Clara Barton，founder of the American Red Cross，gained worldwide honor for her dedication to easing human suffering and earned the nickname  “Angel of the Battlefield.”

    Barton was born into a liberal (开明的) freethinking family in 1821. Her elder brothers and sisters happily tutored her in math and reading, so when she entered school at three years old, she could read and spell three-syllable words. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Concerned about Barton's difficulty in making friends, her parents sent her to a boarding school, hoping it would make her more comfortable with her peers. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Barton lost her appetite and cried constantly. After only one term, she had to be brought home. Then, Barton stayed out of school to nurse her older brother through a serious injury and also volunteered to care for poor families during a smallpox (天花）outbreak.

    In 1861，the Civil War broke out. The sight of wounded soldiers touched Barton deeply. She began to collect and distribute food, bandages, medicines, and other supplies for the Union army.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} There, with little concern for her own safety, she cooked meals, assisted surgeons, and comforted wounded soldiers.

    Eventually，because of working too hard，Barton collapsed，ill with typhoid fever (伤寒症). {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It was there that she learned of an organization based in Switzerland — called the International Red Cross, whose work mirrored her own.

    Shortly after Barton arrived back home in 1873，her sister died. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When recuperating (休养）at a health facility in New York，she began planning for the establishment of an American wing of the International Red Cross. Although at first the government resisted，her efforts finally paid off. The American Red Cross was officially organized on May 21, 1881. Her influence lives on today in the work of the organization she founded.

    Do you have the experience of digging out your suitcase, deciding what to bring and being afraid that you've forgotten something?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Hope they can transform the way you pack.

    Keep a Basket Handy

    Do you wait until the last minute to pack? Keep a basket in your bedroom, living room, or bath room that you can use to throw in items you'll need to pack as you come across them.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Besides, you can just put the contents of the basket into your suitcase if you are in a hurry to leave for the airport.

Buy Wrinkle-free Clothing

    You won't need to worry about carefully packing your items of clothing if they're made from wrinkle-free materials.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}You'll still look fresh and bright when you are in them at your destination.

    Keep Old Packing Lists

    Chances are that you end up taking trips that require you to pack similar items. Keep old packing lists from former vacations to the beach, ski resort, and city—that way, you'll always have a list of at least the basics.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}So you don't need to waste your effort to remember where you left your hand-written packing lists.

    Schedule a Packing Time

    Time can slip away from you before a trip-you may be caught up at work, at home, or be occupied with other responsibilities of daily life.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} That way, you will not need to do your packing frantically (狂乱地) from the last minute to 1 o'clock on the day you leave.

A. This makes you less likely to forget the stuff.

B. The best way to do this is to save them on your computer.

C. Buy necessary stuff when you arrive.

D. Determine a night well in advance of departure to pack.

E. That's why I've distilled (提炼) the art of packing down to some essential tips.

F. Just ball them up or put them at the bottom of the suitcase.

G. Rolling your clothes is the best way to save space for the suitcase.

How to improve your perseverance（毅力）

    If you're familiar with the story of the hare and the tortoise, you know that the tortoise proved that perseverance is much more important than speed. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, but fewer people have the patience and perseverance of the tortoise. Here are some tips that can help you to improve your perseverance.

    Set goals（确定目标）and write them down.

    If you don't know what you want to accomplish（完成）, it's hard to persevere until you do. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, instead of making many projects（项目）that may upset you

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, and cross each step off the list as you complete it.

    If you want to master the ability to cook German dishes, you'll need to read cookbooks, study the recipes（食谱）, buy ingredients（食料）and practice making the dishes. Write down all these steps and remove each step as you go.

    Make a list of the rewards（回报）related to any project to encourage yourself to persevere.

    When you want to lose 40 pounds, it may seem like a difficult goal. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. You can lower your blood sugar or fit into your favorite pair of jeans. Keep those rewards in mind to encourage yourself to stick to your diet and exercise program.

    Imagine your success.

    Take time each day to sit back, relax and picture the life you'll lead once you've reached your goal.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Read them over several times a day to encourage yourself to keep going.

A. Like the hare, many people start off strong

B. And you should focus on every step carefully

C. You can't lose weight only by going on a diet

D. Make a list of the steps needed to reach your goal

E. But there are big rewards for doing so

F. Choose one or two goals that are most important to you and work toward those

G. Or you can write out a paragraph or two about how reaching your goal will change your life

    College is the time when you're expected to focus on your path in life. But it's also the time you're the least equipped to have any long-term plan. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

The whole process can be divided into three stages.

    The first is "gathering fuel". This means building up your skills, learning from different experiences and developing a network of people who you trust and who trust you. And this is a stage that requires patience and a willingness to identify your own weaknesses and work on them. If you complete this stage with a growing sense of what you love to do and what you are good at, {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    The second stage is "burning fuel". This is the time to improve the skills you've obtained through experiences, the people you've met along the way and the recognition of what you should do. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. We want to get where we're going in a hurry, but that hardly works.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Simply speaking, it's about staying strong, while turning an eye towards what lies ahead. It's a surprisingly long journey and most people underestimate it. You can't expect an ideal life to happen by itself. You must recognize that no matter where you are on the path, each step is there to teach you something, feeding you that fuel.

    If you're not doing what you want, you need more fuel — so go out and get it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. you are winning

B. that will come true

C. The last part is "saving fuel"

D. The final part is "filling fuel"

E. Here are some tips on how to aim your sights into the future

F. It seems that most of us try to jump straight to the next stage

G. And if you're doing what you want, keep moving and don't settle

    When you see cockroaches (蟑螂) in your house, your first thought might be to use a bottle of insecticide (杀虫剂). However, not only would your family be affected by harmful chemicals, but also it might not do much good. So researchers say that besides using chemical treatments, you can also use other methods like traps. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. So, how do you do it?

    As with most insects, prevention is more important. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. That means never leaving dirty dishes in the kitchen and sweeping the floor before you go to bed.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}, so it's necessary to seal (密封) the entries into your home. This may take time, but in the end, it's worth the effort, especially if you live in an apartment and have neighbors who don't reach the same standards of cleanliness as you do.

    Keep your space as cool as possible. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. They increase their activity level and even spread their wings and fly. With more heat they have more strength.

    You can also try turning to a natural insect control company. My insect control company uses diatomaceous earth, a kind of special soil, in the walls of my home.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, it's not harmful for you and your family. Best of all, it works well.

A. Cockroaches can't go very long without water

B. Cockroaches can move through even the smallest spaces

C. Or you can give up chemicals and try just natural methods

D. When temperatures rise, many of these insects become active

E. Because the earth can cause an insect to die without the use of chemicals

F. You have cockroaches in the house, but you don't want to use insecticide

G. Make sure your house is clean, because food remains are attractive to cockroaches

Going to concerts and live performances is a lot of fun. As a teen, you'll want to prepare for the event far in advance in order to ensure that your concert experience is enjoyable.

Check to make sure that the concert venue(场所) is for all ages.

Some venues, particularly those that serve alcohol, will only allow entry for guests who are over 21 years old. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you buy a ticket and get turned away at the door, you likely will not get your money back.

Ask your parents for permission.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Have a conversation with your parents to figure out how you will travel to and from the concert, and talk about ground rules for staying safe at the event.

Find a friend to go with.

For your safety, it's best not to attend concerts alone. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you're having trouble finding company, consider posting on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to see if other people in your social network are interested.

Buy tickets.

If the concert is for a popular band, figure out exactly when the tickets go on sale. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Ticketmaster. com sells tickets for bigger shows, but if you're going to a smaller show, look online at the venue's website for information on how to buy tickets.

Research venue policies and regulations.

Find the venue's web page to get a sense of what to expect, and to avoid any problem on the day of the concert. You should know how early the doors will open. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}