Third-Culture Kids

    Did you grow up in one culture, your parents came from another, and you are now living in a totally different country? If so, then you are a third-culture kid!

    The term “third-culture kid” (or TCK) was coined in the 1960s by Dr. Ruth. She first came across this phenomenon when she researched North American children living in India. Caught between two cultures, they form their very own.  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} About 90 percent of them have a university degree, while 40 percent pursue a postgraduate or doctor degree. They usually benefit from their intercultural experience, which helps them to grow into successful academics and professionals.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In fact many hardships may arise from this phenomenon. A third-culture kid may not be able to adapt themselves completely to their new surroundings as expected. Instead, they may always remain an outsider in different host cultures. Max, for example, experienced this fundamental feeling of strangeness throughout his life as a third-culture kid.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} While this can be a way to create a network of friends all around the world, it can be difficult for a third-culture kid like Max to maintain close friendships and relationships.

    For a third-culture kid, it is often easier to move to a new foreign country than to return to their “home” country. After living in Australia and South Korea for many years, Louis finally returned to Turkey as a teenager. But she felt out of place when she returned to the country where she was born. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} She did not share the same values as her friends' even years after going back home.

    While a third-culture kid must let go of their identity as foreigner when he/she returns, the home country can prove to be more foreign than anything he/she came across before. The peer group they face does not match the idealized image children have of “home”.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    As a part of the growing “culture”, TCKs may find it a great challenge for them to feel at home in many places.

A. Yet being a third-culture kid is not always easy.

B. In general, they often reach excellent academic results.

C. This often makes it hard for them to form their own identity.

D. However, their parents can help them see the opportunities of a mobile lifestyle.

E. Their experience abroad helps them to gain a better understanding of cultural differences.

F. Unlike other teens of her age, she didn't know anything about current TV shows or fashion trends.

G. Additionally, making new friends and saying goodbye to old ones will at some point become routine for a third-culture kid.

    Looking back on the first twenty years of my life, I feel grateful to have been so healthy and happy. I'm happy due to many key factors. They include my physical health, healthy finances and my family's happiness.

    Health comes first for me, because without health everything else is meaningless. Imagine starting a career without good health. Imagine achieving anything without good health. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Good health is not enough to be happy. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Money obviously pays for the basic necessities of life—food, housing, clothing, etc. —but it is also necessary for other reasons. Money guarantees we always get good medical treatment when we fall ill. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Family is another important factor in having a happy life because it provides the love, joy, and support that everyone needs. I love my family with all my heart. I get pleasure from their pleasure. I suffer when they suffer.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}They give me advice when I have misunderstandings with my friends. More importantly, they are always there to share everything with me.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} As long as I stay healthy, work hard to earn enough money and share both good times and bad times with my family, I will always be the happiest girl in the world.

A. My family help me get through pressures and difficulties.

B. Clearly, good health is much more important than any other aspect of one's life.

C. Besides, we can use money to improve our life.

D. We still need money in today's society.

E. Sometimes the amount of money we have is determined by our happiness.

F. These three factors are all I need in this world.

G. Having good health and healthy finances, we can turn our attention to the happiness of our family.

    Weight loss is a hard topic. Lots of people aren't satisfied with their present weight, but most people aren't sure how to change it. You may want to look like the models or actors in magazines or on TV, but those goals might not be healthy or realistic for you.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    So what should you do about your weight control?

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}The best way to find out if you are at a healthy weight or if you need to lose or gain weight is to talk to a doctor or dietitian（营养学家){#blank#}3{#/blank#} If it turns out that you can benefit from weight loss then you can follow a few of the simple suggestions listed below to get started.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}People who lose weight quickly by crash（速成的）dieting or other extreme measures usually gain back all of the pounds they lost, because they haven't permanently changed their habits. Therefore, the best weight management ways are those that you can maintain for a lifetime.

    Small changes are a lot easier to stick with than large ones. Try reducing the size of what you eat.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Once you have that down, start gradually introducing healthier foods and exercise into your life.

    It's a good idea to maintain a healthy weight because it's just that: healthy.

A. Try giving up regular soda for a week

B. Try to pay attention as you eat and stop when you're full.

C. Weight management is about long-term success.

D. Besides, no magical diet will make you look like someone else.

E. Being healthy is really about being at a weight that is right for you.

F. Changing from whole to nonfat or low-fat milk is also a good idea.

G. They will compare your weight with healthy standards and help you set goals.

    Ebola is a dangerous virus that can cause people to get very sick and even die. The virus is causing the biggest problems in western Africa, where it has spread quickly.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But it can get worse and cause life-threatening symptoms (症状), such as bleeding and trouble breathing.

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    Ebola does not spread like colds or the flu because it does not float through the air. Ebola also doesn't spread through food or water, like some other viruses. Instead, Ebola spreads when someone touches the body fluids(液体) of a sick person.

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    An outbreak is when many people are getting sick with the same illness around the same time. You may have heard of a flu outbreak, which is when lots of people get sick from the same types of flu virus. When an outbreak happens because of a virus, more people could get sick because there is a lot of that virus around.

    Where did Ebola come from?

Scientists aren't sure how the first person gets Ebola at the start. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Tropical animals in Africa believed to carry the virus include great apes, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, fruit bats, porcupines, and forest antelopes.

    What do kids need to do about Ebola?

    Ebola is making many people sick in Africa, but no matter where you live, it's always a good idea to wash your hands well and often. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. What is an outbreak?

B. How do people catch Ebola?

C. Why do I need to wash my hands?

D. It's very important that infected people get treatment right away.

E. Ebola symptoms can start with fever and headache, kind of like the flu.

F. But they think that people may pick up the virus by touching or eating infected animals.

G. Keeping hands clean can help protect you from common illnesses like colds and the flu.

How to Pick the Perfect Family Tent

    People like camping. But to ensure everyone has a good time, choosing the right family tent is important. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here's how to choose the perfect tent for your family.

    First of all, consider the size of the camps. Generally speaking, four-and-six-person tents are popular with families. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But a couple of features（特点）can make all the difference. For families with small children, a tent with a single entrance is a better choice. This makes it easier to keep track of who's coming and going. Of course, two doors can offer added more convenience.

    Some tents require two full-grown adults to set them up. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Be sure to take into account the setup and breakdown needs of any model you're considering. It may be necessary to go with a smaller model, or even two smaller tents, rather than one large tent for your family.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Or, if friends have a tent, see if you can borrow it for an overnight in your backyard. You'll quickly discover what you like and don't like.

    As an alternative, many outdoor shops have rental departments. Do your research to determine what style and size you think would work best, and find out if you can rent that model or one that's similar. Finally, if you are in a rush, ask if you can climb inside the tent at the store. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Getting in and out of the tent sounds basic.

B. To save money, you can make one on your own.

C. But you can turn to anyone for help when necessary.

D. It could be a problem if you're the only adult when camping.

E. Take the tent you are considering out for a “test drive” before you buy.

F. It's your home away from home, and the place where you'll sleep and relax.

G. This will give you a chance to assess all the features up close and in person.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.Whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

    As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand(速记). When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Use words, not complete sentences.

B. There are three practical note-taking methods.

C. You must write your notes on separate paper.

D. Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later.

E. You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F. That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

G. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.