Talking 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 and 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 ideas 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 youunderstand 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（否则）, 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.

    The Open Hand — a Universal Sign

    When meeting people at the airport,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} We know that a smile is usually a sign that people feel friendly and happy, but what if we don't know who the new person is?{#blank#}2{#/blank#} What if we are meeting a stranger in an unfamiliar place? Sometimes people are dangerous and humans have to find ways to protect themselves. We have to make sure we can trust people we do not know,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Showing our hands means that we are not armed（武装）. In many cultures today, the Western custom of shaking hands is used. We use our right hand, which is usually stronger than the left one. If we are using our hand this way, it cannot be holding a knife or a gun. It shows that we trust the other person,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Not all cultures use the handshake,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Japanese people might cover one hand with the other and, depending on whom they are greeting, bow slightly or quite low. In India, Hindu people join their hands in front of their faces and bow their heads. A Muslim will touch his heart, mouth and forehead（前额）to show respect. Even young people in the West now give each other the “high five”, when they slap（拍）each other's hands high in the air. They are all keeping their hands busy. In almost all cultures, to smile and show an open right hand means, “Welcome, you are safe with me.”

A. What if I want to show that I am bored?

B. most people smile and shake hands with people they meet.

C. and that the other person can trust us.

D. What if we are not introduced by a friend?

E. and people in many Asian cultures do not always touch another person.

F. and we have to show that we are not dangerous.

G. nor are they comfortable in the same way with touching or distance between people.

    Nearly everyone has spent at least one night lying in bed wishing for sleep. But for many, it's a nightly struggle. The key, or secret, is to experiment. What works for some might not work as well for others.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Set a regular bedtime. Go to bed at the same time every night.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Try not to break this routine on weekends when it may be attractive to stay up late. If you want to change your bedtime, help your body adjust (调整).

   {#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you're getting enough sleep, you should wake up on time naturally without an alarm. As with your bedtime, try to keep your regular wake-up time even on weekends.

    Be smart about napping (打盹). Though taking a nap can be a great way to become energetic again, especially for older adults, it can make insomnia (失眠) worse.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon, and limit it to thirty minutes.

    Fight after-dinner drowsiness(睡意). What should you do when getting sleepy before your bedtime?    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For example, washing the dishes, or calling a friend. If you give in to the drowsiness, you may wake up later in the night and have difficulty getting back to sleep.

A. Wake up at the same time every day.

B. Spend more time outside in the daytime.

C. When it's time to sleep, make sure the room is dark.

D. Get off the couch and do something to avoid falling asleep.

E. If insomnia is a problem for you, consider giving up napping.

F. It's important to find the sleep methods that work best for you.

G. Choose a time when you normally feel tired so that you can fall asleep easily.

    As you grow rapidly through your teenage years, you will experience a lot of changes. The changes may seem difficult. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Don't panic! You will deal successfully with them! You are a young adult now!

    With more responsibility, you will find more freedom to make your own choices. This is a time to be well informed about making choices. In this way you can make healthy balanced decisions. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You may already know your career path or you may have no idea at all what you want to do. Both situations are fine! Work hard and the right opportunity will present itself to you.

    Young adulthood means greater freedom and more choices. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} But try not to shut your family out of your life. You should learn to think of others even though you are old enough to look after yourself.

    It is also perfectly natural at this time for you to spend more time with your friends than your family.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A true friend will stand by you no matter what happens.

    This period is a part of the life cycle. These are some people who will be with you throughout life's journey. There will be some people with whom you part and go separate ways. Leaving school can be hard. The reality is that you may not even see all of your classmates again.

    You are a young adult. It is your life. No one can live it for you. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} So making the right choices will be important to you. Life is for living. Enjoy your life wisely!

A．Choose your friends wisely.

B．They will help shape the future.

C．They may seem to happen quickly.

D．You will probably want to be independent.

E．You may appreciate what you have in your own life.

F．The choices that you make from now on will be your choices.

G．Your family has been with you since you came into this world.

    The Silk Road was a historical network of trade routes that connected China and the Mediterranean Sea, allowing cultural and economic interaction between the East and the West. Begun in the 2nd Century B C, the Silk Road carried goods, ideas, and even illness for thousands of miles between great civilizations for more than a thousand years. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It was the creation of Germany's Ferdinand von Richthofen, who traveled to China several times in the second half of the 19th Century.

    China's powerful Han Dynasty began expanding its trade routes towards the West in the years around 100 B.C. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Some shipments made it through to Europe and to northern and eastern Africa, through the port of Alexandria.

    As its name suggests, the Silk Road was home to large amount of silk, which made its way from China to the Mediterranean and, to Rome. It wasn't only silk, however, that was carried along the Silk Road  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Chinese traders brought delicate porcelain plates and thin but durable paper money. Romans brought delicately carved pottery (陶器）and jewelry to China.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Merchants carried shipments from major center, and then others carried the foods farther on the route. Many merchants traveled in groups, called carvans (商队). Many carvans and individual merchants traveled with bodyguards because theft along the routes was not uncommon.

    Several cities along the Silk Road became major trading centers. Some of the more famous of these were Alexandria, Karakorum, Antioch, Constantinople, and Persepolis. Local taxes placed on goods traveling along the route were quite common. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. The name, however, is a modem idea.

B. Diseases also spread along the Silk Road.

C. It sent silk and other goods to other civilizations.

D. Merchants would prepare some supplies in advance.

E. Goods did not travel with the same person all along the route.

F. As a result, many goods traveled only part of the way due to the high cost

G. Many other things made their way from the East to the West, or from the West to the East.

Simple ways to improve your written English

    Lots of people think it is really difficult to improve their written English. Don't worry, here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your written English.

    Increase your vocabulary(词汇)

    To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That's not just being able to know lots of words-it means actually being able to use them correctly. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Tip: When you learn a new word, try to learn all the forms of that word.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in many ways. It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words appropriately.

    Tip: {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Learning shouldn't be boring. Read each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and expressions in the text.

    Improve your grammar

    Grammar is very important because it improves the quality(质量)of your writing.

    Tip: {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The first time, look for general mistakes and the second time look for mistakes with the particular grammar point you are studying at the moment.

    Just do it!

    The best way to improve your writing is to get a pen and paper and write. Be prepared to write several versions(版本)of each text. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Read widely and often.

B. Know much about your readers.

C. Always check your writing twice.

D. Remember, practice makes perfect!

E. Choose books or articles that interest you.

F. Use simple languages and shorter sentences to show your ideas.

G. Do this by learning new words with example sentences, not just word lists.