【推荐1】Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, developing the following important skills will help you achieve success in school and in life.

•     1     There are just 24 hours in each day.     2     While high-school students average 35 hours per week of class time, college students have an average of 15 to 18 hours per week. Deal with your time wisely and you’ll make full use of each day.

• Good study habits. If you’ve got them, great.     3     Good study habits include the following: Always be prepared for classes and attentive in classes.     4     Go over your notes daily rather than study for tests the night before. Set aside quiet time each day for study — even if you don’t have homework or a test the next day!

• Good note-taking. You can’t possibly write down everything the teacher says since we talk at a rate of about 225 words per minute. But you do need to write down the important material.     5     Try writing notes on different colored cards. If you really have a problem with note-taking, you might ask your teacher if you can record daily lessons.

【推荐2】Is there a best way to pack clothes? The following ideas are of great help to those who are always on the way.

    1     Once you see how much you lay in front of you, be brave and reduce about a third. Because the truth is like your wardrobe, you never seem to use as much as you take.

Start with your shoes. Put underwear or socks inside them to hold the shape of your shoes. Thus, you can make use of every square inch of space. Once your shoes are firmly in place, fill small gaps with very soft items.     2     .

Lay out the first clothes with one end inside the suitcase and the other end dropping over the edge. Put the next clothes on top of this, but place them the other way around.     3     In this way, you’ll get another flat layer soon Finally, one by one, fold the clothes back in.

    4     These awkward shaped items are difficult to pack. You’d better put them towards the middle give maximum protection. Remember.to double bag your toiletries kit (洗漱袋) to avoid spotting your clothes.

If you take a belt, slip them along the inside of your case.     5     That will take more space. Next, use the hard shape of the case to offer protection. Leave your toiletries kit in your suitcase, when you return home. It’s ready for the next time you travel.

【推荐3】To understand a foreign country, we need to learn about its culture. Certainly, it's of help to study the language and history. But it's also a good idea to learn what not to do. Things which are strongly unacceptable are called taboos.

Eating taboos are found throughout the world. In many Asian cultures, chopsticks should never be left standing up in a rice bowl. In India, touching food with one's left hand is seen as unclean. And, in Muslim cultures, people do not eat pork.

Interestingly, a taboo in one country may not be a problem in another. For example, in Chinese culture, giving clocks as gifts is frowned on. But that would be fine in America. In fact, a beautiful clock would be a thoughtful gift.

The same goes for some conversation topics. In many Western cultures, it's rude to ask about a person's age, weight, or salary. However, these topics may not be as sensitive in East Asia.

For sure, understanding what not to do can be hard. Fortunately, there are many websites about taboos. Travel guidebooks often have a section on the topic. It's worth taking time to understand another culture's taboos. It shows our respect for our friends around the world.

Maybe you are an average student. You probably think you will never be a top student. However, anyone can become a better student if he or she wants to. The tips are as follows.

1. Plan your time carefully. When making a plan for a week, you should make a list of things that you have to do. After making this list. you should make a schedule of your time. First plan your time for eating, sleeping. dressing, etc. and then decide a good, regular time for study. It will force you to realize what is happening to your time.

2. Find a good place for study. Look around the house for a good study area, which may be a desk or a corner of your room, and stay away from everything but study materials. When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.

3. Make good use of your time in class. Take advantage of class time to listen carefully to what the teachers say. Careful listening in class means less work later.

4. Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes. Review the important points that your teachers mention in class. If you read the new materials. you can understand your teachers better next day, and you will be active in class.

These general methods might help you with your study.