Tips for Cooking on a Tight Schedule

    From my experience, there are three main reasons why people don't cook more often: ability, money and time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Money is a topic I'll save for another day. So today I want to give you some wisdom about how to make the most of the time you spend in the kitchen. Here are three tips for great cooking on a tight schedule:

    1）. Think ahead. The moments when I think cooking is a pain are when I'm already hungry and there's nothing ready to eat. So think ahead of the coming week. When will you have time to cook? Do you have the right materials already? {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    2）. Make your time worth it. When you do find time to cook a meal, make the most of it and save yourself time later on. Are you making one loaf of bread? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It takes around the same amount of time to make more of something. So save yourself the effort for a future meal.

    3）.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} This may surprise you, but one of the best tools for making cooking worth your time is experimentation. It gives you the chance to hit upon new ideas and recipes that can work well with your appetite and schedule. The more you learn and the more you try, the more ability you have to take control of your food and your schedule.

    Hopefully that gives a good start. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And don't let a busy schedule discourage you from making some great changes in the way you eat and live!

    People lie all the time, but depending on how skilled they are, it can be difficult to determine when someone is lying to you. Do you know how to recognize the signs that someone is lying to you? Some of the signs are obvious while others are more subliminal(难以察觉的), but there are ways to catch someone in a lie, you just need to know what they are. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

1） Liars make false eye contact.

    A person who is lying to you won't make eye contact with you or they make too much eye contact. If a person is lying they may feel you are watching him and he will look down at the floor or away from your eyes. Some people try to stare you in the face deliberately. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

2）Liars avoid using contractions(缩略形式)

    The liar will say “I did NOT notice that.” instead of “I didn't notice that.”{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Usually it ends up making the story a lot less believable.

3）Unnatural Body Language.

    Liars often feel uneasy, turn away from the person to whom they are speaking, blink(眨眼) rapidly, smile less and have pitch changes in their tone of voice. They may cross their arms which is a sign of being “closed” or trying not to reveal too much information. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They could touch parts of their face, an ear or a nose or play with keys or another item that they have in their hand.

4）Liars provide additional information without being asked for it

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The result is the more complicated the story is, the less believable it will be. You will have the feeling that nothing could be further from the truth.

A. This is an attempt by the liar to be absolutely clear what they mean.

B. Here are some easy ways to recognize liars and catch lies.

C. Sometimes people look unnatural when they are lying

D. They will get angry if you doubt their story

E. They seem to think that by telling their story in detail, you will find it more believable.

F. They try to change the subject or move the conversation in a different direction

G. In this way they feel like making eye contact will make what they are saying more believable.

    The “best years of your life”? Maybe not, but you can learn to make the most of your high school days.

    Learn to appreciate small things. Whether it's having a computer, having friends, having a good supply of food, a bed to sleep on, family that loves you, having a good education or simply being born in this world.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Be happy, and life will reward you. Remember that these are the last few years you will be able to enjoy yourself without having to worry about the responsibility of an adult, but make sure you prepare yourself for when you do become one.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Unlike what many articles state, you don't have to be popular and have many friends to be happy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Try to have friends that like you who you are, not just because you are wearing a certain brand of shoes or something like that. These are people who shop at the same store as you; not someone who will sympathize with you when your dog dies.

    Be sociable.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} While you only need 4 or 5 close friends, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to meet new people. Participating gives you something to do instead of sitting bored at home.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Video games, for example, are good if you're the type who can get into that kind of thing. You should also find a hobby that is meaningful or practical. Use your “hobby time” to either volunteer (to gain practical skills for college apps, job resumes, and scholarships) or learn an instrument, or get into something else in the creative field like painting or dance.

A. You can pursue interests you enjoy.

B. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C. Choose your friends wisely.

D. Participating in clubs, activities, and sports increases your chances of meeting new friends.

E. In fact, many of the “friends” you have when you are popular are not true friends.

F. Being confident in your appearance makes you more confident in other areas.

G. Remember that the point of life is for you to enjoy it.

    Final exam time can often be stressful. While some stress can actually be a positive motivator(动力), being too nervous can be problematic, especially if it interferes with your test taking performance. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Deal with your anxiety(焦虑). Try to determine the source of your test anxiety. If it stems from(起源于) a lack of preparation on your part, your anxiety is considered a reasonable response(回复). However, if you believe that you are prepared for the test, but are still nervous, this may be unreasonable. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Prepare for those tests. This is the best way to reduce anxiety. Avoid cramming(临时死记硬背)for a test. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}When studying, try to create questions that could possibly be asked on the test. If it is impossible for you to cover all of the material for the test, choose one part that you know you will be able to cover and present well.

    Change your attitude. Improving your beliefs and attitudes about the test-taking experience can actually help you enjoy studying and may improve your performance. Don't overplay the importance of the grade. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Don't forget about yourself and what you need. This means thinking of yourself as a total person, not just as a test taker. Make sure you get plenty of sleep. You can't bring out your best if you are tired. Do something relaxing when you feel well prepared.

A. Ease your stress.

B. Don't forget the basics.

C. Remind yourself that it is very important.

D. Either way, it can be very helpful to know how to work with their effects.

E. It is not a reflection of your self-worth, nor does it predict your future success.

F. Here's some advice to help make the end-of-the-term experience less stressful.

G. It can produce high levels of anxiety and is not helpful in trying to learn a large amount of material.

How to Remember What You Read

    Reading is important. But the next step is making sure that you remember what you've read! {#blank#}1{#/blank#} you may have just read the text. But the ideas, concepts and images（形象）may fly right out of your head. Here are a few tricks for remembering what you read.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    If the plot, characters, or word usage is confusing for you, you likely won't be able to remember what you read. It's a bit like reading a foreign language. If you don't understand what you're reading, how would you remember it? But there are a few things you can do... Use a dictionary; look up the difficult words.

    Are you connected?

    Does a character remind you of a friend? Does the setting make you want to visit the place? Does the book inspire you and make you want to read more? With some books, you may feel a connection right away. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} How willing are you to make the connections happen?

    Read it; hear it; be it!

    Read the lines. Then, speak them out loud. And, put some character into the words. When he was writing his novels, Charles Dickens would act out the parts of the characters. He'd make faces in the mirror and change his voice for each character. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 

    How often do you read?

    If you read frequently, you'll likely have an easier time with remembering what you're reading and what you've read. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} As you make reading a regular part of your life, you'll make more connections, stay more focused and understand the text better. You'll learn to enjoy literature- as you remember what you read!

A. Are you confused?

B. Practice makes perfect.

C. What's your motivation?

D. Memory is sometimes a tricky thing.

E. Marking helps you remember what you read.

F. But other books require a bit more work on your part.

G. You can do the same thing when you are reading the text!

Should schools allow Halloween celebrations?

    Halloween is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Many schools also celebrate the holiday by having kids dress up in costumes, take part in costume shows, and join in a variety of activities relating to Halloween. On October 31, the halls of schools across the country will be filled with princes, princesses, and superheroes. In addition to costumes, school Halloween celebrations often include classroom parties and trick-or-treating.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They also say that dressing up in costumes allows kids to express themselves and show off their creativity.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Officials at many of those schools say the celebrations are too time-consuming (费时的) and take away class time. They also point out that kids who can't afford costumes or who don't celebrate Halloween for cultural reasons feel left out. For example, Seth Boyden Elementary School in Maplewood, New Jersey, canceled(取消)its Halloween celebration last year. Officials at the school said that in the past, many students stayed home on that day.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Bree Picower, a Professor of Early and Elementary Education at Montclair State, said, "Maplewood is a wonderful example of a school being responsive to society. Many schools plan to learn from it. Schools are places where students should feel included."

    Parents in Maplewood had different opinions of this policy. Some said that the new no-Halloween policy was a welcome change. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It brings a lot of safety problems.

B. Experts say Maplewood is not alone.

C. Many people dislike these costumes.

D. Each year there're millions of Americans celebrations the holiday.

E. But more and more schools have canceled(取消)Halloween celebrations in recent years.

F. Many teachers, parents, and students see these celebrations as a fun break from the school day.

G. And others said that it was unfair that their children are now not allowed to celebrate Halloween in school.