How to Build Team Spirit

    An important part of being on a team is team spirit, the sense of oneness and support gained from working together. How can you build team spirit in this everyone-for-himself world and expand the concept to include school loyalty and pride?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When students and fans see enjoyment and a good attitude, they will be eager to show their team spirit, too.

    Encourage common cooperation among team members even in individual sports such as tennis or gymnastics. Break the team into pairs or small groups. It will help each other during practice. Assign each new player an experienced member of the team to be his mentor(辅导教师).

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Disagreement is unavoidable, but complaints affect team performance.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Don't just suggest, set goals such as mentioning the team to three people a day, covering all books in school colors and logos or inviting five friends to the next game.

    Support a very noticeable non-sports activity such as a blood drive, Toys for Tots, fundraising for new science equipment of whatever the team decides. Wear school colors, logo and name tags when promoting the project.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}On the day, make an effort to find a job or activity for everyone as you encourage students and staff to dress in school colors, make signs (“Jefferson School rocks!”), display notebook stickers and so on. If school rules permit, consider a face-painting booth.

    Put on an assembly（集会） with banners, music, cheerleading, introductions and applause for team members.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}You'll also want to display the statistics of various teams' achievements, whether it be a district prize, a personal best or simply winning their last game.

A．Get disagreements out in the open quickly and mediate （调解）if necessary.

B．Plan a monthly “school spirit” day.

C．There are ways to build team spirits .

D．Begin with energetic promotion.

E．Divide students into small groups.

F．Prove ways to build up the team around school.

G．Teach everyone cheers and the school song there.

    We all want to do so much: complete our never ending list of tasks and projects, help everyone, travel everywhere, learn a lot of new skills, read every book and watch every good film. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There isn't enough time in the day, nor do we have much attention to devote to everything.

    Give up on trying to do it all. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is important for you to make your days count（有价值）. How do you do that? Here are some ideas:

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} When you eat a good meal, it's wasted if you actually ignore（不理会）it and are reading on your phone instead. It's an amazing meal only if you really enjoy it. In this way, if we enjoy each moment, they really matter.

    Be satisfied. We always want to do more, be more, experience more. And so, we're never satisfied with the little we actually can do and experience. Instead, we should learn to be happy with what we've chosen to do, knowing that we let go of the rest for a reason. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Realize that we're not really in control. The first few items on this list might give you the idea that you can control your life by simplifying…but the reality is that your day will never go as planned. You can try, but there will always be the unexpected, the unplanned. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} We should learn to appreciate that experience as it comes, whatever it is.

Jessica: What are you doing now?

Susan: I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (listen) to the news.

Jessica: Is there anything urgent? If not, I {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (real) want to have a talk with you.

Susan: No, there isn't. What's wrong?

Jessica: I think your grandma is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} nice person, but I can't help {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (think) that she doesn't like me.

Susan: Oh, she likes you. She is just old-fashioned and has her own way of doing things.

Jessica: But every time I clean the kitchen, she comes in {#blank#}5{#/blank#} me and cleans it again. Then she complains that the house is not tidy. I can't deal with this.

Susan: Just let her do it and ignore (忽视) her. She thinks if you don't get on your hands and knees {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (clean) the floor, the floor won't be clean.

Jessica: What a silly thing to say! What's a mop (拖把) for? And what's wrong with my cooking?

Susan: Nothing. I love your cooking.

Jessica: Then why does she complain about it? This morning she suggested that I {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (go) to cooking school to learn {#blank#}8{#/blank#} to cook.

Susan: Jessica, just ignore her. She only wants to make sure {#blank#}9{#/blank#} we can take care of ourselves.

Jessica: Don't we?

Susan: Yes, we do. I'm sorry that she makes you suffer {#blank#}10{#/blank#} stress, but I wish you'd learn to get along with her. Remember, she's an elder.

Jessica: Don't worry. When things get tense (紧张的), I just remind myself that she's your grandma, and I keep my temper (脾气) under control and my mouth shut.

Pronunciation Tips

    These English pronunciation tips will help you get the most out of your Pronunciation Power program.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    For example, "threw" and "through", although spelled differently, are pronounced the same. Also, identical（相同的） letters or letter clusters（字母组合） in words do not always produce the same sound. For example, the "ough" in "though" and "through" represents a different sound in each word. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Imagine a sound in your mind before you say it.

    Try to visualize（想象)）the positioning of your mouth and face. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Listen to and try to imitate the Pronunciation Power instructor.

In addition to listening for specific sounds, pay attention to pauses, the intonation（语调） of the instructor's voice and patterns of emphasis. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    The English language has many different dialects, and words can be pronounced differently.

    It is important, however, that you pronounce words clearly to ensure effective communication.

    Finally, the Pronunciation Power program is a tool to help you.

    But you must practice what you are learning! Remember that you are teaching your mouth a new way to move. You are building muscles that you do not use in your own language. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Use the program to exercise your mouth a little bit each day.

A. Read these words over and over again and try to learn them by heart.

B. This can be just as important as the pronunciation of sounds.

C. Learn to practice what you hear, not what you see.

D. So you should force yourself to do what you really don't like to do.

E. Do not confuse pronunciation of words with their spelling!

F. It is like going to the gym and exercising your body.

G. Think about how you are going to make the sound.

    A volunteering vacation can be a meaningful way to spend your time off, but to make the trip satisfying both for you and the cause you are supporting, several factors need to be considered. Here is some advice on planning the satisfactory vacation:

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are hundreds of causes to volunteer for, and finding one close to your heart will lead to a more worthwhile trip. Possibilities include wildlife conservation, education, environmental protection, health and nutrition. Also, consider any personal and professional skills that you can contribute. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Choose your destination and setting. Your volunteering trip will be more enjoyable if you use it to reach a favorite destination. Southeast Asia is on your mind, helping with tree­planting programs in Bali would benefit the environment and let you appreciate the scenic island. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Is volunteering outdoors in a hot or snowy climate attractive, or do you prefer being in an air­conditioned office?

    Ask the right questions. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Be aware that most volunteering programs require a week-long stay. Ask other questions like: How many hours of work per day is required? Are there days off? Will you be working individually or as part of a team? And what are the goals of your efforts? {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Ask if the cost includes only accommodations or meals and transportation too.

A. Figure out your cause.

B. Find a well­respected organization.

C. And think about the surroundings you want.

D. Your duty there is to rest and play.

E. The more you know about your trip, the more successful it will be.

F. Despite the word “volunteer”, these vacations usually cost you some money.

G. If you're a doctor, for example, working at a health clinic could be an ideal fit.

    Think of everything that could go wrong in your life. What if your city floods tomorrow and you lose your home? What if a tornado passes by and you are struck by flying objects, leaving you with several broken bones? Or maybe next year you crash your car and are badly in need of a life-saving surgery. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    All of these incidents, terrible as they are, require money to fix. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} With an insurance policy, you are given a safety net which you can land on in the event that anything terrible happens to you or your family.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} As a part of this plan, you will have to pay a premium (保费). It is a monthly or yearly payment to an insurance company. If you do have an insurance plan, then in exchange for your premium money, an insurance company will agree to cover the cost of whatever accident may occur to you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} For example, if you tend to get sick a lot, you will have to pay more in your premium because it is more likely that you will go to the hospital.

    In many ways, getting an insurance plan is a bit of a bet. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} However, by getting an insurance plan, you can ensure that you will always have a safety net to land on if anything terrible does occur, as you have a guarantee that at least some portion of the cost will be covered by your insurance company.

A. What will you do then?

B. We should have the sense of insurance.

C. And this is where insurance comes into help.

D. There are some ways to help you handle the problems.

E. Your payment usually varies based on your risk factors.

F. Insurance companies offer insurance plans to people in need.

G. You never know whether you will have an accident in the future.