Do you usually feel you're working hard but still can't reach your study goals? Here are some quick tips to help you study better.

Study with a partner or in groups

    Rather than living in a cave with your nose in the books all day, grab a friend from your class and study with him.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Step into your teacher's shoes

    Ask yourself “If I were the teacher, what would I put on the test?”You have probably experienced a lot of your teacher's tests and quizzes by now.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Teachers have specific types of information that they want you to learn. The structure is usually the same.

Paint pictures on the paper

    You can build your knowledge structure in the form of pictures. It's harder to remember each piece of a puzzle individually than it is to recall the completed picture.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

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    A hungry brain is an ineffective one. Your brain needs the proper nutrients to keep it going. Because of this, what you eat and drink also play a huge role in how sharp your brain is. Healthy food provide nutrients to your brain cells to keep them energized.

Take breaks to relax your brain

    Your brain is like a muscle. It can be also tired if you overwork it,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you divide studying into 15 to 30 minutes blocks with quick breaks in between, your brain will feel refreshed, grateful and ready for the next challenge you throw at.

A. Feed your brain from time to time.

B. It needs exercise to make it stronger.

C. Relax your brain by eating and drinking.

D. You'd better learn from them for the next test.

E. It's necessary to have a long holiday and have nice food.

F. Find ways to connect what you are learning to real life or to other concepts.

G. Group studying helps you to engage and process the information more deeply

— What are you going to do this afternoon?

—I'll take them to the shoemaker's after lunch. I must have my walking shoes repaired.

—{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Something more interesting than shopping, I hope.

—{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I enjoy going round the big shops. If I finish shopping early enough, I may go to the cinema. There is a good film at the Regal Cinema this week.

—What's the film about?

—{#blank#}3{#/blank#} One of Hollywood's best pictures, I'm told. And what do you think about martial films?

—You know I don't like films of any sort. How often do I go to the cinema? Twice a year, perhaps. Most films are very foolish. I don't understand why people want to go to the cinema every week.

—{#blank#}4{#/blank#} They want to look like film stars. They want to live in the way film stars live.

—Yes, as I said, most films are very foolish and most of the people who go to films are very foolish.

—{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

—No, of course not, my dear. I wasn't thinking of you.

A. And is that true of me?

B. Oh, but I like shopping.

C. Why do you think so?

D. They want to wear clothes like those worn by film stars.

E. And what else are you doing?

F. I know nothing about it.

G. Black Hawk Down. A really good martial film.

    There is no such thing as a "bad memory". {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, as long as you are not suffering from memory loss as a medical condition. If you want to improve your memory, there are a number of things you can do.

    Stop thinking that you have a "bad memory". {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves their memory is bad. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Celebrate even little achievements to keep yourself motivated.

    Exercise your brain. Regularly "exercising" the brain keeps it growing and help improve memory. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.By developing new mental skills -- especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument, you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning.

    Give yourself time to form a memory. Memories are very fragile in the short term, and distractions can make you quickly forget something as simple as a phone number. The key to avoid losing memories is to be able to focus on the thing to be remembered for a while without thinking about other things. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Often we forget things not because our memory is bad, but rather because our observational skills need work. One way to become more observant is to look at a photo for a few seconds and then describe as many details about it as possible. With regular practice you will find you're able to remember more details with even shorter glimpses of the photos.

A. Practice your describing skills regularly

B. So when you're trying to remember something, avoid distractions for a few minutes

C. Take better pictures

D. Everyone can improve their memory

E. A large portion (部分) of your brain is activated when it learns a new skill

F. So the more time you spend, the better your memory will be

G. Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve

    Venice Carnival is one of Italy's most fascinating yearly events. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A confusion of color, historical costumes, mysterious masks, and a week of live concerts, street parties and entertainment attract millions of tourists each year. Here's everything you need to know before you go.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Traditionally held around Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, at the start of Lent (40 days before Easter), Venice Carnival ( Carnevale del Veneto ) celebrations can last up to two weeks. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, the biggest events, including the official parades and masked balls, are held over the final weekend.

    What to Do?

    Join one of the parades or street parties, and taste traditional Carnival foods such as frittelle, a traditional dessert made only during the festivities. Carnival is the ideal time to experience Venetian culture and traditions. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}You can also take part in a mask-making workshop, tour Venice's cicchetti bars for a bite to eat, sail up and down the Grand Canal on a romantic Venice boat ride, or attend an evening Carnival concert or dinner theater performance.

Things to Know

    St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is the center of Carnival celebrations with daily parades, performances and other activities. Most Carnival events, except for the masked balls and gala dinners, are free to attend.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} So prepare for cold weather and possible rain, with an average high of 46℉(8℃) in February.

A. When to Go

B. Where to Stay

C. Carnival falls during winter in Venice.

D. Most visitors choose to arrive on the final weekend.

E. It is also one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the city.

F. There's a busy schedule of both free and ticketed events throughout the time.

G. Get into the carnival spirit by buying or renting a traditional costume or Venetian mask.

Life getting you down? Learn to bounce back

    "That which does not kill us makes us stronger.＂ Nietzsche said. There are a number of ways that can get us through tough times, help us to bounce back and make us happier. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Find something you can control.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But taking small, positive steps in any area of our life can have a ripple effect, enabling us to move forward in the problem area.

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    As a species, we tend to focus on what's wrong rather than what's right. But we can benefit a lot from paying attention to what's going right. Psychologists have shown consciously focusing on these good things helps to increase our experience of positive emotions.

    Check your thinking.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Leading psychologist Martin Seligman found that the way we interpret the causes of everyday setbacks can have a significant impact on our ability to cope and our physical health. He also showed we can learn more resilient(有弹性的) thinking styles.

    Distract yourself.

    When we are immersed in a problem, it is hard to think creatively about ways to deal with it. It often helps to take time out from the things you are worrying about.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Not only does this give us a break from what we're doing and our worries, it's also great for our minds.

A. Always do something that is right.

B. It's true that there are lots of things we can't control.

C. An effective way of taking time out is exercise.

D. Next time you are feeling stressed or stuck, give them a try.

E. Focus on what's right.

F. Next time something goes wrong for you, pause for a moment.

G. The way we think can destroy our own resilience.

    Do you remember those times when your mother told you to avoid talking to strangers? But now you're not a child anymore. In fact, there are advantages of talking to strangers.

    You can meet a really great person.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You can meet a person who'll become your best friend in future. You can also meet someone who'll give you a chance to get your dream job or somehow help you in life.

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    You have some opinion about different subjects and you know your friends' and relatives' points of view about them too. But there are millions of other people who think differently and can give you unpredictable yet smart ideas that'll broaden your horizons.

    You improve your social skills.

    Whatever social skills you have, you can make them better when talking to strangers. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can better these skills when talking to a stranger.

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    If you belong to that shy type of people, talking to a stranger may seem to be a real challenge for you. I'm also extremely shy but I realize it's not an issue at all. You can overcome your fear of being judged by others by talking to strangers and become more confident.

    You can cheer someone up.

    The thing you'll definitely like about talking to strangers is that you can make someone's day better. Smile and people will smile in return. Compliment people and they'll think something pleasant about you. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}