With the summer holiday just around the corner, it seems like everybody is busy planning their vacations. Here are some tips that can help you enjoy your holiday without empting your pocket:

    Travel off-season

    Go to your desired destination while the demand is low and take advantage of huge discounts. During the peak season, the hotel and flight prices increase quickly, and you'll likely spend more of your vacation time standing in line due to the rush of tourists. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

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    Websites can help you find discount hotel rooms. Look for places that do not charge extra for children if they use the existing bedding. Stay with the locals. If you and your family are going to stay for a longer period, renting a small apartment is a good choice.

    Eat like a local

    Why eat at big chain restaurants when you can experience something new? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} During your family trip, try new food where the locals eat. This will not just save money, but also provide you with a new and different experience. For smaller meals and snacks, avoid restaurants and try street food or other takeout. 

    Don't hesitate to bargain

    Tourist- heavy places are known for overcharging for just about everything. Clothes, travel goodies, souvenirs, etc. are very expensive at these places. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Bargain hard to get the best price.

    Choose local transportation

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Instead, take buses, railways or subways, which are always cheaper. If you are planning to stay for a while, you can consider renting a car. Hiring a car is much easier than carrying your bags everywhere if you are moving around a lot.

A. Save on hotels.

B. Surf the Internet while traveling.

C. Therefore, avoid buying anything there.

D. So it's best to find out when the off-season starts.

E. Planning your meals is another way to reduce your travel costs.

F. For this reason, you shouldn't feel ashamed to ask for bargains.

G .As a tourist, avoid taking taxis whenever possible, since they are expensive.

    The goal of homework is to help students remember and understand what they learned in school that day. It can also help teach them independence and time-management and planning skills, which are keys to success in the real world.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are some successful habits of how to do a good job of homework.

Set the stage.

    Your children need a quiet spot to do their homework.This should be the same place every day, whether it is at the kitchen table or at their desk in their room.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}You can take the time to work on a quiet task of your own, whether it's paying bills, reading the newspaper, or planning the next day.

Time it right.

    Homework for young children should be done when your children get home from school, because the information is still fresh in their minds and they have enough energy. Have your kids eat some snacks and talk about their day with you.Then have them start their homework.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

It's not your homework: it's theirs.

    You need to be involved in homework to see what your children are learning and how well they know what they need to know.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}But guide them if they are struggling. You want them to get the feeling of pride and accomplishment on their own.

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    Let your children know how grown up it is for them to have homework and how proud you are of them. Try to instill (灌输）into them that it is “fun” to be able to do the assigned tasks. Let them show you their work, praise them for finishing their homework, and always do it with a smile.

A. Be hopeful and confident.

B. Get excited and be positive.

C. Be nearby while they do their homework.

D. Be sure not to do the homework for your children.

E. That means the television is shut off, even for you.

F. A small amount of homework also has a great influence on students.

G. Arrange other activities for later in the day so kids can get their homework done first.

Claustrophobia

    Claustrophobia, or fear of enclosed spaces, in one of the most common fears. Claustrophobia can be deep fear or even panic as a result of being in a small space.

    Claustrophobia can develop after a troubling childhood experience, or from another unpleasant experience later on in life related to small spaces. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. This response then becomes programmed in the brain, making an association between being in a tight space and feeling anxious or out-of-control. As a result, the person often develops claustrophobia.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Claustrophobia symptoms can include: sweating, accelerated heartbeat, upset stomach, shaking, breathing problem, etc. The claustrophobia sufferer will look for an exit when inside a room, avoid driving on the highway or major roads where there is heavy traffic when inside a car, or stand near a door when at a party. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Claustrophobia can have harmful social and psychological effects, since the patient will often avoid situations in which she thinks she will have an anxiety attack, leading to hiding and sadness.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Exposure treatment, a form of mind-behavioral treatment, usually results in a total reduction in anxiety symptoms if conducted properly. Flooding is a type of exposure treatment in which the person is exposed to a situation until the anxiety attack passes. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Medications to help treat claustrophobia include things which help to ease the heart beating to fast often associated with anxiety attacks.

A. According to some doctors, claustrophobia is worse than the fear of heights

B. The past experience can trace back to the moment of birth

C. The good news is that claustrophobia is very treatable

D. When a person with claustrophobia finds herself in a restricted space, her body responds in certain ways

E. In extreme cases, the very sight of a closed door can lead to feelings of anxiety in a person

F. Treatment for claustrophobia can also include medication or a combination of several treatments

G. When a person experiences such an event, it can often cause a frightening panic attack

    Lots of people find it hard to get up in the morning, and put the blame on the alarm clock. In fact, the key to easy morning wake-up lies in resting your body clock. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here's how to make one.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In order to make a change, you need to decide why it's important. Do you want to get up in time to have breakfast with your family, get in some exercise, or just be better prepared for your day? Once you are clear about your reasons, tell your family or roommates about the change you want to make.

    Rethink mornings. Now that you know why you want to wake up, consider re-arranging your morning activities. If you want time to have breakfast with your family, save some time the night before by setting out clothes, shoes, and bags. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}That's a quarter-hour more you could be sleeping if you bought a coffee maker with a timer.

    Keep your sleep/wake schedule on weekends. If you're tired out by Friday night, sleeping in on Saturday could sound wonderful. But compensating on the weekends actually feeds into your sleepiness the following week, a recent study found.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Keep a record and evaluate it weekly. Keep track of your efforts and write down how you feel. After you've tried a new method for a week, take a look at your record. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If not, take another look at other methods you could try.

A. Get a sleep specialist.

B. Find the right motivation.

C. A better plan for sleep can help.

D. And consider setting a second alarm.

E. If the steps you take are working, keep it up.

F. Stick to your set bedtime and wake-up time, no matter the day.

G. Reconsider the 15 minutes you spend in line at the cafe to get coffee.

    Test-taking tips

    Passing tests is a huge part of succeeding at school. Clearly, if you want to do well on a test, you need to prepare by learning the material(资料) {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Just breathe.

    Even the best prepared student sometimes gets nervous before a test. Nervous feelings can cause people to forget facts that they know. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Breathing deeply is helpful for this. So is moving your body slightly, such as by rolling your shoulders around. Try to arrive for a test a few minutes early, so you can relax before it starts.

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    When you are handed a test, look over all the questions before you begin. Read them carefully, noticing details. Also pay attention to how many points each question is worth. Divide your time based on the percentage of your grade each question is worth.

    First answer questions you know and then go back to the difficult ones. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}But try to write an answer for every question on the test, even if you're not sure of the answer. The only exception(例外) is if you will lose points for wrong answers

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If you're not sure whether you should change an answer, it's best not to. More often than not, your first instinct(本能) will be correct.

    Try your best.

    Above all, study well and try your best. If you do that, you can be proud of whatever score you get.

A. Pay attention to the time.

B. Read the test through first.

C. So one important test-taking tip is to try to relax.

D. But other actions can help make test-taking easier.

E. That way you don't spend too long on one question.

F. Check to make sure you have completed the whole test.

G. Try to finish early so you have time to review your answers and correct mistakes.

Critical thinking is the process of carefully and systematically analyzing problems to find ways to solve them. It involves identifying several possible solutions and then logically evaluating each one, comparing them to one another, and then selecting the one that you conclude is the most promising

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Employers prefer job candidates who can demonstrate a history of using critical thinking skills. They want to have employees who can solve problems quickly.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

You may think there isn't enough time to take a slow and measured approach to problem solving. After all, time is limited, and quick and easy answers are appealing.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Critical thinking is one of several life skills you should try to develop while still in school.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Your assignments will require you to generate hypotheses (猜想) and then test them before coming to conclusions. Students taking art classes also use critical thinking. To complete projects, you will have to select media and techniques that will best allow you to achieve your artistic vision

Graduates aren't out of luck. Practice your critical thinking while performing everyday activities.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}When deciding where to have dinner, weigh your alternatives regarding the type of food, healthfulness, and cost. If making a purchase, do your research and read reviews of different brands.

A. Sign up for science classes, for example.

B. Choose a lesson that benefits your critical thinking.

C. The ability to think critically is a valuable soft skill in the job market.

D. But more importantly, they want ones who can solve them effectively.

E. We all need some critical thinking skills living in this challenging world.

F. For example, before going out, learn about each means of transportation.

G. However, rushing to make a decision is less productive than using critical thinking.