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.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Second,your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you,are studying for a test.Third,note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.Whenever or however you take notes,keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts arid ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Note any questions or idea you may have about what was said or written.

    As you take notes,you may want to use your own shorthand（速记）.When you do,be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Use words,not complete sentences.

B.There are three practical note-taking methods.

C.You must write your notes on separate paper.

D.Otherwise,you may not be able to read your notes later.

E.You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F.That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

G.First,the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

    Humor plays an important role in relationships. In new relationships, humor can be an effective tool not just for attracting the other person but also for overcoming any awkwardness or embarrassment.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Sharing the pleasure of humor creates a sense of connection between two people. When you laugh with one another, you create a positive tie between you. This tie acts as a strong buffer(缓冲) against stress, disagreements, disappointments, and bad patches in a relationship. And laughter really is infectious.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} But don't worry if you're not naturally a lighthearted, humorous person—you can learn to access your playful side and develop your sense of fun.

    Like any tool, humor can be used in negative as well as positive ways. Humor can only help you overcome relationship problems when both partners can understand the joke.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If your partner or friend isn't likely to appreciate the joke, don't say or do it. Humor in relationships should be equally fun and enjoyable for both people.

Don't use humor to cover up other emotions.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} That's when it is used as a cover for avoiding, rather than coping with, painful emotions. You can be funny about the truth, but covering up the truth isn't funny. When you use humor and playfulness as a cover for other emotions, you create confusion and mistrust in your relationships.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The important thing is to find enjoyable activities that help you embrace your playful nature with other people. As humor and play become an unseparated part of your life, you'll begin to find daily opportunities for using your new-found skills to help build and maintain your relationships.

A. Humor can help you and your loved one.

B. There are times when humor is not healthy.

C. It's important to be sensitive to the other person.

D. It's never too late to develop your humorous side.

E. The more you joke, play, and laugh—the easier it becomes.

F. Just hearing someone laugh can make you smile and join in on the fun.

G. In longer-term relationships, humor can keep things exciting and fresh.

    A good training partner can be a great asset (有用的人) to your training but if you get stuck with a bad one, it could lead you down the road to frustration. Be selective when choosing a training partner. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Dependable. Choose someone who you are sure will show up for every scheduled workout or who will call you if they can't make it. It is a drain (消耗) on your valuable energy especially before training to have to constantly remind your partner.

    Attitude. Get a partner with a positive attitude. This is very important. If they constantly say that something is impossible or that they can't or you can't do something, you may end up believing them.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Open mind. Get a partner with an open mind.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In every partnership, one person will tend to be the leader. The leader should take into account the needs and feelings of the other partner not totally ignoring them.

    Spotting. Get someone you feel comfortable with spotting you. One of the main roles of a training partner is spotting and if you don't trust them, there's not much point in having them around to help.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you are a beginner, try to find someone who knows what you are doing. You will get more out of your training than if you train with another beginner.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In the end, it is really up to you whether or not you need a training partner.

A. Training level.

B. Similar strength levels.

C. Here are a few things to look out for.

D. Find someone with a similar training goal with you.

E. Do not train with someone who is satisfied with no improvement.

F. While there are a number of advantages of having a training partner, there are also advantages of working alone.

G. Someone who has to do things his or her way all the time, will not listen to you and will not change his or her mind isn't a good partner.

    Make sure your estate(财产) plan keeps up with life changes

    Few things are as important as estate planning. If you don't handle your business while you're alive, the ramifications(影响) can run deep and wide long after you're gone.

    Estate planning may seem discouraging because it deals with issues of aging. Or maybe you think estate planning is only something folks like Bill Gates do. It's for everybody. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here's how.

    What's an estate plan? Think of estate planning as a set of legal documents that spell out who gets your possession when you die, who you want to make medical decisions, who should make financial decisions on your behalf, and more. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    This is not a one-shot deal. It's great that you finally got your will done, have your medical directives in place, and gave someone power of attorney. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Life is changing. Your documents should keep pace with change.

    “Remember to update beneficiaries on life insurance policies after the first spouse(配偶) dies,” says Martin Levine, chief financial officer for 4Thought Financial Group in Syosset.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Get help. This is one time when DIY probably isn't a good idea. Talk to a financial adviser, preferably one with expertise in estate planning.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Don't assume that establishing joint tenancy (sharing ownership in personal property, such as a home) or joint ownership over financial accounts is enough to protect your assets.

A. Make no assumptions.

B. But, you're hardly finished.

C. Decide to do it, and to avoid unexpected consequences.

D. It is difficult to choose a right heir before your death unless they are your closest ones.

E. Ideally, it will make things easier for your heirs(后继人) at a time when they most need it.

F. Finding a reliable agency to deal with your possessions is a wise choice when planning estate.

G. The birth of a child and divorce are other life events that will require updating estate planning documents.

Green: More than just a colour

    Green is an important colour in nature. It is the colour of grass and the leaves on trees. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Sometimes, the word green means young. fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe or finished.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}A person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.

    The Green Revolution is the name given some years ago to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The Green Revolution was the result of hard work by agricultural scientists who had green thumbs.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The green－eyed monster is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is an expression used about four hundred years ago by British writer William Shakespeare in his play Othello.

    In most places in the world，a green light is a sign to move ahead. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}In everyday speech, a green light means approval to continue with a project. We want you to know we have a green light to continue this series next week.

A. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation.

B. Someone is also the colour used to describe the powerful emotion, jealousy.

C. Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb.

D. A green light on a traffic signal means your car can continue on.

E. The new plants produced much larger crops

F. It is also the colour of most growing plants.

G. About one hundred years ago, having a green thumb was a popular expression in the American west.