As most of us know, talking and listening don't go smoothly every time. Will parents take you seriously, believe what you say, listen to and respect your opinions? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But some of what happens depends on you, too. Since communication is a two-way street, the way you talk can influence how well a parent listens and understands you. So here are some guidelines to consider when talking to parents:

    Be clear and direct. Be as clear as you can about what you think, feel, and want.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} They can listen better or be more helpful if they understand what you mean and what's really going on.

    Be honest. If you're always honest, a parent will be likely to believe what you say. If you sometimes hide the truth or add too much drama, parents will have a harder time believing what you tell them. If you lie, they'll find it hard to trust you.

    Try to understand their point of view. If you have a disagreement, can you see your parents' side?{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Telling parents you understand their views and feelings helps them be willing to see yours, too.

    Try not to argue or complain. Using a tone that's friendly and respectful makes it more likely parents will listen and take what you say seriously.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you think your emotions might get the better of you, do something to blow off steam before talking: Go for a run. Cry.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Do whatever it takes to sound calm when you need to.

A. Hit your pillow.

B. If you can, say so.

C. A lot depends on your parents.

D. Think twice before you make a decision.

E. Your parents won't always see things your way.

F. Give details that can help parents understand your situation.

G. Of course, this is hard for any of us when we're feeling heated about something.

    Test anxiety can be a real problem if you're so stressed out over a test that you can't get past the nervousness to focus on the test questions and do your best work. Feeling ready to meet the challenge can keep test anxiety at a manageable level.

    Be prepared. Some students think that going to class is all it takes to do well on tests. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You will find your test anxiety eases when toy start to study more regularly. The reason is that the more you know the material, the more confident you'; feel. Having confidence going into a test means you expect to do well.

    Watch what you're thinking. If expecting to do well on a test can help you relax, what about if you expect you won't do well? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They can contribute to your anxiety. If you find yourself having these thoughts, replace them with positive ones. Not unrealistic positive messages, of course, but ones that are practical and true.

    Accept mistakes. Another thing you can do is to learn to keep mistakes in view-especially if you are a perfectionist or you tend to be hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, and you may have heard teachers refer to mistakes as learning opportunities. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If sitting for a test gets you so stressed out that your mind goes blank and causes you to miss answers that you know, then your level of test anxiety probably needs some attention. Your teacher or your school guidance counselor（顾问）can be good people to talk to.

    Take care of yourself. For some people, this might mean learning a simple breathing exercise. Practise breathing exercise regularly when you feel stressed. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Then you can calm yourself down and get centered.

A. Ask for help.

B. Learn to praise yourself.

C. This helps your body receive a signal to relax.

D. But good study habits and skills are more important.

E. So it's time to regard small failures as valuable experiences.

F. Then you will become more interested in asking questions.

G. You may send yourself some negative messages about the test.

    Are supermarkets designed to persuade us to buy more? When you enter a supermarket, the manager knows better than you: how you will behave — which way you will walk, where you will look, what will make you buy one product rather than another. When customers go into a shop, they naturally look to their left but move clockwise, towards the right. So supermarket entrances are usually on the left of the building. And the layout is designed to take shoppers around the store, aisle (通道) after aisle, from left to right. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Fresh fruit and vegetables are displayed near supermarket entrances. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Basic food like sugar and tea, are not put near each other. They are kept in different aisles so customers are taken past other attractive foods before they find what they want. In this way, shoppers are encouraged to buy products that they do not really want.

    People walk quickly through narrow aisles, but they move slowly in wide aisles and give more attention to the products. One best-selling position for products is at the end of aisles, because shoppers slow down to turn into the next aisle. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Supermarkets are paid by food companies to put their products in each of these high-selling places.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} While parents are waiting to pay, children reach for the sweets and put them in the trolley.

    More is bought from a fifteen-foot display of one type of product (e.g. cereal, washing powder) than from a ten-foot one. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They do not like to buy from shelves with few products on them because they feel there is something wrong with those products that are there.

A. Another is on shelves at eye level.

B. Sweets are often placed at children's eye level at the checkout.

C. There are always enough products prepared for customers in the supermarket.

D. Then shoppers will pay attention to all the products.

E. This gives the impression that only healthy food is sold in the shop.

F. Customers also buy more when shelves are full than when they are half empty.

G. Supermarkets are one of children's favorite places and they are also big consumers.

Little Habits Make a Big Difference

Everything around us is changing at amazing speed, it seems ̶ but some things will always remain the same.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some of our daily habits have the power to always give us happiness and lead us toward success. Here are some little habits that can make a big difference:

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Many studies have linked early rising with success. An early morning wake-up carries benefits including better planning and anticipation（预料）of problems, and more time to do the things that make you happy.

    Happiness comes to those who are curious.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} As long as you live, there will always be something to learn, and as long as you follow your heart and your passions, you won't miss out on learning.

    Believe in yourself and all that your are.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Confidence is the key to success ̶ the thing that lets you look at the past without regret, stay grounded in the present, and prepare for the future without fear.

A day well spent gets you a good night sleep.

    Enough sleep makes you feel healthier and happier, and it's more than lifting up your mood or removing exhaustion. Adequate sleep is a key part of your health and inner happiness. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    It doesn't take a huge effort to make a significant change in your life－using one or two tiny habits may be all you need. Get started today and you'll soon be experiencing the rewards.

A. That's why habits are so powerful.

B. The ground work of all happiness is good health.

C. Early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise.

D. The habit of respect means treating everyone with kindness.

E. Nothing will ever make you happier than having faith in yourself.

F. When you rest better, you can live better and achieve more happiness.

G. There is no stage in life when we can't be learning something valuable.

    Many people think of guys as being carefree when it comes to their appearance. But in fact, a lot of guys spend plenty of time in front of the mirror. They care just as much as girls do about their body image.

    Body image is a person's opinions and feelings about his or her own body and physical appearance. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You appreciate your body for its capabilities and accept its imperfections.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Here are some ideas.

    Recognize your strengths.

    Different body types are good for different things. What does your body do well? Maybe your speed, strength, or coordination (协调) makes you better than others at a certain sport. That may be basketball, table tennis, mountain biking, dancing, or even running. Or perhaps you have non-sports skills, like drawing, painting, singing, playing a musical instrument, writing, or acting, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Exercise regularly.

    Exercise can help you look well and feel good about yourself Good physiques (体形) don't just happen. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A healthy habit can be as simple as exercising 20 minutes to 1 hour three days a week Working out can also lift your spirits.

    Respect your body!

    Practicing good habits—showering regularly; taking care of your teeth, hair, and skin; wearing clean clothes, and so on can help you build a positive body image.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Your body is just one part of who you are. Your talent for comedy a quick wit (智慧), and all the other things make you unique. So try not to let small imperfections take over.

How to Be Happy

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Being happy often means continually finding satisfaction, a feeling of joy, and a sense that your life is meaningful during all kinds of problems—that does not depend upon finding ease or comfort. A sense of happiness is good for your health, so what can we do to have that?

Change your thoughts.

    People have a natural tendency to remember negative experiences but forget positive ones. However, thanks to adaptability, you can actually change the way your brain functions. You can train yourself to be happier by seeking your kind of fun.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Cultivate optimism.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It's a way of interpreting everything that happens to you. For example, a pessimistic person might say, "I'm terrible at math. I'm going to fail that test tomorrow. I might as well just watch TV." However, an optimistic person would say something like "I'm concerned about doing well on that test tomorrow, but I'm going to study as well as I can and do my best." Optimism doesn't deny the reality of challenges, but it interprets how you approach them differently.

    Practice active gratitude.

    A lot of researches confirm that gratitude is good for you. It reduces anxiety and depression, helps you become more positive, strengthens your relationships with others, and encourages compassion.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Determine your core values.

    Your core values determine how you think about yourself, your life, and the world around you. These beliefs guide your decision-making. They may be spiritual, or they may not, but they're the things that are fundamental to how you look at life. Whatever your values are, research suggests that when you aren't living your life and making choices that are not fit for your values, you're likely to feel unhappy and dissatisfied.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Begin by imagining yourself in the future when you have gotten to where you want to be. Pick a few goals and imagine that you have achieved them.

A. For example, occupy your mind with positive thoughts by practicing mindfulness.

B. Happiness is not a simple goal, but is about making progress.

C. Contact a hotline.

D. It also has been shown to increase your feelings of happiness.

E. Visualize your “best possible self.”

F. Optimism is more than just positive expectations.

G. Look for the positive in all your experiences.