Wrong Reasons for Going to College

    A college education can be priceless.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If any of these following factors had abig influence on your decision, you're probably right to second-guess yourself.

   Because all your friends are going.

    In only a few weeks' time, the whole friend group will be scattered to a half dozen different colleges in a half dozen different places. Not to go will set yourself apart.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Because someone else expects it from you.

    Perhaps you come from a family where everyone goes to college,or maybe you're the kid that everyone is proud to believe will be the first toget there.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}It's become so mucha part of the air you breathe that you've never stopped to consider whether you want to go or whether you're ready to go.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It's beentough to find even a summer job. You don't have an alternative plan. Everyone else is doing it (see above). You think you might as well go to school. That isthe lamest（无说服力的）of reasons tospend $ 20,000 or more in the next year.

    Because you are afraid you'll regret it if you don't go.

    Your uncle tells you that he regrets that he didn't go tocollege. Others tell you they could have gone so much further in their career if only they had a college education.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#} So this is not a persuasive reason for you togo to college.

a. A. Because you don't want to work.

b. Friends will wonder what's wrong with you.

c. Because you don't know what else to do.

d. Everyone seems more excited than you are.

e. It seems that for years everyone has just thought that ofcourse you'll go.

f. Whatever the story is, there are always people who regretdecisions they've made.

g. But maybe in your heart you know that you are going forthe wrong reasons.

    Microphones are high-end electronic devices(装置)of great help at the time of a voice chat, video chat and recording.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some of the common microphone problems along with their solutions are listed below.

    If the device does not work.

    There is a common problem you might have faced at some point of time.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Some of the computers have panels(控制板)on the front which contain microphone plugs. In some computers, these devices need to be plugged directly into your sound card. If you are unable to find it, go through the manual and you'll find the solution.

    Poor microphone connection.

    This is another common problem you might encounter. If the microphone connection is poor, there must be some problems with the sound card. You can use a sound recorder to check out the whether the connection is working properly or not{#blank#}3{#/blank#}You will see a green line moving back and for the as you speak. If that happens, your sound card is in the right condition.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Most of the problems appear when the device is incorporated(使并入)in headphones that are commonly liked with a USB cable. If you face the similar situation, you need to make sure that the USB port connected is operational. Moreover, if the operating system setting are not adjusted to the functioning of the microphone, the device might stop functioning properly.

    These are some of the common problems you might come across. Therefore, always use the device wisely to make the most out of it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Online electronic stores provide customers with a majority of choices. Kliff says the best microphone available at Top End Electronics will help you meet all your requirements. You can also buy new digital cameras from the store.

A. Record your voice.

B. Additional problems.

C. Speak to your friends on the phone

D. There are several problems that you might face

E. You can ask your fellows about how to operate the device

F. To buy the best microphones, you can go through the Internet

G. If your device does not start, you must check whether the connections are in the place or not.

    Most people looking for ways to quit smoking worry about weight gain, and with good reason. Smokers who quit tend to pack on an average of 5 pounds after they stop smoking cigarettes. A new study, published by the journal Science, explains why this happens.

    The new research explains that nicotine appears to combine with appetite-regulating neurons (调节食欲的神经元) in the brain, besides the receptors (感受器) that bring about addiction. These neurons help regulate how much food gets consumed, but under the influence of nicotine, they lose their self-control. This is why when smokers quit, they tend to eat more and gain weight.

    The researchers believe that their discovery will lead to the development of drugs that aim at nicotine receptors on brain cells that control appetite. In the future, weight gain may no longer be a reason for smokers to delay the decision to kick the habit, but that's no reason to wait. Nicotine-replacement treatment, while not for everyone, can help. Here are a few more ways to quit smoking and stay slim.

    Drink water. To improve metabolic (新陈代谢的) rates, make half of those glasses ice water. Juice can be too high in calories, something you'll want to keep an eye on your journey toward being a slimmer non-smoker. Plan your snacks. Healthy snacks help keep your metabolism working, so you continue to burn calories while stopping wild hunger pain, or fake hunger.

    Keep moving. Exercise kills two birds with one stone. It helps you burn calories and prevents you from eating when you're not truly hungry. It's also a feel-good stress reliever (缓解物). Focus on your fitness and how being healthy makes you feel. Make exercise a goal and think of quitting as your reward for being physically fit.

    “Helicopter parenting” describes a style of raising children where parents are overprotective and do too much. It describes parents who watch over their kids at home and on the playground like a helicopter. Today, modern technology allows these helicopter parents to watch over from even far away.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Julie Lythcott wrote a book titled Break Free of the Over Parenting Trap and Prepare Your Kids for Success. In her book, she gives readers a closer look at this parenting style.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Julie Lythcott says she experienced the effects of helicopter parenting firsthand when she worked as dean of first year college students.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} But many were unable to take care of themselves. They were turning to parents constantly for guidance, for problem solving, to have them make the choice about something.

So as a parent, what can you do if you want to break the over-parenting “helicopter” cycle?{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Stop saying “we” when you mean your son or your daughter. All too often a parent would say “we are on the travel soccer team.” Well, no, your son is or your daughter is.

    Stop arguing with all of the adults in our kids' lives. You need to teach your kids to stand for themselves.

    Stop doing your kids' homework.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Teach them to cross the street, make a meal, and remember to put their own items in their backpacks, which becomes a briefcase one day. When kids have all the skills to take care of themselves, they will be prepared for adulthood.

A. The following are some ways to stop over-protecting your children.

B. She also explains why parents should stop it.

C. Your kids have to do the things they can all by himself.

D. They can give their children directions at any moment from anywhere.

E. Build your kids' skills.

F. The freshmen were very smart and did well in their paper work.

G. Your kid is eager for more freedom, but should you give it to him?

Tips for Writing Short Stories

    I was reading an article with David Vann's top tips for writing short stories -- he is a published writer, his most famous book being, "Legends of a Suicide." First of all he stats that there are no rules, but if he were forced to create rules for short stores, then they would be something like the following.

    He says there is no room for anything that is not related to the protagonist -- the main character of the story -- or indeed the problem of the protagonist. He makes it clear that the protagonist must have a problem, and this problem must divide the protagonist: he doesn't know what he is going to do to solve the problem. There is no point, then, in having a short story about a man who says he is hungry and then just goes to the shops to buy food. Nothing exciting happens. But if the man is hungry and he has a child who is hungry, then he has a problem; who does he give the food to?

    There should also be an antagonist, that is, somebody who works against the protagonist. The antagonist should ideally have the same problem as the protagonist but will have a totally different way of looking at it. This presents the possibility of having battles in the short story.

    Furthermore, the antagonist and the protagonist must know each other. But because they are viewing the same problem from different angles, they will probably drive each other crazy.

    Finally, the short story has to acknowledge a change in the protagonist. We must then, as a reader, see how the character will continue their life differently as a result of the events of the story. There is no point in going back to the beginning; the short story is a waste of time if nothing actually happens that is significant.

    It is very hard to create a character whom a reader cares about and a plot that a reader is interested in with just a few hundred words. But it is possible: Edgar Allen Poe, Anton Chekhov, and JG Ballard -- amongst many others -- have proved repeatedly that short stores can be little pieces of perfection. The best don't just see the protagonist change; they see the reader change, too.

    A youth soccer coach, Hugo Grejada, director of Pro Youth Soccer academy in Chester, New York, shares some tips to help you improve your soccer skills.

Start with basic drills. "Go outdoors, get a ball, and keep it close to your feet," Grejada says, "{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you have a backyard, work on shooting."

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} "It's a good way of building skills without having the pressure of games. Choose camps that emphasize building skills and go to one of those. There are plenty of camps that begin right after school ends."

    Don't forget to stretch. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Then do a series of stretches to loosen up your muscles. Don't forget to take a drink of water before you even step on the field. "Water is important especially in summer." Grejada says.

    Watch the World Cup. Grejada tells his athletes to watch as many games as they can. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Then, you should try to bring some of their moves into your own game. "Pick up something that you like and practice it." Grejada says.

    Keep practicing. Practice may not seem like the most fun part playing soccer. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Look for ways to make practice fun by adding some competition to simple drills, and don't be discouraged if it takes time to master new skills. "If someone was struggling to improve, I would tell him to keep practicing, keep trying. Practice makes perfect."

A. Sign up for a soccer camp.

B. Reduce the pressure of games.

C. However, it's the best way to develop skills.

D. Study how the best players move with the ball.

E. A game is sometimes used as an educational tool.

F. That will help improve your ability to run with the ball close to you.

G. Before each game or practice, start with a proper ten-minute warm-up.