Expressing gratitude regularly is a wonderful habit to your children. In fact, studies have shown that people who feel gratitude on a daily basis are happier in general. Today we'll discuss ideas to help your children express their gratitude.

    Make a gratitude tree. Start with a large piece of craft paper and draw a tree trunk. Then ask the kids to paint or color it in brown. Each day ask your kids to think of something they're thankful for.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}And they'll have a gratitude tree full of leaves one day.

    Express your thankfulness to the ones you love.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Print the photos in a 5'×7'size and ask the kids to write a short note on the back explaining why they're grateful to that person. Family members, especially those who don't live nearby, will cherish the present.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Pick a regular time, maybe one Saturday a month, and do some voluntary jobs as a family.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}One child may want to spend a day helping to clean up their favorite park while another might want to read books to nursing home residents.

    Go grocery shopping for a family in need. Many stores now offer pre-made bags to donate right at the checkout line. While this is convenient, the larger the role they play in the act of giving, the bigger the effect it will have on your kids.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Taking time as a family to practice gratitude doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming and the benefits your children will get are long-lasting.

A. It will make the experience much more powerful.

B. Let kids take pictures of themselves with their loved ones.

C. Keep gratitude journals.

D. Volunteer together.

E. If you can find a charity where you deliver the groceries , that's even better.

F. Write it on a green leaf and tape it to the tree trunk.

G. Let family members take turns to pick an activity that means something to them.

    Have you experienced times when you feel like you're under too much pressure? I think most of you will say yes. Actually, many things can strike us beyond our control. With an annoying mix of late trains, missed appointments and work deadlines, many of us are living in a constant state of stress. Experts warn, our modern lifestyles means that stress is almost continuous, and comes without the natural release that either fighting or fleeing might provide.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Conditions vary from mood swings(情绪波动) to anxiety, irritability, nervousness and tiredness. In extreme cases, it can even cause headaches, muscle cramps, and digestive problems. But there are a number of things we can do to manage the symptoms.

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    Balancing blood sugar is essential in lowering stress. To maintain its level, you can try to have one small meal every two-to-three hours that contains protein, for example, breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. In this case, your blood sugar will be steady.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Laugh as you like.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Many studies show that laughter boosts our energy, decreases stress hormones, improves immunity and lessens pains. Try to find humor in life and engage in activities that make you laugh. Don't feel guilty about doing what you love. It will work its magic in your body.

    Schedule your workout timing.

    It could be the time, rather than the way that determines how effective your workouts would be.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Do energy-forming exercises like running or aerobics in the morning, and milder activities in the evening. Try a walk at the end of the day to calm your mind and stretch your muscles.

A. Eat little and often.

B. So will your mood swings.

C. Laughter is the best medicine.

D. These things are activated by laughing

E. The aim of exercise is to boost your energy.

F. Adapt your exercise routine to the biological clock.

G. Living with it can lead to a whole range of health problems.

How to Improve Your Confidence

    Confidence is something that everyone admires. At some point in your life you may question your level of confidence and wish it to be higher{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you believe the theory that we attract into our lives who we are, then creating and keeping high levels of confidence is vital to your well-being.

    Watch your intake{#blank#}2{#/blank#}So reduce the amount of hours of soaps and reality TV each day. Read a book or magazine about a topic you are interested in. Listen to a different radio station you have not listened to before. In this way, you challenge the beliefs you hold and raise your awareness of new things.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Spend an allocated period of time being quiet and just reflecting on your life. Remove yourself away from others and focus on the power of silence and improve your levels of concentration.

    Believe in yourself. One of the key steps in raising your level of confidence is to believe it for yourself. You need to believe, accept and be in no doubt that you are a confident person{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Meanwhile, value the time that you spend doing this process.

    Take a look around for people you admire. It can be helpful to have someone in your circle that you admire for their skills or achievements. Observe the way they face new challenges and communicate with people. You also should attend a club or a group associated with a topic you're interested in{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Spend some time being quiet.

B. In this way, your attitude is changed.

C. Spend time imagining you at your absolute best.

D. What you read, watch and listen to affects your mindset.

E. Your level of confidence affects the decisions you make in your life.

F. You'll meet new people different from your present circle of friends.

G. These are the kind of people that can help you to grow in confidence.

    The Wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since 1992. In 1992, people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} He was said to only accept men as members of his gang (团伙) who proved their worth in challenges. At that time, it was also a common practice to steal women from neighboring villages.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} A large number of competitors, people, and journalist from Finland to Canada attend the Wife-carrying World Championship every year.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The Wife-carrying world Championship is held on a 253.3 meters long official track. The track has two dry obstacles and a water obstacle, about a meter deep. The wife to be carried may be your own, or your neighbor's. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49kg. If she is less than 49kg, the wife will be given a heavy bag to carry. Each time a competitor drops his wife, that couple will be fined 15 seconds. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official “wife-carrying drink.” Then he may continue the race. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a wife-carrying dance and other forms of entertainment.

A. There are a few basic rules.

B. People everywhere hold the event.

C. A special prize is awarded to the winner team.

D. Do you know how these traditions restarted?

E. This event is becoming increasingly popular.

F. The winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time.

G. Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-ronkainen in that area.

Exercise

    Exercise is a way of keeping the body healthy through being active. Another name for exercise is physical fitness. Most people exercise in their spare time. Sports are some of the most popular ways to get exercise.

    The two main kinds of exercise are aerobic exercise(有氧运动)and anaerobic exercise(无氧运动). Sports such as football and basketball are great forms of exercises. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Aerobic exercise is energetic movement that lasts for a certain period of time.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The lungs and the heart work harder to bring in extra oxygen. Swimming, cycling, running and rapid walking are good examples of aerobic exercise.

    Anaerobic exercise is a powerful burst of movement followed by a period of rest. During anaerobic exercise the muscles need more energy than the body can make with its supply of oxygen. After the exercise a person feels out of breath because the muscles have worked without oxygen.

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    Exercise affects every part of the body in positive ways. It improves balance and coordination(协调).{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Exercise strengthens the heart and increases the lungs' ability to take in oxygen. Through exercise the bones and muscles get stronger, and the whole body becomes healthy and strong.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}People who exercise generally have a more positive, happy attitude.

A. This is because they combine both of these types.

B. Frequent and regular exercise helps prevent diseases.

C. Exercise also gives people a greater feeling of well-being.

D. It also improves posture, or the resting position of the body.

E. Weight lifting, jumping, and golfing are all types anaerobic exercise.

F. Physical exercise can contribute positively to keeping a healthy weight.

G. During aerobic exercise the body combines oxygen with sugar to get more energy.

Three simple keys to success

Being successful means different things to different people. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} My point is, the specifics involved in finding success can vary greatly, depending on your goal.

There are three basic components necessary for finding success, regardless of the specifics of your pursuit. And, since the desire for ownership is the driving force behind acquisition, I'll use the word OWN as my simple three-item method for success.

⒈ O-Opportunity: one of the most important components in finding success is being able to identify opportunity. It is to success what wind is to sailing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Identifying opportunity is the first step; awareness sets your sails for success while your motivation provides the wind.

⒉ W-Wisdom: By definition, wisdom is the accurate application of knowledge. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It requires clear understanding, great insight and good judgment. Once opportunity is identified, you must use all your inner resources to seize it and make the most of it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Finding success when opportunity presents itself often means reaching out for help in areas where you have weakness.

⒊ N-Never give up: This might possibly be the most important for success. The key is to first break your goal down into workable parts so you don't feel pressured, and then to work each part at ease with both enthusiasm and purpose. It takes a lot of time, effort and determination to succeed. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Being successful demands doing well.

B. But wisdom involves more than just knowing.

C. You simply can't have one without the other.

D. Having this attitude keeps you moving in face of trouble and becomes the driving force.

E. Besides, wisdom means knowing your limitations.

F. You'll finally succeed if you follow these steps.

G. The road to success is being largely determined by what result you want to achieve.