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.

    English has been called one of the most difficult languages for non-native speakers to learn. One reason is that English has so many rules.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Sometimes, this leaves learners confused(混淆). For example, the order of words in a sentence can be tricky.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The pronunciation of English words cannot always be judged by their spelling. For example, there are at least six ways to pronounce the group of letters spelled o-u-g-h. And, maybe the worst thing of all is that there are many idioms, or expressions, in English.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    So, it is comforting to know that learning root words can help a non-native speaker use English.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Root words can help you to break down large, new words into smaller units to discover their meanings.

    Learning just one root word can help you understand several words in English.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Then where can a root be found? A root can be any part of a word that carries meaning: the beginning, middle or end. Prefixes, bases, and suffixes are types of roots. The prefix appears at the beginning of a word, the base in the middle and the suffix at the end.

A. A root word is the most basic form of a word.

B. The English have always been fond of all kinds of rules.

C. You could say we use idioms like they're going out of style.

D. And there are almost as many exceptions(例外)of those rules!

E. Most English root words came from the Greek and Latin languages.

F. Another reason why English is hard to learn is the pronunciation of its words.

G. So, by learning 20 or 30 root words, you can increase your vocabulary to hundreds of more new words.

    A good laugh is like a mild workout (锻炼). It exercises the muscles, gets the blood flowing, decreases blood pressure and improves sleep patterns and the immune system. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Don't take life too seriously. We all have obstacles in life and we all make mistakes. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In fact, if you can laugh light-heartedly at your own fault, you'll find that you give yourself that extra happiness and confidence increase that can get you over any obstacle.

    Find the humor in a bad situation. Sure, there are some situations where you are really sad. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The next time you feel the stress levels rising, take a minute to think about the funny side of the situation and laugh over the things you cannot control. This will lower your blood pressure, blood sugar levels and heart rate.

    Remind yourself of funny moments from the past. Perhaps a friend told you a great joke the other day or your children or pets did something amusing. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Sometimes just reliving (重温，再次体验) a funny moment can cause the endorphins(内啡肽), natural painkillers, to kick in.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} As the saying goes, laughter is contagious(会传染的）. So make a point of (重视) seeking out positive people who aren't afraid to laugh at themselves and are good at finding humor in life's situations. Young children are especially skilled at finding laughter and joy in everyday moments.

A. Take control over your emotions.

B. There is no reason to blame yourself for it.

C. However, most situations in life have funny sides.

D. Surround yourself with fun people who like to laugh a lot.

E. The following are some ways to enjoy more laughter and joy in your life.

F. Studies show that people with pets have lower levels of depression and stress.

G. Call on these memories frequently, especially when feeling sad, angry or stressed.

    Your children are watching you. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} According to the Health Program, developing healthy habits is an important part for your children. And when it comes to developing healthy habits, parents influence their children more than anyone else.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} What happens during those early years can influence children for the rest of their lives. This includes some eating and exercise habits. Children are very careful, even at a young age. Children watch what others do carefully and imitate the behaviors of those closest to them. As parents, you should do the following: {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you do that, your children are more likely to be enthusiastic about developing theirs.

    Let your children see you taking care of your own physical health by eating fruit and vegetables. Talk to them about healthy habits in appropriate terms and at a proper time. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Computers, televisions and other forms of technology are a major part of life in the 21st century. Unfortunately, as the use of technology in the home increases, so does the time spent watching TV or playing on the computer. So as parents, you should also arrange the time for your children wisely.

A. Don't get rid of technology, but use it wisely.

B. Take part in physical activities and exercise regularly.

C. Be enthusiastic about developing healthy habits of your own.

D. Your actions are speaking to them louder than your words will.

E. Children prefer to imitate their parents rather than listen to them.

F. This can be helpful to teach your children to form good eating habits.

G. It's easy for the children to form their healthy habits when they are young.

    It's important to learn how we can protect the environment. Here are 5R rules for us.

    Reduce. If you want to reduce waste, you should use things more wisely.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} If everyone uses paper carelessly, soon we would not have any trees left. Other things are also being wasted, and people don't know what to do with the waste in big cities. So it is necessary to reduce the amount of waste we produce.

    Reuse. You should always think of reusing things before throwing them out. For example,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. In a family, you may pass on such clothes to younger brothers or sisters.

    Recycle. Bottles, cans and paper can easily be recycled. By doing so we can save lots of time and money. For example,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. The metal can be used to make new coke cans.

    Recover.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. You have two choices: one is to throw the apples away, the second is to throw the rotten ones and keep the good ones. In this way, you are recovering the eatable parts of food.

    Repair. If one of the legs of your table is broken, you should repair it. If you want to buy something newer and better, it is better for you to sell the old table, or {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Learn the rules to protect our environment. Let's try our best to make the earth cleaner and more beautiful.

A. give the clothes you do not use or the ones which are too small to the poor.

B. coke cans are sent to a factory, where they are smashed flat and melted.

C. A large number of trees are being cut down to make paper.

D. Trees are planted every year.

E. give it to people who can use it after repairing it.

F. don't throw it away if you can use it.

G. When you buy a box of apples, there may be a few rotten ones.

How to Plan a Holiday Trip

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Whether it's to grandma's house, a family reunion or simply a holiday getaway, these yearly road trips can often be the source of dread and stress. The thought of being trapped in the car with restless children or the possibility of car trouble along the way is enough to make anyone consider staying home. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Plan out the route for your car trip. If you're planning on driving to your holiday destination, a little planning can help make your trip easy and uneventful. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Remember, it's likely that you won't be the only person on the road during the holidays, and traffic is always a factor. Alternate routes or shortcuts can help reduce time spent in traffic jams and get you to your destination sooner. This information can also come in handy in case of road construction or other situations that might block your primary route.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Although traveling by air can be quick and convenient, it can also be much more expensive. Start planning your trip early to take advantage of advance purchase discounts and avoid sold out flights. Many airlines become extremely busy during the holidays so booking in advance can also help ensure that you get the flights that you want. High traffic destinations such as New York, Los Angeles or Atlanta can be extremely crowded during the holidays. If you have the option, consider booking your flight to a nearby airport and renting a car for the short drive to your destination.

    Consider your luggage needs. If you're traveling by car, the issue of luggage is only important with regards to the amount of room needed. Before you begin packing, think about how many people will be in your vehicle and how much room they will need to travel comfortably. This could affect the number of bags that you can take along. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Not only is the possibility of lost luggage an issue, but most airlines now charge extra for checked baggage.

    For a family of four, carrying a few bags each could result in several hundred dollars worth of baggage fees during your trip. Try to pack as lightly as possible.

A. As an alternative to driving or flying, check into the possibility of traveling by train.

B. Plan your trip to avoid peak travel times.

C. Luckily, with a little planning, these situations can be avoided.

D. Book airline tickets.

E. Each year, millions of people load up the family car and set out on a holiday trip,

F. For traveling by air, the number of bags that you take is a much bigger concern.

G. Consider your starting point and desired destination, and investigate several possible routes.