Making Peace with Your Parents

    As a teen, you're going through big changes physically and mentally. Your interests are increasing.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here is the challenge: Kids need to explore the world in new ways, and parents need to protect them from the dangers that are all out in that world. These conflicts can easily set off fireworks in otherwise calm houses. Sometimes conflicts can't be avoided. But by paying attention to the building blocks of successful relationships, you can work towards making home a happy and healthy place for you and your parents.

    For example, try to find a time to talk when your parents are not angry, tired, distracted or hungry. A good time to talk is when you're all relaxed. Timing is everything if the conversation begins to turn into an argument, you'd better calmly and coolly ask to stop the conversation for now.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Listen to what your parents are saying, and repeat it back to them. This shows them that you're listening. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Respect is the building block of good communication. People who respect each other and care about each others' feelings can disagree without getting things ugly.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} How do you build trust? Trust comes by actually doing what you say you're going to do. Some teens find that doing fun activities with their parents can improve their relationships. Sometimes we forget that parents are more than rule-maker—they're interesting people who like to watch movies and go shopping—just like their teenagers!

    What do you do if you are trying your best, but your relationship with your parents continues to be rocky?{#blank#}5{#/blank#}You can find supportive adults, such as a teacher or a coach, who can lend an ear. Remember you can only change your own behavior. Your parents are the only ones who can change theirs.

A. You may consider seeking outside help.

B. And then you'll be able to accept what your parents say.

C. You can pick it up again when everyone's more relaxed.

D. Faced with the challenge, children don't know what to do.

E. And your desire to take control of your own life is growing.

F. It also gives them a chance to clear things up if you're not on the same page.

G. You are more likely to get along with your parents and have more independence if your parents believe in you.

    Injuries and deaths caused by driving after drinking are preventable. Sadly, actions by the police can only catch a small number of drunk drivers on the roads. It is up to each person to make the decisions.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}So we should help guide our friends and persuade them to avoid driving after drinking. Here are some tips.Start talking to the person early. With every drink, judgment becomes increasingly uncontrolled.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}So as soon as your friend starts drinking, you should try to persuade him to make a plan to get home safely. Remember, after he gets drunk, he may not listen to you.Help the person realize he is drunk. Talk to him and show him that he is increasingly clumsy.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}For example, ask who you can call to pick him up, or what public transport he would like to use. If he knows he is drunk, he may follow your advice.Make last efforts. If all else fails and a drunk person wants to drive home, threaten to call the police or take his keys.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}When he is not concentrated, take his keys. This may make it easier to convince him to take a cab home. Remember, don't give him the keys even if he's angry.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you once drove home after you got drunk, your friend may not listen to you. So in order to succeed in persuading your friend to avoid driving after drinking, you should behave yourself first.

A. Ask him where his keys are.

B. Set a good role model.

C. Give him an alternative way to get home.

D. But it isn't easy to make the right decisions.

E. Make him realize drinking makes him look like a fool.

F. The police will come to help you out once you call them.

G. It means the more one drinks, the less likely that he will listen to you.

The Value of Tears

    Tears can ruin make-up, bring conversation to a stop, and give you a runny nose. Tears leave you embarrassed and without energy. Still, crying is a fact of life, and your tears are very useful. Even when you're not crying, they make a film over the eye's surface.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    When tears fall, they reduce stress. But we tend to fight them for all sorts of reasons. “People worry about showing their emotions (情绪), afraid that once they lose control they'll never get it back.”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}After we cry, the feelings that caused the tears often disappear.

    Sometimes people become much stressed and can't cry. Whatever emotion they are feeling — shock, anger, fear, or sadness— is being held back.

    But everyone has the need to cry. Psychologist Vera Diamond explains that her treatment often consists of giving people permission to cry{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Patients practice crying just to become used to expressing emotions. She suggests safe, private places to cry, like under the bedcovers or in the car. Crying is a way of ease tension, but people don't like it when others cry because it makes them tense{#blank#}4{#/blank#} And they'll do just about anything to make you stop.

    In certain situations, such as at work, tears are not appropriate. It's good not to cry during a tense business discussion{#blank#}5{#/blank#} You should also act out the whole situation again and be as noisy and angry as you like. It will help you feel better. “And,” she adds, “Once your tears have taken away the stress, you can begin to think calmly of ways to deal with the problem.”

    Tears are a sign of our ability to feel. If you find yourself near someone crying, deal with it. And never be afraid to cry yourself.

A. They too may be holding back a need to cry.

B. They cry for different reasons.

C. She gives crying exercises.

D. It contains a chemical against infection (炎症).

E. The fact is no emotion lasts forever.

F. It forms in response to the stress on the surface of the eye.

G. But once you're safely behind closed doors, don't just cry.

    The first TV was made by John Baird in 1925. It had one color. It could only show 30 lines. This was just enough room for a face. It didn't work well, but it was a start.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It was in New York- Few people had TVs. The broadcasts were not meant to be watched. They showed a Felix the Cat doll for two hours a day. The doll spun around on a record player. They were experimenting. It took many years to get it right.

    By the end of the 1930s, TVs were working well. America got its first taste at the 1939 Worlds Fair.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} There were 200 small, black and white TVs set up around the fair. The U. S. President gave a speech over the TVs. The TVs were only five inches big but the people loved it.

    By 1948 there were 4 big TV networks in America. They aired their shows from 8 to 11 each night. Local shows were aired at other times{#blank#}3{#/blank#}TV was not "always on" like it is now.

    Color TVs came out in 1953.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Also, shows were aired in black and white. By 1965, color TVs were cheaper. TV stations started airing shows in color. People had to switch if they wanted to see the shows.

    Now most TVs are high-def (高清). This means that they have many lines on them.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}TVs have come a long way since Baird's 30 line set. High-def TVs have 1080 lines. There are state of the art sets called 4K TVs. These TVs have 3,840 lines. Some people watch TV in 3D. I wonder what they will come up with next.

A. This makes the image clearer.

B. They cost too much money for most.

C. A big TV factory was opened in 1927.

D. The first TV station was set up in 1928.

E. People watch news and shows on them.

F. This was one of the biggest events ever.

G. Most of the time, nothing was shown at all.

    The importance of self - improvement often goes unnoticed. Truth is - you can't run away from yourself. The idea should be to focus on continuous self - development at every stage of life.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Increase Self - awareness.

    The first step of self - improvement asks you to become more self - aware. Self - awareness is an ongoing journey. As life goes on, you meet with different experiences and challenges. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} To be on the path of self - improvement, it's important to never lose touch with yourself.

Enhance Strengths.

    Self - improvement lets you identify your personal strengths. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It gives you a better understanding of what you are working and where you are likely to be promising. It helps you set life goals and make them happen.

    Step Out of the Comfort Zone.

    Choosing to work on improving yourself requires you to step out of your comfort zone. It lets you face your fears, try new things, and challenge yourself. There will be times when you'll discover a new side of your personality. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Don't let failures get you frustrated. And never get self - satisfied and too comfortable in familiar spaces because life begins outside your comfort zone.

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    People who're invested in their continuous self-improvement come with an extremely positive attitude towards learning. Instead of being ignorant and escaping from their problems, they make it a point to learn from their mistakes to grow and succeed. This is a wonderful quality to have as having a learning attitude is essential in achieving success.

A. Form a Positive Attitude.

B. Develop a Learning Attitude.

C. And knowing your strengths is important.

D. However, there'll also be times when you'll fail.

E. They make you more aware of your personality, thoughts and feelings.

F. After all, you can only achieve what you want when you know what you want.

G. Here're some reasons why self - improvement is important regardless of your age.

Some Myths You Strongly Keep Believing Are Untrue

    There are varieties of false myths we spread from day to day.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Otherwise, people will continue to believe such ridiculous myths undoubtedly. You will realize some of the most acceptable facts are completely untrue.

    Men get beer bellies from beer.

    We blame the beer for the belly. It is widely believed that men who constantly drink beer end up with a beer belly. However, it is not the beer that's to blame, but the abundance of unhealthy snacks that often accompany the drink. Alcohol in beer irritates the stomach, therefore causing an increased appetite. Dr. Michael Jensen, an obesity specialist in Minnesota USA says that drinking beer makes liver burn alcohol instead of fat, leaving the latter to accumulate in the waist.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, while the one of women's accumulates in the hips and  bottoms, as a result of different sexual characteristics.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    We are told that dogs see the world in black and white. But the truth is that they can distinguish colors just not in the same way we do. Jay Needs from the University of Washington in Seattle proves that our furry friends are able to receive a limited range of colors, which means they can distinguish objects of the same shape. In general, a dog's vision is very similar to that of a person with red-green color blindness.

    Carrots improve eyesight.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. This myth came into existence during the Second World War. The British Army claimed that fighter pilots had excellent night vision as a result of their consumption of large quantities of carrots. Actually, they had radars onboard which made it faster and easier to detect the enemies. The myth about the amazing power of carrots was invented and spread by the media so that enemies would not learn about the fact.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Dogs can distinguish colors

B. Men's fat is stored in their bellies

C. Dogs see the world in black and white

D. Men's fat is not mostly accumulated in these parts

E. Eventually, it spread all over the world and people are still convinced of it

F. We agree with the view that eating carrots plays an essential part in good vision

G. It is high time that scientists created a separate department dedicated to exposing the truth