There is only so much time in the day. If you want to get more done, you really have two choices: stay up late or get up early. Which are you: an early bird or the night owl?

· Productive birds of a feather.

You have the same amount of time each day as everyone else. If you want to reach your goals and dreams you have to be willing to pay the price. 　(1)　 Sometimes it is your time. Sometimes it is money. And sometimes it is sleep. One of the best times to get ahead and be “in the zone” is when everyone else is sleeping. Get up early or stay up late. Those are your choices. 

· Early birds: working before others get up.

“I am an early bird. I often get asked when I get my writing work done.  　(2)　  I usually get up at 4 am and work until the rest of the house wakes up. I find that working first thing in the morning gets my day going. Getting a head start on the rest of the world, just feels good.” 

Many people use the excuse that they can't get up early. Maybe they are night owls.

· Night owls: working with the moon.

Other people prefer to stay up long after the rest of the world has crashed out.  　(3)　 They may be more productive at midnight than they are at noon. Just make sure that if you stay up late, you are being productive, not watching mindless TV or endlessly surfing the Net. 

· 　(4)　 

It doesn't matter which productivity bird represents your work style.  　(5)　  It depends on your environment and energy levels. Do you have the drive to get up early or stay up late? While others are dreaming, make your dreams real. 

Ask yourself, “What do you want more than a little extra sleep?”

Are you a night owl or an early bird?

We face problems in our everyday life. They can be social problems, relationship problems, or problems at work. Don’t worry.  (1)  

●Be aware of problem

First of all, it is important to know and understand the problem clearly.  (2)  Following questions like why, what, how, when, where and who will take you to the root cause of the problem.

●Analyze the problem.

Analyzing the problem will give you time to think of a proper solution.  (3)  .They can be diagrams, or lists, etc.

●  (4)  ．

Leave out the information that isn't required for the solving of the problem. You need to be accurate with the details. Keeping the unrelated information can sometimes complicate the simple problem as we don't notice the important information.

●Carry out the solution.

Putting the solution into effect in a correct way to get the result expected is important while solving a problem.  (5)  ．Being ready with alternatives is also important in case a solution works only halfway.

A hobby is an investment（投资） of time. It also can be an investment of money and commitment. Many people choose to develop more than one type of hobby.   (1)   When it comes to choosing the hobby, consider the following factors.

Hobbies are usually an activity of some sort that brings out a certain skill that you have. When you have a talent like painting or woodworking, it can be easy to determine which hobby suits your skill.  (2)  Skill can be developed and challenged as you go along. It is not a necessary requirement. A hobby is fitting because you love it, not because you’re a professional（专业的）at it.

Some people particularly enjoy taking part in hobbies that they can do in a group with others. It can be a lot more fun to become a member of a hobby group than to sit alone in your basement（地下室）.   (3)    It’s important to share interests and network with other hobby enthusiasts （有热情的人）that do what you do.

Hobbies are generally an activity that you undertake because of the joy it brings you. Of course many people have discovered the joy that also comes with a hobby that earns you a living.  (4)    Just make sure you make the choice that fits your lifestyle and personal preference.

  (5)   But most of the skilled hobbies like art, building or writing have a series of lessons or tutorials（学习辅导，教程） that you can take to further your skills. In some cases it’s a really good idea to take lessons, especially if you are clueless as to where or how to begin. Step by step books for most hobbies can often be found in bookstores as well.

Get ahead by taking advantage of summer

Summer provides the best opportunity for future college applicants to separate themselves from the crowd. As the number of students who apply to colleges continues to rise, so too does the need for students to make an effort to distinguish themselves. Here are some great options to get you off to a head start:

A taste of college at home

Some universities and colleges offer a variety of advanced classes during the summer. Students can find a class that is not offered at their high school, which can help them find the pace of the real class more comfortable when they eventually start to take it.

Recently, online classes for credit（学分）are gaining popularity. One resource students can access is the Virtual High School – my.vhslearning.org. It is a nonprofit organization for online education that offers 24 AP courses, as well as dozens of other classes.

A taste of college far away

Experiencing a real college campus during a one-week or multi-week summer program is a great way to get a better understanding of whether the college is a good fit. Many of these programs offer hands-on experiences or guest lectures from experts.

Some are under the mistaken impression that attending a summer program at a good school gives them an advantage in the admissions process. “I don’t know that they are impressive just because a student did an academic program,” Greg Zaiser, head of admissions at Elon University, told The Charlotte Observer. “What impresses us the most is that students have identified something they want to study after the program.”

Community service

Volunteering is a great way to show interest in something you care about. It also lets you give back to your community, explore a career path and grow personally. Find ways to volunteer what matches your interests. Check out opportunities at hospitals or libraries; teach your favorite sport to disadvantaged youths; or work with animals.

Kids’ health: Four steps for fighting stress

Everybody gets stressed from time to time.   (1)  Some ways of dealing with stress—like screaming or hitting someone—don’t solve (解决) much. But other ways, like talking to someone you trust, can lead you to solving your problem or at least feeling better.

Try taking these four steps the next time you are stressed:

(1) Get support.When you need help, reach out to the people who care about you. Talk to a trusted adult, such as a parent or other relatives.   (2)  They might have had similar problems, such as dealing with a test, or the death of a beloved pet.

(2) Don’t take it out on yourself. Sometimes when kids are stressed and upset they take it out on themselves. Oh, dear, that’s not a good idea. Remember that there are always people to help you.  (3)   Ask for a helping hand to get you through the tough situation.

(3)   (4)  After you’re calm and you have support from adults and friends, it’s time to get down to business. You need to figure out what the problem is. Even if you can’t solve it all, you can solve a piece of it.

(4) Be positive. Most stress is temporary (暂时的). Remember stress does go away, especially when you figure out the problem and start working on solving it.

These steps aren’t magic, but they do work. And if you can stay positive as you make your way through a hard time, you’ll help yourself feel better even faster.   (5)  

   It is easy for some people to learn a second language. However, others have difficulty in learning a new language. What can you do to help yourself learn a second language, such as English?   (1)  

    Feel positive about learning English.   (2)   Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes. In other words, do not worry about making mistakes.

    Practice your English. For example, write a diary every day. You will form a habit of writing it in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English.   (3)   In addition, you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class.

      (4)   You can write this in your journal. After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it.

    You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements.   (5)  

Meaning of Happiness

    “Are you happy?” I asked my brother, Lan, one day.

    “Yes. No. It depends what you mean,” he said.

    “Then tell me,” I said, “when was the last time you think you were happy?”

    “April 1967,” he said.

    It served me right for putting a serious question to someone who has joked his way through life. But Lan’s answer reminded me that when we think about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, a pinnacle（顶点）of sheer（纯粹的）delight.   (1)  

      (2)   I remember playing police and robbers in the woods, getting a speaking part in the school play. Of course, kids also experience lows, but their delight at such peaks of pleasure as winning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved.

    In the teenage years, the concept of happiness changes.   (3)   I can still feel the pain of not being invited to a party that almost everyone else was going to. I also remember the great happiness of being invited at another event to dance with a very handsome young man.

    In adulthood the things that bring great joy—birth, love, marriage—also bring responsibility and the risk of loss. Love may not last; loved ones die. For adults, happiness is complex.

    My dictionary defines “happy” as “lucky” or “fortunate”. But I think a better definition of happiness is “the ability to enjoy something”.   (4)   It’s easy to overlook the pleasure we get from loving and being loved, the company of friends, the freedom to live where we please, even good health.

    While happiness may be more complex for us, the solution is the same as ever. Happiness isn’t about what happens to us; it’s the ability to find a positive for every negative, and view a difficulty as a challenge.   (5)  

Reasons to Take Part in Student Clubs and Organizations

Many college students don’t know what they’re missing by not taking part in the student clubs and organizations that are offered at most colleges and universities.Taking part in one can be a rich and rewarding experience.  (1)  Check them out and see what’s available.Here are a few reasons why you should take part in student clubs and organizations.

1,Meet new people.

It can be hard to meet new people in college,especially in your first year.  (2)  However,in a club,you’ll find yourself in a smaller group of people who likely share your interest.

2,Help your major.

There are many student clubs and organizations for different majors and departments.Such clubs can be a lot of fun as well as a great academic resource for you.By joining an academic club you will probably have an easier time to know professors in your departments.  (3)  

3,Learn important leadership skills.

Student clubs and organizations can be a good way to learn important leadership skills that would look great on job applications.  (4)  These skills could be event planning,finance management,and so on.Find a club that you love being a part of and if you work hard you might be able to gain such a position.

4,  (5)  

Lastly,student clubs and organizations can simply be a lot of fun.Make sure to take advantage of student clubs and organizations to make the most out of your time in college!