The Importance of Accessibility Awareness

    At a recent Teen Leadership of Jewish Family Services meeting, people with disabilities talked about their lives. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, what amazed me most was the great importance of education about handicap accommodations (残疾人便利设施).

    One school-teacher who is blind, and a woman who has used a wheelchair all her life are two important members of the National Group for Disabled Persons, devoted to raising awareness about disabilities. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} These include handicap parking spots, handrails, and wheelchair ramps. One big concern is the people who take advantage of aids, such as handicap parking spaces. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} And the meeting focused on educating the public.

    Some handicap spots have extra room next to them, marked with the “No Parking” signs. “As long as I'm not in the spot, I can take the no-parking area next to it,” some people say. However, the woman who uses a wheelchair disagrees to this. The space exists to allow someone in a wheelchair to have room to get in or out of their car. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  

    Some walkways have handrails next to them to help those who require extra assistance. Whether it is a blind person seeking guidance or an elderly person seeking support, the rail is there for walking. Sometimes the rail is blocked, by a parked bicycle for instance, and consequently made useless. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} People who are informed of the rail's use would be less likely to mistake it for a bike rack.

    Meeting some of the people who are affected by the lack of education about accommodations made me see that there is work to be done. If more people were educated about the proper uses of accommodations, there would be fewer challenges for people with physical disabilities.

A. Accommodations will vary according to the needs of the disabled.

B. As with the parking spot, this is more likely a case of lack of education. 

C. They educate about all the accommodations for people with disabilities. 

D. Improvement must be made so that disabled people can fully participate.

E. If there is a car in that space, the handicap parking spot is no longer useful.

F. So people without disabilities need to be educated about these accommodations.

G. I was amazed to hear about the challenges faced by people with physical disabilities. 

    Every one complains. Even if you argue that you are the happiest person in the world you still complain sometimes. Sometimes you complain: without even realizing it, but rarely is it ever helpful.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some tips to stop complaining and give up the negative thoughts:

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    When you find yourself thinking or saying a negative comment about something or someone stop and force yourself to say something positive instead. Seek the help of a cheerful friend to change you when you complain and help you to see the positive in the situation

    Make a list of things we are grateful for.

    We often complain about the things we don't have without noticing those things we already have been grateful for what we have in our life because we are lucky simply for being ourselves.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Learn to adapt to the changes.

    There are many things we can't change.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Always find the positive side of each situation regardless of however difficult the situation is with parents' and friends' support we can survive any life changes

    Al low yourself to vent（发泄）your feelings every once in a while.

    Constantly ignored negative thoughts could add up If you are really going through a rough time don't be afraid to share your feelings with a close friend or family member or see a therapist

    Find what makes you happy.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Maybe it is time to make the hard decision to move on to another job or career. Uncover what your biggest complaints are about and see if you can change the situation to make you happy. Choose happiness, focus on the positive and be kind always!

A. Change the way you think

B. Make positive people friends

C. Sometimes this list can be easy full of hobbies you enjoy

D. Are you constantly complaining about your present job?

E. The best and only thing we can do is to accept them

F. So how can you manage to force yourselves to end complaining?

G. Set down things we are thankful for and we'll see that we don't have any reason to complain.

    Do you want to create more successful writings? Perhaps you can benefit from the following suggestions on excellent writing.

    You need time. A lot of smart people lie to themselves like, “I finish my task best at the last minute.” In fact, it's not true. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Sure, you are smart, but you still need to have some pressure. For example, if you are working on an important topic, why do you think that you can write well at midnight just before the conference? Writing can be a miracle if you are given enough time.

    Writing requires practice. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Would you do nothing before running a marathon? No, you would practice running gradually to make your body stronger. In order to become a writer, you need to write.

    Write at the best time. I happen to be a morning person, so I write early in the day. Then I spend the rest of my day teaching or having meetings. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Or, at least, they are not correct to some extent. Nearly all of the best scholars are changed by their experiences in doing research and writing about it. They learn by doing, and sometimes what they learn is that they were wrong.

    Revise your writing again and again. Have other people look at it. You need to overcome a fear of refusal. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The difference between a successful scholar and a failed one is about who is better at writing and revising.

A. Not all of your thoughts are influential.

B. No one works better with time running out.

C. You get better and faster through exercise.

D. Exchange papers with peers or an instructor.

E. Your first thoughts are often wrong.

F. Make sure you save your most productive time for writing.

G. Nobody's first drafts (草稿) are good.

A Few Active Listening Guidelines

    Listening is arguably the most important element of interpersonal communication. Our ability to listen well impacts the quality of all of our relationships, and not just at home with our family and friends—it can also affect our relationships and interactions on the job, as well as the effectiveness and quality of our work.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Instead, it is a skill that must be cultivated and practiced. Active listening means the difference between simply hearing, and listening with the intent to truly understand. It is a subtle but important distinction.

    ①Give focused attention

    Try to minimize external (外部的) distractions. Turn down the noise, and put down or step away from what you're doing if possible. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Don't watch the clock, fidget (坐立不安) or go over your to-do list for later.

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    Direct eye contact shows your attention and intention to listen. This doesn't mean stare, though. Be reasonable, but try not to let your eyes wander to whatever is going on around you.

    ③Reflect back

    Restate, but don't repeat verbatim. Paraphrase what you think the other party is saying with responses such as: "What I'm hearing is…" or "Let me see if I'm following you…"{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ④Respond appropriately

    Be open and honest in your responses. Share your thoughts, insights and feelings in a clear, but respectful and considerate manner if you disagree.

    Active listening is a model for good communication. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It takes practice to develop active listening skills, and it's a habit that has to be reinforced (加强). Remind yourself that the goal of conversation is not merely to trade words, but to truly understand what the other party is saying and to be understood in turn.

    ●Does failure really exist? If you believe you have failed, then you have. If you believe you don't have the ability to succeed, then you don't.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}The moment you decide to give up or stop working toward your goals, failure is born.

    ●{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Most people give themselves an out without even realizing it. They are willing to work hard on reaching their goals, but only until the going gets too rough or their energy dies down. Don't do that!{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Never quit, never admit failure, and never lose heart.

    ●Don't believe in a clear finish line for goals. It's a good idea to set a general timeline, but remember that something will be beyond your control.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you lock yourself into a given timeline, you might make yourself feel like a failure! Instead, get a general idea of when you'd like your goal to be completed. Then take it one day at a time and focus on making progress instead of reaching the finish line in as little time as possible.

    ●Be sure that you don't see difficulties as failures. Difficulties mean only one thing: it's not time for your goal to be completed yet. That's it! It doesn't mean you failed; it doesn't mean you're weak; it doesn't mean you'll never achieve your goals.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}You've got to keep moving forward and find a way over, around, or through the difficulties.

A. Never give up on yourself.

B. Failure only exists in your own mind!

C. That's exactly how failure makes us feel.

D. It simply means you have not done enough yet.

E. You can never say exactly when your goal will be reached.

F. Instead, make up your mind to make your goal happen, no matter what!

G. Work hard towards your goal, and you will be likely to get good results.

Dangerous Driving Habits

Approximately 1. 3 million people around the world die in road accidents every year, making it one of the top ten causes of deaths. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}To prevent these consequences, here are some dangerous driving habits you should avoid.

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Were you actually surprised by this one? Here's the truth — you're 23 times more likely to crash if you text while driving. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Disturbingly, 77 percent of young adult drivers say they can safely drive while texting. Actually, distracted driving accidents, including those caused by the use of handheld devices, form the No. 1 killer of teens, according to the NHTSA and others.

Drive when you're tired.

Avoid driving when you're tired, since you will have slower reaction times and you are very likely to fall asleep at the wheel. If you're exhausted and your body needs sleep, it is going to get it, one way or another. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you're already in the car, pull over and take a nap and then continue when you've woken up. Having someone with you in the car can help prevent accidents, since you are more likely to be alert if you have company.

Keep an eye on the kids.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, passengers are ranked by drivers as among the most frequent causes of distraction（分心）. Young children are four times as distracting as adults, while infants can be eight times more distracting, the AAA Foundation reports. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Talk on the phone.

B. Text and update social media.

C. Therefore, keep an eye on the kids if you drive fast.

D. It takes about five seconds of attention to send a brief text.

E. If you're very tired, avoid driving home and take a cab instead.

F. So think twice before glancing at your little one at the backseat.

G. Another 20-50 million people are injured due to road accidents every year.