Five steps to better handwriting

    Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it's time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five steps that really work!

    Get a great grasp

    Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.

    Let the lines be your guide

    Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.

    Slow down

    If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it's hard to control where you stop and start your letters.

    Lower the pressure (压力)

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don't hold the pencil too tightly.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it's not schoolwork, you're still using the skills you need to control your pen better.

A. Play games

B. Ask for more advice

C. So “a” should be half the height of a capital “A”.

D. You've been writing since you were a little kid.

E. Some kids press down really hard when they write.、

F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting.

G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the base of your thumb.

    Sometimes we fall in love with something at once and sometimes it takes time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If were lucky, we come across a poem that immediately attracts us. But usually we need to spend a little time or make a little effort to truly understand a poem. Today I'd like to share some tips for reading poetry in ways that make the experience better with the goal of improving your own poetry writing.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Sometimes a poem that seems boring on first reading becomes clear with more readings. A poem that feels meaningless becomes deeper and more meaningful. And sometimes you're just not in the right mood the first time you read a poem, but later it touches your heart. Keep a dictionary and a poetry reference book at hand when you are reading poetry. Poets are fond of using unusual words. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Read aloud and listen to the poem. Some poems have unclear structures and hearing a poet's reading will make the poem's rhythm clear. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    After you finish reading a poem, take a few moments to consider what it is saying. Sometimes its meaning are better understood through repeated readings. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

It is hard to say that there's a right and wrong way to read poetry, but there is an argument to be made for reading practices that will enrich your experience, increase your enjoyment, and deepen your understanding of any poem.

A. Besides, a poet's reading can even help understand the poem's meaning.

B. Keep a record to track the poets you've studied and the poems you've read.

C. Other times they are grasped through reflection on a poem.

D. The same is true with poetry.

E. Reading a poem repeatedly will deepen your understanding of it.

F. Study the poet's life and read some of his other works to gain deeper understanding.

G. Instead of skipping over these words or trying to guess their meanings, look them up.

    The Qingming Festival is celebrated with a three-day national holiday, whose name originates from the saying "Plants start to revive and prosper at Qingming in a clean and bright way. Thus, the festival is called Qingming, "which means clean and bright. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Tomb sweeping aims to commemorate family ancestors while going on a spring outing allows everyone the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery and enjoy the season.

    Traditional customs

    Tomb sweeping. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} On this day, the whole family gathers in front of their ancestral tombs. They offer fruit and wine to their ancestors and clean the weeds from around the tomb. Finally, they kowtow and pray, hoping for their ancestors' blessing for the rest of the year.

    Spring outing. The time around the Qingming Festival is one of the most suitable seasons for a spring outing, as plants are thriving and flowers are blooming. People can have a great time outdoors with their friends and family. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Traditional food

    Qingtuan, a green rice ball tiny enough to fit into your hand, is also called Qingmingguo or Aiguo. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is a mixture of sticky rice powder and green vegetable juice, stuffed with sweetened bean paste, Qingtuan tastes sweet with the fresh fragrance of Aicao, a green spring vegetable, In celebration of Qingming, people from Shaanxi make steamed buns, known as Huamo, made into different shapes. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Some are for peaceful family life while others represent the wish for health.

    If you are in a crowd, the first and most important thing is to make yourself familiar with your surroundings and mentally notice alternate exits.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Make yourself aware of the type of ground you are standing on, and know that in a crowd of moving people wet or uneven ground can be slippery or hazardous, causing you to fall.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}When in danger, a few seconds can make all the difference, giving you the possibility of taking advantage of escaping route. Always stay closer to the escape route. If you find yourself in the middle of a moving crowd, do not fight against the pressure, do not stand still or sit down, because you could easily get trampled.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Take advantage of any space that may open up to move sideways to the crowd movement where the flow is weaker. Keep your hands up by your chest, like a boxer—it gives you movement and protects your chest.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you cannot get up because you are injured, get someone to pull you back up. If you have kids, lift them up. If you fall and cannot get up, keep moving by crawling in the same direction of the crowd, or if that is not possible, then cover your head with your arms and curl up into fetal position.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Be aware of the general atmosphere of the event, as panic situations can often be expected.

B. There is always space between people.

C. Do not lie on your stomach or back, as this dangerously exposes your lungs.

D. The worst is to be pushed by the crowd against an immovable object

E. If you fall, get up quickly.

F. No matter where you are, make sure you always know how to get out.

G. Instead, move in the same direction of the crowd.

    Your children are watching you. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} According to the Health Program, developing healthy habits is an important part for your children. And when it comes to developing healthy habits, parents influence their children more than anyone else.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} What happens during those early years can influence children for the rest of their lives. Children watch what others do carefully and imitate the behaviors of those closest to them. Most of the time, "closest" means their parents and the advice "do as I say, not as I do" from parents is not good for children. As parents, you should do the following:

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you do that, your children are more likely to be enthusiastic about developing theirs.

    Let your children see you taking care of your own physical health by eating fruits and vegetables, and exercising on a regular basis. Talk to them about healthy habits in age-appropriate terms and at a proper time. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When it comes to encouraging physical activities, show them that running, jumping, walking and swimming can be fun for grown-ups too.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Computers, televisions and other forms of technology are a major part of life in the 21st century. Unfortunately, as the use of technology in the home increases, so does the time spent watching TV or playing on the computer. So as parents, you should also arrange the time for your children wisely.

A. Use technology wisely.

B. Take part in physical activities and exercise regularly.

C. Be enthusiastic about developing healthy habits of your own.

D. Children prefer to imitate their parents rather than talk to them.

E. Your actions are speaking to them louder than your words will.

F. This can be helpful in teaching your children to form physical habits.

G. It's easy for the children to form their healthy habits when they are young.

How to make Quick Decisions For Your Life

We make decisions every day. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When it comes to making decisions, choosing the right one can at times be stressful, especially if the decision must be made quickly. Indecision often weighs us down, but there are some useful tips for making quick decisions more easily.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Sometimes the key to making a quick decision comes down to planning ahead of time for just such an occasion. We all know we're going to come to an important decision-making point sooner or later, so having a plan already in hand can put our mind at ease when that time comes.

Overcome fear. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} While it may seem difficult to overcome the fear of making the wrong choice, many experts agree that we shouldn't be afraid to make the wrong decision, even if it seems important. The vast majority of wrong decisions can be corrected, while delaying decisions can often lead to more problems.

Write down all the advantages and disadvantages of your decision. Even if you don't have all the information, writing down all the pros and cons (优缺点) is a good starting point for figuring out what to do. In cases where there simply isn't enough time to write things down, make a mental list in your mind. Thinking of the pros and cons can help you organize your thoughts. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

Determine criteria. Remember that every decision you make should come with a certain list of criteria. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But once you know the requirements you're looking for, making a decision will become easier. Look for the choice that satisfies the list you've made, and once that choice is found, you should move ahead with it.

A. Have a plan.

B. The list may be short or quite long.

C. Communicate your decision with others.

D. And this can always lead to a clear answer.

E. So cut out any options that you know you will not choose.

F. Often, one thing that keeps us from making decisions is fear.

G. Some can be very important while others are not serious in the long run.