A hobby can be almost anything that a person likes to do in his spare time. Hobbyists raise pets, watch birds, paint pictures, play the piano and grow flowers. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They collect everything from books to butterflies and from boxes to stamps.

    People take up hobbies because these activities offer enjoyment, friendship and relaxation. Hobbies help people relax after a long time of hard work, and provide a balance between work and play. Hobbies offer interesting activities for the old. Some hobbies can make a child grow as a person, develop his interest and help him learn new skills. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Doctors have found that hobbies are useful in helping patients recover from illness. Hobbies give patients who can't move around something to do, and provide interests that keep them from thinking about themselves. Many hospitals treat patients by having them take up interesting hobbies. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    In early times, most people were too busy making a living to have many hobbies. But some persons who had spare time did enjoy hobbies. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} People today have more time than ever before for hobbies. Machines have now reduced much time that people must spend on their jobs.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Those who have developed hobbies never need to worry about what to do with their newly-found free time hours.

    Sir William Osler, a famous Canadian doctor expressed the value of hobbies by saying, “No man is really happy or safe without a hobby.”

A. More people retire(退休) at an earlier age than before.

B. Hobbies can also help a patient to keep healthy.

C. The ancient Egyptians played games with balls made of wood.

D. They also go to concerts, climb mountains, go fishing, skate and swim.

E. Anyone, old or young, sick or well, rich or poor, can follow a good hobby, in spite of his age, health or money

F. As some hobbies have become less popular.

    The way we spend our time can be. divided into three groups，or jars(罐子).These would be the necessary tasks jar, the voluntary tasks jar and the happiness jar.

    Every day，we spend time filling the necessary tasks jar. We fill this jar with useful things，like making money，doing housework，buying food and paying bills. We then fill another jar with voluntary tasks like taking children to activities and cooking family meals. Those jars are very important，but we may not enjoy them. If we don't fill them each day，our family won't run properly.

    However, we often forget to fill the third jar—the happiness jar. This is the jar that we fill with activities that make us happy. Is your happiness jar sometimes empty at the end of the day? We all have days like that. Between doing all the necessary, and voluntary tasks，time flies by on some days，and before we know it，it is time for bed.

    That is why each day we try to fill our happiness jar. Most days，I fill mine by going to the ballroom dance(社交舞)class. Playing music is another way that I fill my happiness jar. This week，I was happy to take part in an orchestra(管弦乐队)practice at my church(教堂).At the end of the evening, my happiness jar was full.

    Consider how your time is spent. Try to find ways to achieve a balance. At the end of the day，hopefully we've done all we can to make sure that our happiness jar is filled.

Information Card

    Some people like to get up early, but some do not. In fact,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Scientists(科学家) find early rising (早起) people are healthier than late rising people.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Firstly, it helps to keep us healthy, because we can get fresh air in the morning. And it is also useful to do morning exercises.

    Secondly,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In the morning, we can learn more quickly and better.

    Thirdly, early rising can help us make a plan (计划) for our work.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Fourthly, of course, early rising gives us enough time to get ready for our work.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Everyone has to try hard to do so. As an old saying goes, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy(富裕的) and wise(聪明).”

    When we want to buy a house, we all want to have nice neighbours to live near us, because most of us think that it is helpful to live with some good neighbours. But what kind of neighbour is good? The answers are different from people to people. Here are my answers.

    First, it is very important for our neighbours to respect our life. If we have a neighbour and he or she tries to know more about our life, how will we feel? He or she may also talk with others about our life. Do you want to live with him or her any more? The answer is "No". We will feel very sad to have this kind of neighbour and we may want to move away as quickly as we can.

    Next, a good neighbour is always ready to give us a hand when we need him or her. For example, if we are not at home and someone tries to open our door, our neighbour sees it, and calls 110. It will help us a lot.

    Finally, a good neighbour should love the environment(环境). He or she never puts rubbish here and there. And he or she should throw all the rubbish into the bin and keep the place clean. A good environment can make people who live in it comfortable and feel happy all the time.

    I think we all should learn to be good neighbours, and I also hope everyone will have good neighbours and live a happy life.

How to be a friend of yourself?

We often pay attention to developing relationships with others. However, we forget the basic step: being friends of ourselves. How can we have good relationships with others if we don't even have good relationships with ourselves?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

First, forgive(原谅) yourself. It's true that you are not perfect, and neither is everybody else. It's normal for everyone to make mistakes.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

Second, accept things you can't change. There are many things you cannot change, such as your background and past.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you face the things you can't change, just smile and move on.

Third, focus on(聚焦于) your achievements. You can try making a list of your achievements, which do not have to be big things. There are a lot of small but important achievements in our life.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Last but not least, stop comparing yourself with others. You are unique.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Your success is not determined(决定) by other people. Instead, it is determined by your own life purpose.