Holiday gift buying can feel a little empty, when all of those endless lists, long lines at the shopping center and dollars spent lead to a 5-minute excitement of flying wrapping paper. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The following tips can help make gift giving more meaningful for both the giver and the receiver.

1 Know the person

    The most important thing in the exchanging of gifts is that it shows that you really know the person well, and you really care about him. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

2 Donate in their name

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Research suggests that happier people give more to others, and that giving more makes people happier. Moreover, charity-related happiness is highest when people give in a way that promotes social connection. So, try giving to the less fortunate in someone's name this holiday season.

3 Give handmade goods or hand-me-downs

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  A study suggests that people feel that homemade items show more love, and love is what they want to express to the gift receiver.

    Family heirlooms(传家宝) may be another good gift option. A 2009 study found that when families hand down even a very depersonalized thing — money — to the generations, the symbolic value of the cash is greater than the numerical value alone.

4 Provide chances for participation

    If there's a golden rule of gifts, though, it's this: {#blank#}5{#/blank#} People who receive experiential gifts, such as concert tickets or a zoo membership, feel more connected to the gift giver than people who received material gifts.

A. Give experiences rather than objects.

B. But it doesn't have to be that way.

C. Giving gifts to friends or to charity is linked to happiness.

D. That is always beyond their expectation.

E. That means catering to another's pleasure.

F. Start listing every person you plan to give a holiday gift to.

G. The new and store-bought is not always best.

    Lots of people stress out about talking in front of the class or getting laughed at if they make a mistake in front of an audience. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The “stress hormones" that your body produces at times like these can actually help you focus.

    But when worry and stress about performing get to be too much, these hormones give people that “red alert(紧急状态)” feeling—the one that causes you to feel cold or sweaty, or get butterflies in your stomach. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Be prepared. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Rehearse(排练) as much as you can and practice in front of others at every opportunity. Most of all, think positively. Tell yourself “I'll be OK" or “I can do this" even if you are not 100% sure of it

    Look after yourself. Before big performances it's easy to let taking care of yourself slip as you spend too much time on rehearsals and practice. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Exercise can also help you feel good, and along with sleep and nutrition, is an excellent way of keeping those stress hormones from getting out of control.

    Find out what the experts do. You can find books, DVDs, and online information about how to give your best when you perform, depending on what type of performance you're preparing for. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Or ask the cast of your school play or your drama or music teacher how they beat stage fright. And if your parents or grandparents ever performed, they may have their own secrets to share.

    The new school year is right around the corner, and the adjustment to returning to school may take a few weeks.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Kids today are faced with far more than learning new material. Interacting with teachers and other students, bullying (欺凌), peer pressure and school violence are just a few of the challenges children face. The Kern County Sheriff s Office would like to provide the following tips for parents on how to protect your children, and how to teach them to protect themselves.

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    Map out a safe way for your children to walk to school or to the bus stop. Teach your children to always be aware of their surroundings. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Choose a different route or walk on the opposite side of the street.

    Bus Safety

    Make sure your children arrive at least five minutes early for the bus. Be aware that bullying often happens on the bus. Ask your children about their bus rides, who they sit with, and what goes on in the bus.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    After School

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It could be your parents or any of your neighbors who can take care of your children for you. Make sure they inform you of it the moment your children arrive home.

    At School

    Teach your children to resolve problems without fighting. Many parents mislead their children to solve problems by force in fear that their children may be bullied at school, which will only lead to more trouble. Anyway, encourage your children to report bullying behavior, either as a victim or a witness.

A. Getting to School

B. Preparing for School

C. Encourage them to report any bullying behavior on the bus.

D. Some kids just can't wait to return to school after a long holiday.

E. Have your children check in with an adult as soon as they get home.

F. Be aware of slow moving vehicles or parked vehicles that appear to be occupied.

G. Returning to school can be fun and exciting, but it can also be difficult for some children.

    Finding spare change or an extra dollar in your pocket always feels like a victory, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Without thinking, you might hear the familiar rhyme in your head when you spot one on the sidewalk:" Find a penny, pick it up. All day long you'll have good luck."

    According to one theory, people originally thought pennies would bring good luck because of religious beliefs{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. This theory also fueled other superstitions(迷信行为) like charm bracelets and metal horseshoes, which are also "lucky. "Plus, metal currency like pennies were linked to more wealth and thus more luck. That might be a straightforward explanation, but other eleven strange origins of other everyday superstition sure aren't.

    Another reason people might have claimed pennies would bring good luck comes down to the battle between good and evil, which is like two sides of the coin. Finding a penny heads up. meant you'd have luck on your side, but tails up would mean the opposite,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Some people say that if you find a penny tails up, you should turn it over to make it heads up so that it can bring luck to whoever finds it next. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. The Irish half-penny, which stopped circulating in 1987, is especially lucky to anyone who finds one. Then there's also the old saying" Something old, something new something borrowed, something blue, and a penny in the shoe. " {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Pennies from heaven is a way of thinking

B. although the exact reasoning for this is unknown

C. but even finding something worth as little as a penny is satisfying

D. No matter what the reason is, pennies are part of many lucky traditions

E. Placing g silver sixpence in the bride's left shoe is said to be a symbol of wealth

F. These are all things brides should wear on their wedding day for good luck in their marriage

G Folktales from ancient civilizations said metals were gifts from gods intended to protect people from evil

    The world is a colorful landscape of different languages, skin colors, and different cultures. It's important to have a good understanding of different cultures in order to become a well-rounded person{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    One way is to read hooks written by authors from a particular culture. Reading works by authors who have a close relationship with a particular culture allows people to gain an authentic glimpse into the food, music, language, religion, and way of a life of a particular group of people.

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    Another way to learn about different cultures is to try to learn a foreign language.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}A person can choose a language she has always wanted to learn and locate learning programs to help her master the language. Besides, one can enroll in a foreign language class in order to learn in a more formal setting. One can also try to visit areas of the city to establish social connection with native speakers of the language.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Seek out restaurants that feature authentic food from a variety of countries. Food is an important part of different cultures and allows people to gain deep understanding into a particular cultural group's way of life.

    Communicating with people from other countries through email or snail mail is another useful way to become familiar with different cultures.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Various websites offer pen pal services, offering to connect individuals with pen friends around the world.

A  Stories based on a local culture expose one to a different culture.

B. Trying authentic food from a specific cultural group is also a great idea.

C. There are several ways to become knowledgeable about different cultures.

D.A variety of language-learning books, software, and audio programs is available,

E. The Internet has made it possible to communicate with others from different countries.

F. Making contact with native speakers of the language allows one to gain firsthand knowledge.

G. One way to develop this appreciation is to try to team about other cultures around the world.

    As we all know, the spine (脊柱) stands at the center of your health, providing your body with structure and support. It also contains your spine cord, a massive collection of nerves sending electric signals from the rest of your body to your brain. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Maintaining good posture is one of the most important things you can do to keep your spine healthy. Proper posture means standing or sitting while keeping your spine straight, except for its natural curves. Posture comes into play even when you are asleep. Sleeping on your side puts less stress on your spine than most other positions. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Especially if you work at a desk most of the day, it's important to get up and stretch regularly.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Stretch can help the muscles around your spine relax and allow bones to shift into better arrangement. Strength exercises like push-ups (俯卧撑) can also help by strengthening the muscles around your spine. However, don't overdo the exercise, as repeated movements can strain the muscles around your spine.

    Finally, your diet affects the health of your spine because many vitamins are necessary for bones and nerves. In particular, vitamins B and D are essential to keep bones healthy, so you may want to consider taking a supplement. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, so it is also helpful to do some of the back exercise outside.

    Many of the actions necessary to keep your spine healthy are the same as those used to keep your health in other ways. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. It can be hard on your back to stay still for too long

B. So, to have a healthy spine, you should take the following factors into account

C. Try the following exercises to keep your spine more flexible

D. So protect your back, the rest of the body will benefit

E. Exercise is also an important factor in your spine's health

F. Doing yoga to protect your spine is also a necessary step

G. However, the latter can also be absorbed from sunlight