shows.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Not having to respond in English lets you concentrate on simply understanding what is being said. Understanding how English is used in conversation will help you to better communicate in the language.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}When you are reading, pay more attention to the correct pronunciation of the words you are reading rather than comprehension of each word. Read easy books that were written for children. Reading simple books takes away the frustration of sounding out hard words.

A. Read out loud for twenty to thirty minutes every day.

B. Listen to English radio while getting ready in the morning.

C. Observe how much the mouth is opened to say certain words.

D. Find a friend or teacher who is willing to help you learn English.

E. Repeat the conversations several times to increase your speaking speed.

F. Watching TV shows and movies allows you to hear English used in conversation.

G. The more a person practices his or her skills, the easier speaking English will become.

The Ways of Getting Happiness

    Spend more time in your values. Living your values is one of the simplest ways to a more happiness to every day. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, the best way to make the most of it is to connect your work to your values. When you spend more time in your values, you enjoy the journey more.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. One of the best things you can do is find simple ways to gradually improve your overall happiness level. One of the worst things you can do is compare your happiness level to others, or beat yourself up for not being a shiny, happy person.

    Drive from happiness* Decide to drive from happiness. Happiness is a decision. This is where you have to look inside, and answer the tough questions. What do you like to do? What makes you happy? It's very easy to keep doing the things that we think others expect from us, or want for us. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Don't fall for the “If-Then” trap. Don't fall for the “if-then” or when-then traps.I'11 be happy if I get that job; {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, I'll be happy; I'll be happy if I get that relationship; etc. It's easy to put your happiness “out there” instead of “right here.

    Point your camera on purpose. Point your camera at the things that you want more of.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You can point your camera at more pain, or more pleasure. That's a powerful choice. It's easy to test. Simply start pointing your camera at better scenes each day, and watch what unfolds in yourself, and the world around you.

A. If it doesn't happen

B. If I get that house

C. You get what you focus on

D. Set your own happiness level

E. If you spend a lot of time at work

F. Don't get mad by the traffic, and leave earlier

G. Instead, look inside and find the things that really do make you happy

How to Save Water

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, but only 1% is easily accessible to you. Water conservation can be simple, and it starts at home. Whether you're taking showers, doing laundry, saving the water in a pool, or choosing your food, there are several strategies that will help you save water.

    Take shorter showers.

    Taking a shower uses roughly one third of the amount of water used in taking a bath. So'skip the bath and take a short shower instead. Take a CD player into the bathroom with you to challenge yourself. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Cutting down your shower time by just two minutes can save 10 gallons of water.

    Make sure you're washing a full load of laundry.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Put a full load of laundry in so that you'll be sure not to waste water. When washing your clothes, use the economy mode — this will save you both water and electricity!

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    If you have a pool, using a pool cover at night during the warmer months helps to prevent evaporation. In some places, emptying and refilling a pool is under severe restrictions, or even banned, so preserving this precious resource is crucial.

Eat less meat and dairy

    Growing animal feed uses tons of water, not to mention the amount of water used in the rest of the meat and dairy production process. The more meat and dairy you eat, the more animals are needed to keep up with the demand, so try to limit your intake of such foods.

    Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator.

    While it may be faster to soak your frozen food in water, this isn't necessary and wastes water. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Water is a necessary resource for life

B. Water covers 70% of the earth

C. Cover your swimming pool

D Empty your swimming pool

E. Try to finish by the time it is over

F. Try to plan ahead and put the food in the fridge overnight

G. Don't just throw some socks and two shirts in the machine

Courage is a quality that everyone has, but it sometimes disappears because of bad experiences or memories.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}So, how can people build courage? By identifying the source of any lack of courage and actively changing your behaviour, you can build courage. 

Determine your specific fears. People are often unwilling to admit that they are afraid of something. In order to begin building courage, you need to determine your specific fears.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}This may help you to work out a plan to overcome them and build your courage. 

Recognize your courage. Just as it's important to identify your fears, you should also recognize that you also have courage in many situations. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It can help you to figure out how to apply this quality to situations that cause fear. It can also help develop your behaviour and build courage.

Develop a practical plan to build your courage. Once you've identified your specific fears and recognized situations where you exhibit courage, make your plan to build your courage and update it when necessary. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The reason for that is it helps you be on track if you have difficulties and see your progress over time.

Avoid comparing yourself with others. Every person is different and comparing yourself with other people can minimize your self-confidence. Focusing on yourself is essential to building your confidence and courage.

 {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Two characteristics of courageous people are that they not only have confidence, but also they believe in their ability to succeed and overcome fears. By developing and projecting confidence in yourself, you set yourself on the path to building and maintaining courage. 

A. Part of building your courage is taking risks.

B. Embrace the positive and avoid the negative.

C. Make a list of your fears as you figure them out.

D. Having a clear strategy you can follow is important.

E. Take the time to acknowledge that you are courageous.

F. Have confidence and believe in your ability to be courageous.

G. Showing courage is necessary to succeed in many situations in life.

Physicist and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman developed a clever learning method known as the Feynman Technique. It involves explaining what you're learning to others. By teaching what you've learned from memory, you engage in active recall.  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It also ensures that you understand the topic, because you can explain an idea if you truly understand it. The technique consists of four repeatable steps.

To begin, choose a concept or a topic you wish to fully understand. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The more interested you are, the faster you'll grasp it. Moreover, a personally interesting topic will keep you motivated and engaged.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}  Write notes and explain it in a way that makes sense to a five-year-old. If you'd rather avoid actually teaching someone, you can just teach it to an imaginary audience. But it works much better if you use a real person. They'll be able to let you know when something isn't clear.

While teaching, you may discover gap s in your understanding. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  Review your notes, reread books, or seek external help to ensure you have a complete understanding of the context before moving forward.

Now that you fully grasp the concept, test your understanding by trying to teach it to another person. This will help you identify any remaining areas of uncertainty you need to revisit.

The Feynman Technique is a great way for kids and grown-ups to learn.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You need to actively think about the problem instead of passively reading or listening to someone else. However, with great efforts in mastering this method, you'll see your learning results improve quicker than ever before.

A. It is mentally demanding.

B. This helps the information stick in your mind better.

C. Teach it to a five-year-old, who would give you direct feedback.

D. Your curiosity about it will determine the pace of your learning.

E. Once you have chosen a topic, you can teach it to someone else.

F. Active engagement plays a key role in promoting deeper learning.

G. When this happens, refer back to the original material for the missing pieces.