Tips on buying outdoor solar lights(太阳能灯）

    As solar lighting is becoming useful for homes, many different such outdoor lights can now be found in supermarkets.Here are some helpful tips for customers.

Does your area receive enough direct lighting?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So you shouldn't even give it a thought if you live in an area that doesn't get much sunlight.These lights need direct sunlight, or they just won't work very well. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The expensive one usually means good quality Choosing the cheapest ones will result in many problems. For once, it's best to buy more expensive lights of high quality. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} At least you should know the difference between a $10 light and a $45 light.

Buy lights that require less installation(安装）

    Most solar lights are simply driven into the ground.Therefore.you shouldn't deal with the difficulty in installing a system that involves anything more than that. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You don't need to buy lights that require half an hour each to plant into the ground because that's just a waste of time.

Make sure the lights can store enough energy.

    Different solar lights can store different amounts of energy{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Therefore, you should choose lights that are able to store enough energy to last for a few hours or more,at least those that will last from nightfall throughout most of the night and part of the morning.

A.They should take a few minutes each to get into the ground

B. Without sunlight, solar lighting is useless.

C.It means some will stay lit longer than the others

D.Buy many solar lights instead of just one or two.

E.Choose something a bit more expensive for once.

F.That doesn't mean you have to spend all your money.

G.Solar lights are becoming more and more popular.

Shaking hands, American style

    People often shake hands in the United States. American men shake hands with other men. American women often shake hands with men, and sometimes they shake hands with other women. Adults shake hands with children. And some people even teach their dogs to shake hands! {#blank#}1{#/blank#} How do they shake hands just long enough? Just hard enough? Here are four little rules to remember.

1）Use your right hand.

2）Use good eye contact(眼神交流). Look at the person in the eye while you are shaking hands.

3）Don't shake too long.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Then let go and pull your hand back toward you.

4）{#blank#}3{#/blank#} When a handshake is weak, Americans think the person may not be a hard worker or a good leader. When a handshake is too strong, Americans think the person is too rough(粗鲁) or has bad manners.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They shake hands when they meet for the first time. They shake hands to say congratulations. They shake hands when they meet after not seeing each other for a while. And they often shake hands when they say good-bye. In business, shaking hands shows agreement and honesty.

    Handshakes are good everywhere.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} So make sure to shake plenty of hands.

A. Offer you hand first.

B. Shake for no more than three seconds.

C. How do people shake hands correctly?

D. Don't shake too strongly or too weakly.

E. It is not polite to refuse a person's hand.

F. When do people in the United States shake hands?

G. Make sure your hands aren't sweaty when you do this.

    In life, everyone wants to have friends who he or she can trust forever. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is scary because in most cases you have to get out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there.

    However, once the strangeness becomes a thought of the past, it becomes much easier to talk to potential new friends. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Get over the shyness of meeting new people and be yourself. Start out with a simple conversation like "Hello, I like your coat" or a discussion about the weather. Those icebreakers will give you the time to feel comfortable and help you open the floor for future conversations.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It can be attending a book club or maybe just enjoying a cup of coffee. Making new friendships means learning about someone and sharing stories about each other's life. Think of your new friendship as a plant. In order to grow, you have to water it and provide it with sunlight. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you want to make new friends, you have to be willing to make the effort. Keep in mind that some people are more outing than others and it's okay to be reserved(矜持). But it's necessary to make use of opportunities to develop your newly-found friendship.

    One thing to be cautious about, when you meet new people, is to be always genuine(真诚的).{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you don't like fishing or running, then don't pretend that you do just so someone will be friends with you. Find people that share common interests and goals and build your friendship. Then you'll find it's much easier to keep friendships.

A. Friendships are quite similar.

B. Friendships are great support systems.

C. In most cases, you are your biggest road block.

D. Be true to yourself and don't be someone that you are not.

E. However, making new friends is much easier said than done.

F. Building new friendships means spending quality time together.

G. Then find a common ground and build your friendship around that.

    Word travels quickly in the small fishing village of Port Washington, Wisconsin. So when Mardy McGarry wanted to build a playground for kids with special needs, she knew it wouldn't take long to create interest in the project. But she never expected that a third of the town people would join in it.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    "A lot of learning comes through play," says McGarry, a special education teacher for 28 years. She'd seen the wood chips and sand of traditional playgrounds stop wheelchairs dead in their tracks.

    When a piece of land became available, the city council agreed to choose a part for a playground.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}She asked classrooms of kids for their wish list. She also asked experts for help. And she brought on board her friend Sue Mayer, whose eight-year-old son, Sam, has a serious disease.

    Her Kiwanis Club chapter came through with $ 7,000, and that's when the grassroots movement really got started. One woman gave $ 25,000 and had her company donate the same amount.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}There were silent auctions(拍卖) and T-shirt sales. The local Pieper Family Foundation offered to donate half of the remaining $170,000 balance if McGarry could raise the rest. The $ 450,000 covered materials, but the actual construction would cost an additional $ 900,000. Not a choice. But the community could build it.

    On September 16, 2008, the first day of construction, they came. Two women heard about the project on the radio on the way to work and took the day off to help.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Ten-year-olds sanded surfaces.

    Today, Possibility Playground is one of the most popular destinations in Ozaukee County. There's a giant pirate ship, a rock-climbing wall, high and low rings, monkey bars, sandboxes, swings, slides, bridges and so on.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}It's exactly what McGarry wanted. People used to ask why she wanted to build a playground just for children with disabilities. "They didn't get it. It's only when you build a playground for children with disabilities that you build one for all children," she said.

A. Soon smaller businesses were helping.

B. All children play shoulder to shoulder.

C. But her students were too often left out.

D. Everyone thought it was really a great wonder.

E. A couple in their 80s operated their own trucks.

F. McGarry started researching play equipment and contacting design firms.

G. They rolled up their sleeves and used their weekdays to bring her idea to life.

How to Find Something You Like to Do

    Finding something you enjoy doing can improve the quality of your life and reduce your stress levels.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It can also help you make friends or even provide a purpose in your life. Then how can you find something you like to do?

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Some hobbies, such as albums and gardening, can take up a lot of time. Other hobbies, such as video games or reading, can be done at your own pace and do not require any extended time.

    Research the hobby or activity you would like to get involved in. Find out how much time and money you will need to devote to starting and continuing the activity. For example, some sports—related interests might require special equipment. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Your local library or phone book should also have information on hobbies and activities in your area.

    Talk with other people who are involved in some of the activities you are interested in.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Ask if you could tag along (跟随) to a meeting or spend some time with this person while he is involved in his hobby to see if it is something you would enjoy.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Challenge yourself to try a new activity you are interested in for a week or so. Allow yourself to learn about the hobby and determine whether you will enjoy the activity or not.

A. Think about how a hobby benefits you.

B. A hobby can connect you with other people.

C. Take a chance on a hobby and see how it turns out.

D. Think about how much free time you can devote to a hobby.

E. You can find information about hobbies and interests on Find My Hobby's website.

F. You can get first—hand knowledge by interviewing someone about a particular hobby.

G. It takes a long time and energy to decide whether a particular hobby is right for you.

Starting a club of some kind at school can be difficult. But with a good idea, some active friends, and the right knowledge, you can pull it off. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

Decide whether you really want to start a club. Once you have strong enough support from your friends and fellow students, you're ready to go.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Find an advisor for your club. Pick someone who will help you organize events for your club.

Find a place. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you want to do this,  talk to your headteacher to apply (申请) for a classroom.

Decide when to meet. Decide how often your club should meet, and then pick a convenient time and day when most club members will be free.

Advertise your club at school. Make bright, colorful informative posters (海报) that will attract attention. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

Plan volunteering events. You can decide on events yourself, or hold a meeting to get your club's opinion. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Have fun. What's the point of having a club if it's no fun? Don't take yourself too seriously and be sure to have a sense of humor.