Some Advice on Safety

 Always play in a safe place. A park is a safe place because there is no cars or trucks. But do not talk to strangers. Never go with a stranger into a car.

 Before crossing the road, stop and look both ways. Look left, look right and look left again.

 Keep away from houses or buildings that are being built or knocked down. Something might fall on your head, or you might cut yourself on broken glass.

 Medicines or pills can be dangerous. Never swallow(吞下) any pills or medicines you find in the cupboard.

 Don't swim in the pool or river without adults. Wear a life jacket whenever you go out in a boat. Even if you are not in the open sea and the water is not deep, you should have your life jacket on. It's easy to fall out of a boat.

 Do not put your head out of a car, bus or train. Many children have been killed by doing this.

    It's said that eyes are the windows of our soul. Beautiful and bright eyes not only show a good health but also make you look attractive. However, to have healthy eyes, you have to look after them properly. Your eyes need everyday attention.

    Pay more attention to your diet. First, eat food that is good for your eyes. They are fresh fruits and vegetables as well as fish, eggs and milk. Besides, a regular amount (数量) of Vitamins A and B2 should also be taken.

    A regular and sound sleep is a must. It relaxes the eye muscles (肌肉) and gives them the rest. Sleep not only helps the body to repair its tired tissues (组织). Usually, you must sleep for at least seven to eight hours every day. Loss of sleep can give you dark circles under the eyes.

    You must exercise your eyes every day. Blink (眨眼) your eyes at regular periods, which makes the eyeballs watery and gives them a good wash.

    We use our eyes in many unnoticeable and wrong ways. For example, if a small thing goes into our eye, we start rubbing (揉) it, which is wrong. Rubbing can cause damage to your eyes. Don't read or write in poor or bright sunlight. Always use sunglasses as sunlight can cause eye tiredness. Light should not shine directly in your eyes. Too much reading, writing, watching TV or working on the computer can also cause eye tiredness.

    Joy always rides her bike to school. It's four miles to school and it takes her about fifteen minutes. Joy likes riding to school. She says it's good for her health.

    Edward usually goes to school by bus. He likes talking with his friends on the bus. It's about ten minutes' journey (旅程) to school by bus.

    Mary's home is near the school. She usually walks to school. It's about five minutes' walk. Mary says she likes taking walks after meal.

    Jason Queally is one of the fastest men in the world on a bicycle.

Every year, an important human-powered bicycle race is held in Nevada, the USA. The speed of the bike is measured for only 200 meters, but players take more than a kilometer to get their bikes going fast. Jason Queally's fastest speed for the 200-meterrase was 103.5 kilometers an hour.

    At this year's race, Jason failed to reach the finishing line. He was speeding along about seventy kilometers an hour when he began to lose control of his bike. When he tried to slow down, it began to smoke. Soon the inside of his bike was filled with smoke. He couldn't see, and he couldn't breathe. At seventy kilometers an hour, a crash could be very serious. Jason was frightened, but he managed to stop the bike safely. He would repair his bicycle and try again another time to be the world's fastest man on a bike. Better luck next time, Jason.

Small talk

    Americans often have short conversations, called small talk, about unimportant things with strangers or people they know but not very well. They may have small talk at parties, while waiting in line at the store, at family events or work. It's a way to say hi and express friendliness.

    Small talk is very useful. It can avoid uncomfortable silences and build stronger relationships. For example, when you first meet someone or talk to someone you don't know well, you can break the ice by making small talk. Small talk with a colleague(同事) about his child may help you to understand more of his life outside the office.

    In 2013, researchers from the University of Essex asked some people to make small talk in a study. They found small talk can make people happier. People who talked briefly(短暂地) with a waiter in a coffee shop felt happier than those who simply went in, ordered and left.

    However some people are not good at small talk. Here are some tips to improve your small-talking ability.

    Firstly, find common ground. When you have something similar with your speaking partner, that means you have something to talk about.

    Secondly, ask open-ended questions. They are suitable(合适的) for small talk. For example, if you ask visitors whether they like your city, they may simply say "Yes." But if you ask "What do you think of our city," they will have more freedom in how they answer.

    Thirdly, become a student. Nobody knows everything. So, as someone is answering one of your open-ended questions, they bring up something about which you know nothing. So, tell them! This lets the other person become the teacher. They feel good about sharing their knowledge and you get to learn something. It's a win-win situation.

    Finally, practice makes perfect. Like anything, getting good at making small talk takes practice.

    If you make small talk in your native language, you might become happier. If you are making small talk using English, you will most surely improve your speaking and listening skills.

    Everyone has good days and bad days.

    Sometimes, you may feel that you're on top of the world and all the questions on your maths test might seem cays. But sometimes you feel frightened or you lose things, and you cannot focus on your school work.

    For more than 20 years, scientists have suggested that high self-esteem(自尊)is the key to success. They said that kids who feel good about themselves do better in school and have fewer emotional problems than kids who have a low opinion of themselves. , Now, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can bring bad results if it makes you less likeable(可爱的)or more upset when you fail at something.

    "Forget about self-esteem," says Jennifer Crocker, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, US." It's not the important thing. Crocker's advice may sound a bit strange because it is good to feel good about oneself. Studies show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be sad, anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem.

    But, after reviewing about 18, 000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Laumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person. People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves while people with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help.

    Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Set out to create or build something. If you fail at something, try to learn from the experience. "The host therapy(药方)is to know your own weak points, "Vohs says. "It's OK to say, I'm not so good at that, 'and then move on."