Ways to avoid quarrels with your mother

1 ． Don't give her the silent treatment

    The best technique to get what you want and exert mental pressure on somebody is to give them the silent treatment.If you think the silent treatment will help you achieve a desirable result，then you're mistaken.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

2 ． Refuse to go into hysterics(歇斯底里)

   There's no doubt that hysterics is an extremely effective type of processing mode，but you're not a little child.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}  Pull yourself together and try to reach a compromise against all problems.

3 ． Avoid deeply offensive words

    Word is a unique and powerful thing that exerts a big influence on human mind.If you're in a quarrel with your mother，you should be careful what you say to her.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}  Sooner or later，you'll apologize for your bad behavior，but the words you've said and the feeling of hate will live in her heart forever.

4 ． {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 

   I had a terrible habit of drawing my brother and dad into conflicts between me and my mom.I wanted them to support me and help us find a beneficial solution.Unfortunately，their active participation only worsened the problem.As a result，small and insignificant mother－child fights grew into long－lasting family conflicts.I learned a big lesson and realized that my bad temper made my family suffer.

5 ． Enhance your communication

    Regular communication with your parents is a normal thing that makes them happier.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}  When you finally find the reason，you'll be able to overcome misunderstanding in communication with your mom and bridge the generation gap in a quite short period of time.

A．Buy a small gift for your mother.

B．Don't draw other family members into a conflict.

C．So try your best to comfort your mother after a quarrel.

D．You shouldn't burst into tears and scream in front of your mother.

E．By all means you should take immediate action to stop this cold war.

F．Sometimes your word can be either a perfect pain reliever or a terrible weapon.

G．Lack of communication between mothers and children may cause frequent quarrels.

Learning a second language

    Nowadays, more and more people are learning a second language. So why should we invest time in learning a second language? Is it worth it? What are the benefits of learning a second language? Let us see.

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    If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own languages will help you to communicate with them better. It may also help you to make sales and to negotiate and secure contracts. Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chance of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

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    Needless to say, being able to speak a foreign language, for example, the Japanese, would benefit you a lot when you are travelling to Japan. Being able to speak the language of the target country will save you a lot of communication trouble and inconvenience. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Education

    If you are a high school student or a college student who is interested in going abroad for further education, then you will, in all possibility, have to learn the language of the country where you wish to move to, for further studies. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

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    Learning a second language can help in broadening one's horizon, it can help in learning about the culture of that particular country and it can pave the way for new interests and hobbies. Not only can you enjoy forms of art and literature connected with the new language, but you can also meet new people, make new friends and develop long-lasting relationships…all on the basis of learning a new language.

    Neil Gaiman is an English author of lots of science fiction and fantasy works.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}His argument is that children shouldn't be discouraged from reading what adults may think of as bad books. He is dead right.

    A child in a library is an explorer venturing into a land where he has no map to guide him. This is part of the excitement. Everything is new{#blank#}2{#/blank#}His taste is yet unformed, and it cannot be formed until he has tried a variety of thing.

    Not knowing what books are good or bad, an eager child will try very different things.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}At the age of eleven or twelve, I still read Enid Blyton Stevenson's Kidnapped, was happily terrified by ghost stories and desperately wanted to be Rupert of Hentzau, a most attractive evil character in literature.

    A child reads for enjoyment from all sorts of books. I can't remember when I stopped reading comics like the Wizard and Hotspur, but I'm pretty sure that my reading of them continued even while I was delighted in Sherlock Holmes or in the short stories of HG Wells.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Never say “Don't read that rubbish” or “You're too young for that”. If he is really too young and the book is beyond him, he'll put it aside. If he doesn't, then he's not too young, even if he misses much that an adult reader would find in it.

    The only useful thing an adult can do is to give a child a book and say, “I think you might enjoy this.” Don't complain if he doesn't like it and turns to something that you think is bad.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Anything he reads may be attractive，too.

B. Everybody has a secret world inside of themselves.

C. For the young reader even a bad book has its own value.

D. Adults should be careful in what they say to a child about his reading.

E. Almost everyone who reads widely as an adult has read wildly as a child.

F. The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before.

G. He is also a productive blogger and the point he gave in one of his blogs surely makes sense.

What to expect at high school

    Are you super worried about what to expect at high school? Well, guess what? Everyone is! The following tips will help guide you safely through your first day!

    Understand that you'll be moving a lot.

    Depending on the school you're at, there could be more subjects and you'll have more classrooms! {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Be ready to move around and remember what classrooms they are in.

    Understand the newness of high school.

    There are usually more strict teachers and more classrooms! Don't worry. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} More friends and more freedom (hopefully)! There will be a lot of differences, so go along with it and don't feel nervous about the change.

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    Stay away from students who have higher grades than you! They're older and you will be an easy target (目标), so watch your back! If they do try to threaten (恐吓) you or anything, tell your parents or teachers to help you with it.

    Be prepared for the dining room.

    Make sure you have friends to sit with, or you'll look lonely and feel lonely. Make some new friends to sit with. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Remember to stay good in school.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You don't need an “A” for everything, but an “F” on everything is not good! Spend enough time on study and take notes during class.

A. One for every subject.

B. Put your books in order.

C. Know who to watch out for.

D. There are some advantages!

E. Try to eat healthily on your first day.

F. Try to make a good impression on the teachers.

G. Do your homework and make sure you study hard!

注意：每个空格只填1个单词。

The changes facing fast-food companies

    Fast food was once thought to be recession-proof. When consumers need to cut spending, cheap meals like Big Macs and Whoppers become even more attractive. As a result, fast-food chains have survived the recession better than their more expensive competitors. In 2009 sales at full-service restaurants in America fell by more than 6%, but total sales remained about the same at fast-food chains. In some markets, such as Japan, France and Britain, total spending on fast food increased.

    But in this ongoing recession(萧条), which is more severe, not all fast-food companies have been as fortunate. Many, such as Burger King, have seen sales fall. In the recession, while some people trade down to fast food, many others eat at home more frequently to save money. Smaller fast-food chains in America, such as Jack in the Box and Carl's Jr., have been hit particularly hard in this downturn because they cut back spending on advertising.

    In face of such challenges, some fast-food companies have sacrificed their own profits by trying to give customers better value. During the recession companies set prices low, hoping to tempt more customers through the door. But in many cases that strategy doesn't work. Some companies are rethinking their strategies. KFC has launched a chicken sandwich that costs around $5 to attract consumers away from $1 specials.

    Companies are also trying to get customers to buy new and more items, including drinks. McDonald's started selling better coffee as a challenge to Starbucks. Its “McCafe” line now accounts for an estimated 6% of sales in America. As fast-food companies shift from “super size” to “more buys”, they need to keep customer traffic high throughout the day. Many see breakfast as a big opportunity, and not just for fatty food. McDonald's has started selling porridge in America, because the profits can be high.

    But what about those growing waistlines? So far, fast-food firms have cleverly avoided government regulation. By providing options like salads and low-calorie sandwiches, they have at least given the impression of doing something about helping to fight obesity(肥胖). These offerings don't necessarily lead to profit loss, as they can broaden the appeal of stores to groups of diners that include some people who don't want to eat a burger.

    But calls for tougher government regulation never wear down. This year Congress passed America's health-reform bill, which requires restaurant chains with 20 or more stores to put the calorie-content of items they serve to the menu. And the recent proposal by a county in California to ban McDonald's from including toys in its high-calorie “Happy Meals”, because law makers believe it attracts children to unhealthy food, suggests that fast-food companies will have to continue trying something new.

    The changes facing fast-food companies

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    Proven Ways to Make a Good First Impression (印象)

    Want to be more memorable? These tips will help you have a lasting connection with anyone you meet.

    Smile!

    People who smile tend to manage and sell more effectively, and raise happier children. Your facial expression is typically the first thing someone notices about you when they make a judgement. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Think about your purposes

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Do you want to make a new friend? Network? Strike a business deal? A clear set of purposes can help you figure out what kind of energy you want to give off during the interaction. Know what kind of information you want to share about yourself in each circumstance.

    Show great interest

    You can make a good first impression if you are excited and greatly interested in the person or people you are trying to connect with. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. If doing so, you will have more in depth and more memorable conversations.

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    It is often said that actions speak louder than words. Going out of your way to do something kind or thoughtful, especially for someone you don't know well, can ensure that you make a lasting impression.

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A. Pay attention to your words

B. Make an effort to be thoughtful

C. It's important to appear both happy and active.

D. What are your goals in making this impression?

E. These are little things you can do to be nicer to anyone.

F. Remembering someone's name and working it into a conversation go a long way.

G. Listen carefully, ask questions, and encourage others to talk about their experiences.