Using too much water or throwing rubbish into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger, but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways. You may wonder how paving (铺砌) a road can lead to less useable fresh water. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Groundwater does not come from lakes or rivers. It comes from underground. The more roads and parking lots we pave, the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Drier climates are of course more likely to have droughts（干旱）than areas with more rainfall, but, in any case, good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In the United States, a family of four can use 1.5 tons of water a day! This shows how much we depend on water to live, but there's a lot we can do to lower the number.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} To start with, use the same glass for your drinking water all day. Wash it only once a day. Run your dishwasher (洗碗机) only when it is full. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You can even help to keep our water supply clean by recycling (回收) batteries instead of throwing them away.

A. Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages.

B. Help your parents fix any leaks (漏水的地方) in your home.

C. Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference, too.

D. Some measures to save water should be taken by the government.

E. A major part of the water we use every day is the water from lakes or rivers.

F. A major part of the water we use every day is ground water.

G. You can take steps to save water in your home.

    We've all heard about the power of our attitude, and it's our attitude that determines how much we succeed in life.

    All the things that you have been through, all the people you have met and interacted with can have an impact on your attitude. If you think that all these factors have molded you into a person with a poor attitude towards life, there is no need to worry.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

1).Identify and understand what you want to change.

    The first step towards change is clearly understanding what needs to be changed.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}When it comes to changing your attitude, you need to do an honest and in-depth self-evaluation so you could point out exactly which of your traits need to be improved or totally changed.

2).{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Find someone who has the kind of attitude that you want to have, and let his or her life give you inspiration and encouragement to move beyond your temporary failures in your journey towards becoming a better person.

3). Choose the right company.

    As they say, “Bad company corrupts good character.” You don't expect yourself to be able to change if you go on surrounding yourself with people who possess all the negative traits that you want to change. Consider befriending new people, especially those who are optimistic and have a healthy attitude towards life.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

4). Believe that you are able to change.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you don't believe in yourself or believe that you or your life can change, it just won't happen—you will either never start, or give up quickly that you won't have even given yourself the opportunity to succeed.

A. Your effort to change will be easier with these people as friends.

B. Setting clear goals is the key to success in any endeavor.

C. The greatest obstacle is our inability to trust in what we can do.

D. Look for a role model.

E. Think about how your attitude change will affect your life.

F. There is always an opportunity for change.

G. Fix your mind on the things that would come as a result of your attitude change.

    If you want to learn English well, enlarging your vocabulary is important. Here are some helpful ways to help you to have a larger vocabulary.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}A good dictionary should be up-to-date and easy to understand. Make sure the definitions (定义) are written in clear English. I strongly recommend Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English as there is good coverage of spoken and written English, British and American English, as well as clear example sentences.

    Make notes of new words. But before you write them down on you notebook, you should look them up in the dictionary and make sure you are aware of any grammatical information.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}When you write down the new word in your notebook, try to include an example sentence in English.

    Organize your notes into themes. Some people find it very helpful to do so. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}For example, you can have one page containing words which have something to do with houses, while another page containing words relating to jobs, and so on.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The next time you have spare time, skip through your notebook. Choose a page where you have already stored a number of words and expressions, cover the page and try to remember what you wrote. Then look at the page and see how many words you have remembered.

    When you find a new word, check to see if you can use it in other ways. English is a flexible language—nouns, verbs and adjectives often share the same root. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Review the words in your notebook.

B. Have good English dictionaries.

C. Read books that contain some new words.

D. Look up new words and phrases in your dictionary.

E. For example, love, lovely, beloved and loveless all share one root.

F. For example, if you are looking up a verb, check to see if it can be used in a passive form.

G. So rather than have a list of words without any obvious connection, you can divide your notes into themes.

    If you are thinking about studying in foreign countries, you may already know that there are a great number of colleges and universities from which to choose. How do you find the one that's right for you? Here are some tips to help you with your college search:

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Make sure you understand your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Give yourself an honest self-examination to check what kind of college you like and where you would like to stay.

    Collect Information.

    Collect as much Information as possible, from and about colleges. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Use the college search programs to research and sort for colleges that meet your personal requirements.

    Visit college campuses.

    It can be very helpful to experience the first-hand campus culture of any college you are considering. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, there are other options that can help you get a feel for the academic and cultural environment. Many schools offer virtual campus tourists on their websites.

    Talk with the students about their experiences.

    Make the students tell you stories about their experiences. Try to imagine yourself in the stories they are telling. Don't settle for "this is a great place — you'd love it here." Find out why.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Take an honest look at affordability.

    Some private colleges carry a price of $60,000 (or more）per year. Ask your parents what they can or are willing to spend. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, you had better know if there will be financial limitations on your college selections.

A. Know yourself

B. If you are not able to travel

C. Give yourself any examination

D. Before you fall in love with a school

E. After you decide which school to go to

F. It is easy to find and won't cost anything

G. Their reasons for loving it may not match with yours.

    Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. Given that it's so easy to take up the sport, a lot of beginners jump right into running without actually knowing what it takes to establish a healthy routine.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. If you are just starting out, avoid the following things to help you increase your chances of running success.

    Doing too much too soon

    One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is doing too much too soon. Picking up a new hobby like running is no doubt exciting. Runners need to ease into the sport before increasing the distance.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Beginners might think they need to run nearly every day to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn't be further from the truth.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}, especially for beginners whose muscles and bones haven't yet been conditioned for such intense (剧烈的) exercise. So it's important to give your body ample rest between workouts. Follow a training plan that includes rest days.

    Comparing yourself to others

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, You're excited about running, so you are probably reading running blogs, magazines and message boards where you might start to feel inadequate about your own running pace. Instead of getting down on yourself, remember that every runner was once a beginner and use their success as motivation!

A. Not running every day

B. Not taking rest days

C. Running is a demanding activity which can be really hard on your body

D. As mentioned, a healthy routine is what they attach importance to

E. When starting out with running, it's tough not to compare yourself to others

F. Many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (干扰) with training or lead to injury

G. It will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue with your new running routine

Five steps to better handwriting

Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it's time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five steps that really work!

Get a great grasp

Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.

Let the lines be your guide

Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.

Slow down

If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it's hard to control where you stop and start your letters.

Lower the pressure

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don't hold the pencil too tightly.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it's not schoolwork, you're still using the skills you need to control your pen better.

A. Play games

B. Ask for more advice

C. So "a" should be half the height of a capital "A".

D. You've been writing since you were a little kid.

E. Some kids press down really hard when they write.

F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting.

G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the base of your thumb.