Let's Go Skiing

    Skiing can be a good sport. Here is a list of advice for a new skier. It can also be used by would-be instructors to help you give a beginner the best possible skiing experience.

    The biggest complaint of the complete beginner is cold feet. This is because the boots you are using don't fit. Boots should allow you to shake your toes.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But, boots should not allow you to turn your foot side-to-side within the boot. If you can turn your foot inside the boot, you won't have a chance to control your skis.

Try several pairs of boots —not every boot marked the same size is actually the same size (even if they are the same brand and model). This extra effort will be annoying, but worth it.

    Probably fitting ski boots are warm. Do NOT wear very thick socks, or more than one pair of socks inside your boots.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Besides, socks can help here. Bring two pairs of socks for your first outing, a thin pair, and a medium-thick pair. Then choose the socks based on how the boots seem to be fitting. You may even find you wear a thin sock on one foot and a thicker sock on the other because the boots won't match exactly.

    Do NOT wear jeans or sweatpants. You will be falling down in snow and even if it is cold enough to be dry snow, some of it will stick to you and melt. If you get wet, it's over. There's no chance to stay warm. I suggest thick ski pants for beginners. The ski pants will also help keep you warm on the lift. Similarly, your jacket should also be waterproof. It doesn't matter how heavy it is.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Keeping warm isn't so hard. Make sure you read the parts on boots, socks and clothes above.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Remember to start out warm. When you go out into the cold, you should be a little too warm, not quite sweating but close. If your body is warm but your neck, nose or ears are cold, it is always because you left them uncovered.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you are sweating a tiny bit, that's fine. If you are sweating a lot, you are too hot. Your sweat will make parts of you very cold, even while other parts are still too hot. To deal with this, don't be afraid of opening your coat, or removing your hat or gloves, for just a minute, or for the day.

A. Keeping warm can be difficult.

B. Getting too hot can be a problem too.

C. Wear heavy boots and socks together.

D. All the clothes you wear must be waterproof.

E. If you can't shake your toes, then your feet will be cold.

F. If you didn't rent your boots in advance, finding a good fit will be a problem.

G. Apart from this, you have to wear the right amount of clothing and keep moving.

Test-taking tips

    Do you sweat, check your pencil, and feel butterflies in your stomach as your teacher hands out the test paper? A lot of people feel anxious when it is time to take a test. Here are some tips for taking tests:

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Your memory recall will be much better if you have had enough rest. In a scientific study, people who got enough sleep before taking a math test did better than those who stayed up all night studying.

    Read the test through first. Once you have the test paper in front of you, read over the entire test, checking out how long it is and all the parts that you are expected to complete.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.If something seems unclear before you start, do not worry: ask the teacher.

    Focus on addressing each question individually. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Instead, answer the best way you can or skip over the question and come back to it after you have answered other questions.

    Relax. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Of course you cannot get up and move around in the middle of a test, but you can wiggle your fingers and toes, take four or five deep breaths. As we all know, it can be easy to forget things we know well. During a test, if you forget something and start to get nervous, it suddenly becomes much more difficult to remember.

    Finished already? Although most teachers will let you hand your test paper in early, it is usually a good idea to spend any extra time checking over your work. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. On the other hand, if you have 5 minutes until the bell rings and you are still writing, end up whatever you are working on without panic.

A. This will allow you to decide how much time you have for each section

B. Be sure you have studied properly

C. Get enough sleep the night before the test

D. As the teacher hands out the test paper, be sure you know what is expected of you

E. As you take the test, if you do not know an answer, do not worry about it

F. You can also add details that you may not have thought you'd have time for

G. If you are so nervous that you blank out, you might need a mini-break

    A good training partner can be a great asset (有用的人) to your training but if you get stuck with a bad one, it could lead you down the road to frustration. Be selective when choosing a training partner. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Dependable. Choose someone who you are sure will show up for every scheduled workout or who will call you if they can't make it. It is a drain (消耗) on your valuable energy especially before training to have to constantly remind your partner.

    Attitude. Get a partner with a positive attitude. This is very important. If they constantly say that something is impossible or that they can't or you can't do something, you may end up believing them.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Open mind. Get a partner with an open mind.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In every partnership, one person will tend to be the leader. The leader should take into account the needs and feelings of the other partner not totally ignoring them.

    Spotting. Get someone you feel comfortable with spotting you. One of the main roles of a training partner is spotting and if you don't trust them, there's not much point in having them around to help.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you are a beginner, try to find someone who knows what you are doing. You will get more out of your training than if you train with another beginner.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In the end, it is really up to you whether or not you need a training partner.

A. Training level.

B. Similar strength levels.

C. Here are a few things to look out for.

D. Find someone with a similar training goal with you.

E. Do not train with someone who is satisfied with no improvement.

F. While there are a number of advantages of having a training partner, there are also advantages of working alone.

G. Someone who has to do things his or her way all the time, will not listen to you and will not change his or her mind isn't a good partner.

    What do the world's most successful people all have in common?

By examining the work habits of over 150 greatest writers and artists and scientists, the researchers including Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeiffer found that high achievers like Robert Moses turned out to be all alike:

Busy! Busy!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In a study of general managers in industry, John Kotter reports that many of them work 60 to 65 hours per week—which translates into at least six 10-hour days. The ability and willingness to work difficult and tiring hours has characterized many powerful figures. Energy and strength provide many advantages to those seeking to build power.

Just Say No!

    The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say "no" to almost everything. And that's what gives them the time to accomplish so much. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And focus means saying "no" to a lot of distractions (分神).

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Ignore your weaknesses and keep improving your strengths. Don't waste time exploring skill areas where you have little competence. Instead, focus on—and build on—your strengths. This means knowing who you are, what you are and what you are good at.

    Create Good Luck！

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There's a science to it. Richard Wiseman studies lucky people for his book Luck Factor, and breaks down what they do right. Certain personality types are luckier because they behave in a way that offers the chance for good opportunities. By being more outgoing, open to new ideas, following the feeling that something is true, and being optimistic, lucky people create possibilities.

    Does applying these principles to your life actually work? Wiseman created a "luck school" to test the ideas—and it was a success. In total, 80 percent of the people who attended Luck School said that their luck had increaseD.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Spend enough time to improve your weakness.

B. Achievement requires focus.

C. On average, these people reported that their luck had increased by more than 40 percent.

D. They never stop working and they never lose a minute.

E. Busy people are more likely to be lucky.

F. Know What You Are!

G. Luck isn't magical.

    We've all experienced peer pressure (同伴压力) . It happens to everybody. However, people have different reactions. Confident people refuse to do things they don't want to do, but shy and anxious people often give in. It may be because they want to be liked. It may be because they worry that their friends will make fun of them, or perhaps they're just curious about trying something new.  {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It's hard being the only one who says no and the question is: how do you do it? {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    If you think that missing maths, or smoking, or going somewhere you know your parents wouldn't like is a bad idea then the answer is simple: don't do it. It's your decision, nobody else's. You don't need to be aggressive. You don't need to shout and scream, but you must be confident and you must be firm. You need to say, "No thanks. I don't want to do that."

    Being on your own against everybody else is very hard, so it can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who will say no too. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You want friends who will support you when you're in trouble. You don't want people who will always agree with the majority. Remember, the most popular people aren't always the most trustworthy.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You can learn a lot from people of your own age. They can teach you great football skills or the best way to do your maths homework. They can recommend music and advise you on fashion. And don't forget you can tell them things too, and that always feels great. So, find friends who have similar interests. And remember, friendship isn't about feeling depressed and guilty. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It may be because they were all born to be stubborn.

B. Depression and guilt will surely give you peer pressure.

C. Whatever the reason, some people end up doing things the really don't want to.

D. Of course, peer pressure isn't completely bad.

E. Choose your friends carefully.

F. Firstly, you must decide what you believe in.

G. It's about sharing experiences and having fun.

    Today it is common to see people who walk about with colored wires hanging from their ears wherever they go. They move about in their personal bubbles, sometimes unaware of what's happening around them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Outside life is shut out. So are you one of them"?

    For me; walking around in my own personal bubble is perfect. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}What's even better, wearing earphones seems to give a signal to people which says; "I'm not available for chatting at the moment!"

    Suppose, you're at work and about to make an incredible breakthrough, but a colleague suddenly turns up. At this precise moment, the slightest disturbance would break your concentration.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Once again, those wires hanging from your ears would be sure to give that "Go away!" signal.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}It's probably part of the growing up stage when they just want to ignore their whole family. While their mothers give them lectures about why they should do their ' Yes. Mum." Problem solved.

    Pretty soon, not only will we have pretty colored wires hanging from our ears-but also our brains will be directly plugged into some new high-tech instruments. We'll be in a virtual (虚拟的) world, communicating with everyone else, or choosing not to, as we like. In this world, we will all be permanently plugged in.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}And they are changing our social habits along the way.

    In the end, there is a thin line between using technology as a tool for making life better and being a slave to it! It's so strange-suddenly, I don't feel like wearing my earphones anymore.

A.Our instruments are changing quickly.

B.I also have wires hanging from my ears.

C.In the home situation, teenagers love these wires.

D.I don't have to deal with the noise from the environment.

E.After all, I am listening to my favorite music and would rather not be disturbed.

F.Listening to music through earphones is the perfect way to ignore such interruptions.

G.They walk around in their own spaces, with their personal "digital noise reduction systems".