Save Your Time, Money and Stress with Savvy (懂行，悟性）Rental Car Strategies

    Renting a car can be expensive, confusing, and stressful — but it doesn't have to be. Here are several helpful strategies to save money, time, and stress on your next (and every) car rental.

Sign Up for Loyalty Programs

    Rental car loyalty programs are free to join, so register for any programs you might use in the future. My favorite car rental loyalty program benefit is that I can skip the counter and head right to my reserved car. Some programs allow members to choose a car from the available pool. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Optimize Your Strategy

    Do you really need a rental car from the airport? For instance, if your flight arrives at night, take a free hotel shuttle and pick up your car the next day. The car rental location might even be at your hotel or can pick you up (or deliver the car to you).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

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    For a city trip, you may not even need a rental car. Research whether mass transit（运输）, taxi, Uber, bike rental, and other transportation methods will suffice(足够）. Parking charges at downtown hotels may cost more than your car rental rate, so it may be doubly in your favor to give up a rental car. In some locations, a bike might be more efficient and economical than a car.

 Search for Specials

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In conjunction（结合）with your personal discount code, you may also find a last-minute rate, free rental day, or other promotion. My favorite annual travel deal is driving a car one-way out of Florida after Spring Break with rates as low as $1 per day.

Consider Alternative Rental Options

    Major car rental companies might have an associated discount brand at your rental location, like Firefly for Hertz.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

    An independent or smaller local agency may fit your needs; like A1 or Lucky Owl in Honolulu. Many people prefer to check rates on Hotwire and Priceline, especially for last-minute rentals.

A．Rental rates are likely lower away from the airport, plus you might save the cost of an entire rental day.

B．I use discount-finding websites to track my car reservations.

C．Smaller brands, like Thrifty and Fox, might offer better service and lower rates.

D．In addition to saving time and offering freedom of choice, loyalty members earn points and receive special promotions.

E．Check car rental company websites for current specials.

F．Skip the Car

G．Use a bike

Planning a September trip to France

    September is one of the very best months to visit France．Not only will you enjoy plenty of sunshine and warm weather, but the tourist season is beginning to wind down-which means cheaper airfares, lower prices at hotels, and fewer crowds．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ●Go wine tasting

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And there are plenty of wine-related events and festivals around the country．So September is a great time to visit the vineyards around the country and go wine tasting．The Bordeaux, Loire and Burgundy regions are all lovely and great places to visit vineyards．Besides that, going to the castles of the Loire region in between visiting vineyards on such warm and Sunny days is also very enjoyable．

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    The temperatures are slightly lower，but plenty of sunshine makes for perfect conditions to enjoy a barge cruise on the canals of France．With such comfortable weather and beautiful scenery at this time of year, nothing equals hanging out on the deck of a barge．

    ●Visit the museums

    Many museums in France have extended opening hours during the summer to accommodate the extra tourists and locals. And some museums also have extended opening hours into September．Wandering around the Louvre will take you into a wonder world，where you can enjoy the world-famous art． {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Besides the above，riding a bike through France's villages is also a welcome activity for young visitors in September．You call shop for the most fashionable clothes or goods here．You can see the beautiful and fantastic scenery along the road．{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A．Take a barge cruise.

B．Enjoy the music concerts.

C．So, don't hesitate and start to plan your September trip to France flow!

D．France is a beautiful country．

E．September is the beginning of the grape harvest season in France．

F．Going out of the Louvre, you can walk to the modern and fashionable Champs Elysees to do some shopping．

G．If this is your first trip to France, here is some handy information to help you get started planning your vacation!

                                   I love Fridays. And so I celebrate Fridays.

    After dropping my son off at school I head to Starbucks to pick up a coffee treat or another. Then instead of driving straight home I take a long route through the most beautiful roads I can find. I see footballs being passed on lawns, hamburgers being thrown on grill（烤架）, and parties everywhere swinging into action.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The o0ther day I came out from the doctor's office happy over a positive prognosis（预断）. Seeing the signs of spring around me-flowers, birds, sunshine, I was suddenly ready to celebrate. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    My mind rebelled. “What are you doing? It's Tuesday! Coffee treats are reserved for Fridays!”{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Why should Fridays be any more special than any other day of the week? Why waste six days while waiting to celebrate the seventh? Minutes later I was walking back to my car with a big smile on my face and a coffee in my hand.

    A small victory, to be sure, but it's also an accurate example of how many of us live our lives. We're waiting for conditions to be right before we allow ourselves to enjoy our time here on earth. Maybe when we finally graduate from college and get a job, it will be time to celebrate, or perhaps when our babies are old enough to be in school all day. We'll celebrate when the car is paid off, or enjoy life when we're finally able to retire. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} What if we moved a little of that “Friday feeling” into our rainy-day Mondays, our dull Tuesday and our mid-week Wednesdays? {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Are you suffering from FOMO—that is, Fear Of Missing Out? Research shows that a growing number of young people are with worrying reasons for their sleep and schoolwork.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You aren't able to do your best unless you sleep well. Most experts agree that the optimum（最适宜）number of hours is eight, and this has been accepted as common sense for as long as I can remember. However, I was young once and know most of you get much less sleep than that.

    I read an interesting article in a teachers' magazine recently. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Worryingly, the results showed that teenagers are facing a new problem. They may go to bed and get up at appropriate times, but a growing number are waking up in the middle of the night, not to use the bathroom or have a snack, but because of FOMO.

    According to the article, the number of students waking up during the night to check social media is growing. Afraid of missing a comment or opportunity to take part in a chat, teenagers are waking at all times of the night, going online and getting involved. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Experts are worried about this growing trend and the report reveals some worrying statistics: 23% of 12 to 15-year-olds wake up nearly every night to use social media. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} One in third of the students are constantly tired and unable to function to their full capacity.

    So I'd like to ask you to be responsible when it comes to social media. Switch off your devices at night. The world won't end and your social media will be waiting to greet you in the morning! {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. But things are getting out of hand.

B. I give you my word that you won't have missed anything important.

C. Another 15% wake up at night once a week for the same reason.

D. They did a study of 848 students in Wales.

E. FOMO is the fear that everyone else is having more fun and more excitement than you.

F. All happens when they should be sound asleep.

G. Everybody knows how important it is for students to get a good night's sleep every night.

How to Cultivate Confidence?

    When faced with a big challenge where potential failure seems to appear at every corner maybe you'll hear this advice: "Be more confident." {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Take the belief that you are valuable, worthwhile, and capable, also known as self-esteem. Confidence turns thoughts into action. It comes from the genes you are born with, the way people get used to treating you as well as the choices you make. While it isn't possible to completely separate these three factors, the personal choices we make obviously play a major role in confidence development. As a result, by keeping in mind certain practical tips, we do actually have the power to cultivate our own confidence.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you're looking for a long-term change, consider the way you think about your abilities and talents. Do you think they are fixed at birth, or that they can be developed? These beliefs mater because they can influence how you act in the face of setbacks, if you have a fixed mindset, meaning that your talents are locked in pace, you might give up, assuming you've discovered something you're not good at. But if you have a growth mindset, and think your abilities can improve, a challenge will become an opportunity to learn and grow. Neuroscience(神经学)supports the Jatter. The connections in your brain do get stronger and grow with study and practice.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Practicing failure is a must. Failure happens.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} J.K. Rowling was rejected by twelve different publishers before one picked up Harry Potter. The Wright Brothers built on history's failed attempts at flight before designing a successful airplane. Studies show that those who fail regularly and keep trying anyway are better equipped to respond to challenges in a constructive way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}So, think of a challenge you want to take on, realize it's not going to be easy, accept that you'll make mistakes, and be kind to yourself when you do. You'll feel the excitement, knowing that whatever the result, you'll have gained greater knowledge and understanding.

A. But what is confidence?

B. So can confidence be easily cultivated?

C. Everyone is possible to encounter failure.

D. Being a talented person is quite necessary.

E. They learn to try different strategies and persevere.

F. Believing in your abilities to improve is the first step.

G. It also turns out that people with a growth mindset are better at dealing with challenges.

What is niksen? In Dutch, "niksen" literally means "to do nothing". Niksen used to have negative associations of laziness.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The world today is more connected and faster. Niksen is allowing ourselves to take time out and consciously switch off, without feeling guilty.

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It enables you to prioritise (优先) yourself and what you need. Often we think we're busy, but who can't take a half-hour break? Niksen brings the same benefits as mindfulness in terms of mental health, sleep, creativity and enhanced focus. It helps the body and brain recover.

Describe some easy ways people can embrace doing nothing?

It might feel awkward at first. Do a relaxation exercise and let your mind wander. There's a Dutch verb, uitwaaien, to "go out in the wind".{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Go out and watch clouds — lie on your back and make up stories. People-watch. Indoors, choose a nice space and make it your own — make it comfortable, add some flowers, sit by the window and watch the day go by.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

How can people ensure that niksen becomes a regular and fulfilling part of their life?

It should be a mindset. Schedule time and give yourself permission to do nothing. Start small — five minutes, ten, half an hour a day, up to a few hours at the weekend. Repeat to yourself, "It's a good thing to do nothing," and practise saying, "no, another time," when you're busy and somebody asks for your help.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It refreshes the mind.

B. How can niksen help people?

C. How did you become an expert in it?

D. Do one thing a day for the purpose of it.

E. I write about mindfulness and psychology.

F. But it's been reinterpreted as a positive practice.

G. Single-focus crafts such as knitting or sewing can be a helpful first step.