Your Teen Is Falling Asleep in Class

    Teens have a busy morning schedule as they need to wake up and get moving very early in order to catch a bus and get to school by the required time. This means teens need to get their rest the night before or they will be too tired to learn anything at school.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}．

    When a teen falls asleep in class, two things happen: he/she misses what is being taught and he/she loses the respect of the teacher. He/She may also receive a consequence (后果) from the school, depending on the classroom discipline (纪律) policy.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}．

    To prevent your teen from being sleepy in class, try these three tips：

    Set a time for “lights out” on school nights. This is never be any later than 10 p.m. and preferably 9 p.m.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Soft music can be on and used to help calm your teen.

    Help your teen develop a night­time routine that involves activities that slow them down for the end of the day.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Turning off the computer and disconnecting from friends and the excitement of the day an hour before bedtime will also help your teen relax.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This will reinforce (增强) what it feels like to be rested and capable of achieving what he/she wants.

A. What's worse, they may even fall asleep in class.

B. Taking a bath and reading are two activities that work well.

C. Set a good example and show him/her your love for learning.

D. Point out the positives after your teen has had a good night's rest.

E. “Lights out” means the computer, television, lights and cell phone should be off.

F. All of these things affect your teen's academic success and can be avoided.

G. While your teen keeps his/her goals in line with your expectations, he/she may have his/her own goals.

    Shorts may feel nice and casual on your legs on a warm summer's day, but they're not so gentle on your wallet.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Usually the fact that one obviously uses less cloth than the other makes it hard to be accepted. So what gives?

    It turns out clothing sellers aren't trying to cheat you by charging you too much money. They're just pricing shorts according to what it costs to produce them.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Extra material does go into a full pair of pants but not as much as you may think. As experts explain, shorts that don't fall past your knees may contain just a fifth less cloth than ankle-length trousers{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Those same details that end up accounting for most of the material—pockets, belt loops, waist bands—also require the most human labor to make{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The physical cotton in blue jeans accounts for just a small part of its price Jag. Most of that money goes to pay the people stitching (缝合) it together, and they put in roughly the same amount of time whether they're working on a pair of pants or some shorts.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For another example, short-sleeved shirts cost roughly the same as long-sleeved shirts. There are also numerous invisible factors that make some shorts more expensive than nearly identical pairs, like where they were made9marketing costs, and the brand on the label. If you don't want to spend $40 on something that covers just a small piece of leg, stay at home with your wallet!

A. More or less, shorts almost cost what pants do.

B. This is where the true cost of a garment is determined.

C. This price trend becomes popular across the fashion field.

D. This is because most of the cloth is sewn into the top half.

E. In general, a pair of shorts isn't any cheaper than a pair of pants.

F. To tell you the truth, it is a real bargain to pay for a pair of shorts.

G. Customers are willing to purchase a pair of shorts if it is at a reasonable price.

Taking Care of Your Health While Traveling

    When you're often on the go, it is likely that your health will suffer. Here are a few simple ways you can keep on top of your health.

    ⒈{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    When you're travelling, your body will quickly begin to wear down. How much is enough sleep? It all depends on your body-listen to it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Although you want to experience as much as possible when travelling, it is still important to rest.

    ⒉Don't forget to take plenty of water.

    Carry a water bottle with you everywhere and keep it filled up with fresh water. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, it will do your body a lot of good and keep you feeling your best.

    ⒊Eat healthier.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Yes, we get that you are on your holidays, but healthier choices will keep your body filled up with nutrients, which will make you feel better in the long-term.

    Make your own meals.

    Eating out each day isn't healthy for you so you should try and make your own meals where possible. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, but making a few healthy sandwiches in your hotel room is something you should be doing.

A. Get plenty of good sleep

B. Take a break before you wear down

C. Try and cut out as much sweet as possible

D. If you pace yourself and go about things slowly

E. Even if you need to visit the bathroom more often

F. It is difficult to go to the bathroom when travelling

G. We're not talking about coking up a three-course meal

    In a few months you'll go to college. Are you ready for some of the newness that is about to come your way? Take a look at this “mental preparation” checklist and make sure you have given these topics some thought.

    ⒈Remind yourself that it's new for everyone.

    Going to college is a big change, and it's important not to get overwhelmed (压垮). {#blank#}1{#/blank#} That's OK. Accept that you're in a new stage of life and it won't feel familiar for a bit.

    ⒉Commit to time management.

    Organizing your time properly will make your life in college much easier.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Create a detailed daily schedule that blocks out time for classes, homework, studying, and anything else. Stay organized and spend a few minutes each evening planning ahead for the next day.

    ⒊Be open to new things.

    College will open your eyes in more ways than one. It's a time to find yourself, discover new passions, challenge old ways of thinking, and meet new people from all backgrounds and places.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Embrace (欣然接受) the idea of exploration!

    ⒋Don't be afraid to ask for help.

    With anything new, it's best to go in with a positive attitude. But life has its ups and downs.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Take a moment to find out the college services that can help you: disability services, tutoring services, and any other services that will give you support when you need it.

    Congratulations on this exciting time of your life.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} You'll be glad you have done.

A. So, try something different.

B. Knowing where to turn for help is important.

C. Things might feel a bit uncomfortable for a while.

D. Plan to pay them a visit early in your first semester.

E. Get yourself a time planning app or a good old day planner.

F. Remember that you're in college to build a foundation for your future job.

G. As you get prepared for the first day of classes, get mentally ready for this new life stage too.

Social Phobia

    It is natural to feel nervous, or shy in front of others at times. Most people manage to get through these moments when they need to. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's probably more than shyness. It may build up into a powerful fear. As a result, people feel uncomfortable participating in everyday social activities. This is called social phobia (also called social anxiety).

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It prevents them from chatting with friends in the lunch time, joining an after-school club, or going to a party. Sometimes, they even feel too nervous to ask a question in class or go to a teacher for help. Social phobia not only prevents people from trying new things. It also prevents them from making the normal, everyday mistakes that may help people improve their skills even further

    It is really sad, isn't it? But the good news is that people with social phobia can learn to manage fear, develop confidence and communicating skills and stop avoiding things that make them nervous. Of course it's not always easy. Dealing with social phobia takes the willingness patience and courage to face fears. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Therapists (治疗师) can help people create a plan for facing social fears and build the skills and confidence to overcome it. And family or friends are especially important for them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They can encourage them to pick a small goal to aim for, remind them to go for it, and be there when they might feel discouraged.

    Little by little, someone who decides to deal with extreme shyness can learn to be more comfortable. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} As shyness and fears begin to melt, confidence and positive feelings build. Pretty soon, the person is thinking less about what might feel uncomfortable and more about what might be fun.

A. Friends can overcome their fears easily.

B. But for someone, the anxiety can be extreme.

C. They are not able to make eye contact with classmates.

D. Social phobia makes people lonely or disappointed over missed opportunities.

E. Each small step forward helps build enough confidence to take the next small step.

F. It also takes an action to go forward rather than back away when feeling shy.

G. The support from those key people helps them gather the courage to try something new.

Some Texting Rules You Should Be Following by Now

    Don't text and drive {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Don't do it. Personal safety always comes first and staying off your hand-held while driving is extremely important. If you can't resist, then keep your phone where you can't reach it while you're driving.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    If you're texting someone who says "driving", stop texting. Period. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Just stop texting. You can consider calling the person, but please bear in mind that some states have laws in place restricting talking on the phone while driving. But if you don't get a response…

    "Don't keep texting until they respond," an article in LifeHack suggests." {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. And if they're not, maybe they just don't feel like texting." While not getting a response likely makes you feel anxious, and while many consider it rude, it's also rude to continue bombarding someone with messages when that person is not replying to you.

    Avoid group texts "Most would say group texts are the worst," notes an article in Mashable." They take up more time than you ever expected. Reading through all of your messages is boring. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. It's that simple

B. Don't even say "OK"

C. They're probably busy

D. They seem to never end

E. Stop driving immediately

F. Just think of any other means of communication

G. Don't put others in the situation of texting and driving