Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship．It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people (ages 7-17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend.

    Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life—married, single, with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers. They are tutors: someone to trust, to have fun with, to talk and go to when needed.

    A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park, cooking, playing sport or going to a football match. These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self-respect, confidence and life direction.

    Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world. It is the largest and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years.

    Emily and Sarah have been matched since 2008. Emily is a 10-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school. “ I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me.”

    Emily's mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily by “providing different feedback (反馈) about herself other than just relying on schoolmates to measure her self-worth.

    Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program. “I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it is all work and no play.”

    Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful, happy and unique girl she is!

    Basic first aid is a very valuable skill to have when going on a camping trip.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Cuts. With small cuts, you want to be careful to keep the area of the wound clean to avoid possible infection.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If the cut has not stopped bleeding, raise the wounded area above the heart and place pressure on the area to stop the bleeding.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} The bandage should be held in place with tape, but should not be too tight.

    Blisters. Blisters can turn a fun walk in the woods into a terrible experience.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Change your bandage and socks and keep the blistered area clean. Make sure that you pack different size bandages and first aid cream.

    Sprains. If you've got a heavy pack on your shoulders, it can be very easy to twist your ankles. Walking sticks can be a traveler's friend.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}A good ACE bandage should be packed in case of a sprained ankle. This can help fix the sprained area until you can get medical attention.

    After seeing the above dangers and treatments, it's also helpful to pack a small basic first aid kit for your trip. Make sure that you include items that are unique to you and fit your environment (bleeding, bruise, snake bite, etc.).

A. Cover the wound with a dry, clean bandage.

B. Wear comfortable shoes and socks during the trips.

C. They can help you keep balance on rough areas.

D. Treat the cut with first aid cream to prevent infection.

E. Below is a brief list of less-severe injuries that you can prepare for.

F. Blisters are an open wound and can get infected if not cared for.

G. Some climates can be very hot during the day and very cool at night.

    Science fiction writers create imaginary worlds. The way things work in your imaginary worlds will be based on actual science. So it's important for you to be familiar with the scientific principles and inventions that are related to your creation. For example, if you're writing about human living on a planet with zero gravity, then you need to know the effects of zero gravity on the human body.

    Then you have to figure out the exact rules of your imaginary worlds. And you have to follow them. If humans are able to breathe underwater in Chapter 1, your character can't drown in a swimming pool in Chapter 3. The issue here is maintaining your readers' trust. That means the readers are willing to pretend along with you. If you start out with an ordinary detective novel and then throw in someone breathing underwater in the 6th chapter, you will pull the readers out of their imagination. The same thing happens if you change the rules halfway.

    Part of your preparation work for the novel is to map out its worlds in great detail. You should decide the following issues: the history of the world, the geography, what possibilities it offers, how everything works in this new reality, and how all of these factors affect the way your characters think, feel, and react to things. You don't have to tell your readers all the rules in the first chapter. But you have to let readers know enough to understand what's going on. This also allows you to work out logical problems and contradictions before you start writing.

    When you are writing, remember to make it feel real. You are inviting readers to visit a new world. They will want to be able to see, hear, feel, smell, and even taste what it's like. Whether your novel is about a world without disease or an undiscovered planet, help your readers feel like they're actually there.

    Whenever we see a button, we are eager to press it because we know something will happen. This is true in most cases, for example on a doorbell and on the "on/off" button on the TV. But some buttons are actually fake, like the "close" button on a lift.

    Many people are in the habit of pressing the "close" button because they don't have the patience to wait for the lift doors to shut. But lifts' "close" buttons are a complete scam (骗局), at least in the US-the doors will not close any faster no matter how hard you press.

    It started in the 1990s when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the US, making sure that all lifts stayed open long enough so that people with disabilities could enter. Only US firefighters and repairmen can use the buttons to speed up the door-closing process if they have a code or special keys.

    But to normal lift riders, the buttons aren't completely useless. According to psychologists, fake buttons can actually make you feel better by offering you a sense of control.

    "Perceived (能够感知的) control is very important. It reduces stress and increases well-being," Ellen J. Langer, a psychology professor, said, "having a lack of control is associated with depression（沮丧）."

    Experts have revealed that a lot of buttons that don't do anything exist in our lives for this same purpose. For example, many offices in the US have fake thermostats (温度调节器) because people tend to feel better when they think they can control the temperature in their workplace.

    Pedestrian(行人) crosswalk buttons don't live up to their names either. Pressing them used to help make the traffic signals change faster, but that was before computer-controlled traffic signals were introduced.

    But psychologists found it interesting that even when people are aware of these little "white lies", they still continue to push fake buttons because as long as the doors eventually close, it is considered to be worth the effort.

    "That habit is here to stay," John Kounios, a psychology professor, said. "Even though I have real doubts about the traffic light buttons, I always press them. After all, I've got nothing else to do while waiting. So why not press the button in the hope that this one will work?"

    There are excellent reasons for anyone to seek out the optimistic. Optimists experience better health outcomes, live longer and are more satisfied with their relationships. Optimism enables people to hold on in the face of difficulty, while pessimism leaves them depressed and even expecting failure.

    I want that hopeful, optimistic outlook for my children. But many times we may feel pessimistic. The result of negativity makes me worry that my kids' future will be uncertain. Fortunately, research suggests ways to help our children grow up with an optimistic attitude and maintain a happier outlook ourselves.

    Humanity has improved by many measures, but that success has become the water in which we swim, and like fish, we take the water for granted. While we fail to notice the positive, our brains naturally emphasize on the negative. With practice, we can help our brains to give the good stuff equal weight. Dr. Hanson's advice: when you hear a great story or achieve something in your own life, deliberately rest your mind on that experience and stay with it. Sink into that feeling as it sinks into you. Describe what you're doing to your kids, and encourage them to dwell on their joys and pleasures as well.

    Following the "big scary" news can leave us feeling helpless. Find something in your area that makes you feel hopeful, and make it a part of your family life. Researchers found that when people with a pessimistic outlook use positive language to describe situations they find upsetting, their feelings about the situation become more positive. That's something we can try at home.

    Raising optimistic kids is hard because it demands that parents abandon the pessimistic perspective that's the easiest response to pessimistic times. Put your energy into making sure you and your family are a part of the world around you. That might mean simply joining and being part of local clubs that feed our natural human need for connection (not of the digital kind).

How to Grow Organic Tomatoes in a Container

    Anyone who has seen tomatoes growing in a garden knows that they tend to be huge plants. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So the first thing to do when considering growing tomatoes in a pot is to find a suitable variety.

    After you find the perfect plant, it is time to plant it. In general, plastic or fiberglass pots are best for growing tomatoes. They don't dry out quickly. While tomatoes love heat, they don't like being dry. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Besides, tomatoes need to grow in a reasonably large pot. A pot must be 8 inches deep. That's the absolute minimum. A 12- or 16-inch pot is even better.

    Any good quality organic potting soil works for tomatoes. Don't use soil dug directly from the garden. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Compost-based soil, whether purchased or mixed from your special recipe, is nice. When planting the tomato, put some soil in the bottom of the pot and set the plant in. After you have the plant set at the proper level, fill in around it with soil. The soil should go up to about an inch below the rim of the pot to allow room for watering.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The best way to tell when to water is to stick your finger into the soil­if the first two inches are dry, it's time to water.

    The trickiest thing about growing tomatoes in a pot is that they are heavy feeders. Every time you water, you wash nutrients out of the soil. So fertilize (施肥) regularly. Once a month is good. But every other week, applying the fertilizer at half-strength is better. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It is too heavy for container gardens.

B. That's why clay pots are popular.

C. Instead, use whatever soil you can get.

D. And dry soil can reduce fruit production.

E. This provides constant nutrients for the tomato plants.

F. They require people's much work to stay manageable.

G. Tomatoes don't like being dry, so water them regularly.