When you sleep somewhere else, like at a summer camp or a friend's house, you know you're there for a fun time. But for some kids, when they are away from home they feel sad. They start to miss- their own beds, their own parents, and all the things at home. It's called being homesick (想家的). Do you want to feel less homesick? Here's how.

    Spend more time doing fun things. The more fun things you do, the less time you'll have to feel homesick. So try to take part in activities and soon you might start to have a good time.

    You can make a plan to call your mum or dad. For a one-night visit, maybe you can call once that night, and again in the morning. In the camp, you might set a regular day and time for a phone call home.  You can also send emails or short messages to keep in touch with family members and friends. If you're going to be away for a while, you might even write a letter! When you get in touch with someone, make sure to tell them about the fun things you're doing!

    Sometimes, just tell someone that you're feeling homesick. This will help you feel better. Maybe you can tell a friend that you feel homesick. And both of you can do something fun, such as telling jokes. If you're at a camp, a camp counselor (顾问) would be a good person to talk to. He or she might have some ideas to help you feel better.

Chinese Paper Cutting

    As traditional Chinese art, paper cutting has a long history. The first and earliest pa per cutting was found in China 1,500 years ago. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Luckily, Voyo Woo, a Chinese immigrant（移民）in America, is trying to bring this art back to life.

    One Saturday in 2014, Ms. Woo held a paper cutting show at a shopping center near Washington. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. She hoped more people would enjoy the art of paper cutting.

    Ms. Woo began to study the art of paper cutting as a 14-year-old girl in her hometown in China. She said all the students at school had to learn paper cutting. But she had a deep love for it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Later, she won the second prize in a national painting and art competition. Ms. Woo went to America after she finished college in 2008. Soon after that, she took part in an activity to promote（宣传）Chinese paper cutting. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. “It is important to promote this art to Americans or anyone who is interested in it. Maybe it will make this art more popular.” Woo said.

    From the art of paper cutting, people can know about Chinese cultural values, history and stories of people's life. Ms. Woo uses the art as a tool to show Chinese culture to people who know little about it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, but also for people all over the world. 

    I once believed that a friend is a friend all the way. Now I have changed my ideas about friendships.

    1). Friends of convenience(便利). They can be the people who live next door or the mothers of our children's closest friends. Friends of convenience are good indeed. They'll help us when we need it. They'll look after our cats when we go on holidays. But we don't ever get too close or tell too much. Between us, we'll talk about being overweight but not about being sad or disappointed(失望). However, people still find it necessary to make friends like this.

    2). Special-interest friends. These friendships aren't deeply personal or emotional(感情上的). They lie in some shared interests, so we may have an office friend, a tennis friend, or even a shopping friend.

    3). Historical friends. We all have a friend who knew us when…maybe we were back in the second grade of primary school, when our family lived in that two-room flat downtown. He or she was the first, the only friend we told our secrets to.

    The years have gone by, and we have gone different ways. But we're still a personal part of each other's past. We know how we looked before our teeth were straightened(矫正), and our getting together makes us think of an earlier part of ourselves, which is important and never lost.

    4). Cross-generational friends. These are friendships that from across generations(代). I have in my own life a precious(珍贵的) friend, a woman of 65, who is clever, who listens well, and who means not only an ideal mother to me but also the person I'd like to be when I grow up.

    Best friends, I believe, totally love and help each other.

    It is said that more than four million people die each year from smoking. That number is frightening.

    Yet people around the world continue to smoke. In the United States, about forty-seven-million adults smoke. This year, more than 430,000 Americans died of diseases which have something to do with smoking. The American Cancer Society(美国癌症协会)says smoking harms the body greatly. It warns that smoking even a number of cigarettes is dangerous.

SIMPLE WAYS TO HAPPINESS

    Have you been feeling like true happiness is impossible to obtain? Whatever difficult you are facing at this very moment will surly pass. Happiness is right before our eyes. Here are simple ways to seek out happiness in your everyday lives.

GET OUTSIDE

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Sit for a while and pay close attention to your surroundings; I'm sure you'll soon be reminded of the beauty of life.

FIND YOUR INTERESTS

    Whether it's writing, drawing, playing sports, or learning to play an instrument, {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

WAKE UP EARLY

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The earlier you wake up, the more you get done.

GET A GOOD NIGHT REST

    This is truly necessary to your health. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}if not more. If you find yourself sleeping less, make an effort to turn off all electronics an hour before bed so you have some time to relax.

MAKE IT A GOAL TO MAKE SOMEONE SMILE EVERY DAY

It doesn't have to be something very expensive. It truly is the little things that mean the most in life—- such as smiling at a passerby, complimenting someone on her clothes. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}