If anyone had told me three years ago that I would be spending most of my weekends camping, I would have laughed heartily. Campers, in my eyes, were people who enjoyed insect bites, ill-cooked meals, and uncomfortable sleeping bags. They had nothing in common with me.   (1)  

The friends who introduced me to camping thought that it meant to be a pioneer.   (2)   We slept in a tent, cooked over an open fire, and walked a long distance to take the shower and use the bathroom. This brief visit with Mother Nature cost me two days off from work, recovering from a bad case of sunburn and the doctor’s bill for my son’s food poisoning.

I was, nevertheless, talked into going on another fun-filled holiday in the wilderness.   (3)   Instead, we had a pop-up camper with comfortable beds and an air conditioner. My nature-loving friends had remembered to bring all the necessities of life.

  (4)   We have done a lot of it since. Recently, we bought a twenty-eight-foot travel trailer complete with a bathroom and a built-in TV set. There is a separate bedroom, a modern kitchen with a refrigerator. The trailer even has matching carpet and curtains.

  (5)   It must be true that sooner or later, everyone finds his or her way back to nature. I recommend that you find your way in style.

5 crafts to keep the kids busy at Christmas

The holiday season means major stress and lots of running around.   (1)   Here are some crafts to help keep the kids busy and amused while you finish what you have to do.

▲ Paper snowflakes. Everyone loves a few snowflakes here and there. Let the kids create their own unique snowflakes.   (2)  

▲ Ginger bread house. It’s delicious and fun. Let the kids create a town out of their own imagination. It’s surprising to see what they come up with.   (3)  

▲ Painting ornaments. All you have to do is pick up some craft paint and solid color ornaments from the store. After that let the kids paint beautiful pictures of Christmas symbols such as Santa, and hang them on the tree. It will be a joy for the whole family to look at. 

▲ Box figures. They’re easy and loads of fun. All the kids need is some construction paper and glue.  (4)  Whether it’s a snowman or Santa, let their imaginations go wild when it comes to this environmentally-friendly activity.

▲ Homemade Christmas crayons. What do you do with those crayons that are all broken and still lying around the house? Here is the solution. Melt the remaining crayon in a pot and put the liquid into a Christmas shaped stencils (模版).  (5)   Once the newly transformed crayons are ready, let the kids color for hours with their new awesome Christmas shaped crayons.

Learning English can be a difficult task. While many people learn English in the classroom, the vast majority of English learning takes place outside of it.

__  (1)  __，it is important to know how it is used in everyday life. One of the best things you can do is to read. First ask yourself what you enjoy reading in your native language. If the subject matter is interesting to you, you will be more likely to keep going.

Read a variety of different media in English, from magazines to novels.__  (2)  __. NewYork Times is going to take a more formal approach to the English language than somebodyˈs personal blog.

Consider your English level when selecting reading material.__  (3)  __，but do not frustrate yourself needlessly by selecting a complex text. You can choose to be a side－by－side reader, with the English text on one page and its translation on the other page，if you have only been studying English for a couple of years.

___  (4)  __. So do not look up every word you donˈt know as you read. It will only slow things down and make the reading process much less fun. Instead，rely on what you have already known. When you come across a difficult word or phrase，use context clues to guess at its meaning. Write down or underline any words or phrases you cannot figure out. When you have finished reading, go to your list of new words. Now you can get your dictionary and look them up one by one. __  (5)  __. You will be more likely to keep reading the interesting subject.

    (1)    The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio did the study. It was published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. The study found a sixty-three percent increase in the number of people treated for rock climbing injuries in American hospitals.

The study said forty thousand people were treated in emergency rooms.   (2)   The ankle was the most common body part to be injured.

  (3)  The average age was twenty-six. Fifty-six percent of the injuries were to people twenty to thirty-nine years old. Women made up twenty-nine percent of the injured population. That is more than that in past rock climbing studies. 

  (4)  But many people think it is worth it. John Bachar said rock climbing felt like being on another planet. Dean Fidelman says it is a continual challenge and a beautiful form of movement. And, for Sarah Bowman, she has just started her way up the rocks.

Dean Fidelman said that he believes a climber's ego(自我价值感) can be his worst enemy on a rock.   (5)  

Five Things Nobody Told Me about College

As I type this, I am in my university dorm room. A year ago, when I was waiting to hear the results of my college applications, I often went to websites for some type of insider look on what college would be like. However, there’s only so much that prep books, websites, and older friends can teach. Here are the top 5 things nobody told me about college:

　(1)　

Nobody entering a university knows exactly what they want to study. If they tell you otherwise, they’re lying and will probably change what they want to pursue within the first quarter of attendance. During my first quarter at University of California, Riverside (UCR), I thought that I wanted to study Political Science with its focus on International Affairs, so that’s what I applied for. However, once I worked with statewide and local government, I realized that a better fit for me would be Public Policy, and now I am in the process of changing my area.

　(2)　

In college, there are so many good chances for you to meet your expectations. However, there is a very important difference between wanting to do something and applying for something. In order for you to take full advantage of the conferences, research, internships(实习),and fellowships that your university offers, apply! Step into your academic advisor’s office, introduce yourself, and begin making the valuable connections that are necessary to help during the rest of your college career. Great things happen when you step out of your comfort zone, and you would be surprised on how many chances exist if you just ask.

　(3)　

College is where you meet your bridesmaids, groomsmen, neighbors, and potential bosses. The relationships you develop now will probably be linked to the ones you value later, so be wise about the people who you invest yourself in. You are only one person, and you do not have time to waste on people who would rather cause drama or mess up with your purpose. Surround yourself with uplifting individuals who challenge you to be better while loving you for who you are, and be patient to the people who are the complete opposite of that description.

　(4)　

As a first-year, I was afraid to make any noise towards campus issues that I noticed. It was not until I became involved in student government that I gained the confidence to handle projects that I created with the help of ASUCR Office of the President. During my first quarter, I spoke directly to the Chancellor(校长),asking him for support towards my initiatives(提议),met with the Vice Chancellors, and cooperated with my teaching assistants to begin my undergraduate research project. Nothing good will happen when you are silent.

　(5)　

At my high school, there were about only four active clubs and organizations that students could be a part of. Imagine my surprise when I stepped foot onto UCR’s campus, where over 400 organizations exist, ranging from political organizations to karate club. You are not paying all of your tuition(学费)to merely go to class, study, pass tests and graduate. Make something worthy out of your experience. Create stories that you will want to tell your grandchildren one day. It all begins here, by signing up to join an organization.

Ways to Save Time

We all wish we had just a bit more time. Just think what you could do with an extra hour or two each day: you could finally stick to an exercise routine, or spring-clean the house, or write your novel, or learn the guitar and so on.

　  (1)  　But I can help you find more hours in your day for the things that really matter.

1  Get Out of Bed Earlier

If you normally get up at 7:30 a. m. , try getting up at 7:00 a. m. That half-hour might not sound like much, but it could be time that you use to exercise, to read that book you've been meaning to finish. 　  (2)  

2  Do the Important Tasks First

Once you get to work, get the important ones done first (not the easy ones, or even the urgent ones). You can afford to spend at least an hour working on big, important tasks rather than on all those little urgent ones.

　  (3)  　The urgent tasks will still get done, and you won’t miss the important ones.

3 Reduce Interruptions

If colleagues have a habit of hanging around your desk to chat, or if the phone is constantly ringing, you might find that it takes you half the day to finish a simple task like writing a letter. Constant interruptions don’t just eat up time; they also break your concentration.

When you've got a big task to focus on, let your calls go to voicemail. 　  (4)  　Wearing headphones makes it less likely that people will try to strike up a conversation.

4  　  (5)  

A few minutes chatting, browsing the web, and so on, can easily turn into hours of wasted time over the course of a day.

When you’re working, work. If your concentration is slipping, take a proper break: go and get a glass of water, or stretch your legs a bit. And if you’re facing a difficult task, try breaking it into small steps or stages so that it’s easier to deal with.

Summer is a time to look forward to because there is no school to get you down.  (1)  You just need to stay active, occupied, and have an open mind.

●Read if you feel bored.

Subscribe to a magazine or comic if you don't like books. Reading doesn't have to be boring. Choose whatever age-appropriate book that interests you and start reading.  (2)  In your backyard or on your balcony, on your bed, or out by the lake. Reading doesn't have to be boring.

●Get caught up on schoolwork.

Not all of us are straight "A" students. Take this time to go to the library and review material for the next year in advance.  (3)  No need to rush or stress out. It's just important not to forget anything you learned in the past year over the summer.

●Travel.

If you usually go on vacation in the summer, start packing now! Can't afford to travel far? No problem!   (4)  

Go on a road trip with your friends and family. Find out what's on the other side of that lake. Be creative!

●  (5)  

If summers are hot where you live, you can go to the beach with your family or friends. Also, some water parks have great discounts at times during the summer. But be careful, if there's a heat wave outside, you'd better stay out of the sun, or even go indoors.

Food manufacturers and retailers(零售商) are letting shoppers down. This is the view of the CWS, which has just brought out a new report.

According to the report, shoppers believe food labels because they think there are strict regulations in place.　(1)　So the food industry can get away with all sorts of tricky strategies to make products look bigger and sound better than they are.

The report has identified the different ways in which shoppers are misled. 　(2)　 Descriptions on packaging are sometimes inaccurate in an attempt to oversell the product. One example given in the report is the phrase "haddock fillets"(黑线鳕鱼片), used for a product that is in fact cut from big blocks of fish rather than individual slices.

　    　(3)　These include "traditional", "wholesome", or "superior". The claim that a brand is "90% fat-free" hides the fact that it contains 10% fat, which is above recommended levels. Phrases like "free from preservatives(防腐剂)" make a virtue out of a normal attribute of food.

    Labels have a wide variety of text sizes on them. You sometimes need a magnifying glass(放大镜) to read the small print. 　(4)　

Another deliberate type of misinformation lies in the image. Many pictures on packets use small plates to make the product look bigger.　(5)　

Want to live in a perfectly clean environment and make it shine brightly?   (1)  Then you will not need to purchase expensive cleaning products.

Clean the toilet with Coke. It’s amazing how powerful Coke might be as a toilet cleaner.   (2)   You’ll save your health by not consuming chemicals that Coke contains and save money by not purchasing professional cleaners. Pour some cola over the stains and leave it all for a few hours. Then let water wash the toilet!

Remove water stains with orange peels. You’ve just eaten an orange.   (3)  Do not throw away those orange peels. You can use the skins to clean stainless steel. Your appliances will shine again after you rub(擦) them with the skins. The peels can easily make those stubborn stains disappear in a second.

Use banana peels to polish leather furniture. Experts claim that banana peels are great for polishing leather sofas and armchairs. Banana skins are rich in oils and have the right texture to do the task.  (4)  Afterwards, remove the leftover with a cloth. This trick is simple and cheap. Use it if you want your leather furniture to look brand new again.

  (5)  Why would you want to buy one when you can make your own product that is cheap and non-toxic(无毒的)? Just pour 2 liters of slightly warm water into a deep bowl. Then add 50ml white vinegar and half a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Shake the bowl and then fill up a plastic spray with the mixture. Use it to clean windows and mirrors. Make your glass surfaces clean and shiny.

When I was a boy,smart phones and computers were not available,and our television only got one channel clearly.Still,the fields,hills,and woodlands around my home never got me bored.  (1)   

I can remember once hiking to a nearby lake.At the backside of it I was amazed to find an old dirt road that I bad never seen before.It was full of potholes and muddy tire tracks and deep woods on both sides.  (2)  

  (3)  The dirt road gave way to a gravel（碎石）one and then a paved one,yet there was still neither a car nor a house in sight.I noticed the sun was starting to go down and I didnˈt want to end up trapped on this road in the dark of night,but I was afraid it would be dark before I could make it back to the lake again.

  (4)  My heart was pounding and my legs were aching.I was almost in tears when I turned one last curve（弯道）and saw something in the distance.It was a house that recognized.

My heart beat fast!  (5)  It was still over a mile away,but my legs felt like feathers and I hurried back to my house in no time with a big smile on my face.Then I ended my adventure with a good nightˈs sleep.