Ways to sleep smarter

    Studies show that poor sleep influences people to make good decisions, concentrate on tasks or even manage a friendly mood(情绪) at work. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Today we've got our top favorite sleep tips and facts.

Set a regular bedtime

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Choose a time when you normally feel tired. Try not to break this routine(惯例) on weekends when you will probably stay up late. If you want to change your bedtime, make the change gradually, such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day.

Eat the right food

    Some foods are more helpful to a better night's sleep than others. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Others like bananas, potatoes, and whole-wheat bread are also helpful.

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    Exercising provides lots of good health benefits(好处). A good night's sleep is one of them. But make sure you exercise in the morning or afternoon. The National Sleep Foundation reports that exercise in the morning or afternoon can help deepen sleep. However, those who worked out in the evening hours saw little or no improvement in their sleep.

Reduce(减少) screen time before bed

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} A recent study shows that people who use electronic media(媒体) just before bedtime report lower-quality sleep even when they get as much sleep as those who don't.

    Save Your Time, Money and Stress with Savvy (懂行，悟性）Rental Car Strategies

    Renting a car can be expensive, confusing, and stressful — but it doesn't have to be. Here are several helpful strategies to save money, time, and stress on your next (and every) car rental.

Sign Up for Loyalty Programs

    Rental car loyalty programs are free to join, so register for any programs you might use in the future. My favorite car rental loyalty program benefit is that I can skip the counter and head right to my reserved car. Some programs allow members to choose a car from the available pool. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Optimize Your Strategy

    Do you really need a rental car from the airport? For instance, if your flight arrives at night, take a free hotel shuttle and pick up your car the next day. The car rental location might even be at your hotel or can pick you up (or deliver the car to you).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

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    For a city trip, you may not even need a rental car. Research whether mass transit（运输）, taxi, Uber, bike rental, and other transportation methods will suffice(足够）. Parking charges at downtown hotels may cost more than your car rental rate, so it may be doubly in your favor to give up a rental car. In some locations, a bike might be more efficient and economical than a car.

 Search for Specials

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In conjunction（结合）with your personal discount code, you may also find a last-minute rate, free rental day, or other promotion. My favorite annual travel deal is driving a car one-way out of Florida after Spring Break with rates as low as $1 per day.

Consider Alternative Rental Options

    Major car rental companies might have an associated discount brand at your rental location, like Firefly for Hertz.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

    An independent or smaller local agency may fit your needs; like A1 or Lucky Owl in Honolulu. Many people prefer to check rates on Hotwire and Priceline, especially for last-minute rentals.

A．Rental rates are likely lower away from the airport, plus you might save the cost of an entire rental day.

B．I use discount-finding websites to track my car reservations.

C．Smaller brands, like Thrifty and Fox, might offer better service and lower rates.

D．In addition to saving time and offering freedom of choice, loyalty members earn points and receive special promotions.

E．Check car rental company websites for current specials.

F．Skip the Car

G．Use a bike

    It is very important for kids to be courageous. A brave child is more likely to withstand negative peer pressure, say no to temptations（诱惑）and flight the good fight.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It boosts kids' resilience（适应力）, confidence and willpower as their as well as their learning, performance and school engagement. Here are several ways to develop kids' courage:

    Model courage. Kids who watch their parents stick their necks out to do the right thing are more likely to do the same.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Then express how good it feels when you conquer your fear instead of taking a shortcut. Your kids will learn how to take on the tough challenge they face by witnessing how you tackle your fears.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Research finds that kids are more likely to be courageous if they believe that their parent them to support those in need. Discuss bravery with your kids: Tell hem Courage is making the choice to do what you know is right even if you are afraid.”

    Ask your kids to share their acts of bravery. Learning to be brave takes practice, so encourage your children to do something courageous every day.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}A mom I talked to had her kids share their brave deeds at dinner time.

Teach your kids how to reduce their fears. If not kept under control, fear can be powerful.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} You might encourage positive self-talk, such as saying, “I can handle this” or “I have courage to do this.” Or teach your child to take slow, deep breaths to find courage.

A. Talk about values and courage.

B. Courage has other surprising benefits.

C. The good news is that courage can be taught.

D. Teach your child simple strategies to be brave.

E. Let your child see you step out of your comfort zone.

F. In today's uncertain world, kids will need courage and confidence.

G. Then take time to focus on their courageous breakthroughs.

How northern Europeans beat the winter blues

    Ask a child from northern Europe to draw two pictures—one on a rainy day and a second in the sunshine—and this is what you will get: in the first, as raindrops fall from the top of the page, the man behind the window has an unhappy expression. When a yellow sun sends out some light from the corner, the man is smiling.

    Northern Europeans associate rain with sadness and sunshine with happiness. They think this is true because they are so aware of how their environment affects them{#blank#}1{#/blank#}In October 2008, a group of researchers examined the influence of different daily weather factors, including temperature,wind and sunlight, on 1,200 participants. The conclusion was that good or bad weather had little effect on people's feelings{#blank#}2{#/blank#} A person who is upset on dark or cold days suffers from a negative mood, and he will be likely to experience a sad winter. This is the basis of an illness called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD){#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    AniKalayjian, professor of psychology at Fordham University, advises that we should take steps to strengthen the brain's system against weather-driven mood changes. Research on SAD has been focused on the brain's response to darkness and light. When our eyes detect darkness, the brain gives off melatonin, which starts sleep cycles{#blank#}4{#/blank#} It takes over to help us wake up and feel better when we detect light.“We can encourage people to take charge of their feelings,” says Kalayjian.“We tell them to leave the computers and the indoor games and get out there in the sun{#blank#}5{#/blank#}”

    A day of rain can potentially destroy your plan and affect your mood. But as the Scottish comedian Billy Connolly once said:“There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing.”

A. Another chemical called serotonin, however, can make people happy.

B. It affects about10% of the population of northern Europe each year.

C. That's when people can recharge their serotonin and get a better mood.

D. Yet that link has no scientific basis.

E. Most studies prove that a negative feeling is associated with bad weather.

F. They determined that people actually differ in their sensitivity to weather changes.

G. It is seriously doubted among the people who suffer from SAD.

Tips for summer reading

    Summer holds many of my strongest and most powerful reading memories.I remember sitting under a tree in the backyard as a child, reading AnneofGreenGables as the shadows crossed the grass.I remember sitting in the back seat of the car on a long family road trip, sharing joke books with my brother and sister and laughing until we cried.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} I want all kids to enjoy the fun of summer reading, because summer reading has secret power.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Here are some ways to motivate kids for summer reading.

    Make children the curators(管理人)of their reading lives.

    Have students set summer reading goals for themselves.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Students can act as “chief curators” of the blog in turn so that over the course of the summer each of them takes on the responsibility of replying to posts and highlighting a popular title.

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    Taking “curiosity walks” is a fantastic way to bring informational text into a child's reading list.These walks also provide opportunities for authentic writing.Have children take an inspiration notebook on a class walk outside and write down anything they see that they would like to learn more about.

    Make reading more like summer camp.

    Let's combine reading with hands­on activities and make reading more like summer camp.We can take field trips to the library and search the shelves for books on a topic chosen out of a hat.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Then they can bring that creation to share on the first days of school.

A．It will set the stage for academic success.

B．Bring the outdoors back into summer reading.

C．Select some books and share them with your students.

D．Set up a summer blog so you can all share recommendations.

E．These memories became important stepping stones in my life.

F．It is important to build and shape a strong reading life during school months.

G．We can ask our students to create something in response to one of the books they've read.

    Driving is absolutely a necessary skill in today's world. What you need before you master it is a driving license（驾驶执照）. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But before it becomes a time saver, it is a very time-consuming （耗时的） thing. Without proper practice you cannot learn this skill.

    First of all, for lack of driving knowledge or skills, many people die of road accidents every year. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}If you are brave and scream “I would”, then I highly advise you to reconsider your attitude towards driving. Your driving can be much safer for both yourself and other people if you always keep to the speed limit and traffic rules.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} There are a lot of courses, but generally we divide them into four types. The first type is the most typical one that takes place in a classroom. The second and third types are driving simulations — learn how to drive on line. The last type is the best because it is simply practice. Your coach will teach you how to drive a car while you are driving on the road.

    When choosing the right course, you need to consider the cost. If you have enough money, you can take practical lessons or the ones that take place in a classroom. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Free materials about driving are easy to find on the Internet. Remember that practical experience is a must if you are serious about your health and safety.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Bad preparation for driving may result in hurting yourself or ever others. Attend driving courses and treat them seriously as they matter a lot to you.

A. Being able to drive can save you a lot of time.

B. Who would enter a car after bottles of beer?

C. You're never allowed to drive without a driving license.

D. It's necessary to treat driving courses seriously.

E. You can also learn these courses online if they cost you too much.

F. A lot of time and money are needed to get a driving license.

G. You need to complete the driving courses to know the basics of driving.