Talking 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 youunderstand 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（否则）, 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.

    We often close ourselves off when painful events happen in our lives. Instead of letting the world soften us, we let it drive us deeper into ourselves. We try to ignore the hurt and, pain, but we can't hide from ourselves. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The tips listed below can help you open your heart more fully and completely.

    Breathe into pain

    Whenever a painful situation arises in your life, try to face it instead of running away.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  When the sadness strikes, take a deep breath and accept it. By using our breath we soften our experiences and allow more newness.

     {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    We're often confused at the next step to take. Actually, we can try a new decision making process. To start this process, we may ask, “Heart, what decision should I make here? What action feels the most right?” See what comes up, then put it into practice and evaluate the outcome.

Spend time alone

    For most of our lives we're surrounded by people: our friends, family members, and strangers.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  When you spend time in solitude（孤独）, you're free from the influences of other people. It might be painful at first, but eventually you'll add a whole new layer of depth and understanding into your life.

    Get outside of yourself

     {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But in reality, they actually work hand-in-hand. After you've explored the depths of yourself, you come away with a new understanding.

    Now, it's time to share that -not through telling others, but through being with others.

A. Have a light heart.

B. Ask your heart what it wants.

C. Is there anything I'm hiding from myself?

D. How often do we really spend time alone?

E. This may seem a little contradictory to the last tip.

F. We should open our hearts and take action to heal the wounds.

G. When we run away from sadness, it gets stronger and more real.

Ways to Save Money While Traveling

    Who doesn't like to save money when possible? Traveling can be expensive, but with the right strategy you can bring down the cost. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Look for free activities. If you do a little research, you'll see there are often lots of free activities in the area. Look at community calendars to see what is going on in town while you are there. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Museums often have a "pay what you can" day once a week and sometimes have discounted admission after a certain time of the day.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Although some people might not like to cook while on vacation. I don't mind making breakfast in my room. I love having a cup of coffee, but room service can be very expensive. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}A microwave and fridge will also be helpful for reheating leftovers.

    Shop at farmers' markets and local stores. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Also, shopping at local stores allows you to taste the local cuisine without having to pay the price of a restaurant.

    Buy some local fish and cook it up at your condo(公寓).

    What are your tips for saving money while traveling？

A. Rent an apartment instead of having to get two rooms.

B. Book a room with a refrigerator, microwave or kitchen area.

C. Try these tips on your next vacation and your wallet will thank you.

D. I try to never eat at attractions because they tend to raise the price.

E. Do a self-guided walking tour to make yourself familiar with your destination.

F. I'd rather eat in the room for breakfast and lunch and then splurge (挥霍) on a delicious dinner.

G. Farmers' markets often lower the price of their food towards the end of the day.

    With self-service facilities – supermarkets, to name one – beginning to appear all the time, we're now relying on integrity more than ever.

    Integrity – the quality of doing the right thing no matter if anyone is watching or not – has been highly valued in China since ancient times. And the phrase“立木取信”probably best explains how integrity works in the relationship between people and the ruling of a nation.

    This phrase comes from the Warring States period (475-221 BC), during which China wasn't yet a unified country and was constantly at war. States carried out reforms to make themselves stronger, with the most thorough and influential one being the reform of the State of Qin, introduced by statesman Shang Yang (395-338 BC).

    Shang's reform focused on farming and giving rewards to soldiers who fought hard during wars. But at first, people had little trust and confidence in Shang.

    So he decided to prove himself by putting a wooden pole at the south gate of the capital of Qin, offering those who took the pole to the north gate a reward of 10 gold pieces, before long raising it to 50. When a man did as he said, Shang paid him 50 gold pieces as promised. Word soon spread, and people began to realize that Shang was a man of his word. The reforms were finally pushed forward.

    Today, integrity still plays an important role in Chinese society, which is why it's included as one of the 12 core socialist values in China.

    China is also planning to build a social credit system by the year 2020, which will keep citizens' misbehaviors –- even minor traffic violations – on record, so that trust can be established among people.

    “Without a system, a conman can commit a crime in one place and then do the same thing again in another place. But a credit system puts people's past history on the record. It'll build a better and fairer society,” explained Wen Quan, a blogger who writes about technology and finance, to BBC News.

    Imagine a child standing on a diving board four feet high and asking himself the question: "Should I jump?" This is what motivation or the lack of it can do. Motivation and goal setting are the two sides of same coin. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Like the child on the diving board, you will stay undecided.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} More than that, how should you stay motivated to achieve the goal? First, you need to evaluate yourself, your values, your strengths, your weaknesses, your achievements, your desires, etc. Only then should you set your goals.

    You also need to judge the quality and depth of your motivation. This is quite important, because it is directly related to your commitment. There are times when your heart is not in your work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} So, slow down and think what you really want to do at that moment. Clarity(清晰) of thoughts can help you move forward.

    Another way of setting realistic goals is to analyze your short and long term objectives, keeping in mind your beliefs, values and strengths. Remember that goals are flexible. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They also need to be measurable. You must keep these points in mind while setting your goals.

    Your personal circumstances are equally important. For example, you may want to be a pilot but can't become one because your eyesight is not good enough. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}You should reassess your goals, and motivate yourself to set a fresh goal.

    You will surely need to overcome some difficulties, some planned, but most unplanned. You cannot overcome them without ample motivation. Make sure that you plan for these difficulties at the time of setting your goals.

A. This can affect your work.

B. So how should you motivate yourself?

C. However, this should not discourage you.

D. So why should we try to set specific goals?

E. They can change according to circumstances.

F. Motivation is what you need most to do a good job.

G. Without motivation, you can neither set a goal nor reach it.

    AL's friend Rachel invited him to go to the lake for the day with her family. Rachel really hoped he'd say yes.

    AL turned Rachel down. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} He worried that her family and others at the lake would see what he saw when he looked in the mirror a strange excuse for a man.

    The truth about guys.

    Many people think of guys as being carefree when it comes to their appearance. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Guys might think that they shouldn't worry about how they look, but body image can be a real problem for them. Unlike girls, guys are less likely to talk to friends and relatives about their bodies and how they're developing. Without support from friends and family, they may develop a negative self-image.

    Why is body image important?

    Body image is a person's opinions, thoughts, and feelings about his or her own body and physical appearance. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Body image is part of someone's total self-image. So how a guy feels about his body can affect how he feels about himself. If he gets too focused on not liking the way he looks, a guy's selfesteem can take a hit.

    How does puberty （青春期）affect body image?

    Although body image is just one part of our self-image, during the teen years, and especially during puberty, it can be easy for a guy's whole self-image to be based on how his body looks.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    It could be in your genes (基因).

    Lots of guys can have high expectations for puberty, thinking they'll develop quickly or in a certain way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You can look at your uncles, grandfathers, and even female relatives, to get an idea of the kinds of choices your genes may have in store for you.

A. You may hear a lot about being a tough guy.

B. He like Rachel, too, but was self-conscious about taking off his T-shirt.

C. Having a positive body image means feeling pretty satisfied with the way you look.

D. The good news is that self-image and body image can be changed.

E. But the reality is that a lot of guys spend plenty of time in front of the mirror.

F. The best way to approach your own growth is to look at everyone in your family.

G. That's because our bodies are changing so much during this time that they can become the main focus of our attention.