Life is just like a box. Inside it are happiness and sorrow, failure and success, hope and despair. Life is a learning process. Experiences in it teach us new lessons and make us a better person.

    Love

    Love plays a key role in our life. Love makes you feel wanted. Without love a person could become cruel and violent. In the early stage of our life, our parents are the ones who show us with unconditional love and care. They tell us what is right or wrong, good or bad. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.It is only after marriage and having kids that a person understands and becomes sensitive to the feelings of others. Kids make a person responsible and mature and help us to understand life better.

    Happiness and Sorrow

    Materialistic happiness is short­lived, but happiness achieved by bringing a smile on others gives a certain level of fulfillment.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.No mind is happy without peace. We realize the true worth of happiness when we are in sorrow. Sorrow is basically due to death of a loved one, failure and despair. But these things are temporary and pass away.

    Failure and Success

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us a specific way.

    Hope and Despair

    Hope is what keeps life going. Parents always hope their children will do well. Hope makes us dream. Hope builds in patience. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, because after every night there is a day. Nothing remains the same. We have only one choice—keep moving on in life and be hopeful.

Life teaches us not to regret over yesterday, for it has passed and is beyond our control. Tomorrow is unknown, for it could either be right or dull. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, so that we will enjoy a better tomorrow.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When a starving man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat; when a manager gets a new sports car, visions of country clubs dance into view.

    The many wants of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    The first and most basic level of wants is food. Once this want is satisfied, a second level of wants appears: clothing and some sort of shelter. By the end of World War II these wants were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It included such items as cars and new houses.

    By 1957 or 1958 this third level of wants was fairly well satisfied. Then, in the late 1950s a fourth level of wants appeared: the “life-enriching” level. While the other levels mean physical satisfaction－the feeding, comfort, safety, and transportation of the human body－this level stresses mental needs for recognition, achievement and happiness. It includes a variety of goods and services, many of which could be called “luxury” items(奢侈品). Among them are vacation trips, the best medical care, and entertainment. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    On this level, a greater percentage of consumer spending goes to services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of wants as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level?

    A fifth level probably would be wants that can be achieved best by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes to pay for government action against disease, ignorance, crime and prejudice. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In this way, we can enjoy more fully the good things on the first four levels.

 A．Then a third level appeared.

 B．Human wants seem endless.

 C．When there is money enough to satisfy one level of wants, another level appears.

 D．There are several levels of wants in one's life.

 E．At this stage, we now may seek to ensure the health, safety, and leisure.

 F．Also included here are fancy foods and the latest styles in clothing.

 G．Different people have different wants on each level 

    Everyone wants to perform well at school. Add these tips to your life and you should be on your way to being a top student!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}I cannot stress how important it is to pay attention to what your teacher is teaching you. Take part in class discussions if you have something worth adding. Pay attention during class, especially during lectures.

    Taking notes is important. You don't need to write down every single word your teacher says but write down what he or she writes on the board, or any special fact you think you might need for a test.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}In this way, it will help you learn more effectively by actually thinking about what you are writing.

    Don't skip school. You will be missing some knowledge. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}However, you will have more work. Also, try not to be late for class. It's most likely that your teacher won't appreciate it and you will get yourself behind.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}If you have an “I don't care about school or this class” attitude, then teachers will be less willing to help you with problems or offer you extra credit(学分). The same goes for lazy attitude. Have a respectful attitude to the teacher and other students. Try not to laugh when other students make mistakes.

    Always ask questions. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you don't understand, ask someone. Read your textbook and notes, and then if that fails, seek help. Ask a teacher, friend, classmate, parent, etc. Get a tutor(家教) if you need one.

A. Be prepared.

B. Write in your own words.

C. Pay attention to everything the teacher says.

D. Staying organized will be helpful.

E. There is no shame in needing some help.

F. It is true that you could make up the work.

G. Keep a good attitude towards things.

    There are some people who seem to always be surrounded by friends, and there are others who always seem to be standing on the outside, looking in at the crowds of friends. If you are one of the outsiders, it is time to break out of your shell and start making new friends. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒈Be yourself. Nobody likes a phony(虚伪的人). In fact, if you aren't yourself, others won't become friends with you. When the time comes that you feel comfortable enough to act like yourself again, you may not be well received, because you are a totally different person.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Use technology. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For instance, Weibo is a great place to meet new people. It creates experiences and you get to meet like-minded people who share your interests.

    ⒊Start with people you know. Reach out and contact new friends, and reconnect with old friends you haven't seen in a long time. Don't forget about friends of friends. You may connect with some really cool people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you stay home, you aren't going to meet people.

    ⒋Keep in touch. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} With the Internet and social media, there is absolutely no need to worry about that these days. Look up old friends and contact them.

A. There are all kinds of online groups that you can join.

B. Knowing others well is very important.

C. Therefore, let people get to know the real you.

D. If you are invited to go out, go.

E. All too often, people lose touch with one another.

F. Here are some tips that will help.

G. You need to trust yourself, whatever happens.

Five steps to better handwriting

    Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it's time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five steps that really work!

    Get a great grasp

    Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.

    Let the lines be your guide

    Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.

    Slow down

    If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it's hard to control where you stop and start your letters.

    Lower the pressure (压力)

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don't hold the pencil too tightly.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it's not schoolwork, you're still using the skills you need to control your pen better.

A. Play games

B. Ask for more advice

C. So "a" should be half the height of a capital "A".

D. You've been writing since you were a little kid.

E. Some kids press down really hard when they write.

F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting.

G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the base of your thumb.

    Question: I have recently got a senior position within my company. One of my new tasks is to make monthly progress reports on my department in front of other senior officials. During my first meeting, I presented and then opened the floor to questions.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} My first reaction was to answer defensively. Later, I realized that I shouldn't feel that way. But how can I keep cool and effectively answer questions in this type of settings?

    Answer: Congratulations on your new position! Presenting in front of your peers (同事) is a hard task in itself, and it becomes much more difficult when a question-and-answer period is required. Question-and-answer periods are a great way to clarify the message and strengthen key points. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When a person is asking a question, show interest and a desire to understand the question by listening and asking for clarification.

    Buy time

    When facing a hard question, most people can't give an answer immediately. Buy time by repeating the question in your own words. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} These techniques allow you to quickly organize your thoughts as well as to make sure you will be correctly answering the question.

    Suggest a private meeting

    A one-on-one meeting is a calmer setting than speaking in front of your peers. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}