Once, in a lovely garden lived the most beautiful butterfly in the world. She was so pretty, and had won so many beauty competitions{#blank#}1{#/blank#} she had become very proud. One day, a naughty cockroach (蟑螂) got fed up with her showing off, and decided{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(teach) her a lesson.

    She went to see the butterfly, and infront of everyone she told her that she wasn't really that beautiful, and tha tthe butterfly only won the competitions{#blank#}3{#/blank#}the judges had been paid.

    In{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(real), the cockroach was the most beautiful. The butterfly was angryand told the cockroach, “I{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(beat) you in a beauty competition, with whichever judges you choose.”  “OK, I accept. See you on Saturday,” answered the cockroach, and left{#blank#}6{#/blank#}waitingfor a reply.

    That Saturday everyone went to{#blank#}7{#/blank#}beauty competition. The butterfly arrived completely confident of victory until she saw{#blank#}8{#/blank#}the judges were: cockroaches, worms, beetles.

     All of them{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(prefer) the ugliness and bad smell ofthe cockroach.

    The butterfly was left sobbing and {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(disappoint), wanting never to enteranother beauty competition in her life. Fortunately, the cockroach forgave the butterfly for her pride and they became friends.

    The back-to-school season is upon us, and once again, parents across the country have loaded their kids' backpacks up with snack packs and school supplies. It's a good moment to reflect on what else we should be giving our kids as they head off to school.

    American parents are feeling particularly anxious about that question this year. The educational process feels more than ever like a race, one that starts in pre-school and doesn't end until your child is admitted to the perfect college. Most parents are more worried than they need to be about their children's grades, test scores and IQ. And what we don't think about enough is how to help our children build their character—how to help them develop skills like perseverance, optimism, responsibility, and self-control, which together do more to determine success than S.A.T. scores or I.Q.

    There is growing evidence that our anxiety about our children's school performance may actually be holding them back from learning some of these valuable skills. If you're concerned only with a child's G.P.A., then you will likely choose to minimize the challenges the child faces in school. With real challenge comes the risk of real failure. And in a competitive academic environment, the idea of failure can be very scary, to students and parents alike.

    But experiencing failure is a critical part of building character.A recent research by a team of psychologists found that adults who had experienced little or no failure growing up were actually less happy and confident than those who had experienced a few significant setbacks in childhood. “Overcoming those obstacles,” the researchers assumed, “could teach effective coping skills, help engage social support networks, create a sense of mastery over past adversity, and foster beliefs in the ability to cope successfully in the future.”

    By contrast, when we protect our children from every possible failure—when we call their teachers to get an extension on a paper; when we urge them to choose only those subjects they're good at—we are denying them those same character-building experiences. As the psychologists Madeline Levine and Dan Kindlon have written, that can lead to difficulties in adolescence and young adulthood, when overprotected young people finally confront real problems on their own and don't know how to overcome them.

    In the classroom and outside of it, American parents need to encourage children to take chances, to challenge themselves, to risk failure. In the meantime, giving our kids room to fail may be one of the best ways we can help them succeed.

    Do you want to improve your networking skills? If so,check out five ways to promote your networking skills.

    Research the event before you go.

    Do your research before you attend an event.Figuring out the dress standard and the theme of the event will help you perfect your clothes, attitude, and approach{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Mental preparation will help you feel confident and comfortable.

    Describe yourself differently.

    Most people choose to describe themselves to strangers by saying their name and job. However, unless you have a unique name and an eye-catching job, this probably won't help. Give them a little more to work with{#blank#}2{#/blank#}In that case, people may have a chance to ask you a few questions.

    Network with everyone.

    At networking events, there are probably specific people that you want to talk to.While this could be beneficial to you, don't cut off your other choices{#blank#}3{#/blank#}It can also help you to get noticed by the people you want to speak to.

    Smile to make a great first impression.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} According to a research,people decide whether you are trustworthy or not after looking at your face for 34 milliseconds（毫秒）.Make those milliseconds count by relaxing the muscles in your face and smiling.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Don't let the end of your conversation affect your networking for the worse.Have a reason for leaving,smile as you say goodbye,and shake hands if appropriate.Even though you are leaving,this guarantees the person will remember you as polite,pleasant,and sincere.

A.First impressions mean a lot.

B.Finish the conversation gracefully.

C.Work on finding a conversational balance.

D.It is important to keep the conversation flowing.

E.Provide a more general and mysterious（神秘的）description.

F.It will also help you prepare some great conversation starters.

G.Being polite and friendly to everyone enables you to make a great impression.

    Study Links Video Game Use to Problems in School

    A new study warns that too much time spent playing computer games could affect a child's performance at school.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} They show that too many hours spent playing games can reduce students changes of success in school.

    More than 600 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16 took part in research project.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is said to be the first ever long-term study of information technology on school test results in Northern Ireland.

    The study found that teenagers who played computer games less than once a week were more successful in school than those who played them twice a day or more. 41% of the students who used gaming devices two or more times a day received passing grades on school exams{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    The study found that social media use did not affect school performance. Celine McStravick is the director of the National Children's Bureau Northern Ireland (NCBNI). She says “{#blank#}4{#/blank#}— I think that's more because social media is part of every child's life. It's the way they communicate. It's the way they keep in touch with their friends.”

    Many parents say their children are becoming increasingly dependent on computer games. Some have compared gaming to a drug addiction.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It suggested that computer games can cause children to stay awake late at night. Less sleep makes children tired and unable to pay attention in school the next day.

A. However, the study did not explore addiction.

B. The new games are much different from older ones.

C. The study showed no connection between social media and test results.

D. It took place over a period of three years from 2013 to 2015.

E. Thai compared with 77% of those who rarely played the games.

F. Drug addiction does great harm to their health and performance at school.

G. Britain's National Children's Bureau Northern Ireland reported the results of the study.

    We eat in our cars, at our desks, on the go, and in front of the TV. We eat take-out, packaged and prepared meals. Why? Because it fits our not-enough-time-in-the-day lifestyles{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Well, I'm certainly not the first one to think it—or say it—but we all need to slow down.

    Consumer trends around the globe show that over the past three decades people are purchasing more prepared foods at the grocery and eating out more than ever before. It's predicted that we'll spend more at restaurants in the coming years{#blank#}2{#/blank#}However, we're getting less healthy.

    While debates can be seen indifferent media over the food industry's contribution to our growing waistlines and our health problems, the bottom line is this{#blank#}3{#/blank#}We can choose to eat a fast-food lunch on the go. We can throw a frozen meal in the microwave and call it dinner. We can eat without thinking, in front of the tube, at our computers, and while driving a car.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Studies have shown meaningful links between family meals and kids' mental and physical well-being. Eating sensibly doesn't take much time or money, but it does require you to make a conscious decision to do so. Wrapped in endless work, appointments and social activities, we often fail to enjoy a relaxing meal with our families.

    While it can be a challenge to always put healthy eating first, just do your best. Remember that the food you eat has a more significant impact on your health, weight and well-being than almost any other activity you do.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Every meal made at home—even just once or twice a week—is a step closer to a healthier body and as lower food lifestyle.

A. Our food matches our lives.

B. Treat it with the importance that it deserves, but start small.

C. We're consuming an increasing number of calories.

D. Lunch is the biggest calorie intake when it comes to eating out.

E. Purchase food locally and skip as many packaged items as you can.

F. What we eat, where we eat and how we eat are all under our control.

G. We can devote an hour of the day to enjoying a meal with our families.

Happiness begins from appreciation

    If you are feeling that life just cannot be any worse for you, it can be challenging to think positive. When stressed, depressed, upset or otherwise in a negative state of mind because you are aware that misfortune keeps occurring, it is important to shift those negative thoughts to something positive. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It is often very hard to think positive when so many things are negative, but be sure that someone, somewhere is worse off than you. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you start with one small, positive thing and appreciate it during the course of your day, you will begin to move into a more positive situation and people will start showing up in your life. With appreciation, you will find that over time, you will change your outlook and choose to be happy, regardless of the events around you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Begin and end each day with a “Thank you for this wonderful, glorious day!”

    When you see the rise of gas prices, say “I am so glad to have a vehicle in which to get around.”

    When your boss is too hard on you, say “I am grateful for my job as I know that many don't have one.”

    If you are having health problems, be grateful for what does work: “I really do appreciate it that my eyes see, my ears hear, my mouth tastes, my legs walk, my arms lift and my mind thinks and everything else works.”

    Write down what you're grateful for each day. In moments when you're feeling really down, read loud what you wrote previously. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you practice this regularly, you will find your list getting longer and longer.

    The key is to move yourself into a positive thought and keep it there long enough to make it a moment of appreciation. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. This will certainly help uplift your spirits.

B. If not, you will only attract more misfortune.

C. It is of great importance to learn to be grateful.

D. The more you appreciate, the happier you'll be.

E. If you have made some achievements in your career.

F. Here are a few common examples for you to practice.

G. You can choose to think differently by beginning with the smallest of steps.