Making Peace with Your Parents

    As a teen, you're going through big changes physically and mentally. Your interests are increasing.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here is the challenge: Kids need to explore the world in new ways, and parents need to protect them from the dangers that are all out in that world. These conflicts can easily set off fireworks in otherwise calm houses. Sometimes conflicts can't be avoided. But by paying attention to the building blocks of successful relationships, you can work towards making home a happy and healthy place for you and your parents.

    For example, try to find a time to talk when your parents are not angry, tired, distracted or hungry. A good time to talk is when you're all relaxed. Timing is everything if the conversation begins to turn into an argument, you'd better calmly and coolly ask to stop the conversation for now.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Listen to what your parents are saying, and repeat it back to them. This shows them that you're listening. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Respect is the building block of good communication. People who respect each other and care about each others' feelings can disagree without getting things ugly.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} How do you build trust? Trust comes by actually doing what you say you're going to do. Some teens find that doing fun activities with their parents can improve their relationships. Sometimes we forget that parents are more than rule-maker—they're interesting people who like to watch movies and go shopping—just like their teenagers!

    What do you do if you are trying your best, but your relationship with your parents continues to be rocky?{#blank#}5{#/blank#}You can find supportive adults, such as a teacher or a coach, who can lend an ear. Remember you can only change your own behavior. Your parents are the only ones who can change theirs.

A. You may consider seeking outside help.

B. And then you'll be able to accept what your parents say.

C. You can pick it up again when everyone's more relaxed.

D. Faced with the challenge, children don't know what to do.

E. And your desire to take control of your own life is growing.

F. It also gives them a chance to clear things up if you're not on the same page.

G. You are more likely to get along with your parents and have more independence if your parents believe in you.

Time is on your side

    How frequently do you say "I don't have time"? Quite often, I guess. Every time we say those words, they make us feel weak and out of control. You are in control of your hours and your life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    I know it's not as easy as simply turning off the TV. But here are two steps that will help you take back control and get time on your side.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Be honest: do you spend an hour or two visiting Weixin and QQ every day? Are you spending time with people that you don't really like just to please them? Are there meetings you attend that you can politely refuse?

    It's time to get real about the hours that add up to a lot of dissatisfying nothing. Think how you can cancel daily activities that are not useful. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Change your language.

    Words matter. They have power. Saying "I don't have time" is an excuse for not wanting to do something. Here are some good, empowering alternatives (选择):

    "I choose not to start that project until next year."

    "{#blank#}4{#/blank#}"

    "I'd love to go out this weekend but have important work I need to do first."

    Get better at saying no. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Use little pockets of time (friend running late, car stuck in traffic, meeting ending 10 minutes early) to do some productive thinking. All these things can add up over time more than you believe!

A. Identify your blocks.

B. But you are likely wasting a lot of it!

C. I really don't have enough time to do it.

D. Replace them with things that satisfy you.

E. Take no notice of all those unimportant messages on your phone.

F. I'd love to read that book — I'll get to it after my homework is complete!

G. When you don't have a plan for your life, someone else will plan it for you.

Prepare to Succeed

    People are always thinking about success. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} This thought isn't one that brings them closer, however, because thinking, dreaming or wishing just doesn't get it done.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}You may ask, “Why is preparation necessary?”

    The easiest answer to this question is to say that if you are not ready to move forward, then you may just as well keep doing what you have always done.

    Success doesn't come easy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Success requires you to be prepared to sacrifice leisure time, or time spent watching television or going out with friends, at every opportunity. Success means you are prepared to do whatever it takes to constantly move the yardsticks （码尺）forward day after day.

    Here is just one quote, from Calvin Coolidge, the 30^th president of the United States, that expresses what preparation is about: “{#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow.” This quote can be interpreted to mean that you may have strength or confidence to start on your way right now to move toward your final goal. However, it is also critical that committed action each day builds to help you keep going when obstacles arise or when you just don't feel like you have the interest or energy to stay focused.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}That shows you what steps or actions to take, when to take them or what to do if issues, obstacles or other life issues get in the way.

    The bottom line is actually quite clear: You are either willing, able and committed to achieve what you want, or you are simply dreaming or wishing that success finds you.

A. There are no shortcuts （捷径）.

B. Success is getting what you want.

C. Our real problem is not our strength today.

D. Preparation also means that you have a plan or a goal.

E. The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.

F. It is in their brains as they go about daily routines looking for something better.

G. One of the most important parts of personal or professional success is preparation.

    Moving into a new home in a new neighborhood is an exciting experience. Of course, you want to make sure that you become an acceptable and valuable part of your neighborhood the easiest way to accomplish this is to make sure you conduct yourself as a good neighbor should. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Perhaps one of the most important things you can do as a good neighbor is to keep your property(房产) neat, clean, and in good repair. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} By choosing to keep the outside of the home in great shape, you will help to improve the look and feel of the area.

    Second, take the overall appearance of the neighborhood seriously. When going for a walk. Take a small garbage bag. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This small act will let your neighbors know that you care about the area.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If a neighbor is going to be out of town, offer to collect mail and newspapers. If a neighbor suffers an illness, offer to do the grocery shopping. Let them know you are there to help in any way this acceptable, while still respecting the privacy of your neighbor.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} By following the basic rules of respecting others, taking care of what belongs to you, and taking pride in the appearance of the neighborhood in general, you will quickly become a good neighbor that everyone appreciate.

A. In general, keep an eye on their property while they are gone.

B.A good neighbor is also one who likes to help out in small ways.

C. Being a good neighbor is more or less about considerate behavior.

D. Sometimes neighbors may go to the supermarket together to do shopping.

E. Should you come across waste paper thrown out of a passing car, pick it up.

F. People tend to lake pride in keeping everything in their street fresh and inviting.

G. Here are a few tips to help you win over everyone in the neighborhood quickly.

    Imagine that you are in a remote village somewhere with no medical clinic. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Once the doctors get to you, they examine you and take blood samples, but they won't be able to help you until they take the samples back to the hospital to find out what is wrong. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Thanks to engineer Andy Ozcan, many people may never be in this situation. He has invented an app that turns your mobile phone into a diagnostic(诊断的)tool.

    Ozcan's invention is important because it is very accurate and easy to use. In many remote places, even if doctors have microscopes and other instruments to help them make diagnoses, there may still be other problems. Many doctors, for example, don't have enough training to correctly interpret what they see. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} With Ozcan's mobile phone app, health workers can take a special photo of a blood sample and send it to a central computer at a hospital. The computer will then automatically interpret the photo and send a diagnosis back in a few minutes.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} His technology only requires a mobile phone and an Internet connection. As more than four billion people already have cell phones, the cost of establishing the diagnostic system is fairly low.

By inventing a medical tool that uses existing technology—mobile phones—Ozcan has developed a medical tool that is both practical and economical. Therefore, it can be effectively almost anywhere. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Another reason that Ozcan's invention is important is that it is inexpensive.

B. Even though you may only have a simple infection (感染), you might die because of the delay.

C. People are trying to reduce the cost of this new medical tool.

D. Ozcan's simple, cost-effective tool might just save millions of lives around the world.

E. This tool has become much more popular all around the world.

F. You become very sick and must wait days until a mobile medical unit arrives to help.

G. As a result, they may diagnose illnesses incorrectly.

When was the last time something important slipped your mind?. Maybe it was the answer to a test question, the name of an acquaintance or where you left your keys. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}People's ability to remember has less to do with natural talent than it does with training and practice. When students want to prepare for a test they often try to study by simply reading over the material. again, copying notes, etc. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} People remember more when they actively engage with the material they are learning rather than passively receiving it.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Come up with questions about the topic, and try to answer them without looking at your notes. It also helps. to try to engage with the material in different ways. For example; you could sketch or diagram the information, or you. could write your own outline or study guide. The more you use the information, the more likely you are to remember it.

A psychologist(心理学家) named . Herman Ebbinghaus made. an important discovery about memory and forgetting. He found that people tend to forget information in a regular pattern. They forget the most information shortly after learning it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Every time the person reviews the information, it causes them to forget less of it——which means they remember more. So it is essential to review things you want to remember shortly after learning them. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Applying these strategies will help improve your memory so that you can access everything you learn whenever you need it.

A. Practice makes perfect.

B. Strike while the iron is hot.

C. Fortunately, memory can be improved.

D. Over time, you can review them less and less frequently.

E. The rate at which they forget then slows down over time.

F. One great way to do this is to test yourself on the material.

G. But these methods of remembering are not always effective.