How teens can stay fit

    Any type of regular, physical activity can improve your fitness and your health.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Exercise should be a regular part of your day, like brushing your teeth, eating and sleeping. It can be in gym class, joining a sports team, or working out on your own. Keep the following tips in mind:

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} A good attitude is important. Find an activity that you think is fun. You are more likely to stick with it if you choose something you like. A lot of people find it's more fun to exercise with someone else, so see if you can find a friend or family member to be active with you.

    Take it one step at a time.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, walk or ride your bike to school. Get on or off the bus several blocks away and walk the rest of the way. Use the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

    Get your heart pumping. Whatever you choose, make sure it includes aerobic (有氧的) activity that makes you breathe harder and increases your heart rate. This is the best type of exercise because it increases your fitness level and makes your heart work better.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Examples of aerobic activities are basketball, running, or swimming.

    Don't forget to warm up with some easy exercises or stretching (拉伸) before you do any physical activity. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It is also important to stretch out after you exercise to cool down your muscles.

A. Do the activity as often as possible, but don't exercise to the point of pain.

B. The most important thing is that you keep moving!

C. Make physical activity a habit.

D. Small changes can add up to better fitness.

E. Stay positive and have fun.

F. This warms your muscles up and may help protect against injury.

G. It also burns off body fat.

    The holiday season isn't about shopping and gifts.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, holiday travel can be more expensive than gifts. Fortunately, the following tips will help keep your travel spending under control.

    Plan ahead. The earlier you book your travel, from airfare to hotels, the easier it is to find good deals.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Your best prices on airfare come when you book three weeks before the plane leaves for domestic(国内的) flights. For international flights, consider booking 30 days in advance. Many experts point out that you should book travel between one month and three months out for high-traffic holidays.

    Book your air travel on cheaper days. Traveling by air on Tuesdays and Wednesdays often costs less than on Fridays and Sundays. During the holidays, it's not just about a specific day of the week. You also need to consider the days surrounding the holiday but days immediately before and after a holiday can be expensive. One of the best ways to save is to plan your air travel on the day of the holiday.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Consider traveling overnight. Red-eye flights and overnight flights often cost less than those at more convenient times.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  Traveling overnight can help you avoid a night in the hotel, as well as save your money on travel to your destination.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You can't bring liquids with you on the airline, but you can bring sandwiches and other snacks. When you're on the road, you can buy food at local groceries to make your own meals, especially if you have access to（可使用） a microwave.

A. Bring your own food.

B. Consider affordable accommodations.

C. Traveling by plane is not the best choice.

D. Plus, booking earlier can save your money.

E. For instance, traveling on Christmas Day might be a great deal.

F. A great deal of travel also takes place during this time of year.

G. Other choices include sleeper trains as well as overnight ferries.

    I just realized that while children are dogs-loyal and affectionate-teenagers are cats.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You feed it, train it, and boss it around. It puts its head on your knee and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it. However, around age 13, your adoring little puppy(child) turns into a big old cat(teenager). Then when you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died. Instead of following your doorsteps, it disappears.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Not realizing that the dog is now a cat, you think something must be desperately wrong within. Since you're the one who raised it, you assume that you did something wrong. Now you're dealing with a cat. Filled with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Call it, and it runs way. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter.

    Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you can learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}You sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it. One day your grown-up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, "You've been working hard all day. Let me get those dishes for you."{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It's so easy to be a dog owner.

B. Children as cats can turn to their parents.

C. You won't see it again until it gets hungry.

D. Then you'll realize your cat is a dog again.

E. Teenagers can understand and appreciate their parents' love.

F. But remember that a cat needs your help and your affection, too.

G. However, all the efforts made before now produce the opposite of the desired result.

    The goal of homework is to help students remember and understand what they learned in school that day. It can also help teach them independence and time-management and planning skills, which are keys to success in the real world.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are some successful habits of how to do a good job of homework.

Set the stage.

    Your children need a quiet spot to do their homework.This should be the same place every day, whether it is at the kitchen table or at their desk in their room.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}You can take the time to work on a quiet task of your own, whether it's paying bills, reading the newspaper, or planning the next day.

Time it right.

    Homework for young children should be done when your children get home from school, because the information is still fresh in their minds and they have enough energy. Have your kids eat some snacks and talk about their day with you.Then have them start their homework.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

It's not your homework: it's theirs.

    You need to be involved in homework to see what your children are learning and how well they know what they need to know.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}But guide them if they are struggling. You want them to get the feeling of pride and accomplishment on their own.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Let your children know how grown up it is for them to have homework and how proud you are of them. Try to instill (灌输）into them that it is “fun” to be able to do the assigned tasks. Let them show you their work, praise them for finishing their homework, and always do it with a smile.

A. Be hopeful and confident.

B. Get excited and be positive.

C. Be nearby while they do their homework.

D. Be sure not to do the homework for your children.

E. That means the television is shut off, even for you.

F. A small amount of homework also has a great influence on students.

G. Arrange other activities for later in the day so kids can get their homework done first.

    People often say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that's actually quite true.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}After all, making a good first impression is all about making others feel good when spending time with them. The following tips will help you make a positive impression every time.

    Dress appropriately

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}That means dressing up or putting on nice, clean, situation-appropriate clothes for social situations. It isn't difficult and it doesn't have to cost you much, either.

    Be aware of your body language

    Words express very little of what you say. Body language can tell someone a lot about your mood and confidence level.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Eye contact is an easy way to make others feel comfortable, important and special. Nervous body language can make others uncomfortable and anxious. Try to be aware of your body language when communicating with others.

    Respect the opinions of others

    Not everyone will have the same opinion with you, and friendly disagreements can be a gateway to a great conversation. Respect other people's right to have their own opinion. Respect the opinions of others even if you disagree with them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    People love talking about themselves, but generally, you want to be careful of taking over the conversation. By listening carefully to what others are saying, you are not only making them feel important, but you can gather cues you need to keep the conversation going and bridge to new topics.

A. Be a careful listener.

B. Show an interest in every person you meet.

C. Smile especially when first meeting someone.

D. Make sure you look nice whenever you meet someone new.

E. Meeting new people and starting conversations is often challenging.

F. Others will want to be with you and help you make a good impression.

G. Don't force others to believe what you believe or to see things only as you see them.

Guilty Pleasures?

You might have heard of the expression ‘a guilty pleasure'—maybe it's the chocolate bar you buy on the way home from work, or the new clothes that you don't really need. It comes from the idea that when we treat ourselves, it can sometimes leave us feeling guilty. Perhaps we don't feel we deserved it, or we don't think it was a responsible way to spend our money. But should we feel like this? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

Perhaps not. Psychologists have suggested that buying things for yourself can make you feel better as it provides an opportunity to take control of your situation. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It may be that as well as lifting your mood, when you buy a treat, you might just be looking after yourself.

Of course, there are also examples of people turning to destructive behaviour when faced with stressful circumstances. People might spend money that they don't have at all or turn to some dangerous addictions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Self-indulgence can be reckless and have negative consequences, while self-nurturing is taking responsible decisions to satisfy our needs and take care of ourselves in ways that don't have a significant impact.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Many universities publish guides with advice for coping with exam stress. It's essential to reflect the difference between self-indulgence and self-nurture. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They also suggest doing things that you enjoy much and are good at so that you can feel accomplishment and to avoid things that may make you feel worse afterwards.

So perhaps, as long as we make responsible decisions, we shouldn't feel guilty about our guilty pleasures.

A. Do we need to have a guilty or clear conscience?

B. Do we really have to feel guilty about treating ourselves?

C. One stress that people may need to deal with is exam stress.

D. Psychologists recommend rewarding yourself for your efforts.

E. So we should keep a balance between self-indulgence and self-nurturing.

F. It can give you social contact and a confidence boost by changing your image.

G. Psychologist Leon Seltzer considers the difference between self-indulgence and self-nurturing.