Let's Go Skiing

    Skiing can be a good sport. Here is a list of advice for a new skier. It can also be used by would-be instructors to help you give a beginner the best possible skiing experience.

    The biggest complaint of the complete beginner is cold feet. This is because the boots you are using don't fit. Boots should allow you to shake your toes.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But, boots should not allow you to turn your foot side-to-side within the boot. If you can turn your foot inside the boot, you won't have a chance to control your skis.

Try several pairs of boots —not every boot marked the same size is actually the same size (even if they are the same brand and model). This extra effort will be annoying, but worth it.

    Probably fitting ski boots are warm. Do NOT wear very thick socks, or more than one pair of socks inside your boots.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Besides, socks can help here. Bring two pairs of socks for your first outing, a thin pair, and a medium-thick pair. Then choose the socks based on how the boots seem to be fitting. You may even find you wear a thin sock on one foot and a thicker sock on the other because the boots won't match exactly.

    Do NOT wear jeans or sweatpants. You will be falling down in snow and even if it is cold enough to be dry snow, some of it will stick to you and melt. If you get wet, it's over. There's no chance to stay warm. I suggest thick ski pants for beginners. The ski pants will also help keep you warm on the lift. Similarly, your jacket should also be waterproof. It doesn't matter how heavy it is.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Keeping warm isn't so hard. Make sure you read the parts on boots, socks and clothes above.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Remember to start out warm. When you go out into the cold, you should be a little too warm, not quite sweating but close. If your body is warm but your neck, nose or ears are cold, it is always because you left them uncovered.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you are sweating a tiny bit, that's fine. If you are sweating a lot, you are too hot. Your sweat will make parts of you very cold, even while other parts are still too hot. To deal with this, don't be afraid of opening your coat, or removing your hat or gloves, for just a minute, or for the day.

A. Keeping warm can be difficult.

B. Getting too hot can be a problem too.

C. Wear heavy boots and socks together.

D. All the clothes you wear must be waterproof.

E. If you can't shake your toes, then your feet will be cold.

F. If you didn't rent your boots in advance, finding a good fit will be a problem.

G. Apart from this, you have to wear the right amount of clothing and keep moving.

    Sleep and Teens--Biology and Behavior

    How much sleep do teens need? And how much sleep are they realistically getting? Based on current data, most teens need about 9-plus hours to have the best or most suitable sleep night{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Many factors combine to decrease sleep in adolescents. We can think in general of two major factors: biological, the brain processes that regulate the amount and timing of sleep, and behavior, all the psychological, parental, societal, cultural features of teen's life.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}These changes lay the ground work for the biological night to occur later during the teen years than before. Circadian Rhythms (daily biological clock) seems to slow down as young people progress through the middle school years. At the same time, the sleep pressure system appears to change in a way that makes it easier to stay awake longer, though without changing the amount of sleep that is needed.

    Moreover, many teens have a "technological playground" in their bedrooms: television, computer with 24/7 Internet access, telephones, electronic game stations, MP3 players, and so forth. These technologies provide instant and constant contact with peers. Societal and media pressure to consume these technologies is now higher than ever. Yet society also requires that teens go to school at a time of day that is at odds with their biological and social lives. So we see teens turn to caffeine, late-night Internet and cramming in activity after activity as a means to keep awake.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Problems emerge for lack of sleep{#blank#}4{#/blank#}For some, grades begin to suffer as they struggle to keep awake during class and while doing homework. And others may simply feel moody, never knowing how to feel or do their best. Worse still, many teens suffer from both physical and mental illness.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The earlier teens can start this good sleep habit, the easier it will be for them to stay healthy, happy and smart.

A. Sleep experts recommend teens keep consistent sleep and wake schedule

B. Teens may schedule sleep like any other daily activity and make sleep a priority

C. Then they are trapped into a terrible situation where they would never get enough sleep

D. The sleep-wake bio-regulatory factors appear to change significantly during adolescence

E. Some teenagers struggle to wake up in the morning, often resulting in late or missed school

F. Teens may be driven to things that can wake them up because they'll fall asleep if they do not

G. However, it is indicated that most teens fall short of this goal, many by a considerable amount.

    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 items listed below are four tips you can open your heart more fully and completely.

    ⒈Breathe into pain

    Whenever a painful situation arises （出现）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.

    ⒉{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    We're often confused （困惑的）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（评价）the outcome.

    ⒊Spend 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 understanding into your life.

    ⒋Get 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（对立的）to the last tip.

F. We should open our hearts and take action to heal（使愈合）the wounds.

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

How to protect your ears

    You and your friends are leaving a concert on a Friday night. When you get outside, your ears are ringing. You have to shout to be heard. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So no harm done…right?

Not quite. Temporary buzzing may be easy to ignore, but repeated exposure to loud noise will eventually cause serious— and irreversible(无法治愈的)— hearing loss. A new study conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston shows that one in five people between the ages of 12 and 19 are experiencing slight hearing loss, and one in 20 have mild hearing loss. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}But the good news is that there plenty of ways you can protect your ears from further damage — and still listen to the music you love:

    Ask around. Put your earbuds in or your headphones on, and then ask a friend next to you whether or not he or she can hear what you're listening to. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Turn it down.

    Buy noise-canceling headphones. A pair of earbuds or headphones that fits comfortably will limit outside noise so that you can hear your music better at lower volumes.

    Take breaks.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} So when listening to music, take your headphones off for 15 or 20 minutes and let your ears enjoy the quiet.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}You can buy a cheap pair at any drugstore as an easy way to lower volume at concerts — or while playing or practicing your own music — without changing the quality of the sound.

A. Use earplugs.

B. Keep the volume below 70 percent.

C. If the answer is yes, your music is too loud.

D. But by morning, your hearing is totally back to normal.

E. Like every other part of your body, your ears need rest.

F. Unfortunately, there's no way to get back hearing you've already lost.

G. The exposure to noise is louder and longer than in any previous generation.

How to treat your guests at a dinner party

    Almost everyone has attended a dinner party where they felt awkward. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}So it's very necessary to prevent unpleasant party situations for your guests with the following useful tips and find out how to treat your guests at a dinner party.

    As guests arrive, greet them at the door saying "Hello" and ask how they are. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If there is a wine table, show them to the table and allow them to mix with other guests.

    If a guest arrives who doesn't know the majority of the people in the room, announce his presence and introduce him to everyone. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Be modest about your food even if the food is great. And don't apologize either—your guests may think they shouldn't try your food. Serve your guests or allow guests to serve themselves if food has been placed on a serving table. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Make sure that they are as comfortable as possible.

    As you and your guests dine, play a "get to know each other" game. Have the guests go around the room and give a fun fact about themselves, their favorite things to do, where they would like to live and their worst or best cooking experience. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    After the main course is served, offer your guests dessert. Have a dessert wine ready to serve in case a guest would like to pair wine with dessert.

A. This would help him feel more comfortable.

B. This is a great ice­breaker as well.

C. Take their coats, welcome them and make them feel at home.

D. Ask your guests often if they need more food.

E. Choosing a specific theme for your party is definitely a great idea.

F. Still more people remember dinner parties where they didn't have a good time.

G.A great dinner party allows you to enjoy one­on­one time with your guests.

    Psychology says that many are unwilling to take risks. It's human nature to be nervous about putting ourselves on the line, whether physically or emotionally. But it's good for us to do that once in a while, especially when the risk is to achieve a desired result. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Our human nature should be to take risks, but some just sit and wish they would not have the fear to move on because of one or two failures in their lives. Please step out and don't let the past hold you back from living life to the fullest. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    In studying the psychology of taking risks, we find that human nature provides us with the desire to experiment and take chances. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This risk-taking attitude has become a part of our modern culture. Roller Coasters and bungee jumping are two common risk-taking activities that even the average person seems to enjoy despite the logical understanding that danger is not fun. This psychological connection creates an interesting connection between what is safe and what human enjoys.

    Without taking risks, nothing good can happen. Getting in a car each day is a risk. Getting out of bed is a risk.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} We need to take risks so that we can accomplish things. Astronauts take risks when they get inside of a rocket; however, the things they achieve are literally astronomical. Investors take a risk when they buy parts of a company. However, without doing that, they couldn't receive money on their investment.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It is impossible to move forward in life, earn money, enjoy a relationship, play a sport, or do anything else without taking a risk. That is all part of the game. It's not one of the most important parts of life.

A. Move forward and move on.

B. There is no such thing as a perfect safety.

C. In that way, we become stronger and braver.

D. Thus, we will achieve more success in daily life.

E. We need to take risks so that we can gain something.

F. You must spend more time thinking about the strategies of risk.

G. Risk-taking is a benefit that allowed ancient people to discover new places.