It is easy to keep your spirits bright when life is going along smoothly and good news seems to turn up at every turn. It is an entirely different picture when life goes off course or bad news appears. The question then becomes: How do we keep our spirits bright throughout the different stages of life? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Get Enough Sleep

    It wasn't until I became a mother that I realized how important a good night's sleep truly is. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Sleep is such an amazing gift to recharge and start.

Back to Basics（基本）

    When I feel tired with too much to do, I love to put on my shoes and get outside for a run. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Getting back to basics can include things like: getting outside, having real conversations with real people, enjoying a meal with a loved one or doing an activity that brings you joy.

    Time Management

    If life feels like it is out of control and you can't keep up, see what happens when you try to manage your time. There are many time management systems out there that can help. Have event reminders（提醒）on your phone and computer. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Start your day by writing a list of what you plan to achieve. And sometimes we also need to let go of things that aren't important.

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    Keeping our deepest desires and dreams alive is the very fuel that keeps our spirits bright. Give yourself the gift of having goals and dreams, and don't allow fear to have a say in how big your dreams may be.

A. Dream Big

B. We can keep your spirits bright anytime

C. Set an alarm to remind you to leave early

D. Try out the following if they sound like a fit for you

E. For this reason, I should never feel tired in the outside

F. Getting enough pillow time has a way of making us feel more human

G. There's something about nature and fresh air that gets my stress away

    Experts are always advocating the health benefits of biking. And while the barrier to entry is low-pretty much all you need to know to start cycling is how to ride a bike itself-people often ask me if I have any tips for beginner bikers.

    Below, a few things I've learned along the way that help make for a safer and more joyful ride:

    Follow the rules of the road. Brake at yellow lights, stop for pedestrians and maintain a solid distance from cars.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Therefore, never fly through stop signs, approach too close to the front vehicles or shout at cars.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}A British doctor recently made headlines when he claimed that wearing a bike helmet is actually more dangerous than traveling without one, but most research suggests otherwise. A full 98 percent of bike commuters （上班族）own a helmet, so you'll be in good company, anyway.

    Make a playlist. Laws against riding with headphones vary from state to state, and it's never proper to listen to music in more than one ear. But cruising around to a soundtrack can be an amazing feeling, so consider buying a wireless speaker you can fix on your frame.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Know your rights. If you do end up getting into a collision, stay on the scene until the police come.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Cyclists are too often taken advantage of in bad situations, especially if their injuries don't seem to be apparent.

    Find some friends. As great as it can be to bike alone, zipping down the street in a big group is an equally satisfying experience.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Various bicycle trips are often organized, which provides opportunities to develop friendship among bikers.

A.Be sure to get a helmet.

B.It's necessary you give them an accurate report of the incident.

C.Most cities have enough resources for the cycling community.

D.Most of us will feel it obviously safer to ride on a bike than in a car.

E.Then put together a list of your favorite tunes and get ready to enjoy them.

F.Pushing to the limit not only gives bikers a bad reputation, but also a great danger.

G.It' s comforting to know that whatever I need is nothing more than a bike ride away.

    When home is far away, the sense of ease and belonging that so many people feel can transform into painful feelings of longing, commonly known as homesickness. Along with feelings of insecurity, loss of control and nervousness, physical effects, including sleep issues, tiredness and loss of appetite, are also caused by homesickness.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Check them out below:

    Realize that feeling homesick is 100 percent normal.

    Almost everyone experiences homesickness when moving to a new place—some people might just be better at hiding it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Homesickness is a normal and evolutionarily healthy reaction.

    Make connections with new people in comfortable settings.

    Feeling homesick when separated from loved ones motivates people to be with those supportive people.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} When making new connections, it's best to stick to the style that works for you in order to ease homesickness.

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    This point is vital and also one of the hardest to accomplish. Self-compassion is loving yourself just as you love the ones you care about. The most important step in practicing self-compassion is substituting negative, critical and, sometimes, automatic thoughts about yourself with thoughts that are more supportive and kind.

    Keep tabs on your negativity.

    It's also useful to ask yourself how much of your homesickness is due to an event, such as being separated from loved ones, and how much is from how you're understanding a situation.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}A positive outlook on a situation can do wonders for your mood, but it often can be hard to practice. You can silence negative thoughts in many ways, including reciting positive mantras（祷文）, keeping a journal or even taking a walk in a park.

    If you're dealing with feelings of homesickness, remember you're not alone. Even though there's no place like home, give yourself some time and care, and you might find yourself falling in love with a new place.

A. Learn to help others.

B. Practice self-compassion.

C. Being homesick is abnormal.

D. Being homesick is not a sign of personal shortcoming.

E. We gathered a few psychologist-backed tips to help ease homesickness.

F. Taking a step back is recommended, instead of falling into the trap of a negative outlook.

G. But keep in mind that everyone is different when it comes to forming those new relationships.

Tips for taking care of friendships

    Some people are meant to come and go from your lives quickly. Other friends may grow with you as your life changes. One way to keep friendships of any level strong is to take good care of them.

    Send handwritten notes

    Just find a note card, write something by hand, and then mail it. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Since electronic communication is becoming popular these days, a handwritten note can really make an impression.

    Be active in contacting friends

    Many people call up friends only when they need something. The problem with this is it makes it look as if you don't really care about your friend. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Regularly check in with your friends so they know you are sincere.

    Call up friends

    Electronic communication is great, but there is nothing like hearing your friend's voice to give you a lift. Make a point to call up friends and check in with them. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Just a few minutes every month can make a difference in your friendship.

    Give meaningful gifts

    Put some thought into the gifts you give a friend. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In fact, often the smallest but most thoughtful ones are the biggest hit.

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    People who argue from time to time actually have healthier friendships than those who never discuss their points of conflict（冲突）. Learn how to argue in a healthy way and work through the issues in your friendship.

A. Talk things out

B. Get together with friends

C. The phone calls don't have to be long

D. The presents don't have to be large or expensive

E. This will really stand out in your friend's mailbox

F. Discuss your issues with the goal of making your relationship healthier

G. Remember to call up friends or send an email to see how they are doing

    The USA is a society formed by many different immigrant cultures that produced a new and mixed culture. Most Americans celebrate different customs which started in other countries and start several new traditions and cultures. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They tend to live independently, and communicate directly, honestly and informally with their families, friends and colleagues.

    Americans always keep advancing with the times. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In America, it is relatively common for both parents to work, and American women are equal partners in marriage.

    In the USA, the most common family unit consists of the parents and children living under one roof. Most American children are taught to compete, through organized sports and education, as well as speak out their minds and have confidence to stand up for what they believe in. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Many immigrant families also feature several generations living under one roof, with younger family members respecting the elders' needs and valuing their opinions.

    When people from different cultures get married and have children, they may have issues when it comes to maintaining their unique traditions and mixing shared customs at the same time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} However, with a little effort, children in these families can benefit from having both outlooks and traditions. Children who are raised bilingually can also benefit in future careers and learn to make decisions better than monolingual kids.

A. Many Americans find happy life is important.

B. They are also taught to respect their parents at all costs.

C. It can be a challenge to find the perfect balance between cultures.

D. According to socialists, the American family culture has many unique aspects.

E. American children refuse to follow their parents' advice and always argue with them.

F. Changing rather than sticking to tradition is considered by many Americans as improvement.

G. The difference is easy to deal with if parents can meet halfway and stand in the other's shoes.

    Children start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy, as there's no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that, after asking a question, adults typically wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, children can give more logical, complete and creative answers.

    Watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don t jump in with "That's right" or "Very good". {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. But in talking about science, quick praise can signal that discussion is over. Instead, keep things going by saying "That's interesting or "I have never thought of it that way before", or coming up with more questions or ideas. Never force a child to think. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, as children are always thinking, without your telling them to.

    What's more, giving them freedom to think can turn a conversation into a performance. The child will try to find the answer you want, in as few words as possible, so that he will be a smaller target for your disagreement.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lesson children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass (放大镜) and they'll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates (蒸发), set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop.