One of the most popular vacation destinations for young families is the home of relatives. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}  Here are some tips for making sure you are invited back again.

    Be considerate

    Every family has their own way of doing things. Keep these things in mind when you're visiting.

    If your host family are early to bed and early to rise, don't keep them up talking until one o'clock in the morning.

    If your host family gets angry about kids running wild, either plan to keep a close eye on your kids or plan to stay somewhere else. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    Offer to help out

    Playing host to a family with children can be quite a challenge. Make sure you help lighten the load.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Offer to help with cooking and cleanup. Make your beds and run to the store for milk. Better yet, don't ask. Just start working.

    Help pay for food

    This may not apply, if you're visiting parents and they insist on paying for everything and they can afford it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  Use your judgment when it comes to parents. However, if you're visiting cousins, it will be a great help to them if you buy your  share of the food.

    Show your appreciation

    No matter whom you are visiting, make sure you let them know you appreciate their hospitality(盛情招待). {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  Or leave some fresh flowers when you leave. If you don't have enough money, write them a letter, letting them know how much fun you had and how much you appreciate them.

A．Don't expect your hosts to supply your every need.

B．Offer to take them out to dinner on your last night in town.

C．Make sure you don't leave your things behind while visiting a family.

D．In that case you may hurt your parents if you insist on paying for food.

E．Try not to disturb someone who is in the middle of exams.

F．Staying with relatives is a great way to save money while getting away from home for a while.

G．Having a talk with your children about expected behavior while visiting is always a good idea.

    Do you know people who have learned English earn twice as much as people who don't? If you speak English better, you will find more good jobs. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}: Children go to their parents when they need help with school. If you speak better English, you can help your children with homework and you can also talk to teachers and other parents.

    Think of your family: Most doctors in the United States only speak English, and if you can explain what the problem is and understand what the doctor is saying, you will get better, sooner!

    Think of yourself: With a little more English, you might be able to take your high school diploma (GED), learn a profession or even go to college! {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It is never too late!

    Think of your pocket: If you understand what people tell you at the bank, a store or a lawyer's office, nobody will be able to cheat you!{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Here you can find out how you can get started. Don't you want to save your cash?

    And remember, with the Beehive you can practice your English and find help to get a good job, open a bank account or find a doctor!

    The Beehive is written with a very clear language so you can learn all the important words at the same time as you find all the important information you need to make your life better.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Just a simple click here!

A. Think of your future.

B. You can talk about your illness with doctors in the United States if you go to hospital.

C. Or you can get a promotion and earn more money.

D. Many people are doing it!

E. With more English, you can save more, send more money to your family and even start your own business.

F. Think of your children.

G. Find out what type of education is right for you, and how to do it.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand(速记). When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols(符号) and that you use them all the time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A．Use words, not complete sentences.

B．There are three practical note-taking methods.

C．You must write your notes on separate paper.

D．Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later.

E. you will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F. That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

G. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} While these compulsive(无法控制的) actions may appear to be irrational or pointless, and may even result in negative consequences, the individual experiencing the compulsion feels unable to stop him or herself.

    The compulsive behavior can be a physical act, like hand washing, or a mental activity, like counting objects. When an otherwise harmless behavior becomes so consuming that it negatively impacts oneself or others, it may be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)(强迫症).

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}The former is an overwhelming desire to do something, while an addiction is a physical or chemical dependence on a substance or behavior. People with addictions will continue their addictive behavior, even when they understand that doing so is harmful to themselves and others. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Unlike compulsions and addictions, which are acted out uncontrollably, habits are actions that are repeated regularly and automatically.

    Habits typically develop over time through a natural process called "habituation," during which repetitive actions that must be consciously initiated eventually become subconscious and are carried out habitually.

    While there are good habits and bad, unhealthy habits, any habit can become a compulsion or even an addiction. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} For example, the good habit of exercising regularly can become an unhealthy compulsion or addiction when done to excess.

    Common habits often develop into addictions when they result in a chemical dependency, as in the cases of smoking. The habit of having a glass of beer with dinner, for example, becomes an addiction when the desire to drink turns into a physical or emotional need to drink.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}While we can choose to add good, healthy habits to our routines, we can also choose to break old harmful habits.

A. A compulsion is different from an addiction.

B. It currently affects about 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children in the U.S.

C. Some of these behaviors are visible actions while others are mental behaviors.

D. In other words, you really can have "too much of a good thing."

E. Compulsive behaviors are actions that a person feels "compelled" or driven to do over and over again.

F. Alcoholism, smoking, and gambling are perhaps the most common examples of addictions.

G. Of course, the key difference between a compulsive behavior and a habit is the ability to choose to do them or not.

Simple ways to improve your written English

    Lots of people think it is really difficult to improve their written English. Don't worry, here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your written English.

    Increase your vocabulary(词汇)

    To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That's not just being able to know lots of words-it means actually being able to use them correctly. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Tip: When you learn a new word, try to learn all the forms of that word.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in many ways. It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words appropriately.

    Tip: {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Learning shouldn't be boring. Read each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and expressions in the text.

    Improve your grammar

    Grammar is very important because it improves the quality(质量)of your writing.

    Tip: {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The first time, look for general mistakes and the second time look for mistakes with the particular grammar point you are studying at the moment.

    Just do it!

    The best way to improve your writing is to get a pen and paper and write. Be prepared to write several versions(版本)of each text. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Read widely and often.

B. Know much about your readers.

C. Always check your writing twice.

D. Remember, practice makes perfect!

E. Choose books or articles that interest you.

F. Use simple languages and shorter sentences to show your ideas.

G. Do this by learning new words with example sentences, not just word lists.

A small robot may help children who are recovering from a long-term illness in the hospital or at home. These children may feel isolated(分离的) from their friends and classmates. However, there is a piece of good news for them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} —Through the robot, the children can hear their teachers and friends.

Anyone who has had a long-term illness knows that recovering at home can be lonely. This can be especially true of children. They may feel left out. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This isn't good for their recovery. They need friends. But their friends can't come to play with them because they have to attend school. Now the robot can be their friend. The robot is called AVl. AVl goes to school for a child who is unable to leave home while recovering from a long-term illness. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They carry the robot between classes and put the robot on the child's desk.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The founders of No Isolation are Karen Dolva and Marius Aabel. Dolva explains how the robot AVl works. She says from home the child uses a phone to start the robot. Then they use the phone to control the robot's movements. At school, the robot becomes the eyes, ears and voice of the child.

The best part is that students can take part in classroom activities from wherever they are recovering -- whether at home or on the hospital bed. The robot is equipped with speakers, microphones and cameras, which makes communicating easier. It means they can communicate with their teachers and classmates easily. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. So they won't feel left out at all.

B. They just want to recover quickly.

C. As a result, they can get really sad.

D. The robot can take their place at school.

E. And the child's school friends must help.

F. So who invented the good "friend" for children?

G. A Norwegian company called No Isolation created the robot.