As is well known, saying “no” is not easy at all. But sometimes we have to learn to say “no”. To learn to say “no”, we have to first understand what's stopping us about it. There are some common reasons why people find it hard to say “no”.

    You want to help others. You are a kind soul(灵魂) at heart. You don't want to turn the person away and you want to help when possible, even if it may take up your time.

    Afraid of being rude. I was brought up under the idea that saying “no”, especially to people who are older, is rude. This thinking is common in Asian culture, where face-saving is important. It means not making others look bad or lose faces.

    Wanting to be agreeable. At times, you find you are not in agreement. You don't want to keep yourself away from the group, so you agree to do others' requests(请求).

    Fear of conflict(冲突). The person might be angry if you refuse him. This might lead to an ugly conflict. Even if there isn't, there might be disagreement which might lead to bad effects(影响) in the future.

        Fear of losing opportunities(机会). Sometimes, saying “no” means closing doors or losing opportunities. It may make you feel worried. For example, one of my friends was asked to work in another department(部门) in her company(公司). Since she liked her team, she didn't want to go. However, she didn't want to say “ no” as she felt it would affect her promotion(晋升) opportunities in the future.

⑴题完成句子；⑵⑶题回答问题；⑷题找出并写下全文的主题句；⑸题将画线句子译成汉语。

    It may take a long time for some people to learn to speak English. However, by following these tips（实用的提示） you should be speaking English in no time.

    Tip I: Forget about having a large vocabulary. Only learn the words you will need most. For example, if you are traveling in an English-speaking country, make a list of all the possible sentences and questions that you would need to know, such as "Do you know where the nearest bathroom is? "and" I am lost. Can you help me?" Think about what sentences you would want a traveler to know if they came to your country and couldn't speak your language.

    Tip 2: Once you have a list of vocabulary that you think will be most useful to you, make sure you understand the meaning of each word and know how to use each word in a sentence. Try making lists with new words and sample sentences(例句). Ten new words is enough on each list. Then stick(粘贴)the lists up all over your house where you can easily see them. Practice every day. Whenever you see a list, make sure you stop and read through it.

    Tip 3: Now pronounce these words and sentences properly. Try to learn pronunciation by listening to how English speakers pronounce words. Watch English TV shows, listen to English radio programs and try to talk with as many English speakers as you can, online or in person.

    I wish you the best of luck and I hope my tips are helpful!

    Stanford is a world famous university on the west coast of the US. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, because the poor boy died of a strange disease.

    Tourists are often surprised at the beauty of Stanford. Among the green trees, buildings with yellow walls and red tops make up a beautiful picture. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. That's because they were the favorites of Mrs. Stanford.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. It stands at the center. It was built by Mrs. Stanford to remember her husband who devoted himself to the university. There, students and teachers can communicate with God, and they can also hold great activities, such as concerts and celebrations.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. It is the landmark of the university. A man named Hoover had done a lot for the university. The things he once used can be seen on the first floor. On the top of the tower, tourists can have a good look at the whole campus.

    As one of the world top universities, Stanford has many subjects that stand among the top ones in the world. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If you want to study computer in a university abroad, maybe it is your best choice.

    One of the easiest ways to keep healthy is to do jogging. Jogging is the name for very gentle (平和的) running-it is just a little faster than walking.

    First jog slowly 20 meters, and then walk 20 meters. Little by little if you are not feeling very tired, you may jog more and walk less. Finally, jog the whole way. It will be easy for you to start jogging for 15 minutes twice a week. Then slowly increase this to 20 ~ 30 minutes every day. The longer you join in jogging, the more you will enjoy it and the healthier you will become. Some people like jogging alone and others enjoy doing it with friends. Jogging in groups makes people keener (更热心的) because you just can't stay in bed while there is a group of friends waiting outside.

If you want to start jogging, prepare a pair of comfortable shoes and a determined(坚定的) mind.

    "Mom, I dreamed about you all night. I dreamt that you had come back to me, but I know you are gone." says a post-80s girl named Lulu in a Sina Weibo post.

    Lulu has been "talking" to her deceased(已故的) mother through her microblog for the past four years. Her act has moved millions of Chinese netizens. Xinhua reported last Tuesday.

    The girl from Shenyang posted the first message to her mother in June. 2012, just over a week after her mother passed away. "I will keep talking to you until I leave the world", Lulu wrote. Since then, she has kept updating her post almost every day, expressing how she misses her mother and also shares exciting or sad moments of her daily life.

    Lulu said it's her way to "keep in touch "with her mother, as she used to talk with her three to four times a day when she was alive.

    During the past four years, she has posted over 1, 200 messages and got 86, 583 followers so far. One internet user said, "Every tweet moves me to tears, and thank you for reminding more people to cherish(珍惜) each day we have with our mother. "Another said this was the most touching microblog ever.

    Lulu said she was pleased that her microblog made more people realize their filial(子女的) duties and she hopes young people could take more time to be with their parents.

Dear humans,

It's the first time I write to you, my Children. I sent you many messages in the past, but you didn't take them seriously. So I decide to write you a letter.

First, let me tell you more about our family. Dear humans, besides you, I have many other children. Some of them fly in the sky; some of them swim in the water; some live in ice-covered places; some run in the grasslands.

They might be very close to you, or even live in your house. But there are others that you may never have the chance to meet.

You bring them home to be your pets, friends and helpers. You put them in the zoos. You kill them for their meat and fur. And you even hunt them for fun. They bring you money and happiness, but they also bring you illness and death.

I hope you remember that wild animals are not your food, clothes or furniture. They are not killers, either. They are, in fact, your brothers and sisters. You should grow up together. I'm worried that one day you will be lonely if you keep killing them.

So, grow up, humans. Grow up to be more loving and caring. I hope you and all the wildlife can live happily in my arms.

Yours,

Mother Earth