{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Helping and working with others can have a good effect on your overall psychological well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. Working with pets and other animals can also improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against depression.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others delivers inner pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Volunteering increases self-confidence. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

    Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Volunteering makes you happy.

B. The more we give, the happier we feel.

C. Volunteering provides a sense of purpose.

D. So volunteering helps you stay physically healthy.

E. Volunteering helps reduce stress, anger, and anxiety.

F. Volunteering can provide working experience when you need it.

G. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity.

    Every now and then, you may be struck with a difficult person at work or at home. What are some of the keys to empowering yourself in such situations? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Keep in mind that these are general rules of thumb, and not all of them can apply to your particular situation.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When you feel angry or upset with someone, before you say something you might later regret, take a deep breath. This will help you remember that you're in control of your emotions and feelings. Also, if you remain calm, the other person will likely notice and reflect on his or her behavior.

    Put yourself in their shoes. It's important to remember that we all have off days and times in our life when things are trickier. Instead of judging others' behaviors immediately, try to practice empathy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you are sensitive to personality differences, you will be better able to handle diverse conflicts.

    Be frank with others. Some people are not very self−aware, so maybe you just need to tell them constructively what the problem is. For instance, if a colleague were making unkind comments, what would you do? {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They'll either be apologetic as they didn't realize it was a problem, or they'll make some excuse.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If someone is behaving in a threatening way, either verbally or physically, then regardless of who they are, it's OK to walk away or say that you are going to put the phone down and that you will return when they have calmed down.

A. Keep your cool.

B. Handle aggression wisely and confidently.

C. Adjust your style when you communicate with them.

D. It won't hurt you to take them to one side, and ask them why.

E. You step back and reflect on how you would feel in his or her place.

F. Here are some tried and true methods of handling them quite effectively.

G. It's helpful to remember that most difficult people also have positive qualities.

    Writing an article for your school newspaper can be exciting and rewarding, especially when you proudly see your name in print.

    Decide on a topic. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you plan to write a news article for a monthly newspaper, you will need to take into consideration whether the topic will be relevant before printing. To get ideas for stories, listen to your fellow students and find out what has them talking. Follow developments within your school and community to get information on what would interest your readers.

Do your research. There is an old saying in law that a good lawyer never asks a question that they don't know the answer to.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} To sum up, the more, the better.

    Attract the readers with a lead. As the beginning of a newspaper story, a lead has to be direct, but it does not mean you don't need to entertain the reader as well.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Your lead must be short, but it must also state as many of the essential parts of you story as possible.

    Consider the 5Ws and H. These are the meat and potatoes of your news articles. You article must answer all of these questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Once you have answered these things, you can feel confident.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Write, edit, rewrite and repeat as necessary. So, much about having a successful final product is about being willing to spend time and effort in editing and reviewing process.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} After that, make changes as a result. Having taken some useful suggestions, you are to make your article readable not only for their content, but also for their quality.

A. Think about what is happening on campus.

B. You have effectively informed your readers.

C. Get them interested with an interesting beginning.

D. Do not be afraid to accept positive comments.

E. News articles are suitable for the date of publication.

F. Take note of anything particularly unusual.

G. Try to find out as much as you can on the subject.

    Do you want to be at the top of your class? Add these tips to your life and you should be on your way to being a top student!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I cannot stress how important it is to pay attention to what your teacher is teaching you. Take part in class discussions if you have something worthwhile to add. Pay attention during class, especially during lectures.

    Taking notes is important. You don't need to write down every single word your teacher says but write down what he/she writes on the board, or any special fact you think you might need for a test. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This way it will help you learn more effectively by actually thinking about what you are writing.

    Don't skip school. You will be missing out on stuff. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, you will have more work and you have missed lectures and in-class movies. Also, try not to be late for class. It's most likely that your teacher won't appreciate it and you will get yourself behind.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you have an "I don't care about school or this class" attitude, then teachers will be less willing to help you with problems or offer you extra credit. The same goes for lazy attitude. Have a respectful attitude to the teacher and other students. Try not to laugh when other students make a mistake.

    Always ask questions.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you don't understand, ask someone. Read your textbook and notes, and then if that fails, seek help. Ask a teacher, friend, classmate, parent, etc. Get a tutor if you need one.

A. There is no shame in needing some help.

B. Staying organized will be helpful.

C. Be prepared.

D. Pay attention to everything the teacher says.

E. Write in your own words.

F. Keep a good attitude towards things.

G. It is true that you could make up the work.

How to stay focused in class

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}No matter how much you want to sit with your friends during the class, try your best to avoid them. Talking with friends is not going to help you stay focused in class and will cause trouble, too.

    Look at the teacher. Your teacher is not just standing up there talking — they're trying to give you an acceptable education. Show the teacher that he or she has your full attention, by looking him or her in the eye.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Take notes. By taking notes, you'll be able to "get into" the lesson.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Listen for key phrases such as, "This is important," "This is the main idea," etc. This can help you listen more intently (专心地); you'll have something to do and focus on.

    Get involved (参与) in class discussions. This is a wonderful way to become a more focused and successful student. When a teacher asks a question, offer to answer it.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}This shows the teacher that you're listening intently during the class.

    Ask a question.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This really shows your teacher that you want to be better, and can recognize the things you're having difficulty with. Chances are, someone else in the class has the same question (and is too afraid to ask!). They'll be relaxed — and so will you.

A. Do your best.

B. Avoid sitting with friends.

C. Don't try to finish your old notes in class.

D. Write down key points as your teacher speaks.

E. If he or she asks for an opinion, share your own.

F. If you don't understand something, never be afraid to ask.

G. This person should have your full attention at all times in class.

    Whether you use a GPS device (设备) in your car or Google Maps on your smartphone, few of us travel anymore without digital help. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For one thing, GPS isn't as accurate as you might think. What's more, science is beginning to discover that people who rely only on navigational technologies may have a poor sense of place during travel.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They soon become outdated as cities change, requiring users to continually purchase updated versions. They're also easily damaged from exposure to water, poor weather conditions and other physical forces.

    However, paper maps still offer a few advantages that technologies can't. For example, studying a map allows you to get a full view of where you're going, including the roads, forests, towns, historic sites, rivers and mountains you'll come across along the way. Many older maps are wonderful, offering a lovely feast for the eyes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Research by Toru Ishikawa and colleagues at the University of Tokyo found that GPS users spent 30％ more time looking at their device than those who used a paper map. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Instead they tended to stare at their screens and follow directions, never gaining a full view of where they were going.

    Therefore, go ahead and use your GPS, but also carry a paper map as a handy backup. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Also it could even be a life-saver!