Be an inventor

    The biggest secret about inventing is that anybody can do it! Perhaps this sounds crazy, but it's true. Maybe you have the wrong idea about inventing, so read on to discover the truth.

Wrong idea number 1:{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Well, inventing means creating something “new”, but the idea could come from something that already exists.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

Wrong idea number 2: Inventors are born, not made.

    There are a lot of factors that make invention possible. Take Mozart, for example. He was born with a special talent for music.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}His father was a music teacher, and Mozart practiced for hours every day, from the time he was in kindergarten.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Very successful creators don't give up when they get something wrong. As one inventor said, “A failure is the right answer to the wrong question!”

    Wrong idea number 3: Inventors are always old people.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Here is an example of a young inventor: Louis Braille went blind when he was a child. When he was 15, he invented a system of reading and writing for blind people that is still used in most countries today.

A. Everyday things can give people lots of ideas.

B. An invention has to be something completely new.

C. But other factors were also important for his creativity.

D. As a young man, George Nissen invented the trampoline (蹦床).

E. Don't believe that you can't invent something when you are young.

F. Thomas Edison said that being an inventor was “99% hard work and 1% inspiration”!

G. The Wright brothers, for example, got the idea for building a “flying machine” from watching birds.

    Ways to build strong friendships

    Be loyal to a friend. Part of being a friend is being prepared to devote your time and energy to helping out your friends. If a friend needs help with an unpleasant thing, or if he or she just needs a shoulder to cry on, be there for them. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} This is a good way to attract the kind of friends you want in your life.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} When you say you'll do something, do it. When your friend tells you a secret, keep it secret from others. Be someone that people know that they can rely on. If you show this quality to your friends, they will appreciate it and will be reliable in return.

    Be a good listener. Many people think they have to appear very interesting.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Listen carefully to what people say, remember important details about them, ask questions about their interests, and take the time to learn more about them.

    Stress your good qualities. Show others what makes you stand apart from the crowd. Talk about your interests and hobbies. Everyone has interesting stories to tell – don't be afraid to share yours.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  People love to be around someone who makes them laugh.

    Choose your friends wisely. As you make friends with more people, you may find that some are hard to get along with. Sometimes you may even realize that certain friendships are unhealthy.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Cherish those friends who are a positive influence in your life, and do your best to be a positive influence in theirs.

A. Be a reliable friend.

B. Keep your promise to your friend.

C. Be respectful of their decisions and share yours with him.

D. Besides, a little humor always keeps a conversation light and happy.

E. In this case, walk your way out of the friendship as gracefully as possible.

F. Being a loyal friend will attract other people to you who value this quality.

G. Far more important than that, however, is the ability to show that you're interested in others.

Some Advice for Freshmen

    As you enter a university, you turn to a new page where life is quite different from before. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} As far as I can see, there are several aspects you should pay special attention to.

Manage your free time well.

    Since there's plenty of spare time every day, a good time-management becomes vital. When free, you can devote yourself to studying or going out to visit some scenic spots nearby. If you have special skills or interests, there are various clubs for you to join. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} At the same time you get the chance to make friends with other students.

    Develop self-discipline (自律).

    College life is nearly completely up to yourself instead of the teachers compared to the high school. So self-discipline makes much more significance. In university the teachers' job is to give classes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It is your choice to do them dependently or copy. You're supposed to hand in the assignments punctually. You're also expected to stick to your timetable, keep a balanced diet, etc.

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

    This is the person who will help you with course conflicts, adding or dropping courses, scheduling of classes for future terms and deciding on majors. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} He/ She should be the person you turn to with any academic issues or conflicts. And don't be afraid of requesting another adviser if you can't contact the first one.

    Bear these tips in mind and I'm sure it can be beneficial to you in the long run.

A. Find a perfect place to study in.

B. It's where to show your talent.

C. Get to know your academic adviser.

D. This person is a key resource for you.

E. As for the assignments, it is your work.

F. Buy a calendar to know when assignments are due.

G. To well adapt yourself to the new environment is of great significance.

    It is not as simple as opening the door and hitting the track in winter. There are a few things you can do to ensure you are getting the most out of your run, and, importantly, not doing more harm than good.

    Warm up, cool down

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Your muscles need some time to warm up when it's cold  so take it easy when you set off and do a few stretches (伸展) once you're finished.

    Drink water

    You might not feel hot, but that's because sweat evaporates (蒸发) more quickly into the chilly, dry air. So be sure to drink water before, during and after cold-weather workouts. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} A belt bottle conveniently attaches to your waist so you don't have to carry it and can have a drink whenever you feel like it.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Running in cotton is a bad idea. Wear thin, breathable layers of synthetic (合成的) clothing that help protect you from the wind and snow, but still let out heat and moisture (水分).Thirty percent of your body heat escapes through your hands and forty percent through your head. Wear a hat, or beanie (无边小便帽), and gloves so your circulatory system can distribute warm blood to the rest of your body. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Run into the wind

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Obviously, it will be an easier passage home with some extra help from Mother Nature. But, more importantly, you won't have the wind in your face for the second half of your run, when you are more likely to be sweating and catch a chill.

Traditional Chinese Culture

    Chinese culture is over 5,000 years old.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The spirit of the tea ceremony

    Xihu Longjing(West Lake Dragon Well)and Yunnan Pu'er have long been world famous.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The spirit of the Chinese tea ceremony captures the Chinese attitude towards life and spirituality. These are the things that people all over the world can benefit from.

    A handful of good tea leaves with some boiling water and a set of lovely tea ware are the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon and gain some insights into the wisdom of that ancient civilization.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    During the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, many different flavors, styles, and cuisines(烹饪)have developed, based on traditional philosophy and culture. This ancient food culture has had a direct impact on the countries such as Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore. It has benefited billions of people around the world through innovations such as Chinese vegetarian culture, tea culture, vinegar, pasta, medicinal diets, ceramic tableware, and the use of soybeans in the diet.

    Confucianism

    Confucianism emphasizes peacefulness and harmony between heaven and humanity, through pursuing the "Tao", which is the harmonization between nature and mankind. It advocates harmony and moderation, including the harmony between individuals, as well as the harmony between a man and his inner self.

    Confucianism has flourished during the last 2,500 years of China's 5,000­year history.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} This school of thought has had the most profound and long lasting influence in China's history. Seventy­four Nobel Prize winners and many other highly respected scholars have stated that for the benefit of mankind's livelihood and development into the next century, these teachings should be promoted and adopted worldwide.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Chinese cuisine

B. Traditional Chinese culture

C. It has been the mainstay of that ancient civilization.

D. They are pretty popular due to their superior color and flavor.

E. The following three items of traditional Chinese culture have had a worldwide impact.

F. This wonderfully rich food culture has also had an impact on Europe，America and Oceania.

G. This would provide long lasting benefits for man，helping to ensure a peaceful and happy life.

    Today we begin a series of programs about learning disabilities. These are disorders in the ways that people understand or use language. They can affect the ability to listen or think, or to speak or to read and write. They can also affect the ability to do mathematics. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Researchers believe that learning disabilities are caused by differences in the way that the brain works with information. They say children with learning disabilities are not unintelligent or do not want to work.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Researchers say that as many as one out of every five people in the United States has some kind of learning disability. Almost three-million children in the United States receive some kind of help in school for a learning disability.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Experts look for a difference between how well a child does in school and the level of intelligence or ability of the child. But there is no one sign of a disorder. A few signs of learning disability include not connecting letters with their sounds or not understanding what is read. A person with a learning disability may not be able to understand a funny story. They may not follow directions. They may not read numbers correctly or know how to start a task. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}One person may have trouble understanding mathematics. Another may have difficulty understanding what people are saying. Still another may not be able to express ideas in writing. These different kinds of learning disabilities are known by different names. For example, a person who has difficulty reading may have dyslexia (诵读困难症).

    Experts say learning disabilities cannot be cured.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Teachers and parents can help young people with learning disabilities to learn successfully.

A. Different people have different kinds of learning disabilities.

B. Their brains just process information differently than other people.

C. People with learning disabilities have difficulty in communicating with others.

D. But people who have them can be helped.

E. Why does a person have a learning disability?

F. A person with a learning disability has unusual difficulty in developing these skills.

G. How can you tell if someone has a learning disability?