My mother was telling me about how she and her family got their first television when she was a teenager. Of course, it was black and white. She said she only watched it at night. When I was young, we had only about 3 or 4 different channels. My brothers, my sisters and I would sometimes fight about which channel to watch. But we usually enjoyed the same shows.

   Nowadays, we can get hundreds of channels on TV. There are channels with old movies, cooking, fishing and so on. It's amazing! I wonder how much my brothers, my sisters and I would fight if we had hundreds of channels when I was a child. Of course, we had only one television set. These days I notice families with 2 or 3 or more television sets in their homes. I guess it stops people from arguing over which channel to choose.

    Mum and dad are two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day. And they influence (影响) you more than anyone else you meet in your 1ife. So if your mom loves to read, you just might grow up carrying a book wherever you go, just like she does.

    But parents do a lot more than just passing on their hobbies. Mums and dads care for（关心）their children from the minute they were born. So they are the people we should respect(尊敬) and love best. It's very important to stay close, get along, and build a strong relationship with your parents. But not every child knows how to do this. Here are some ways to help you.

    Spend time together. Don't play a computer game or watch TV, ask your mum and dad to play with you. Go outside together, or read a book out loud.

    Be kind. Little things might mean a lot to your mum or dad. You can make your parents happy with a hug (拥抱), a card, or a joke（笑话）. It's also lovely when a child cleans up his or her room without being asked. And if you try not to fight with your brothers or sisters, your parents might be very happy.

    Do your best at whatever you do. You don't have to be perfect, but when you do your best, you make your parents proud(自豪). It makes them happy to see how you're turning into a great kid. Why? Because it lets them know you're doing a good job.

You are what you eat

    Keeping better eating habits can help you reduce (减少) disease (疾病). A healthy eating plan means choosing the right foods to eat and preparing foods in a healthy way.

    ____________

    Do you often change your toothbrush？Maybe you think it is not necessary. A study shows old toothbrushes bring disease. You should often change your toothbrush.

    Exercise

    Swimming, running, skating, skiing, dancing, walking and some other activities can help you stay healthy. You should exercise at least three times a week and for twenty minutes or more each time. Do it.

    Plan out your life

    You should have breakfast before you go to school. Have a proper (合适的) meal for lunch. Follow a healthy diet.

    When you are learning a language, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. When you read, you can not only learn some new words, but also learn how to use them. When you read a passage, it gives you a good example for writing.

    Here are some good reading tips.

    Firstly, try to read at the right level (水平). Read something that you can understand. If it is too hard for you, it is not interesting.

    Secondly, try to understand the new words. If there are four or five new words on a page, don't use a dictionary. Instead, try to guess their meanings as you read. Mark (作标记) them with a pencil. Then look them up in a dictionary when you finish reading, and write them in your own vocabulary book. Try to remember them.

    Thirdly, try to read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes or half an hour every day is better than two hours every Sunday. For example, you can read before you go to bed, or after you get up or at lunchtime.

    Lastly, read something that interests you. Choose a newspaper, a book or a magazine about a subject that you like. It will be easy enough for you to understand. There is something interesting in it.

    To figure out your birth number, add up the numbers in your birth date, like in the example, until there is only one digit. Example: March 20, 1950.

    3+20+1950=1973=1+9+7+3=20=2+0-2The birth number in this example is"2", "the peacemaker".

    2's are the born diplomats(外交家). They are aware of other's needs and moods and often think of others before themselves. They're naturally analytical and they don't like to be alone. Friendship is very important and can lead them to be successful in life.