The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It lifts the curtain of spring.After that everything turns green and full of energy and people clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.

1．Flying a kite.

    Spring is the best season for kite－flying.A traditional folk activity，it has a history of more than 2，000 years.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}  It also has the effect of promoting blood circulation and speeding up metabolism.

2．Wearing fabric swallows.

    Wearing fabric swallows is a custom in some regions in Shaanxi.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} The custom originated during the Tang Dynasty (618－907)．The swallow is a harbinger of spring and a symbol of prosperity and happiness.

3．Making a Spring Ox.

    Skilled artists build the frame of an ox out of bamboo strips and the legs with wood.Then they paste some paper and paint onto it.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  It is said that if more red and yellow paper is used，then there will be a good harvest that year.

4．{#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

    People in China began holding a special ceremony on the first day of Start of Spring about 3，000 years ago.They made sacrifices to Gou Mang，the god of Spring，who is in charge of agriculture.By the Qing Dynasty (1644－1911)，welcoming spring had become an important folk activity.

A．Welcoming spring.

B．The image of an ox is complete.

C．At that time，there were eight solar terms.

D．Start of Spring is the first solar term of the year.

E．Flying a kite can help build one's health and prevent diseases.

F．It is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring.

G．People like to wear a swallow made of colorful silk on their chests on Start of Spring.

    Many young people want to be a driver. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Fortunately, there are things that you can do to help your teen become a more confident driver.

    Teach your teen the rules of the road

    Before your teen gets behind the wheel of a car, he or she should know well the rules of the road.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If your teen understands the basic rules and how the car works, then he or she will feel a little better about getting on the road.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Actions speak louder than words. Many people will tell you that they learned how to drive by watching one of their close family members drive. You should show good driving skills with examples.

    Practice

    Practice makes perfect. The more your teen practices, the more confident he or she will become. Your teen should start off by driving in a place that is free of barriers (障碍).{#blank#}4{#/blank#} After your teen has gotten comfortable about this, he or she can start practicing on the road.

    Drive in different conditions

    In order for your teen to become a good driver, he or she has to practice driving in different conditions.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Get car insurance (保险)

    Many teens are worried about how much their parents would have to pay if an accident occurs. You should explain to your teen that car insurance can help one save a lot of money.

A. Model good driving

B. Teach your teen by yourself

C. Then he or she can start to drive on the road.

D. An empty parking lot is a good place for a new driver to practice.

E. This includes things such as heavy traffic, bad weather and freeways.

F. However, some of them are nervous about actually getting out on the road.

G. You should have your teen review the driver's handbook and the vehicle's instructions.

    Q & A

    Question: I have recently got a senior position within my company．One of my new tasks is to made monthly progress reports on my department in front of other senior officials. During my first meeting, I presented and the n opened the floor to questions．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}  My first reaction was to answer defensively．Later, I realized that I shouldn't have felt that way．But how can I keep cool and effectively answer questions in this type of settings?

    Answer: Congratulations on your new position! Presenting in front of your peers （同事）is a hard task in itself and it becomes much more difficult when a question-and-answer period is required! Question-and-answer periods are a great way to clarify the message and strengthen key points．{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When a person is asking a question, show interest and a desire to understand the question by listening and asking for clarification．

    Buy time

When facing a hard question, most people can't give an answer immediately．Buy time by repeating the question in your own words．{#blank#}4{#/blank#} These techniques allow you to quickly organize your thoughts as well as to make sure you will be correctly answering the question．

    Suggest a private meeting.

A one-to-one meeting is a calmer setting than speaking in front of your peers．{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A．Show your true interest．

B．Restate the question with respect．

C．Some ideas can be quite concrete．

D．There were many difficult questions．

E．It can also be more effective in exchanging ideas．

F．You may also ask for clarification on the question．

G．Here are some ideas that can help prepare for your next meeting．

How To Know You're At The Right Job

    For more than 40 hours a week, you show up to the same building and interact with the same people. We call this work even if it does not always feel like it.

    We spend so much time at work that it is quite important to enjoy the time we have there.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Sometimes you just can't tell if it is for you or not. Here are some signs that what you are doing is working and is a positive situation.

No Coffee Necessary

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you feel like you don't need coffee to get you going in the morning, it signifies that you rely on natural energy and office excitement to get you through the day.

    Time Passes By

    It feels like you have only been there for an hour, but you look at the clock and see it's almost time to go home.

    That's not to say you feel the day slipping away from you, but that your productivity has topped your desire to go home.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    It's cliche (陈词烂调) to "step out of your comfort zone," but does not mean that you should stay conservative.

    If you feel like you can push yourself to test your abilities, you are likely in a great environment for yourself.

    Everyone Hates You On Mondays

    Nobody likes Mondays…except for you.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} They may hate you for it, but it only means that you love coming to work.

A. Not everyone is lucky enough to love their job.

B. Getting clear about what you expect from work

C. While everyone is deep in their fourth cup of coffee, you have all the energy in the world.

D. Most people begin their workday with a fresh cup of Joe.

E. The longer we work, the more we love it.

F. Taking Risks And Challenging Yourself

G. As they say, "time flies when you're having fun."

    Once there was a very poor villager. He found it difficult even to support his family. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} He walked about in the streets, but he did not get a job. One day, he met a rich businessman, who gave him the job of cleaning the office. The villager began his work and he even started reading and writing in his spare time.

    One day, the businessman saw that the villager was writing something. He said, "You can also read and write! Your handwriting is very good." {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The villager began to do this job as best as he could.

    Later, the businessman learnt that the villager was good at accounting（记账）, and he made him his shop accountant（会计）. The other accountants were very jealous （嫉妒）of the villager's abilities. They told the businessman that the villager had a small room where he hid the money stolen from him. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    One day, they had their chance. They saw the villager going into 'that' room. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}When they came back and opened the door, there was nothing in that room except an ordinary box.

    The villager was ordered to open the box with his own hands. And there was only a pair of dirty shoes and some old clothes.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} At the same time, he was so angry with the jealous accountants that he fired them at once. The villager was made the only accountant for his office.

A. He came to a big city hoping to find a job.

B. They closed the door behind him and ran to the businessman.

C. So the businessman decided to give the villager a good lesson.

D. Seeing this, the businessman was moved by what he had seen.

E. So the villager was given the work of writing business letters for him.

F. The villager wished that some kind people might give him a good job.

G. But the businessman refused to believe them unless he had seen it with his own eyes.

Go fly a kite

    Learning how to fly a kite is simple, and flying kites can be a fun form of exercise.

    Of course, the first thing you need is a kite and a ball of string (线) {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Then wait for a windy day.

    When the perfect day arrives, find an open space, such as a field. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Before flying your kite, find out which way the wind is blowing. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} To begin flying your kite, stand with your back to the wind and hold the kite up so the wind can catch it. If the day is not very windy, you may need to get your kite started by running.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} At the same time, walk backwards a few steps to keep the string tight (拉紧的). Now that your kite is up in the air, you can decide how long to fly it and how high you want it to go.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Slowly wind up (卷起) the string. Try not to pull your kite in too fast or it may crash (坠落).

    Flying a kite is a great way to spend a windy afternoon. If you follow these steps carefully, you will have something more fun to do than sitting inside and watching TV. So on the next windy day, get up off the sofa. Go fly a kite!

A. You can do this by throwing grass into the air.

B. Finally, you will need to bring your kite down.

C. You can buy your kite and string at a toy shop.

D. Follow the instructions to put your kite together.

E. Nothing beats seeing a kite sail high into the clouds.

F. Don't fly your kite near trees because it can get caught.

G. Once the wind catches your kite, let out more string so it can climb higher.