Do you ever feel like you are just rushing from one subject to another? When things happen so fast, maybe you can't understand clearly what you are doing or learning, so it is imporant to stop yourself to think about what you have been doing or learning.

    Self-reflection(反省) means slowing down and calming (使平静) yourself, including calming your mind. By calming down and going slowly, you give your brain a chance to think about what it has already received. Some people prefer to do self-reflection only in their mind. Others keep a diary. What's more, taking notes is also OK. Each method works, depending on your own personal learning. You can follow the steps to do self-reflection.

    First, choose the proper time to do it. School textbooks are divided into units of study. This makes it easier to begin self-reflection. Look for time when you complete a unti of study. Sometimes you know the unit is over because there is some kind of test. Use these natural breaks to stop and do self-reflection.

    Then, find a quiet place and take out your reflection diary. Write down some notes on the new things that you learned in the unit. Let your mind think about the notes you have written and make some connections.

    Finally, think about things that you are not sure of. Maybe you learned a new way to work out a mathhhh problem, but you're not sure when to use it. Writing down your questions will help you remember to look for answer the next time you are working with the same topic.

Successful students always know self-reflection is important. If you have never taken the time to do self-reflectio, try it now.

Dear Mum and Dad,

    We have some exciting news for you. Jenny is going to have a baby! {#blank#}1{#/blank#} At first, the doctor said she might have some trouble with the baby. Now he says she is just fine. She is very healthy and happy! She still works on her paintings every day. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} She gets tired more quickly now.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} We're moving to New York! We want to be closer to you and Jane. It's much nicer to be near the family. Jenny grew up in Mexico, and she doesn't have a family member here. So that makes you even more important for us.

    Jenny is a little worried about working in New York. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In Italy her paintings are already popular. But I'm sure people will like her in New York. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I'm still working for the New York Times. I'll be writing about the United Nations in New York. We're planning to move next month.

    See you then!

Yours,

Jim

    Fun or kind? Old or young? Let's see what these students say about their favourite teachers?

Zhao Dan

    My favorite teachers are learned(博学)teachers because they can make their lessons easy and interesting. And in class, after learning what is in the book, we hope to learn more.

Wang Jianing

    My geography teacher Mr. Todd is kind to students. His class is interesting. All of the students want to learn and do their homework.

Wang Peng

    We boys and girls often have questions. We really want to talk about these questions with teachers and make friends with them. I don't like old teachers because they can't understand(理解)us!

Lu Hongfei

    Ms. Li is my English teacher. She always wears purple clothes. It is her favorite color. She often teaches us to sing English songs.

    This is a home of the future, a smart home, where technology can do almost everything. Imagine we are in the year 2050; ①the computer wakes Tom up in the morning as usual. In front of him is a to-do list of the important events for the day, and it is provided by the computer， too. According to Tom's request, the computer serves a list of possible dishes. All the dishes are nice.

    As Tom eats breakfast, the computer reminds him to reply to Lucy. Before Tom finishes his next bite, Lucy's computer receives the message. Then Tom goes to the supermarket. The store's system checks his car when he drives to the pickup area and greets him. "Good morning, Tom! Your order is in Case 4. Thank you for shopping." When Tom removes his order from Case 4, the trade is completed automatically(自动地) over the information superhighway. That is, the money is electronically paid into the bank. Soon after arriving at the office, Tom reads another message from Lucy, telling him that she will go to have dinner with him.

    The smart home can also do many other things:

    Find things like keys and mobile phones.

    ②        (打开或关闭) machines and lights with your voice.

    Clean your home from clothes to buildings automatically.

    Record everything and everyone entering and leaving the house.

    Take care of each member of the family, young or old.

    ③With the development of technology, the smart home will come true in the future. It is sure to play an important part in our life.

When you visit a restaurant, you may see some people eating on their own. In the past, these people might feel embarrassed about eating alone, because this might show that they had no friends or disliked making friends with others. However, that's changing.

According to a new survey of an American company, the adult eats six meals alone each week and 387 meals each year on average. That means eating alone is a new fashion. In China, eating alone is also growing in popularity.

It is true that when people choose to eat with other people, they must be affected by the diners who are with them. If the diners share similar habits, they are lucky and can enjoy a good meal. If not, they must deal with the embarrassing experience of bad table manners, and boring conversations. So eating alone can help people get away from bad dinner dates, embarrassing groups and boring conversations and let them enjoy the personal experience. Wang Kerui, a freshman from Beijing Normal University , is a good example. "Eating alone doesn't mean I'm lonely. Instead, it can help me enjoy 'me-time' and think about the challenges I have met in my studies," she told TEENS.

Eating alone also shows that young people pay more attention to realizing their dreams and looking for a higher quality of life. Now, many young people with fixed incomes（固定收入） are beginning to re-examine their roles in society. Zhao Lianxue, 28, a media worker, says she enjoys her life alone. Without the task of cooking for a family, Zhao often eats alone in restaurants. In her spare time, she can read her favorite books, listen to music, go sightseeing or shopping. It's not hard to see that eating alone for many young people. It doesn't mean they feel lonely. It is more about freedom and independence.