How to Make a Good First Impression

Have you ever met someone and walked away with"fool"or"loser"in mind？Are you afraid of being that someone and having others not like or understand you？Happily，you can get rid of these worries and fears by learning some effective skills on how to make a great and lasting first impression．Let's get started．

Talk about your interests and hobbies．  (1)  ．It is always a great conversation starter!Ask if they like a specific band or singer. The more you have in common，the easier it will be to carry on the conversation．

Smile．Especially when first meeting someone．It's not necessary to show your teeth，just a meaningful grin（露齿而笑） will do．  (2)  ，or people will feel you're being fake or that you don't like them．

  (3)  ．Stay focused on the person you are speaking with and certainly not on anything else to avoid them feeling unappreciated and unwanted．Often if the person has an eye problem，like an eye that turns in，you're put off by this．Instead，focus on the person's nose or mouth．

Have a sense of humor．Born funny people are just themselves and the humor shows．Don't worry if you are not a born funny person．  (4)  ．Don't keep serious all the time while you are talking to a new friend．

Be yourself．Don't pretend to be someone you're not，or you are stuck with that label forever．Be yourself．That may be what everyone says but it is entirely true!  (5)  ．If somebody finds out you have been lying to him or her，they will be very hurt and it will be hard for them to forgive you easily．

Four habits to help you succeed.

  We all want to succeed, whether it is in losing weight or learning the guitar. For those who have tried and failed, success seems difficult to understand.（1）__________

★ Know your values.

Finding your values is in line with creating motivation.（2）__________Pick a handful of things and write them down. Remind yourself of your values every day and reflect on whether you are honoring those values through your work.

★Pick a goal and focus on it.

   Choose one goal to start something large enough that will give you a sense of achievement, while adjusting well to your values. Focus is key here.（3）___________If you perform many tasks at a time, you might never finish your projects because they will take far too long.

★ Set a time for success.

    Set a date for success. Know when you hope to realize your goal. （4）___________ By setting a time limit, you are making the process realistic.

★ （5）_________________

   Failure can’t be avoided when you take risks. By its very definition, the desire to succeed means you are risking failure. Many people rent to give up far too early. Don’t fall into this trap! Remember your mindset earlier. Know it will happen. A failure is only you working out the details, and learning what works and what doesn’t. Use failure. Treat it as a good thing, and go on.

  It may have surprised you that a friend drops some food on the floor, picks it up, and eats it, while saying "Five-second rule!" The old saying means that food left on the floor for five seconds or less is still likely to be clean. ____  (1)  ___.

   Students at Britain's Aston University, led by Professor Anthony Hilton, tested the rule and found out that it had some scientific basis. The study shows that food dropped for five seconds is less likely to contain bacteria than if it sits there for longer, according to Hilton.

   The students also found that the type of flooring where the dropped food lands makes a difference. ___（2）___ Bacteria are most likely to transfer from tiled(铺瓷砖) surface to damp food when the foods has stood there for more than live seconds.

   ____  (2)  ____ Therefore, consumers should still be cautious. "However, the findings of this study will bring some light relief to those who have been employing the five-second rule for years," Professor Hilton said in a statement.

   The research team at Aston also surveyed 500 people to find out who employs the fivesecond rule. Of the people surveyed, 87% said they would eat food dropped on the floor, or have already done so. ____  (3)  __"Our study shows women are also more likely to follow the fivesecond rule, which our research has shown to be much more than an old wives" tale," Hilton says.

   Still, scientists say you should be careful about eating food dropped on the floor, especially if you don't know the cleanliness of the surface. ____  (4)  ____ So better not be the one sixth.

How to Love Your Parents

Even if you think that your parents are mean-­spirited at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part a source of who you are. Here are some ways to love your parents.

__  (1)  __A gentle “good morning” and “I love you” will warm a coldest heart. Remember that they brought you into this world. Without your parents, you might still wander at an unknown corner in an unknown world. Respect them more and cherish these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them when you’re off on your own. It’s OK to get angry but angry actions don’t help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, keep a journal about your feelings, or talk to a friend.__  (2)  __

Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don’t get what you want or you have to clean. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it’s cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes.__  (3)  __Since you can forgive your friends, why not forgive your parents?

Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or go somewhere with them.__  (4)  __Listen to their old stories and learn from them. You will find they are your teachers in this way or another.

Some people simply may not be able to love their parents.__  (5)  __Seek help if you are being abused(虐待) in any way. Parents do not have a right to harm you.

The role of play in early childhood development is very important. ___（1）___

   Developing trust with parents or caregivers is one of the most important things that result from play in early childhood. Even before a child is able to talk, playing with an adult or caregiver provides him or her with a way to communicate, and allows the adult to teach the child. ___（2）____ Playing with an adult also helps to increase a child's feeling of importance in his or her home.

   Young children develop the vast majority of their cognitive (认知的)abilities from playing. From the first time they roach out and grab a toy to figuring out how to build a tower that will not fall, the role of play in early childhood development is vastly important for teaching a child how to think both logically and imaginatively. __（3）___ He can act out what he or she imagines in his or her head.

   ___（4）__ Handling different objects and working with them at home helps to give children something tangible(可触知的) to explore, allowing them to transfer this understanding to things that are currently outside of their roach in other environments. For example, building with blocks can help children to understand how their homes or other buildings are constructed, without actually showing them how to build a real house.

   The role of play in early childhood development is also important for teaching children how to relate with other people. （5）__ Games, free play, and activities can teach children how to negotiate between their own problems and another person's.

l Gold digital.

If you plan to mail your cards, remember to consider postage costs. Square cards look cool, but they cost more than a regular stamp to mail because they’re not a standard size. If cost is a consideration, stick to rectangular（矩形的）cards and avoid too heavy ribbons that increase your mailing costs.

l Look at unexpected sources.

l Make your own.

Use old greeting cards (with written messages cut out, of course), wrapping paper and ribbons, or magazine photos to create your own holiday cards.

l Shop after-Christmas sales.

How to Make Your Homework Less Work

   Homework is a major part of going to school. It’s your teachers’ way of evaluating how much you understand what’s going on in class.   (1)   However, there’re times when you complain about being given too much homework. Luckily, you can do a few things to make homework less work.

   Be sure you understand the homework.

   Write your homework down in your notebook or day planner if you need to.   (2)   It’s much easier to take a minute to ask the teacher during or after class than to struggle to remember later that night!

   Use any extra time in school.

   Many schools have study halls that are specifically designed to allow students to study. It’s tempting to hang out with friends during study periods or unstructured time.   (3)  

   Take a break.

     (4)   So take some breaks while doing your homework. Sitting for too long without stretching or relaxing will make you less productive than if you stop every so often. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people.

     (5)  

   If you don’t finish your homework during school, think about how much you have left and what else is going on that day, and then budget your time. Most high school students have between 1 and 3 hours of homework a night. If it’s a heavy homework day and it seems like you’ve got an assignment in every subject but gym and lunch, you’ll need to devote more time to homework. It’s a good idea to come up with some kind of homework schedule, especially if you are involved in sports or activities or have an after-school job.

Ways to Stop Worrying

A little worrying now and then can be self-protective.  (1)   But too much worrying can lead to many problems, such as reduced concentration, poor sleeping habits and the inability to handle everyday difficulties. What’s more, it may also cause physical health problems, such as high blood pressure.

Here are some tips to help you lighten up and enjoy life more.

1  Note down your worries

Writing in a worry journal helps create some distance between you and your concerns. Write down your thoughts briefly every day, perhaps the first thing in the morning, before you start your regular routine.  (2)  

2  Pack away your worries

  (3)   Imagine tucking (塞) away your anxieties in a small box and closing the lid (盖子). Set aside some time each day to open the box and examine your worries, but otherwise, keep it closed.

3  Share your worries with a friend

Don’t be embarrassed.  (4)   Then, he or she may give you some practical suggestions. Telling someone your fears helps lift the burden of worry and gives your friends a chance to offer comforting thoughts.

4    (5)  

Select a quiet spot in your home where you can focus on your worries without being interrupted (打扰). Stay there every day for 10 to 20 minutes. Make sure you maintain a strict time limit and try to avoid worrying except when you’re in your designated (指定的) “worry space”.

Reasons You Should Take A Gap Year

   Taking a gap year between high school and college can be beneficial to one's personal growth. Here are reasons.

   ◆ You'll perform better in college.

   __（1）___ This isn't true. Many schools report gap year students have higher GPAs and are more involved, so their attitudes toward gap years are far from unfavorable.

   ◆ ___（2）_

   More often than not, college students devote themselves to one area of study, realize it's not for them, and then swap to a different major. You'll cut down on coursework and stress if you have considered how to spend your academic experience before you get there.

   ◆ You'll know what's important in life before most people do.

   College is fun, but it's easy to get so caught up that you begin to believe your friend group is the center of the universe. ___（3）_ However, if you've traveled the wider world, you'll understand there are bigger issues for humanity than a failed date night or lost game.

   ◆ You'll be an expert at adapting to new places.

   On a gap year, you'll be forced to learn about a new society, a new group of friends, and maybe even new languages. ___（4）___ So you'll be much more ready to handle it if you've already such skills.

   ◆ You'll have time to think.

   Life feels like it's unfolding fast, and in college, things only move faster. Give yourself room to think and breathe and be on long train rides from country to country. ___（5）_

How to Grow Plants in the Classroom

   Growing plants in the classroom is an excellent way to get students excited about science!

   Start with seeds (种子) in the classroom.   (1)  You can do this by putting seeds or beans in wet paper towels and then in a clear plastic bag. The seeds should begin coming out in a few days, which can give the students an idea of what is happening underground when plants begin to grow.

   Continue with seeds in the classroom. At the same time as the seeds are beginning to come out, plant the same type of seeds in soil.   (2)   They can also predict how long it will be before the seeds come out and are seen above the soil.

     (3)   A quick Internet search should let you know which plants are native to your area. This can connect the plant-growing in the classroom with natural history and other social studies lessons. Also, after growing the plants in your classroom, you can take the students on field trips to see where the plants grow naturally.

   Explore the needs of plants.   (4)   You can know what they actually need by growing plants in the classroom and making observations along the way.

   In all, growing plants in the classroom is sure to be an exciting science lesson. _  (5)   They can train their creativity with their own gardens!