Time Management
Do you ever wish you had more time? Everyone gets the same amount of time each day. But here are some ways to use those hours better. As a popular saying says, "Work smarter, not harder."
The most important way to manage your time is to set priorities（优先权）.Also, consider whether or not they are urgent—if they need to be done right away. It can be easy to forget important tasks that aren't urgent, so make time for them.
Decide ahead of time what you're going to do at certain times each day. Schedule times not only to meet people but also to do things alone. Then you can make sure everything gets done.
Are you smarter in the morning, afternoon or evening? Schedule difficult tasks for times you feel good, saving easy ones for when you're tired.
Write down what you need to do and when. I keep two to-do lists: one for the present tasks and one for larger projects I'm working on. And I don't get discouraged by looking at a long list of items I can't finish. I focus on the shorter list of each day's tasks.
When someone wants to give you a task, think carefully. Is it really important enough to spend your precious（宝贵的）time on? Could someone else do it instead?
If you're in charge of running a meeting, keep it short. Reading articles or talking to friends online can also use up much of your time. Don't allow it.
In the end, using time well is about making a good plan and sticking to it.
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A. Think about the time of day you work best. B. That way I can make sure I don't forget anything. C. Figure out（弄明白）which of your tasks is the most important. D. Often, managing time means saying no to things that aren't so important. E. Meetings also tend to be a waste of time, so avoid them whenever possible. |
If your children are learning to read, it's wonderful! Whatever they're reading, they're probably super-excited readers! But the fact is, reading is skill.
◆Create a comfortable reading space.
Choose a special place with right furnishings(装饰), blankets and pillows for your children and put a bookcase for your children's books.If your children feel like they have got their own special place for reading, they will probably spend time in their little space with all their new favorite books.
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If you want your children to learn to love reading, set aside a few minutes every day to read together, no matter how busy you are. Plan to go to bed a few minutes earlier each night so your children have the time to choose a book to read. Besides, reading aloud to your children can make them more willing to read on their own.
◆Make the library and bookstore a special treat.
Whether your kids are big readers or not, they are only children. They may be excited about new clothes and toys, but not books! Try to use that excitement to help your children love to read. Making a special treat of spending some time at the library or bookstore can be the perfect way to get your children excited about reading.
A. Set aside time to read together. B. Ask your children about their favorite books. C. Reading together is the perfect way to relax before bedtime. D. This special place may push your children to start to love reading! E. Here are some useful ways to help make your children love reading! F. Let them have fun around there and they can choose whatever excites them. |
I did not grow up in a family with books.My process of being a reader seemed amazing. I got lost in one book that opened up my world and changed my life. My primary school teacher always gave her pupils time to read for pleasure in school. She believed it would improve reading greatly. It was a biography(传记) of actress Greta Garbo. I picked it up and began to read from cover to cover. The words I read attracted(吸引) me and I was excited. I realized that there were other women like Greta who had made great efforts and changed their lives. I recognized(认识) myself in her.
From then on, my teacher had a hard time keeping me supplied(提供) with books. She dug up all the biographies of women that she could find.
It has been a long road. I am now a physics professor in a university. Recently, someone gave me Justice Sonia Sotomayor's autobiography. Once again, I am encouraged and am imagining new possibilities for my life.
A. Most of my time is spent reading scientific literature. B. Their stories were like road maps that allowed me to see where I could go on with my life. C. In my home, there was neither time nor energy to read. D. Reading plays an important role in my life. E. One day, she put a book on my desk. |
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A. They exercise. B. Happiness makes you creative. C. We don't have time to look around. D. Instead, they focus on meaningful relationships. E. When you sleep, your brain restarts and cleans itself. |
No one wakes up feeling happy every day. Very happy people are not different. They never stop trying to be happy. Here are some of the habits of happy people.
◆They slow down.
Sometimes we think too much. Happy people know how to enjoy the taste of their meal, enjoy the world's colors, even just step outside to enjoy fresh air.
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Getting your body moving for as little as 10minutes can make you happy. Happy people exercise regularly and follow through on it because they know it will help them get in good mood (情绪) and stay in good mood.
◆They spend money on other people.
Research shows that spending money on others makes you much happier than spending it on yourself. This is especially true of small things that show effort, such as going out of your way to buy your friend a book that you know he or she will like.
◆They get enough sleep.
Your energy, attention and memory all go down when you don't sleep well. Happy people make sleep a first thing of all.
◆They have deep conversations.
Happy people know that happiness and depth go hand-in-hand. They avoid saying mean things about people. They talk with others on a deeper level, because they know doing it feels good and is an interesting way to learn.
One of my friends sometimes takes aside another friend to talk to her about something she doesn't want me to hear. It makes me feel sad. What should I do?
Some of my friends are in a fight. like them all equally(同样地), but they say I have to choose sides. Help!
I look up to my sisters. They're both intelligent(聪明的) feel that I'll never be as good as them.
I am the shortest person in my class, and my classmates call me "Tiny Mouse." How can I make them stop?
I always use the computer and can't stop I feel that I'm not getting any smarter and the computer is warping(扭曲) my brain.
A. It's wonderful that you admire them, but try not to compare yourself to them. Instead of trying to be like them, just try to be the best you possible. You will find that you will be much happier when you try to be true to yourself, rather than when you try to be like someone else. B. The only way to break a habit is to force yourself to do something different. A world of exciting and interesting activities is just waiting for you. Write a list of things you've always wanted to do, learn, make, or try. When you feel like playing it, do something else. C. Discuss this with her. Try not to suppose that she talks about you unless you actually hear what she says. But let her know that you are unhappy when she tells secrets around you. If you feel uncomfortable talking to her in person, you could write her a note instead. D. We often hear from kids who are laughed at about their height. They probably don't mean to hurt your feelings. There are advantages and disadvantages to being any size. You might play along and come up with a funny reply. However, if you feel hurt, try talking to a parent or teacher. E. Explain to your friends that you like all of them. You can play with each person or group separately. If they don't like this, then you may want to focus on other friendships until these friends work things out. Another idea is to offer to help your friends solve their problems. |
Dear Li Hua,
Thanks for your last letter. In your letter you talked about your problems on English study. Here are some tips on learning English for you.
Read a book, newspaper or magazine in English with a dictionary. This will help you learn new words in a fun way. Even by spending just 15 minutes a day, your skills can be improved greatly.
Listen to speeches and watch movies or documentaries in areas you aren't familiar with. They are fun tips on improving English. This activity will help improve listening and vocabulary at the same time.
Know English grammar inside and out. It is one of the top tips on learning English. Grammar is a basic tool for English learners. It can help you understand better.
Keep a diary. It allows you to use all of your English skills. This is one of the greatest tips on improving English at any stage of learning the language.
All in all, learning English is hard, but with these tips on learning English, I believe you will get better at English.
Yours,
Lisa
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Paper cutting is one of the traditional folk arts in China. It is a kind of popular folk arts and has been popular for about 1, 500 years. Let's learn about paper cutting.
Wonderful meanings
Paper cutting has some wonderful meanings, In our mind, paper cuttings can always bring us happiness and good luck. At the Spring Festival, people put up "Fu "on doors or windows. At a wedding, people also put up "Xi".
The largest paper cutting in the world
The largest paper cutting was made by Guo Xiaodong. It has an area of about 456 square meters. It is as large as a basketball court.
Why are most paper cuttings red?
In old times, people respected the sun. Red is the color of the sun. We always regard red as the symbol of hope and good luck. Now, we can still see red everywhere in China. The walls of old palaces are red. Lanterns are red. Weddings are always full of red things, too.
Black paper cutting in Shanzhou
It's true that most paper cuttings are red. But paper cuttings in Shanzhou, Henan Province are black. Black is the best color there. Shanzhou is a dry place. The local people make black paper cuttings to wish for rain.
Helen has always been interested in helping her community (社区). Her first volunteer experience was for the American Red Cross when she was in high school. When she was a school teacher, she also found time to volunteer.
After she retired (退休), she started volunteering to help the old. When her father was older, he was not able to see as well as he used to, which made her sad because he had always enjoyed reading. She decided it would be fun to read to elderly people in her community.
She also helped one woman write her stories. Ann was almost 100 years old, and Helen wrote down information about her life when she visited her. She put the information in a book and got it published (出版), Ann was very excited to share her life story with her children and grandchildren.
After a strong storm hit some southern cities, Helen volunteered again for the American Red Cross. She prepared food and answered phones in a care centre.
One day Helen read an article in the newspaper about refugees (难民) who needed to learn English. She met once a week with Sahra, a 38-year-old woman from Somalia. Helen gave Sahra a camera and asked her to take pictures of her daily life. In the end, they wrote a book together and used the photos in the book. This helped Sahra learn many new words about her everyday life.
Helen says, "The real value of my volunteer work is becoming friends with the people I help. They enrich my life as well as I enrich theirs."
Reading is fun! Besides for fun, we can also analyze (分析) texts to learn more from the texts and more about the texts. One way we can do this is by finding out the theme of the texts.
The theme of a text is the "big idea" that runs through the text, connecting the characters and events. It is what the writer wants to tell us through the story. Usually the theme of a text isn't told directly, you have to use clues (线索) in the text to find it out. 83 Themes can be ideas like family, friendship, love and so on. The theme might not be just one word, but it might be an idea such as "Friendship is important." There may also be more than one theme in a story. How can we find out the theme of a text? The following steps may help you.
Read through the whole text, usually characters change as the story goes on, so the theme you get at the beginning might not be true at the end! For this reason, you need to read through the whole text first.
Find out the clue after reading the whole text, try to answer the following questions. What important events happened during the story? What was the problem? How did the problem get solved? How did the character(s) change? What did the character(s) learn? The answers may help you to get the clues.
Get the big idea Read again for the writer's purpose of the text by answering the following questions. Was most of the plot(情节) around friendship? Did the characters solve problems with their families? Did the main character learn the importance of friendship? If one of the answers is "yes", you may get the big idea.
Check the big idea out If you've found a "big idea", go through the text to find the evidence( 证 据 ) that supports this idea in the text. For example, if there was only one small problem with a character's family, then "family" might not be the theme of the text. You might find more evidence for other themes.
Have you got the way to find out the theme of a text? 84 Get your favorite book quickly and see if you can find the theme out!
Some bad habits are making you grow old fast. Cut down the following habits today for a more beautiful, healthier tomorrow.
Waiting for you sadness to go away
Sadness isn't just uncomfortable; it also makes you become older fast. Take your mental(精神的)health as seriously as your physical health. If you've been fighting with your sadness for more than two weeks, be sure to find professional help. Paying no attention to your sadness or just waiting without doing anything can do harm to your mental health and make you older.
Having a cigarette or two on weekends
If you smoke only when you are with your friends on weekends, can you keep away from the harmful effects of smoking? The answer is". Smoking can break down your skin's elasticity(弹性). Your smoking habit may even make your hair become gray. Changing your smoking habit is changing your life.
Having a long to do list day after day
It's natural to have a to-do list in our "go, go, go" daily life. But if you're always running from one thing to the next, and caught in too much business, you are turning older fast, because your too long to-do list makes you tired and under lots of stress. Stress can cause heart disease high blood pressure and other physical diseases. It can also cause mental health problems or make the problems worse and worse.
The sun was falling behind the hills. Andrea was driving back home to Brockboune. Then she saw an old lady, standing by the toad, with a sign saying "Brockboune" in her hand.
Andrea stopped the car. When the old lady got in, Andrea could see that she was not that little. She was in a long dress and had a hat pulled down low over her eyes. She put her big brown shopping bag down onto the floor.
"Do you live in Brockboune?" asked Andrea. "No, dear," answered the old lady in a low voice, "I'm just going to visit a friend, but my car won't start, so I decided to hitchhike."
Something in the way the lady spoke made Andrea uneasy, Andrea secretly studied the half-covered face, the shapeless body, the arms with their thick black hairs… Thick black hairs? Andrea's blood froze. This wasn't a woman. It was a man!
Her heart was beating wildly and her mind raced. Then suddenly, an idea came up to her. She stopped the car in a sudden. "My God!" she shouted, "A child! Did you see the child? I think I hit her!" "I didn't see anything", the "old lady" said, "I don't think you hit anything." "I'm sure it was a child!" shouted Andrea. "Could you just get out and have a look?" The "old lady" slowly opened the car door, leaving her bag inside. As soon as "she" was out of the car, Andrea drove away as soon as possible.
Several minutes later, Andrea thought about the "old lady's" bag and opened it carefully. There was only one thing in it—a shining knife.
Around the world, people live in homes of many shapes and sizes. In some countryside, people live together with their family in a huge house with gardens or backyards. On the other hand, the buildings in cities are usually very close together.
A home can be any kind of building—large or small. Some people even have homes on boats, in tents or in caravans that can be moved around. Caravans are mobile homes. They are towed(拖，拉) by either a car or a huge truck. Some of them are holiday homes. We can see many families staying together in these caravans.
In the past, rich and important people built strong castles to keep their families safe. The castles(城堡) were built on hill tops with high walls and some even had moats. Moats were deep and wide ditches(壕沟) filled with water. They made it difficult for enemies to attack.
Today, we have different ways of protecting our homes. Some homes are installed(安装) with video cameras and an alarm system. These will help to alert(向……报警) home owners if someone tries to break in.
Homes are important to all the people. Everyone needs a home where they feel sheltered and safe.
My work allows me to live in different countries. Reading books helps me to connect with my friends, family and my home country, the UK. Here are some books that I read a lot.
Daddy Long Legs
This book is about the story of a young girl, Judy, who goes to university and gets lots of new experiences. This book always makes me think of my mother because she used to read it to me when I was ill in bed.
Harry Potter
I'm sure many of you know Harry Potter books! I have read them many times since primary school. I really get lost in the stories. These days I'm reading them again in Germany.
The Railway Children
这是我最喜爱的书之一It was a gift for my 13th birthday from my best friend, so it still strongly makes me think of my childhood. It is about three children and their adventures(冒险经历)next to a railway.
I can live in different countries because of my work.
When did the writer's mother read the book to him?
What does the underlined word "It" in the last sentence refer to(指的是)?
