Fun doesn't have to be expensive

    Everyone likes to have fun, but not everyone has much money to spend. Here are some free or cheap ways to enjoy yourself.

    Go outside

    Going outside in good weather can be a lot of fun if you don't want to stay at home. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you live in a city, you can go window-shopping. Or you can explore an old part of town and admire the buildings.

    Try a hobby

    While you're out, take pictures of things you find. Planning and taking pictures can make you aware of the beauty all around you. Photographic equipment can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. You probably already own a camera or a cell phone that can take pictures. Other creative hobbies can also be done with basic materials. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Find an event

    Libraries often hold free public events. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}And while you're there, borrow a book or movie for free. Museums and universities also hold free events.

    If you can't find a free event, you can volunteer at an event that requires tickets. People who organize concerts and plays need help.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Sometimes they reward volunteers with free tickets.

    Meet a friend

    Relationships are often the best things in life. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For example, invite a friend for a walk, an event or a time working on your hobby. Hosting doesn't have to be difficult. If your friend comes in the afternoon, you don't have to serve a meal. You can sit and talk, play board games or card games or watch a movie together.

A. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

B. Stop by one to find out what's going on.

C. Hike or bicycle with a friend on a nearby path or in a park.

D. Whatever you do, find a friend to share it with.

E. It's a good idea to stay at home to watch a movie.

F. You can set up or take down chairs or greet visitors.

G. Drawing and writing require nothing more than a pencil and paper.

An Interesting Experiment

    Put an ice cube(冰块) from your fridge into a glass of water.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Thus, you can take out that piece of ice with the help of the string. But you must not touch the ice with your fingers.

    You may ask your friends to try to do that when you are having dinner together.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You must use salt when you carry out this experiment.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Then put some salt on the ice. Salt makes ice melt(融化). The ice round the string will begin to melt.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The cold ice cube will make the salt water freeze again.

    After a minute or two you may raise the piece of string and with it you will raise your piece of ice!

    This experiment can be very useful to you. If, for example, there is ice near the door of your house, you must use very much salt to melt all the ice.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. If you don't put enough salt, the water will freeze again.

B. The string must be at least 10 centimeters long.

C. First you put the string across the piece of ice.

D. We can learn a lot from this physical experiment.

E. But when it melts, it will lose heat.

F. You should have a piece of string 10 centimeters long.

G. There is a salt bottle on the table.

New Reasons to Exercise

    It's a cruel reality that exercising is not a reliable way to lose weight and keep it off. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are the benefits of regular exercise.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    A new study had found that just a short period of exercise can help improve the ability to remember things in the hours that follow. The report says, “Exercising four hours after learning a task can help people remember that task in the long term”

    It may keep off depression.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Researchers found that women who exercised regularly reported about 50% fewer depressive signs than women who didn't exercise as much. And the more the women reported exercising, the less likely they were to have signs of depression.

    It can control appetite.(食欲)

    Exercise may be the key to controlling your appetite . A study found that people who exercised for 15 minutes after doing mental work ate 100 fewer calories than people who did mental work and then remained seated. Exercise has the ability to increase available fuel sources in the body that may signal to the brain. “{#blank#}4{#/blank#}I don't need to fill myself with food,” says study author William H. Neumeirer.

    It increases energy.

    In a recent report, men who cycled for 20 minutes experienced a 166% increase in self-reported energy levels, compared with a 15% increase when they sat and did nothing for the same amount of time.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.It improves memory.

B.It has mind-body benefits.

C.Here is the energy source I need.

D.We do the work at the office each day.

E.Working out regularly might prevent depression.

F.But that doesn't mean you should give up the effort.

G.If you need a reason to work out, energy increase is a worthwhile one.

    We all have plans to achieve success in life, but what we are lacking is the motivation that keeps us going to put plans into action. Here are the ways that can effectively ease the problem.
    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Just grab a book, especially an inspirational book or a book of success stories. You can learn from others and the story will motivate you to move ahead with your plans. It also makes you re-focus your energy on your goals rather than the problems at hand.

    Think of your purpose.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Your purpose could be to improve the life of others, or help people to do things more efficiently. Thinking of your purpose is an important way to motivate you.

    Talk to a supportive friend.

    Talking to a supportive friend would be able to overcome the problem of lacking motivation. Find someone that you are comfortable with and share your problems with him. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Go through your goals daily.

    Prepare a list of goals that you want to achieve and go through your goals at least once a day. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} By doing this, you refresh your mind with the goals you have set for yourself.

    Do it at once.

    Another way is to get started with what you need to do. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But by forcing yourself to just do it, you'll probably make progress little by little and without realizing it, you have actually finished the task on hand.

A. Read a book.

B.  See a motivational film.

C. You should have plans to achieve success.

D. After it, you will feel recharged and re-energized.

E. Think of why you want to achieve what you want.

F. Sometimes you don't feel like doing what you want to do.

G. You need to do this even more if you feel down and have no motivation.

    I feel happy when I come home at the end of the day and see those big, graphic prints on my wall. They make my tiny New York apartment feel more home and more purposeful; more like me. Why? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    You're probably not trying to spend crazy dollars on art for your home—who is? Maybe you just graduated and know you need to upgrade from that poster of Einstein with his tongue out taped to your dorm wall that was supposed to make you look "smart yet playful" Perhaps you just bought a home! That's expensive! {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Pieces that attract your personality, express your taste, or just make you laugh aren't restricted to gallery purchases.

    Don't panic if you don't know where to start

    Art. com

    When you want affordable but classy art prints, go to Art. com website. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Cast a glance their website and you'll be greeted with a window offering 50％off your first order if you fork over your email address. Do it. You could create art entire gallery wall of Chagall, Monet, Adams and Kahlo for under $30.

    Society6

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It features art that touches all types. It sells prints in a variety of sizes so you can customize a whole gallery wall with picks from their artists. Currently, I become interested in Beth Hoeckel's collage art and the vintage-looking prints from aapshop.

    eBay

    Nothing angers me more than "stealing" a piece from one of my favorite shops, only to have it sell out before I can get my hands on it. eBay is my go-to next step. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} From wall hangings to tabletop sculptures eBay is a treasure of art finds.

    My mother is a diligent and kind woman. She is very busy from morning till night. As a teacher, she works hard. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Both my brother and I love her dearly as she loves us.

    My mother has been teaching math at a middle school in my hometown. She goes to work early in the morning and does not return home until late in the afternoon.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} She treats them with patience and teaches them well. For her excellent quality and very good teaching results, she has been elected as a model teacher several times.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Every day, when she comes back home from work, she sets about doing housework, sweeping the living room and bedrooms or cleaning the furniture, and putting everything in good order. She seems to be busy all the time. As she has been very busy working every day, she looks older than her age. But she looks as cheerful and happy as ever. Mother never buys expensive dresses for herself, but she often buys some inexpensive but high quality clothes for us. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} She just eats a plain meal outside when she is too busy to cook herself. She lives a busy yet simple life, without any complaints.

    Often she says to us, "work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy and gay. If you do not work, you will become lazy and be of no use to society". What a piece of good advice this is!{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This advice of hers will always serve as a guide to my behavior. My mother is great indeed, and I always feel proud of her.

A. She enjoys listening to classic music.

B. As a mother, she takes good care of us and gives us every comfort.

C. She loves her students and cares for them.

D. She never goes to expensive restaurants to enjoy meals.

E. My mother is hard-working and never wastes money.

F. I never forget it and always bear it in my mind.

G. Can you tell us something about your mother?