A student's life is never easy.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}A lot of preparations are needed so you can be sure to go back home with a diploma and a bright future waiting for you. The following are some basic things you need to do before seizing your passport and boarding the plane.

    Knowing the country.

    You shouldn't bother researching the country's hottest tourist spots or historical places. You won't go there as a tourist, but as a student. It'll be helpful to read the most important points in their history and to read up on their culture.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}You surely don't want to face legal problems, especially if you're away from home.

    Studying their language.

    Don't expect that you can graduate abroad without knowing even the basics of the language. Before leaving your home country, take online lessons to at least master some of their words and sentences.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Doing this will also prepare you in communicating with those who can't speak English.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Check the conversion（兑换）of your money to their local currency, set up your bank account so you can use it there, get an insurance, and find an apartment. The Internet or your intended school will be very helpful in finding an apartment and helping you understand local currency.

    Remember, you're not only carrying your own reputation but your country's reputation as well. If you act foolishly, people there might think that all of your country men are foolish as well.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}．

A. Packing your clothes.

B. Preparing for other needs.

C. Most importantly, read about their laws.

D. This will be useful in living and studying there.

E. That would surely be a very bad start for your study abroad program.

F. Going with their trends will keep it from being too obvious that you're a foreigner.

G. And it is even more difficult if you have to complete your study in a foreign land.

    As is known to everyone, we all care about what others think of us and want to be liked, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}However, there are also many smaller, simpler things you can do, which can affect how others view you.

    Prove you are paying attention.

    To really show someone your interest in him or her, try bringing up a topic the person mentioned earlier. Did your co-worker talk about working with his son on a science fair project last week? Follow up and ask how it went. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}In fact, sometimes it says more that you can recall and show interest in even the small happening in another person's life.

    Handle criticism in a wise way.

    While you want to be generous with your praise, be careful with your criticism. For example, if someone makes an error, don't call that person out in front of a group. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Anyhow, be always gentle with criticism and only offer it when it's truly needed.

    Ask for advice.

    Asking someone for advice is a great way to get people to like you. It shows that you respect the other individual's opinion.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} When you make someone feel better about himself or herself, that person will most certainly end up liking you for it.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Most people love to talk about themselves. If you are asking questions and getting people to talk about themselves, they'll leave the conversation thinking that you're the coolest.

A. Try to be confident and respectful.

B. Everyone likes to feel needed and important.

C. It doesn't have to be a big, life-changing event.

D. Ask other people about their lives and interests.

E. Always use an individual's name in a conversation.

F. You can discuss your own mistakes before digging into someone else's errors.

G. The basics of getting people to like you are obvious—be nice, considerate and polite.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}It is a new term in today's tourism industry. But in an age of growing environmental awareness, it is not too difficult for us to imagine and understand this new form of holiday.

    Ecotourism, which is considered as a kind of responsible tourism, is typically defined as travel to places where special and unusual plants, animals and cultural heritages are the main attractions. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Therefore, some natural and cultural spots also form a part of ecotourism.

    Ecotourism is developing at great speed. According to a recent report by the World Tourism Organization, ecotourism in recent years has enjoyed an annual growth of about 5% worldwide. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}They included bird watching, hiking, diving, photography and taking part in various kinds of local cultural events.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}However, it looks like some smaller towns and country areas may well become the new destinations for people to visit tomorrow because they are rich in ecological, cultural and historical resource.

    Ecotourism has been gaining increasing recognition and popularity mainly for the relaxing, natural and vivid experience it offers to tourists. People are attracted to nature and long to be close to it. However, a conflict between nature and human beings is unavoidable.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. The definition of ecotourism is beyond words.

B. It takes ecology and culture into consideration.

C. You may not be very familiar with “ecotourism”.

D. More than 80 activities have been listed for ecotourism.

E. People can have great fun enjoying nature through ecotourism.

F. Big cities are still the major places that attract tourists in our society today.

G How to protect natural resources while taking advantage of them is of great importance.

Tips for Using Google Maps When You Travel

    Traveling somewhere new can bring exciting adventures. But it can also bring unwelcome surprises. That may be in the tools you use before and during your trip. With the right technology, you can make the most of your time on the road. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} While people most commonly use Google Maps for directions from one place to another, it offers many other kinds of travel tools. Today, we bring you several tips for using Google Maps.

    ⒈Plan a road trip route

    When you are traveling on a road trip, you do not have to plan each part of the trip separately with Google Maps. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} To plan a road trip, open Google Maps. Search for your first destination, and then click on the arrow to get directions. Then, click on the plus + sign to add more destinations to your trip.

    ⒉Save your maps for offline use

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Or you may not want to pay international charges for using your phone in other countries. The good news is that you can still use Google Maps even without the Internet. You can download a map from Google Maps to your phone. To do this, open the Google Maps app on your phone and search for the area you want to save. Click on the address at the bottom of the screen, then choose Download.

    ⒊Use Google Maps for a walk or bike ride

    While Google Maps may first give users directions to a place by car, it also offers biking or walking directions.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The results also tell you the elevation change of the route, so you know how much energy you will have to use by choosing to walk or ride a bicycle.

    ⒋Save money on gas

    If you are planning a car trip in North America, Google Maps can show you the lowest gas prices in the United States and Canada. Search for “gas stations” on the Google Maps app and you will see a list of nearby stations with gas prices.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Therefore, Google Maps is really a great convenience to tourists.

A. Google Maps has many tech tools that help make traveling easier.

B. When traveling, you may not always have access to the Internet.

C. You can get those directions by clicking the walking or bicycle icon.

D. The “gas stations” on the Google Maps app are sometimes difficult to find.

E. They will also be marked on the map so that you can see the closest ones to you.

F. The apps and maps are of great help when people are going to a store or supermarket.

G. You can search for all of the parts of the trip in order to prepare your route more efficiently.

    After a long day at work, coming home is a breath of fresh air. Home is a comfortable place to sit back and relax. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Below are a number of things we can do to create a healthy home environment that will help to ease the workday stress and promote our physical and mental health.

    Cleaning the house regularly is the first thing we should do. It may seem like a tiring thing to clean but there is a reason for doing so. We can remove dust by cleaning the house. Leaving layers of dust everywhere means that there is a build-up of dust. And where do these layers of dust go?{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Making sure the rooms are full of sunlight is also important. We may not realize it but sunlight is an important part of our growth. We all know that sunlight promotes better working conditions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Think about using a Parans system where sunlight does not reach. This technology gathers the sunlight by using solar panels. It can send out sunlight wherever we are.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Going green will help to remove toxins(毒素)in the air. They also give off oxygen, which can lower stress and improve our moods.

Along the lines of being green, it can also be vital to think about what things we are bringing into the house. Try to avoid specific plastics that are harmful to health. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They may contain poisonous chemicals that can be breathed in, or simple absorbed through the skin.

A. Into our lungs.

B. However, is it as healthy as it can be?

C. Is our home as comfortable as it used to be?

D. It is also a good idea to add more plants in our house.

E. The same thing applies to things like carpets and paint.

F. Besides, it can reduce both stress and high blood pressure.

G. It is acknowledges that a greener lifestyle is linked to better health.

    Ways to Create Calm in Your Daily Life

    Most of us need some space for calm in our lives. A few simple minutes can create much needed moments of calm. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You can use these skills to create calm in your busy schedule.

    Go walking. Walking is perfect and you can do it well anywhere. Simply walking and taking in the view is stress reducing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It makes room for new ideas to take root. Appreciate nature. When we think of nature we think of getting out into the open air, and that's great if you can.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Actually, nature is everywhere. Find a park or a small patch (小块地)of great green, or just stick your head out of the window! You have many ways to appreciate nature.

    Listen to music. Many people listen to music to calm themselves down. Music actually lifts us out of ourselves. Discover what music works for you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Do some activities. Certain activities like yoga and tai chi need quiet focus. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They are good for the body, mind and spirit.

    Classes are a good place to begin, but once you learn the skills, you can practice anywhere: home, school or even on the road.

    Try out some of these ways and you'll soon be practicing "moments of calm".

A. But what if you are in the city?

B. Notice the animals around you.

C. They are perfect for active calming.

D. Music is a way to express the way that they are feeling.

E. It's a time to get stressful thoughts out of your head

F. With enjoyable music even work can be "music to your ears".

G. You don't have to find a mountain to sit on, or empty your mind of all thoughts for hours.