The following is a father's advice to his son or daughter, who has just graduated from high school：

    First of all, congratulations on your graduation!Graduation from high school means that a new stage of life is ahead of you．At the beginning of this new stage, I have some advice for you．

    Clean your own room and do your own laundry(洗衣物的活). After you have messed up(弄乱)something, you should learn to clean it up yourself．Cleanliness is indeed close to godliness(信奉上帝)．

    Don't mistake knowledge for wisdom. No matter how much information or knowledge you have gained, you'll never make sound(正确的)judgments if you don't have wisdom. Wisdom comes from imagination and reflection(反省)．If you can imagine the possible future outcomes of your present decisions and actions, you can avoid mistakes．And if you can reflect on the mistakes you have made, you can avoid making the same mistakes again and again．Such is wisdom．

    Don't complain．When you take up a job, do your best to carry it out．Don't waste time complaining about it, no matter how difficult and boring it is．

    Finally, be an early bird．If you get up earlier than the sun, you can watch it rising up slowly into the sky．And the sight of the rising sun will warm your heart and give you energy for the day ahead．Besides, being an early bird, you have plenty of time to take exercise or do a lot of work．

    If you feel yourself turning into an old grouch(脾气坏的人), don't worry — happiness is just around the bend. A survey has found that although happiness dips in those in their 30s and 40s, people start to feel more content with life after the age of 50.

    However an economist found that older people will never again regain the excitement of youth. Rather it is thought that with age, individuals become more pragmatic about the ups and downs that life brings and accept their fortune.

    He questioned those in Britain, Switzerland and Germany and applied the findings to people's life cycle.

    Mr. Van Landeghem, 29, said:“A happiness curve does not necessarily imply that a 65-year-old prefers his own life to the life of a 25-year-old.”

    “Both the 25-year-old and 65-year-old might agree that it is nicer to be 25 than to be 65. But te 65-year-old might nevertheless be more satisfied, as he has learned to be satisfied with what he has.”

    It was suggested the mid-life happiness dip is because this is when people have the most responsibilities — taking care of a family, paying a mortgage (抵押贷款) and having a demanding career. The middle-aged dip in happiness was also compared to that of losing a close relative or suddenly becoming unemployed.

    The study is just one of many put forward as an indicator of what makes for a happy life.

    Psychologists concluded that having money makes you happier, but only if you have a lot more than your friends and neighbors. At the same time, you'd better have enough tie to enjoy yourself instead of spending all your time on making money.

    Separate research found that owning the house of your dreams, the car you always longed for and having millions in the bank doesn't stop that desire to keep up with the Joneses (攀比). And if the Joneses have more than you do, you'll be miserable. It seems envy at being lower in the social pecking order (权势等级) reduces the satisfaction of being well off.

    If you just do what you love and you are good at, which society also values much, you may have a higher probability to be happy. But if your job pays less, how can you stick to it in disregard of responsibilities? Happiness means different things from different points of view, and point of view grows from one's experience and knowledge. Perhaps it comes with you when you don't need to think about adult problems or when you are wise enough to understand what satisfaction is.

    Plants are very important living things. Life could not go if there were no plants. This is because plants can make food from air, water and sunlight.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Animals get their food by eating plants and other animals.    So animals and man need plants in order to live.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    If you look carefully at the plants around you, you will find that there are two kinds of plants: flowering plants and non-flowering plants.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. The seeds are protected by the fruits. Some fruits have one seed, some have two, three or four, and some have many seeds.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. An example of a fruit without seeds is the banana fruit.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. They grow from spores（孢子）. Spores are very small. Some spores are so small and light that they can float in the air. We may say that spores are quite the same as the seeds, when these spores fall on wet and shady places, they usually grow into new plants.

A. There are about half a million kinds of plants in the world

B. Animals and man cannot make food from air, water and sunlight

C. But a few fruits have no seeds at all

D. Not all the plants grow from the seeds

E. This is why we find that there are so many plants around us

F. Flowering plants can make seeds

G. Most non-flowering plants don't grow from seeds

How to improve vocabulary fast

    Your vocabulary refers to the words in a language you are familiar with. We should learn some ways to expand it.

    Read every day.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Choose reading material that is slightly above your level and keep a dictionary with you to look up words you do not know.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.If you do not meet with an unfamiliar word in your daily reading, use your dictionary to search for one.

    Learn the correct definition and pronunciation for each new word. Pronunciation is as important as definition because in order to add a word to your active vocabulary, you must be able to use it in speech.

    Elaborate (详尽阐述) on the meaning of the word. If you have just learned the word “stubborn”, think about the neighbour who will not lend you his car.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Use your new word in speech and in writing. E-mail your sister about how your cat is stubborn about sleeping on your pillow. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.But the more you use it, the more fluent you will become in its use. Soon it will be a regular part of your active vocabulary.

    Tell everyone you are trying to increase your vocabulary. Encourage them to ask you what your latest word is.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    The more you explain the meaning of a word to someone, the more likely you are to remember it.

A. Find a new word every day.

B. The vocabulary can be increased.

C. Your vocabulary contains the words you understand.

D. The more often you read, the faster your vocabulary can grow.

E. Or let them ask for the definition of a new word you have used.

F. Imagine him shaking his head, and think of him as 'stubborn in his refusal.”

G. The first time you use a new word in speech it may seem strange.

How to Deal With Gossip (流言蜚语)

Gossip is a double-edged sword. Not only can it be incredibly harmful for you, but also others may be affected. Do a serious favor for your friends and yourself — quit your gossip habit and become a better and more positive person. It's good to find ways to get started dealing with gossip.

    Face the source of the rumor directly. If you know for sure who's responsible for spreading a rumor about you, don't take it lying down. When you have a chance, walk right up to him or her and say that you don't appreciate the mean things she/he has said. Stay calm when you do this. You don't want to adopt the cruel words this person has.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Alert your friends. If you learn that someone's been spreading nasty rumors about you, your first action should be to consult with your close friends. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Tell them the facts of the situation. If the rumor's not true, they'll be sure to fight the spread of the rumor. If the rumor is true, they can still help stop its spread by sticking up for you.

    Ignore it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} When you hear gossip about yourself, laugh it off. Act as if it's ridiculous! Share a chuckle(窃笑) about it! Turn the tables by making the person who started the rumor the butt (笑柄) of the joke.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If nasty rumors and gossip are a frequent problem, or if someone's told a rumor that might get you in trouble for something you didn't do, talk to a teacher, counselor, or administrator. These people can help you work through the problem. They can give you advice on how to proceed, make you feel better, and even discipline people who've started the rumor.

    Stay away from people who gossip. The single best way to avoid having gossip told about you is to stay away from the kinds of people who tell mean gossip! As popular or cool as they may seem, these people are sad and desperate. They can't have a good time without spreading hurtful rumors about someone else. Don't bother with them. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Remember a friend who stabs you in the back by telling a nasty rumor isn't much of a friend at all.

A. When you're worried about a piece of gossip, change the way you live.

B. Tell an authority about it.

C. Gossip is often best dealt with by paying no attention to it at all.

D. They should be people you know and trust.

E. Work out a plan to avoid being laughed at.

F. Find friends who don't get enjoyment from hurting people.

G. You also don't expect to give bystanders the impression that the rumor's true.

    Since so much written language we see today comes from a glowing screen, language has begun to change through our interaction with technology. Social media and the Internet have had a rapid and great effect on the English language, and not necessarily for the better. More and more people have found themselves writing in pieces of words and using unclear acronyms(单词首字母) both in written and spoken language.

    How many times have you typed "LOL" in response to a humorous message? Referred to someone as your "BFF"? Exclaimed, "OMG!" during a particularly shocking event? Social media has affected the words we use in our everyday life. Abbreviations and acronyms commonly known as "text talk" have made their way into both spoken and written language. These are becoming increasingly popular as people struggle for brief expressions to meet word limits on social media like Weibo and Twitter. In addition, the speed of the Internet means language is changing faster than ever. You no longer have to be published through physical and traditional means to bring word trends to public attention.

    Many people believe the overuse of these new terms is a passing trend, and nobody will be using them in just a couple of decades. With the change of language, older terms will surely disappear and fall out of style, and newer and more Internet language will take their place.

    But the Oxford English Dictionary thinks the contrary. In 2011, a lot of Internet terms including, "LOL," "BPB," "OMD," and "BFF" were added to the dictionary, making these acronyms official parts of the English language. According to the dictionary writers, these terms aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

    The words you use in everyday life are a reflection of yourself; this is especially true on the Internet with the lack of interaction in real life. With the Internet and social media rapidly getting popular, soon your words may be all you have left. Make them good ones.