In today's busy and competitive world, we all lead incredibly stressful lives. When stress becomes overwhelming, it can affect our mood and productivity. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The good news is that it is manageable and can be reduced, or even relieved completely.

    Enter the world of books. Feeling stressed out? Pick up your favorite book and leave the reality and worries behind. It is the most effective way to relax and overcome stress. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Getting lost in a book before bedtime can calm your mind and prepare your body for a good night's sleep.

    Connect with people. Another way to successfully beat stress is meeting with friends. Friends and loved ones are important to any healthy lifestyle. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed and just can't seem to shake it off, call your best friend or a member of your family and talk to them. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Walk it off. You can also effectively relieve yourself of stress by simply taking a walk around your neighborhood. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There's a whole new world up there that you never seem to notice while rushing to work or talking to someone. Take a moment to admire a new building or a balcony somewhere high up that reminds you of a castle from your favorite movie. Enjoy your time alone and seize every moment of it.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Nothing brings you back on track like a good laughter. It is the most powerful antidote(良方) to stress and it brings joy into your life. Laughing brings people together and drives away all stress-related problems as if they never existed. It is absolutely the best medicine there is, and it will keep you both physically and emotionally healthy.

How to stay in a good mood

    It's typical to feel your mood starting to become bad. If you want to be able to stay in a good mood, then you have to form these habits that will keep you feeling happy.

1）Don't take love for granted.

    If you're lucky enough to have a special someone, then you should make your time together meaningful.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Make time to spend time with your special someone. Being around your loved one has been proven to make people happier.

2）Get regular exercise.

    Regular exercise is one of the most important habits that you need to form.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}You can go running three times a week and walk the other four. Just make sure to be as active as you can every day.

3）Spend time with your friends.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Of course, don't always hang out with friends when you have a free moment. Make sure you do make time to see friends at least once or twice a week, if you can.

4）Get enough sleep.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}One of the easiest ways to stay in a good mood is to be well-rested. Waking up feeling full of energy will make you feel much more ready to face the day and much more excited about everything ahead of you.

5）{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    If you want to stay in a good mood, then you have to make sure that you eat three healthy and diverse meals every day. Start off with a healthy breakfast, and don't skip this meal no matter what things happen. Have light snacks throughout the day, like yogurt or fruit, to keep you energetic.

A. Make sure that you sleep for 7-8 hours a day.

B. Have a healthy eating schedule.

C. Do begin with a healthy breakfast in the morning.

D. However, you don't have to do the same boring old thing every day.

E. Once you start exercising, do the same sports at the regular time every day.

F. Don't stop doing the things you love with the person you love.

G. Hanging out with friends will keep you feeling alive

    It is reported that although our genes and environment play an important role, how happy we are largely depends on our choices and activities. The following are just several areas that tend to make a big difference to people's happiness.

    Take a positive attitude

    Positive emotions―like joy, gratitude, satisfaction, inspiration and pride― don't just feel good when we experience them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} So although we need to be realistic about life's ups and downs, it helps to focus on the good aspects of any situation―the glass half full rather than the glass half empty.

    Accept who you are and what you are

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Learning to accept ourselves and being kinder to ourselves when things go wrong will increase our enjoyment of life. It also helps us accept others as they are. Ask a trusted friend or colleague to tell you what they think your real strengths are.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness. Helping other people is not only good for them; it's good for us too. It makes us happier and can help to improve our health. Giving also creates stronger connections between people and helps to build a happier society.

    Take part in something bigger

    People who have meaning and purpose in their lives are happier. They also experience less stress, anxiety and depression.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It might come from doing a job that makes a difference, or spiritual beliefs, or our family. The answers may be different for each of us but they all involve being connected to something bigger than ourselves.

A. Our broader social networks bring a sense of belonging.

B. Nobody is perfect.

C. Give them a call or offer your support.

D. Try to make more use of these.

E. They also help us perform better, and improve our physical health.

F. But where do we find meaning and purpose?

G. Do things for others.

    When Mark Levine, an English-language instructor at Beijing's Minzu University of China, was first invited to attend a Chinese colleague's wedding in Jiangsu Province in 2016, his second year in China, the California native was ready to present a small decorative gift for the new couple as he used to do in the United States.

    However, his gesture suddenly seemed inappropriate as he realized the Chinese at the ceremony had red envelopes filled with cash to present rather than a packed gift.

    "It's a little bit embarrassing when you present something that people didn't expect to receive on certain occasions," Levine told China Daily recently. "In the US, people do that as well but only for close relatives. People would normally give things as presents, while here in China red envelopes are more commonly welcomed."

    It was the first time that the 66-year-old had discovered the Chinese rules in gift giving. He was not alone.

    British Minister of State for Transport Baroness Susan Kramer presented a watch in January to Ko Wen-je, mayor of Taipei, when she visited the city, immediately sparking headlines as she broke a long-held tradition in Chinese culture.

    A clock or watch, or zhong in Mandarin, represents "the end" in Chinese, and many associate it with death. Therefore, giving someone, especially an elder, a clock or watch implies "your time is up".

    Kramer later apologized for the mistake, but Ko also came under fire for his response as he told reporters that he had no use for the watch and would sell it for cash.

    However, some foreigners in China stand by Ko in this particular debate, such as Mark Dreyer, a British citizen who has lived and worked in China since 2007."After all, 'don't give clocks or watches to your hosts' is on page l of most China travel guides. I'm embarrassed by the lack of respect shown by the British for not even reading about the customs beforehand."

    STA Travel, the world's largest students and youth travel agency, beats any price! Every day we're working with our partners around the globe to get you (students, teachers and anyone under 26) the cheapest and most comfortable flights and top-rated accommodations. This part of www.statravel.com provides great tips for green travel — how to pack, how to leave your house or apartment, and how to plan for your trips. You'll also find a great selection of green travel adventure trips to all corners of the world.

    Green travel means responsible (负责任的) travel! Leave as little influence as possible on the places you visit and protect the environment both at home and during your trip. Think “Green” when you pack and when you travel. You'll help prevent long-term effects on the communities you leave and visit! Here's some advice on how to do that.

    Before you leave

    Turn your water heater to its lowest setting.

    Turn off your water from the outside.

    While you travel

    Pack suitable clothes in your luggage, none of which is to harm the environment.

    Try products made from recycled materials.

    Don't buy souvenirs produced from endangered species.

    Carry a reusable bottle for water and refill it as you go.

    Use the bathroom in the airport, NOT on the plane. The fuel used for a single flush (冲洗) could run a car for six miles.

Mountain torrent that killed 7, injured 8 at scenic spot in Sichuan stirs reaction

There was a tragic death of seven people, and an injury of eight others in a flash flood at a scenic spot in Sichuan province. The {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (safe) of tourists visiting unregulated scenic spots prone to flash flooding has become a matter of public issue.

At about 3:30 pm {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Saturday, a flash flood hit Longcao valley, a popular tourist spot in Longmenshan town, Chengdu. Several tourists were unable {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(escape) before the flood hit.

In the wake of the tragedy, tourists have been cautioned against visiting mountainous locations susceptible to flash flooding during the summer flood season.

"Mountain climates are very {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (complicate). There can often be heavy rain at the top of a mountain and clear weather below, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} can sometimes lead to flash floods or mudslides that people lower down the mountain are unaware of." Xie Hong, a researcher from the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment of the Chinese Academy of Science said.

When it rains, slopes become prone to instability and to {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (disaster) such as flash floods, mudslides, rockslides, landslides. According to the villagers, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} flash flood hit within seconds in this accident.

Xie said that although the warnings are {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (clear) posted at such places, some people are quick to forget about such tragedies.

He suggested {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (teach) a better understanding of the way weather behaves in the mountains in schools so that awareness of potential danger is ingrained at a young age. He hopes that tragedies like this can {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (avoid) in the future.