How to Make Friends

    Having friends may well keep you healthier and help you deal with difficulties better. It is not very hard to make friends. Continue reading to find out how to make friends.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}There are many ways to do this--talking about the weather (”At least it's not raining like last week!”), asking for help or saying words of praise (“I love your shoes.”)

    Introduce yourself at the end of the conversation. It can be as simple as saying “Oh, by the way, my name is…”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Remember his or her name!

    Join a sports team. As long as you enjoy the sport, you don't have to be really good at playing a sport in order to make friends with others.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you play the guitar or sing, try joining a band.

    Be a good listener.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Ask questions about their interests, and just take the time to learn more about them.

    Encourage your friend. A very good friend encourages their friend.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Never make fun or laugh at your friend in front of others. If someone is making fun of them, a good friend will come to save their friend.

A. Start a conversation

B. Find out common interests

C. But a sports team isn't the only way

D. The key to being a good friend is the ability to keep secrets

E. They will remain with them in both good as well as bad times

F. Once you introduce yourself, the other person will do the same

G. Listen carefully to what people say, and remember important information about them

Ways to say “Happy birthday to me”

    Tomorrow is my birthday, and I'm at an age when not everyone looks forward to cakes and presents.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}It always makes me feel excited to be alive and grateful for my life and my family. So I think even if your birthday is a regular old day at work or home, there are some easy ways to raise it to the special occasion.

    Give a gift to someone else.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}While everyone loves to open a birthday present, there is a lot of joy and goodness to be gained from being generous with others. Making a birthday donation(捐赠)to a charity that means something to you.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Try something new. Today is new to us. Why not enjoy the newness of the moment? Dip your tones into some new waters, sign up for an adult education class, go for a new-to-you park or plan a new trip.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Whether or not you have the opportunity to share a meal, outing or party with friends and family, please take time on your birthday to connect with people who are important to your life. if you use social media like phones, you are likely filled with well-wishes from loved ones. Use these as a jumping-off point to start new conversations and reconnect with people who lift your spirits and support in your journey towards being your best self.

A. Connect with people who matter to you.

B. Freshen up yourself with countless opportunities.

C. It's better to give than to receive

D. This year my birthday is on a Saturday.

E. I love my birthday, though.

F. Download an app to learn a new language is also a good choice.

G. One choice is to donate a dollar amount to match your age.

    With time going on, dogs have developed a special relationship with people. Recently, however, some dogs have taken a different role in people's lives — therapy dogs.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some therapy dogs visit patients in hospitals or nursing homes, while others visit children in schools and libraries. They are there to help children become better readers.

    Reading programs that use therapy dogs have been in existence for more than ten years. All therapy dogs of this program are registered with an organization that tests the dogs to make sure they have the right personality for the job.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Both the dogs and the handlers are volunteers with the reading program.

    At the start of a reading therapy session, a child and a dog are introduced. The pair is allowed to settle down in a quiet corner together. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} An adult handler stays nearby but generally lets the dog perform its job without being interrupted. Sometimes, a handler may ask a question that encourages the child to work with the dog to help the child feel more comfortable.

    Not every child will be able to be part of a reading therapy program that uses dogs. A few children might be allergic to dogs or afraid of them; some children might have cultural traditions that prevent them from touching a dog. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Reading therapy programs inspire learning and change for human beings. The readers benefit a lot, gaining confidence and learning that reading aloud can be a relaxing experience.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They spend time with human friends. For dogs that love human companionship and a quiet place to rest, being part of a reading therapy program can be a great way to spend a few hours being with humans each day.

A. As the child reads, the dog usually lies quietly and listens.

B. A dog's handler also takes a class and must pass a test to work in the therapy program.

C. When reading to an animal, some children may become relaxed.

D. A therapy dog is more of a companion and is trained to help people in different ways.

E. But therapy animals also serve in many other areas.

F. In these circumstances, other animals are available, such as cats and parrots.

G. But how do the therapy dogs benefit from it?

    Movies have documented America for more than one hundred years. Since Thomas Edison introduced the movie camera in 1893  amateur and professional movie-makers have used moving pictures to tell stories and explain the work of business and government. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} By preserving these movies, we will save a century of history.

    Unfortunately, movies are not made to last. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Already the losses are high. Only 20% of US feature films from the 1910s to 1920s survive. Of the American features produced before 1950, about half exist. For independently produced works, we have no way of knowing how much has been lost.

    For many libraries and museums, the hardest step in preserving movie collections is getting started. The Movie Preservation Guide is designed for these organizations. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} These institutions have collections of moving pictures but lack information about how to take care of them. The guide contains basic facts for "beginners"—professionals trained in history but unschooled in this technical area.

    The guide grew from user workshops at Duke University. At the sessions, beginners talked with technical experts about what they needed to know to preserve and make available their movie collections. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Following the advice, the guide describes methods for handling and storing moving pictures that are practical for research institutions with limited resources. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The guide has been translated into Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

A. "Keep it simple!" was the advice of the discussions.

B. They'll be damaged within years if not properly stored.

C. These organizations are the first to save American movies.

D. It is organized in chapters and includes case studies and charts.

E. It introduces movie preservation to nonprofit and public institutions.

F. They show how generations of Americans have lived, worked and dreamed.

G. They store the original movies and new ones under cool-and-dry conditions.

    Are you sometimes stressed? Singing is a simple and effective way to reduce stress. It is beneficial mainly in the following three aspects.

    Physical Benefits

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} This is especially recommended for the elders and those who have some form of disability in their voice. However, it is important to find a capable instructor to employ good singing techniques so as not to further damage vocal cords (声带) or lungs.

    Singing also helps to improve your posture (姿势). Most people think that singing begins and ends with their mouth. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Singing practice will get you used to the proper body position of standing and help you form the good habit of standing straight.

    Emotional Benefits

    Singing helps in reducing your depression and lowering your stress level. When you sing, your body releases chemicals that make you feel happy, easing the tension and helping you to relax. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Social Benefits

    The social benefits of singing are huge. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} So people who suffer from stage fright are advised to sing in front of family and friends before a live performance.

    Singing is also very good for improving your communication skills. It is said that singing to babies helps to prepare their brains for language and may lessen the risk of language problems later in life. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The time spent in group singing, whether in a choir or at karaoke, creates a deep and lasting bond of friendship.

A. Try to regain your memory by singing.

B. First, it can help build up your confidence greatly.

C. When you sing, you can give your lungs a workout.

D Singing helps you to strengthen your immune system.

E. For adults, singing also enlarges your circle of friends.

F. In fact, the position of each body part affects your voice.

G. So, start to sing your favorite song next time you are feeling upset.

    Things only people who have worked overseas can understand

    If you have ever worked or lived overseas, I'm pretty sure you can understand the following things!

    We do not automatically become fluent (流利的) in another language. A lot of people believe that changing your geographic location can improve your language learning skills quickly. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Language application takes time and has a number of factors that play into a person's level of fluency.

    We feel extremely lonely at times. Yes, living abroad can be wonderful. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Sometimes, we think that no one back at home understands our true feelings and life challenges, but a lot of other people travel long term and work abroad. Maybe they are not facing the same problems as you, but they know exactly how you feel.

    We don't really like our birthdays. Usually, your special day ends with the last phone call you get from home and then you can look through all your greetings on social media. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You may throw a small party with some of your new friends, but it's going to be nothing compared with the good­old feasts you used to have with your loved ones back at home.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Too often we simply can't tell you if we will be coming home for holidays this season. Sometimes, our working/living permits require us to stay in the country for at least a year. Adding up the flight costs and additional travel expenses, traveling home becomes quite a challenge for us.

    We will change. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You become more mature, independent and open­minded. Usually, you return home as a better person than the one you left as.

A. The truth is: it isn't like that.

B. We may not plan to move back home.

C. We don't know when we'll come home next.

D. However, it can get extremely lonely on some days too.

E. Living abroad makes us value the little things a lot.

F. Living and working abroad shape your personality a lot.

G. After that, you just act as if it's another ordinary day in your life yet.