How to Become an Activist （活动家）

    Activists are people who see the need for change and devote their time to doing something about it.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you are interested in it you can do so.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}This could be anything from a student club to a national organization （like the American Civil Liberties Union or the National Organizers Alliance）. Most activist organizations offer different levels of involvement, so you can do whatever you feel most comfortable with, whether that means attending meetings and demonstrations or just donating a little money when you can.

    Volunteer your time. One of the best ways to make a difference is to volunteer your time. Reach out to organizations in your community that do work for your cause, and ask how you can help.

    Donate money or supplies.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you can't afford to donate money to an organization that supports your cause, you may be able to donate other things they need, like clothing or canned food.

    Reach out to family and friends. Tell your family and friends about your cause, and invite them to get involved. If they are interested, share literature about your cause or just talk to them about what you have learned.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Promote your cause on social media. You can use social media to help keep your friends and followers informed about the causes you support.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Also, you can invite your friends to attend events or donate to fundraisers for your cause.

A. Take classes on issues related to your cause.

B. Join an organization that supports your cause.

C. They are driven by passion and a vision for a better future.

D. If you do volunteer work, invite them to volunteer with you.

E. Most activists or charitable organizations need resources to do their work.

F. Post useful articles and write about what you are doing to stay involved.

G. If you can't reach out to them in person, then try connecting to people online.

    The running of the bulls is a nine-day traditional Spanish festival in honor of Saint Fermin in Pamplona. Every year, at midday on July 6th, the Mayor of Pamplona shoots a rocket.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The participants are usually dressed in white and wear red neckerchiefs and belts. They open champagne(香槟酒) mostly used for sprinkling(撒) other people.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It starts every day at eight in the morning and the runners run, sometimes wildly, sometimes less. They shoot the first rocket as a sign that the run has begun. Then they shoot the second one when the bulls are out in the streets. Six bulls which are trying to attack the participants from behind run down the 900-meter-long street with a lot of spectators.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} All of the six bulls are going to be killed at the bullfight in the stadium.

    The bullfight in the stadium begins at half past six in the afternoon. First, there comes the first bull. There is also a person called “picador”{#blank#}4{#/blank#}That makes the bull very wild and it starts to run all over the stadium. Later when the bull is tired, there comes another person—a “matador” who kills it with an arrow{#blank#}5{#/blank#}At the end of the celebration, another rocket is shot as a sign that the bullfight is finished.

A. It makes the bull very nervous.

B. It is one of the greatest events in the city.

C. The main event is the running of the bulls.

D. He waves a red cloth in front of the bull.

E. This is a sign that the celebration has started.

F. The participants can get injured or even killed.

G. The same thing happens with the other five bulls.

    Some students bring good luck charms（幸运符）to school on test days. They might keep a four-leaf clover in their pocket or wear a pair of lucky underwear. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}  there are better ways of doing well on a test.

    When you get the test, don't forget to put your name on it. Then, take a quick look at each page. A long test may have different sections. Notice how many marks each section is worth. Like a runner, you will want to be careful about your pace. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} you will want to leave yourself enough time for the sections that are worth the most marks.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Read the instructions and questions very carefully. Make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. If you do not understand a question, ask your instructor. If you feel nervous, you may want to build your confidence by starting with the questions that arc easiest for you.

    During a reading test, it can help to do a quick pre-reading exercise you have been taught, even if it is not part of the instructions. For example, try scanning the text to figure out the topic before you rend the whole thing more carefully. Then think about what you already know about the topic. Predict the details that might be in the reading. For a writing test, pre-writing is a very important first step, Brainstorm your ideas and organize them before you start writing. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

     Before you hand in your test, review your answers. Check your grammar and spelling. Make sure your instructor will be able to read your handwriting. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Follow these tips and, if your lucky underwear doesn't work, you will have a solid back-up plan in place.

A. While these things can't hurt,

B. Whenever you finish your test,

C. Be sure that you answered every question.

D. You can answer your questions one by one.

E. Now you are ready to begin answering the questions.

F. If you have a limited amount of time to complete the test,

G. These activities warm up your brain so that it will work more efficiently.

Stay on the brighter side of life

    One very important component of optimism is gratitude or feeling grateful. In fact, there is a strong connection between a grateful attitude and a heightened sense of well-being. Appreciate all the positives in your life by starting a gratitude journal in order to remember what you're grateful for. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Feeling down? Instead of feeling sorry for yourself waiting for the universe to throw you a bone, try acting like you're happy—even if you aren't. A sincere smile and a forced smile will cause the same chemical reactions in your brain, so you can actually fool your mind into feeling better by making it react chemically as if things were going well. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Reassure yourself that everything is good—even if you don't feel it.

    “{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you're stuck in traffic, then everything else must be going horribly too,” says Anne Parker, a wellness counselor. By blowing negative events out of proportion, you're setting yourself up for feeling down all day. Instead, acknowledge that you're stuck in traffic, but also bring to mind something good, like the beautiful scenery outside the window. That way, you'll get in the habit of forbidding negative circumstances from blanketing your whole day.

    Swearing to lose 20 pounds or to run a marathon seems like goals leading to happiness, but they take time to achieve. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}You may even end up admitting that you have been defeated. However, if you focus on the small milestones that occur along the way, you will feel positive about your progress, which will give you the strength to keep going.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Try making someone else's day better. A report by United Healthcare and Volunteer Match found that volunteers are 72% more likely to characterize themselves as optimistic compared with non-volunteers. Plus, 89% of volunteers say that volunteering has improved their sense of well-being, and 92% say that it enriches their sense of purpose in life.

A. Try to help someone in need.

B. Want to give your attitude a lift?

C. People tend to think in an either-or way.

D. Act in an optimistic way—smile, laugh, tell a joke.

E. You'll fail to appreciate more important things in your life.

F. By focusing on not having accomplished them yet, you will start to feel down on yourself.

G. By remembering the pleasant things in your life, you can actually turn a negative attitude around.

    Do you have a hobby? Something you look forward to spending your time with? Something you love to do?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Or making model airplanes. Sketching. Or making useful things out of waste material. It could be a musical instrument that you love playing. Or singing and dancing.

    There are many things that a hobby can give you, apart from an enjoyable time. Sashay was a shy boy but through his interest in model airplanes he learned the value of sticking to a task until it was finished. His model airplane club brought him to get into touch with similar souls.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Having a hobby helps you relax and get away from the routines of school.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} You really need this well deserved one, too! It gives you focus, self dependence, confidence and builds your personality. This is an opportunity to lose yourself in an enjoyable activity, away from the pressure of school, so at the end of it, you feel relaxed and yet, mentally charged.

    Your hobby defines you.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}And it also shows you what you are good at, and how far you can go, when you apply yourself.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For a hobby is: Happiness: something which you look forward to doing. Opportunity: to nurture and develop your special and unique skills and celebrate them. Believe in yourself: makes you understand your strong advantages and improves your confidence. Best in you: brings out your best—for in each one of us there is a best that is only ours. YOU gives you a unique character, and makes you YOU!

A. So go ahead and develop a hobby.

B. It gives you a break.

C. It proves your ability.

D. Hobbies show your character.

E. It shows your special skills.

F. It could be collecting something.

G. He learned to make friends for the first time.

    If You Can't Fall Asleep When Your Head Hits the Pillow. Here's What to Do Schedule Worry Time

    Just as you schedule time to see friends or get a massage do the same with your worries,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}In addition to writing down what's worrying you, create at least one action item you can do to help deal with the issue. Thinking through those potential stressors earlier in the day should help ease how much you worry about those things when your head hi is the pillow.

    Create a Routine to Power Down Your Brain

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Not true. Modern busy living has created so much stimulation (刺激) in the day that brains now operate at super-fast speed. If you don't give them time to rest; they'll continue going at that speed at bedtime. At least 30 minutes before you go to bed, start your probed preparations and then do something relaxing. Keep it consistent, and you'll train your body to expect sleep after that relaxation period.

    Keep a Gratitude List

    Now that you've thrown away your worries, replace the void (空白) where those negative thoughts once lived with positive ones by starting a gratitude journal. The impact of I hose positive thoughts is greater when you write them down,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Practice 4-7-8 Breathing

    Deep breathing is so effective for sleep. In order to get to sleep，your heart rate needs to slow down.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Practice 4-7-8 breathing before you go to bed: Inhale (吸气) for a count of four, hold for seven counts，and then blow out for eight counts.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    As you lie in bed, relax all of your muscles one by one, starting at your toes and ending at your head. Not only is this incredibly relaxing，as the name implies, it also forces you to think about the physical parts of your body, directing your attention away from whatever is stressing you.

A. Exercise Right Before Bed

B. Do Progressive Muscle Relaxation

C. Consider the relaxing effects of positive thoughts on your mind.

D. Schedule a consistent time every day to write down those worries on paper.

E. Most people assume that sleep is like breathing your body will just do it.

F. And breathing techniques are one of the most effective ways to achieve his goal.

G. So try spending a few minutes each night listing several things you're grateful for.