"So, what do you want to do after graduation?"{#blank#}1{#/blank#}However, you have to make up your mind as your last high school year begins. Whether your plans include college, heading straight for the workforce, or taking a year off, here are some practical tips to prepare yourself for the journey.

Going to College

    Some people know from an early age exactly what they want to be and how they plan to get there. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} According to a recent survey, 75% of students change their majors after they enter college. After all, school is also not just about careers and getting a high-paying job after graduation -- it's a place for learning about yourself and the world.

    Selecting a School

    If college is in your future, you need to plan. Start by asking yourself questions about your preferences. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Once you've narrowed down your choices, ask the schools to send you literature or visit their websites.

Getting a Job

    Maybe you've decided that college isn't for you -- right now, anyway. If you want to join the workforce, opportunities are out there for people who don't have degrees. Some products-selling or service industry organizations offer training programs to high school graduates. Search the classified ads in the newspaper and do some Internet research.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Taking Time Off

    What if you intend to go to college but just don't feel ready to start yet, for whatever reason? {#blank#}5{#/blank#}This practice is common in some countries, like the United Kingdom, where it's called a "gap year". Even if you decide not to apply to college, it can be a great idea to take a year to do something you may not have an opportunity to do again. Lots of volunteer organizations would welcome your time and energy and would provide you with a wonderful learning experience.

A. You might want to get a high-paid job first.

B. Many juniors and seniors get bored answering that question over and over.

C. You might want to take a year off to pause.

D.  This is the fact that young people have to take into consideration.

E. Ask friends in college about their schools and other schools they're familiar with.

F. Most large companies list their job openings on their websites.

G. Not all of us are so sure of our plans, though, and that's OK too.

    There are three things that will get you ahead in life: good looks, smarts, and being considered as being smart.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} And unluckily most of us are not good-looking. Let's explore some different ways to become smarter.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}College doesn't necessarily mean you'll be smarter, just educated. It means you'll be exposed to many different ideas and hopefully you'll learn how to think. Being able to think outside the box and for yourself are features smart people possess.

    Read books and educational magazines.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Educational magazines are a wealth of knowledge you can share with others, thus making you sound very smart. If you do watch television, try watching something that you can learn.

    Expand your vocabulary. Try to learn one new word a week. It doesn't seem like much, but adding 52 new words to your vocabulary will really make you appear much smarter. Subscribing (订阅) to vocabulary.com is a good start.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} This way you're actually getting 365 words a year, but that is usually more than most people can absorb.

    Don't repeat everything people tell you until you know that it's true.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}They hear a strange claim and they repeat it to the nearest ear. You can do much harm to your seek for being smart if you are known for giving bad information.

A. Go to college and get an education.

B. The first is God-given.

C. Get educated inside or outside college.

D. You will have a new word sent to your email address daily.

E. The programs actually provide you with information you can use.

F. Uneducated people and people not considered as being smart tend to do this.

G. Reading books works the brain out more than viewing television.

How can I fight laziness?

    Lazy people will never amount to anything in life. However, laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Many people lack sleep constantly, since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation once they arrive home. Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency to put off things. By adjusting your sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest, you can fight laziness throughout the day.

    Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active. Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from task to task. Others take a more proactive approach, viewing each task as a challenge they must overcome alone.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Some people fight laziness by removing the temptations that surround them. A television in the living room may provide entertainment, but watching too much TV often contributes to laziness. Create a reward system for yourself, just as parents do for a child to promote responsibility.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Spouses and children may all have different energy levels, but laziness can be spread if not dealt with immediately. To fight household laziness, lead by example. Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal. Others in the home may eventually follow your example and perform their own task. It is difficult to practice laziness when your are surrounded by motivated people.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Enough exercise and a balanced diet can help you to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus enabling you to have more energy and help lift your spirits.

A. Knowing how to fight laziness is important.

B. One way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.

C. Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home.

D. Complete a few tasks and reward yourself with what you enjoy, such as a good dinner or a film.

E. Finally, taking exercise regularly can help you fight laziness.

F. With strong determination, you will be able to achieve your goal.

G. Laziness sets in when you no longer feel in charge of your own life.

    The jobs of the future have not yet been invented{#blank#}1{#/blank#} By helping them develop classic skills that will serve them well no matter what the future holds.

Curiosity

    Your children need to be deeply curious{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Ask kids, “What ingredients (配料)can we add to make these pancakes even better next time ?” and then try them out. Ingredients make the pancakes better? What could we try next time?

Creativity

    True creativity is the ability to take something existing and create something new{#blank#}3{#/blank#} There are a dozen different things you can do with them. Experimenting with materials to create something new can go a long way in helping them develop their creativity.

Personal skills

    Understanding how others feel can be a challenge for kids. We know what's going on inside our own head, but what about others? Being able to read people helps kid from misreading a situation and jumping to false conclusions{#blank#}4{#/blank#}“Why do you think she's crying?” “Can you tell how that man is feeling by looking at his face?” “If someone were to do that to you, how would you feel?”

Self Expression

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}there are many ways to express thoughts and ideas –music, acting, drawing, building, photography. You may find that your child is attracted by one more than another.

A. So how can we help our kids prepare for jobs that don't yet exist?

B. And we can't forget science education.

C. Being able to communicate ideas in a meaningful way is a valuable skill.

D. Encourage kids to cook with you.

E. Gardening is another great activity for helping kids develop this skill.

F. We can do this in real life or ask questions about characters in stories.

G. We can give kids chances to think about materials in new ways.

    Changing your life can come in small, easy steps. You can transform yourself and live a better life by making positive changes along the way. Here are some choices that will lead to your transformation.

    Choose to change bad habits

    Some bad habits seem to stick around without us even realizing it. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You can overcome them, find better alternatives, and get through your struggle to become a better you! Do it for yourself more than anything.

    Choose to grow

    It's easy to get stuck in a fixed way of life. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In choosing to grow, you build character, develop your strengths, become aware of what needs improvement, and turn into the well-rounded person you need to be to succeed.

    Choose to seek a balanced life

    Where do you need balance? Are you all work, no play? Or the opposite? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you're spending too much time working or locked away alone, find the time for social interaction and having fun. If you haven't committed to a schedule in a while, make the decision to start following one.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    This is vital to human existence. We need the loving bonds created by family members and friends. Personal relationships are key to emotional growth and social stability.

    Choose to live your passion

    Whatever your dream is, you can have it. The person you wish to be and the things you wish to achieve are within you. Make the choice to pursue those passions at whatever cost. It may mean clearing out your schedule or doing something you've never done. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Choose to spend time with those you love

B. Choose to organize your schedule flexibly

C. Make the choice today that you won't be ruled by them.

D. Neither extreme will lead you to a pleasant life for very long.

E. However, with re-evaluation and growth comes a beautiful freedom.

F. It's good to change, and you've only got so many years to refresh yourself.

G. However, the reward from success and personal accomplishment will be worth it.

How to be a Good Listener

Being a good listener can help you see the world through the eyes of others. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Good listening skills can provide you with a deeper level of understanding about someone's situation. If you want to know how to be a good listener, read on to get started.

·Place yourself in other people's shoes.  It's easy to only consider the impact of the other person's "telling" on you. But you must open out and look at the problems from the other person's view. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

·Avoid comparing the person's experiences to your own. You may think that the best thing you can do to really listen is to compare the person's experiences to your own. But this type of thinking actually makes the person feel like you're not really listening at all. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} That means that you're focusing more on yourself than on the person's situation.

·{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Some people think that, when they're listening, they should find a quick and easy solution to the person's problem. According to the research, it is totally wrong to do so. Instead focus on absorbing everything the person is saying to you. Only after that can you really try to help.

·Know what not to do. Knowing what to avoid when you're trying to be a good listener can be almost as helpful as knowing what to do. If you want the speaker to take you seriously, you'd better not interrupt in the middle of a point. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Make eye contact with the person so that he or she realizes that you are listening with interest.

A. Don't try to help immediately.

B. Avoid saying "I" or "me" a lot.

C. Try to solve the person's problem quickly.

D. Don't try to change the subject even if it's a little uncomfortable.

E. If so, you would see your way through the problems much faster.

F. Therefore you'd better listen to what the person is saying carefully.

G. It enriches your understanding and expands your capacity for empathy (同情).