The Lost Rules of Etiquette

        Etiquette, or good manners, used to be the glue that held society together.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Sadly, these days it has mostly gone by the wayside. This list is several best rules of etiquette that have now disappeared.

Opening the Door

        In days gone by, a gentleman would always open doors for ladies.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}This has now almost entirely disappeared and it is pot entirely the fault of the men. I have seen women laugh at men for opening a door for them. They seem tobe confusing manners with chauvinism(大男子主义)．

Writing Thank-You Notes

        In days gone by, whenever a personreceived a gift, they would write a thank-you note as soon as possible.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Parents would sit children down after a birthday or Christmas and coach them in theirfirst thank-you note. It is a shame that gift giving has now become a virtualobligation and the idea of a thank-you note would be laughed at.

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        We seem to have completely lost theconcept of correct timing when it comes to parties these days.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} After all, aparty normally has a guest of honor-this is usually the oldest woman present.It was considered extremely rude in the past to leave a party before the guestof honor-and once the guest of honor left, it was a signal to all that theyshould begin their own preparations to leave.

A. Arriving on Time.

B. Leaving at the Right Time.

C. People leave with various excuses.

D. It enabled people  to get on well with each other.

E. This rule was true even if the giverwas a relative.

F. It could be the lady they weredriving, or a stranger.

G. We've thrown away the concept of aguest of honor at will.

    Everything you do to protect the planet helps all living things, including humpbacks（座头鲸）and other species of whales that live in oceans worldwide. And yes－just one kid, like you, can make a difference.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Don't litter. Rubbish thrown away carelessly outside often washes into storm drains（排水沟）, which empty into rivers and eventually flow to the oceans.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}including whales.

    Say, “No bag, thank you.” Whether you're buying toys, snacks, or clothes, tell the checkout person you don't need a bag.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}you'll help reduce the 100 million plastic bags that each year block sewers（下水道）, and get swallowed by whales, sea turtles, and other wild life.

    Plant a tree.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}They produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide（二氧化碳）, a gas that animals, including humans, produce naturally as they breathe. But because carbon dioxide also comes from cars and factories, there is too much of it in the atmosphere, which is contributing to global warming. If everyone planted one tree, those trees would remove a large amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Every time you leave a room for more than a minute, turn off the light you're using. In this way, you save energy and keep greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

    Try the family challenge! Many streams and rivers are polluted and littered with rubbish. You and your family can help preserve the waterways by joining others in your community to pick up rubbish.

A．Trees help clean the air we breathe

B．Turn off the light

C．Avoid driving cars

D．By carrying your own reusable bag

E．Treat them like friends

F．Here are ideas for easy small things you can do

G．Pollution is a growing problem for all the Earth's oceans and its wildlife

    To meet the global climate crisis that is approaching, big lifestyle changes are required of those of us. The good news is that our way of life can remain meaningful and worthy as our consumption becomes sustainable(可持续发展的).

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Eat less meat and move toward a plant-based diet. This is one of the most effective things we can do because the food we now produce and consume is destroying the very ecosystems that we depend upon for survival. Here are some of the grim facts.

    The U. S. uses about one-half of its land for agriculture.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, the U. S. uses over 90 million acres of good agricultural land to produce corn, which is mostly fed to livestock(家畜).

    With 7.6 billion people on earth, the demand for food is enormous and constantly on the rise. It's easy to feel we can't make a difference{#blank#}3{#/blank#}We should not ignore the power of the choices we make.

    Even one person can make a big difference by eating less meat and moving toward a plant-based diet and make contributions to the health of the planet as well as your own. Recognize how the food we eat is connected to other living beings. It often helps us make much wiser buying choices.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}This way, we will help people around the world enjoy more eco-friendly and nutritious foods.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}When you change your diet to be more sustainable, you become visible proof that changing our food habits is doable, healthy, and enjoyable.

A. Little things matter in your relationship with the earth.

B. By buying mindfully, we support local, affordable agriculture.

C. But we can change our diet to heal the earth as we heal ourselves.

D. Unfortunately, the majority is used to raise livestock or for crops consumed by them.

E. Your choices create positive impacts on the food system and inspire the people around you.

F. There's one step you can take right away to reduce harm to Mother Earth.

G. We can try to reduce waste by using leftovers and eating the fresh produce we buy.

    If you are like most international students, you are probably comfortable reading and writing in English. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Below are some tips to help you to improve your conversational skills.

    Make friends with American students. Many international students end up making friends with a lot of—or only—other international students. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hanging out with natives not only naturally pushes you to improve your spoken English, but also helps you pick up cultural and social information.

    Learn from American friends. Tell your American friends that you are trying to improve your listening and speaking skills, and would like them to help you. If you pronounce a word incorrectly, or misuse an idiom, you ask them to guide you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Increase your knowledge. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you are familiar with the topics that are likely to be discussed in conversation, you have a much better chance of understanding people when they talk, and of being able to express yourself well.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you have to explain something to someone, you have a strong motivation to pronounce everything as well as you can, and find other ways to explain yourself. Finally, this becomes a good habit. Many people have asked me how I learned to speak English fluently, and I owe most of it to my years of being a math teacher in college for years.

A. It is bad for them to do that.

B. You will make progress this way.

C. Become a teacher at your school, if possible.

D. It's a win－win opportunity for international students.

E. Keep up with news and watch popular shows and movies.

F. Explaining everything in a different way matters.

G. However, you may have trouble in listening and speaking in the language.

    It can be difficult to meet new people and make friends, especially when you move to a new city or find yourself out of your comfort zone. How will you deal with the situation? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}There are several ways that you can meet people that you might not have considered in the past. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}You probably have several acquaintances that you see on a daily basis or a weekly basis. If you get along well with certain people, you can see if this acquaintance would like to go out and do something socially with you. If you have common interests, you might suggest that the two of you do something together that involves your interest.

    Make an effort to accept invitations. Sometimes people that you know may be having a barbecue or other type of social gathering. Try to ensure that you are able to attend and then show up at the appointed time. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you meet people that you click with, you can make a plan to see them again in the future or you can invite your friends to your own event and ask them to extend the invitation to the friends that were at their gathering too.

    Go out, even when you don't feel like it. It turns out that when people invite someone to join them for dinner or a movie or something else, they really want to hang out with you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But once you have used the same methods a few times you will know exactly what works and what does not. Don't give up, everyone is different and it just takes time to get to know people.

A. Expand on current relationships.

B. Trying to make new friends can be annoying at first.

C. Do you work with people that you get along well with?

D. But don't call them several times a day or even several times per week.

E. Be more social and you'll make your life more exciting and fulfilled.

F. If you tend to say “no” often, people will eventually stop asking you to go with them.

G. These types of gatherings often lead to meeting different people who are friends of friends.

    As a senior year student, you may have so many pressures coming from so many directions that you can't figure out what to do first.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    When you have many things to do and a lot of demands on your time, you can lose sight of what's important. One of the best ways to see the big picture – what you want out of life – is to lay out your goals.

    Pressure Points and How to Deal With Them

    Confused or overwhelmed -- {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Discuss your concerns with a friend, parent or teacher. They may help you find solutions to your problems and worries.

    Being too hard on yourself – ease up, take a break and do something you enjoy. Daydream, read a book, go out with friends – anything that helps you relax.

    Problems, problems, problems – recognize your limits. It's too stressful to try to  deal with all your problems at once. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Goal-Setting Tips

    It's important to remember that goals belong to you – not to your parents, your teachers, or your friends. After you've set your goals, identify the skills you have to achieve those goals. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, do some research. Try the library, your guidance adviser and teachers, and other people who could help you.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If your goal is something you no longer want, change it. Identify the barriers to getting your goals. Consider ways to overcome them. Don't get depressed by a big, long-term goal – see what steps you can take to achieve it and set those steps down as short-term, "do-able" goals.

A. Too much to do

B. If you're not sure what skills you'll need

C. talk to someone you trust

D. Goals exist to serve you

E. Balancing goals in life

F. Choose what's most urgent and set aside the rest until later 

G. As long as you know what skill is important and what isn't