Volunteering at a nursing home is an often overlooked volunteer area and yet one of the most needed. Statistics show that only 50 percent of nursing home residents have no close relatives and 46 percent have no living children. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}However, the self gratification and relationships you will receive is too unusual to be replaced.

    Make a list of nursing homes you are able to volunteer at on a regular basis. When doing this, use any resources from family members, friends, or even use an online search engine to find nursing homes. When choosing your home, also keep in mind your schedule; make sure that you can be fully committed to any obligations that the nursing home may give you. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Before calling, choose your times wisely, anytime between 9am-11am and 2pm-5pm would be a good option. By avoiding meal times or later at night, you'll have a better chance for getting information and finding people who are free to talk with you.

    Ask for an application form. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}This step is also where your applicant process begins. They will hand you all necessary applicant information. Most nursing homes will conduct interviews, do background checks, and may even have you receive vaccines and take drug tests.

    Become a "volunteer in training" at the nursing home. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Because of the wide variety of possible areas, you may experience variations in your training length and the content may vary.

A. Expect to attend training if your application is approved.

B. Call or visit the top three of your chosen nursing home options.

C. Volunteering at a nursing home can be a really wonderful experience.

D. From your list, choose the top three that cater to what you are looking for.

E. You will be taken into training depending on the area you are assigned to train in.

F. The process of becoming a volunteer at a nursing home can often be a little too long.

G. The activity director or volunteer coordinator will handle all of your information from here.

    There are a lot to think upon before going out on a trip.If you fail to plan the trip properly,then money will simply let itself loose from your pocket.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    ⒈Package Tours

    Tours and travel agencies have attractive offers for tourists.You must keep yourself updated with such offers and then use the best plan.Once you have accepted the package tour,all your expenses during the travel will be minimized.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}However,ensure the authenticity of the agencies before accepting their plan,to avoid problems after reaching your destination.

    ⒉Off Season Travel

    You must set out for off season travel while planning your vacation on a budget.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}You,not being amongst this crowd that can spend lavishly,must book your holidays during the off season.Visiting beaches during monsoons or hill stations during the summer is great to way to plan a budget trip.

    ⒊A Guide Map

    Make a guide map about the places to visit,expenses of travel and the activities to try.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Calculate the maximum amount and try to spend less than that.You will save a lot if actual expenses are below the estimated.Thus, not only do you come to know where to zero down your money but you also get a guide of your trip.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Follow the money saving travel tips as much as possible.

A.Refer to the guide map while traveling.

B.Look a good parter at proper times for sure.

C.You can save a lot in lodging and traveling.

D.This happens when there's no control over necessary expenses.

E.Let the tourists choose their favorite paces wherever they want to go.

F.While planning so you should also estimate the amount of expenses needed.

G.The peak season is the time when rates are sky high due to of millions of tourists who can afford to spend.

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.

    With the development of technology and economy, social media is becoming one of the fastest-growing industries in today's world. A study conducted by the US Pew Research Center showed that 92 percent of teenagers go online daily. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Changing relationships

    High school student Elly Cooper from Illinois said social media often reduces face-to-face communication. "It makes face-to-face relationships harder because of people s attention given to their phones instead of their friends," Cooper said.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Beth Kaplan from Illinois met her long-distance friend through social media. He currently lives in Scotland, but they're still able to frequently communicate with each other. "I can feel close to someone that I'm talking to via FaceTime,'' Kaplan said.

    Wanting to be "liked"

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The 19-year-old Essena O'Neill announced on the social networking service Instagram that she was emitting social media because it made her unable to stop thinking about appearing perfect online. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Teenagers who get negative comments can't help but feel hurt.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    However, Armin Korsos, a student from Illinois, takes advantage of the comments he receives over social media to improve his videos on the social networking site YouTube. "Social media can help people show themselves and their talents to the world in a way that has never been possible before," Korsos said.

A. Opening new doors.

B. Teenagers' attitude toward social media

C. However, the social media is beneficial to long-distance friends.

D. The rise of social media has changed the way teenagers see themselves.

E. Negative comments can also do great damage to a teenager's self-respect.

F. The wide spread of social media has changed nearly all parts of teenagers' lives.

G. Yet, some think with social media, it's easier to start relationships with anyone from anywhere.

How to Master Your Public Speaking Voice

    Public speaking skills can be a disaster if you don't know how to use your voice. However, a little bit of practice and a confident outlook can help you to be a fantastic public speaker. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Learn the sound of your own voice

    Record yourself as often as possible—speaking your thoughts aloud, having conversations with friends, giving a presentation at work, etc. so you can hear what your voice sounds like when you are relaxed, having fun, and in stressful situations. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Master your breathing

    The first step in developing a strong public speaking voice is mastering your breathing. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, which causes their voices to sound high and weak. Develop a habit of breathing deeply at a controlled pace throughout the day so that when it comes to your time to speak, you'll have less trouble doing it.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    It's not just your breathing and vocal cords (声带) that have a physical vocal on your voice. When it comes to public speaking, it is essential that you stand or sit with your back straight. This makes your voice stronger and clearer by allowing you to breathe deeper. It also has the added benefit of making you look more confident.

    Adjust your speaking rate

    Speaking too slow can cause people to get bored while speaking too fast can be hard to follow. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. The best speaking rate is in the range of 120-160 words per minute. Practice to control your time.

    Are you truly happy? Do you ever know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

    ※ Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.

    ※Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    ※When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution instead of being absorbed in self pity. Truly happy people don't allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor.

    ※{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continuous happiness.

    ※{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously (下意识地) putting yourself in a better mood.

    ※Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.

    ※Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}