May the first is an important date in the college admission process in the United States. This is the last day for high school seniors to accept or reject offers of admission in the fall. But according to a recent report, there is a great change. Acceptance rates at the top colleges this year were lower than ever. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

      These days, college applicants are applying to more colleges because online and common applications make the process easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} On the other hand, deciding students for top colleges to accept can be difficult because it takes much time. Students may not like being put on waiting lists．Also, common colleges work more to getthe students they accept to accept them. Some colleges hold visiting days that offer a chance to attend classes and stay overnight. Some universities send gifts. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

      For many families, the most important thing colleges can do is show them the money, especially this year; the weak economymakes parents nervous. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The recent problems that spread from thehousing market to credit markets have even affected student's loans．Solately, top schools have to spare lots of money to increase their financial aidfor students.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}The Education Department expects the number of highschool graduates to start to go down. This will happen as the last of thechildren of the baby boom generation finish high school. Thenumber is not expected to start rising again until 2016.

A．Besides, top colleges are facing changesin the population.

B．What contributes to it?

C．But a mistake can be costly if ithappens.

D．But top colleges ignore them．.

E．They have international students whoknow English.

F．It can mean several acceptances tochoose from.

G．They cannot afford college as planned.

    All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer.

     {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They buy tickets or turn on their TVs to watch the games. Often they get very excited when their player or team wins.

     {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy!  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Think how many lovers to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada.

    Some sports or game go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese wushu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Water-skiing is one of the newest in the family of sports.

    People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game together they often become good friends. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace.

A. And think of people in cold countries.

B. Sports help to train a person's character.

C. Not a few people participate in different sports competitions themselves.

D. Many people like to watch others play games.

E. People aren't inventing new sports or games.

F. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere take part in them.

G. People are inventing new sports or games all the time.

    How to get siblings (兄弟姐妹）to get along

    One of the greatest gifts of parenthood is seeing your children form a relationship with each other that is independent of you. By giving them someone else to play with you can free up some time for yourself. Here are four techniques you can use to help your children appreciate each other while they are young.

    ⒈{#blank#}1{#/blank#}The No.1 thing parents can do to help their kids stay on good terms with each other is not to compare them with each other. Never say “Your sister never...” or “Why can't you do what your brother does?”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉ Stay out of the way. Try not to get too involved(参与) in your kids' arguments. Learning cooperation and problem-solving is an important skill in life.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}And don't blame the older one for not “knowing better.” That puts pressure on the older child and leads to unhappiness.

    ⒊ Activities and opportunities. Have your kids go to their siblings' games and activities.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} “My kids go to each other's activities, and take part in activities together,” says Patricia Walters-Fischer, mother of two. Not only do her children go, but they also offer support, encouraging each other before a big game or performance and offering comfort when things don't go well.

    ⒋ Vacations. Don't ignore the value of a family vacation for bringing siblings together When kids are away from their friends and forced to spend time together, they often enjoy each other{#blank#}5{#/blank#}In fact, a weekend camping trip offers some of the best opportunities for working together, having fun and experiencing something new.

A. Don't compare.

B. Never shout at them.

C. That only serves to fuel the competition.

D. It doesn't need to be anything extremely great.

E. They may need help solving a conflict, but try not to take sides.

F. Give them a project, and they will learn how to work together.

G. Get them involved in one another's lives, so they can have a better appreciation of who their sibling is.

    The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It lifts the curtain of spring. After that everything turns green and full of energy and people clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.

    ⒈Flying a kite.

    Spring is the best season for kite-flying. As a traditional folk activity, it has a history of more than 2, 000 years.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It also has the effect of promoting blood circulation and speeding up metabolism(新陈代谢).

    ⒉Wearing fabric swallows.

    Wearing fabric swallows is a custom in some regions in Shaanxi. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The custom originated during the Tang Dynasty (618—907). The swallow is a harbinger(预兆) of spring and a symbol of prosperity and happiness.

    ⒊Making a Spring Ox.

    Skilled artists build the frame of an ox out of bamboo strips and the legs with wood. Then they paste(粘贴) some paper and paint onto it.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is said that if more red and yellow paper is used, then there will be a good harvest that year.

    ⒋{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    People in China began holding a special ceremony on the first day of the Start of Spring about 3, 000 years ago. They made sacrifices to Gou Mang, the God of Spring, who is in charge of agriculture. By the Qing Dynasty (1644—1911), welcoming spring had become an important folk activity.

A. Welcoming spring.

B. The image of an ox is complete.

C. At that time, there were eight solar terms.

D. The Start of Spring is the first solar term of the year.

E. Flying a kite can help build one's health and prevent diseases.

F. It is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring.

G. People like to wear a swallow made of colorful silk on their chests on Start of Spring.

How to Work Faster and Smarter

    As the old saying goes “work smarter, not harder”. What does that really mean? When there are deadlines approaching, how do you stay focused and get everything done efficiently? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, but it is unclear where to start and when to take a break. These ways will help you to work faster and smarter.

    Don't multi - task.

    There is a wrong opinion that doing many things at once is productive. Instead, it leaves you half-focused and constantly switching attention. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Set a timer, and focus on that one task until it is completed. Then, take a break and move on.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    What someone else thinks is urgent can create a sense of people's panic. If you know it is not important, do what is the most important first instead. You know best how to set your priorities and get your work done. So listen to yourself.

    Celebrate the little victories

    Projects take many steps until completion. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Rather than beating yourself up for what you haven't done yet, taking time to pat yourself on the back can give you the confidence to see it through to the end. Stop saying “I'm so busy” It is complaining, and complaining only makes you and everyone around you feel worse. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This will encourage you to keep going.

A. Take breaks

B. Sometimes we know what to do

C. Urgent doesn't necessarily mean important

D. You are on your way if you are taking action

E. You may have a sense that nothing gets complete this way

F. Instead of it, say “I have already come so much closer to my goal”

G. Break down your project into these steps, and then have a happy dance each time you complete a step.

Public Speaking Training

    Get a coach

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, so get help. Since there are about a billion companies out there all ready to offer you public speaking training and courses, here are some things to look for when deciding the training that's right for you.

    Focus on positives

    Any training you do to become more effective at public speaking should always focus on the positive aspects of what you already do well. Nothing can hurt confidence more than being told that you aren't doing well. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, so good public speaking training should develop those instead of telling you what you shouldn't do.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    If you find a public speaking course that looks as though it's going to give you lots of dos and don'ts, walk away! Your brain is so full of what you're going to be talking about. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. As far as we're concerned, there are basically no hard and fast rules about public speaking. Your audience can be your friends.

    You are a special person not a clone.

    Most importantly, good public speaking training should treat you as a special one, with your own personal habits. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Your training course should help you bring out your personality, not try to turn you into someone you're not.

A. You aren't like anybody else

B. You already do lots of things well

C. Turn your back on too many rules

D. Check the rules about dos and don'ts

E. Whatever the presentation, public speaking is tough.

F. The one thing you don't want is for them to fall asleep

G. So trying to force a whole set of rules into it will just make things worse