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.

    How to Have a Successful Teenage Life

    Everyone wants to succeed in their life, don't they? Even as a teenager, you can achieve success in your life, it really isn't that hard.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}．

    Do well in school. No matter how boring it is now, education will help you be a productive member in society. Try your best for excellence in school: listen to the teachers, do your homework, study, and get good grades. Doing so will help you get into a better university, which will enable you to have a bright future.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}．

    Do good in your community. Volunteering can not only improve your community's status, but could make you happier. Studies show that people who volunteer are less likely to develop depression(抑郁) than people who don't.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}．For example, if you love animals, volunteer at an animal shelter. If you love helping the environment, plant trees or pick up litter. When you help others, it will make you feel better about yourself.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}．Remember, they're there to help you be the best that you can be. Respect them and value their opinions, even if they annoy you sometimes.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}．You don't get to choose your teachers or your family, but you still have to put up with them. Learn how to deal with people now, because when you're an adult, you don't get to choose your boss or your co-workers, so learn how to respect them now.

A. Here are some important points that you may find helpful

B. Be nice to your parents and teachers

C. School sets you up on the right track

D. Find chances to do voluntary work that interests you

E. Keep in mind that they do the things because they care about you

F. Live life fully

G. It will help you pass time and develop your personality

    There are so many expressions in American English that sound pleasant but are not.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When someone says they have to “face the music” , it does not mean they are going to a concert. “Facing the music” means to accept and deal with the punishment of an action.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, “ I can't face another night of camping! It's a cold and rainy”. Or “In life, you must face your fears”. Face used in this way is very common.

    But now, let's go back to facing the music. Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the keys and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I'm away. But please, do not drive it. It is an extremely fast car.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}You drive it around town one night. And you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. Bang!

    When your returns you must tell her what you have done and “face the music”{#blank#}4{#/blank#}It could be losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports to her sports car or both.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}To “take your medicine” means to accept the results from something bad you have done. And if someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it” they mean you created a bad station and now you will experience the results.

A. But you do not listen.

B. “Face the music ”is a good example.

C. The “music ” here is the result of your actions.

D. American often use the word “face” in this way.

E. Everyone likes to enjoy a concert in the evening.

F. You are very afraid of losing your trust of your friend.

G. There are other American expressions that mean the same thing as “Face the music”.

    “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, so when you want to do business in France, you have to get to know French culture, to make marketing plans, and to run your business by local laws.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The French take great pride in their language, so anyone who does not speak it may run the risk of being disrespected by his French colleagues or business partners. Also, another reason why learning French is important is that it is a great way to show every possible French business partner that you care and respect their country's culture and language.

    There are obvious ways of greeting people in French. When you meet someone new, it's usual to shake his hand firmly and always look at the person in the eye.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Dress well.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Your business clothing is a reflection of your success and social status. Always try to be stylish. Women are advised to dress simply but elegantly. Wearing make-up is practiced widely by business women.

    The French are passionate about food, so lunches are common in doing business in France, which usually consist of an appetizer, main meal with wine, cheese, dessert and coffee, and normally take up to two hours{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Do not begin eating until the host says, “Bon appetite”. Pass dishes to the left, keep wrists above the table and try to eat everything on the plate{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This may suggest that you find the food tasteless. If eating in a restaurant, the person who invites always pays.

A. The French draw information about people based on their appearance.

B. This is a time for relationship building.

C. Maybe you have heard the expression.

D. Language should be the focus of anyone planning to do business in France.

E. Be careful with adding salt, pepper or sauces to your food.

F. When you meet a friend, kissing is common.

G. English and French are both spoken in formal occasions.

    Stress occurs when you feel that demands placed on you — such as work, school or relationships — are beyond your ability. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, untreated long-term stress can result in serious health conditions including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Everyone is different, and so are the ways they choose to manage their stress. Some people prefer pursuing hobbies such as gardening, playing music and creating art, while others find relief in more solitary (独自的) activities: meditation, yoga and walking. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Do some exercise. The research keeps growing — exercise benefits your mind just as well as your body. We keep hearing about the long-term benefits of a regular exercise routine. But even a 20-minute walk, run, swim or dance session in the midst of a stressful time can give an immediate effect that can last for several hours.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It may seem difficult to get away from a big work project, a crying baby or a growing credit card bill. But when you give yourself permission to step away from it, you let yourself have time to do something else, which can help you have a new perspective or practice techniques to feel less overwhelmed. It's important not to avoid your stress (those bills have to be paid sometime), but even just 20 minutes to take care of yourself is helpful.

    Smile and laugh. Our brains are interconnected with our emotions and facial expressions. When people are stressed, they often hold a lot of the stress in their face. So laughs or smiles can help relieve some of that tension and improve the situation.

    Try meditation. Meditation and mindful prayer help the mind and body to relax and focus. Mindfulness can help people see new perspectives, develop self-compassion and forgiveness. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Much like exercise, research has shown that even meditating briefly can bring immediate benefits.

A. Take a break from the stressor.

B. Get some social support from whatever sources you can access.

C. Too much stress can affect body systems and cause mental problems.

D. Here are four healthy techniques that may help reduce stress in the short- and long-term.

E. But by finding positive, healthy ways, many of these negative health consequences can be reduced.

F. When practicing mindfulness, people can release emotions contributing to the body physical stress.

G. Some stress can be beneficial at times, producing a boost that helps people get through tough situations.

Four benefits of writing by hand

    Today is National Handwriting Day! Although we don't write like we used to, here are four ways handwriting is still helpful in.

    It's better for learning.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#} That's because putting ink to paper stimulates (刺激) the brain. One study from 2010 found that the brain areas related to learning “lit up ”much more when kids were asked to write words like "spaceship" by hand versus just studying the words closely.

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    Many famous authors prefer writing by hand to the use of a typewriter or computer. Writer Susan Sontag once said that she penned her first drafts (草稿)before typing them up for editing later. She said, “{#blank#}3{#/blank#} ” A 2009 study seems to support Sontag's preference for writing by hand: Elementary school students who wrote essays with a pen not only wrote more than their keyboard-typing friends, but also wrote faster and in more complete sentences.

    It will prevent you from being distracted (分心).

    The computer in front of you is really a distraction. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  In 2012, scientists even suggested that taking a five-minute break to browse Tumblr or BuzzFeed could make you a more productive worker. However, when it's time to work on that essay, have only a pen and paper in front of you.

    It keeps your brain sharp as you get older.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} According to The Wall Street Journal, some physicians say that the act of writing is good exercise for those who want to keep their minds sharp as they age.

A. It makes you a better writer.

B. Writing is good for your brain.

C. Of course, the Internet isn't all bad.

D. I like the slowness of writing by hand.

E .Try writing by hand at least 20 minutes each day.

F. Many writers have a preference for writing by hand.

G. One of the most effective ways to study is to rewrite your notes by hand.