【推荐2】Developing a hobby makes you an interesting person and gives you something fun and enjoyable to do in your free time.     1     So how can you find a suitable hobby for yourself? Find what interests you.

If you try to force yourself into a hobby that you hate, it’s not going to last!     2     For example, if you enjoy watching sports on television, you might have fun playing one. If you pick out something you like, you’re more likely to find a hobby that you still stick with (坚持)!

Determine the availability (有效性) of resources.

Make a list of what interests you, and determine what you can afford. While it may be easier to list the possible hobbies that you can develop, the real question is whether you will be able to afford it or not.     3    

Remove the unrealistic options (选择).

    4     But you can’t choose it for some reason. For example, you may like oil painting a great deal, but you can’t paint, as others in the house may find the smell unpleasant.

Try out the hobby options .

Once you have removed the unrealistic hobbies, it will become easier for you to know your actual possibilities.     5     In fact, you also have the chance of trying out all the hobbies that remain on the list and know what keeps you the most interesting. Once you have tried out all the hobby options, pick up the one that you believe you will be able to enjoy for long.

A．Figure out what sports fit you.

B．However, you should not wait to get started.

C．Instead, try turning what you love into a new hobby.

D．Make sure only realistic and practical options remain on the list.

E．Consider the tools for your hobby and let go of the hobbies you can’t afford.

F．You may be interested in a particular hobby and want to pick it up immediately.

G．It also opens up new opportunities of meeting people who keep similar interests.

【推荐3】This super-simple trick might seem silly, but it can make a huge difference in the way a future employer notices you. If you’ve been on the job hunt in the past few years, you’ve probably had to do at least one phone interview. Phone interviews are becoming increasingly popular as the method employers use to select the candidates they want to speak to in person.

    1     On the one hand, the interviewer can’t see you, so you don’t have to worry about how to dress, how to sit, or even making eye contact. On the other hand, you can’t use any of those strategies to impress your interviewer; they form their opinion of you based only on what you say and how you sound.

Luckily, this incredibly simple tip might be just what you need to gain an edge.     2     If you’re wondering how your smile could possibly affect the opinion of a person who can’t see it, you’d be surprised.     3     It makes you “sound happier, lighter, more accessible and much friendlier,” according to career blogger Coach Joan. You’ll sound more energetic and interested right from the start, and the person on the other end of the line will immediately feel more at ease with you.

    4     Even if you feel it silly at first, you’ll quickly get used to it, and your smile will probably help ease your nerves, too! Plus, using a mirror during a phone interview is great practice for an in-person one, since you can’t exactly look in the mirror during one of those!     5    

A．It comes down to a single word: smile.

B．When you smile you wake up every cell in your body.

C．Usually phone interviews serve as the first step in a job hunt.

D．Smiling actually has a major impact on the way your voice sounds.

E．The nature of phone interviews can be a mixed blessing.

F．So the next time you land a phone interview, get ready to start smiling right from “Hello”.

G．Joan suggests standing by a mirror during the interview to make sure you’re smiling the entire time.

【推荐1】根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项，选项中有两项为多余选项。

Can you imagine your parents choosing your husband or wife for you? And can you imagine not setting eyes on him or her until your wedding day? This situation is common in India, the Middle East and many parts of Africa.     1    We don't realize that people in other places often get married in very different ways—and with different motives(动机)．

    2    A marriage provides a safe and stable home for the husband and wife. It also joins children, making sure the couple will be taken care of in old age. Because a marriage is important for the whole family, some cultures don't let young people choose whom to marry.

Just as there are many different reasons for marriage, there are also many different wedding rituals(仪式),    3    In a typical Western wedding, the bride seeks good luck by wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” Something old represents the past. Something new represents success in the future. Something borrowed reminds the bride she can get help from her friends and family.    4    

In Poland, one wedding tradition is not only lucky, but also very practical. The wedding guests pin money to the bride's dress while she is dancing. Th e money is meant to bring luck and to help the young couple build their new life. In Bermuda, the young couple plants a tree in the yard of their new home. Once they move in, they take good care of the tree , making it grow and blossom. The planting of the tree is a good metaphor(隐喻) for marriage.    5    

A．Every culture has its own ways of bringing good luck to the happy couple.

B．A truly good marriage is something that grows with care.

C．In the United States, parents do not arrange marriages for their children.

D．And something blue reminds her to be true to her husband.

E．Marriage customs around the world often differ from our own.

F．In many countries, marriage is a practical matter.

G．Different countries have different cultures.

【推荐2】Most of us have been there: Families can be very difficult, and family problems are very painful. However, how you approach the family member and what you say can make a difference.     1    

Schedule a time to talk as a group. Facing and overcoming family problems can seem impossible. When you work together, however, solving family differences becomes possible. The first step is agreeing that there is a problem in the first place.     2     Make everyone aware that you want them to arrive with suggestions and solutions ready.

Focus on the issue at hand. When disagreements occur, people tend to bring up other problems they have ever had with the other parties.     3     Make efforts to uncover what is actually important about the current problem. Building a case or bringing up old misdeeds will not assist you in resolving this issue.

    4     To reach an agreement during a family conflict, listening is important. Only by actively listening to each party can you understand what he is trying to communicate. Active listening involves allowing the other to speak without interruptions and expressing what was said afterwards to ensure you understood correctly.

Decide on a solution together. Once everyone has shared their needs and concerns, then strive for a compromise. Consider all the suggestions that each as provided and look for a solution.     5     If necessary, develop a written agreement outlining how you will manage the problem.

A．Seek some professional advice.

B．Listen to others without interrupting.

C．This has a bad effect on conflict resolution.

D．Have everyone state what they really want to say.

E．Schedule a meeting when it is convenient for everyone.

F．Everyone present there should feel good about the solution.

G．So it’s important to learn some effective problem-solving skills.

【推荐3】Since their beautiful baby daughter Ella came into their lives, James and Ola Jordan's home has undergone a transformation in the past nine months. The designer marble coffee table has lost pride of place to a playpen. "Everything is about Ella, and that is how we always wanted it to be," says adoring mum Ola. "Our home was quite stylish before she came along; now there are toys everywhere. I can't remember the life we had without her. Ella has taken over our home —and our hearts."

The former Strictly Come Dancing professionals, who married in 2002, had longed to be parents and considered themselves blessed when Ella was born during the outbreak of coronavirus after their years of medical treatment and attempts. James tells us: "People say how this time of year becomes special again when you see it through the eyes of a child. I get that. Already she loves the Christmas lights and the tree, although she isn't going to understand what it's all about.”

There is no doubt that Ella is the couple's most precious gift ---and the icing on Christmas cake for James will be the moment she says "Dada". "We all keep saying it to her, she is not having any of it," laughs 43-year-old James. "It's just 'Mama, Mama... '"says Jam: “Ola knew that I would always be a big part of bringing up our little girl. And likewise, I always knew Ola was going to be a great mum, and very hands on."

Having James around so much has been a bonus for Ola, four years younger than James. "It has just been us and our baby so I feel lucky that James has been here. But I have missed not being able to meet up with other new mums and swap advice." "Ella is yet to meet another baby, and we will arrange another room for the new family member," says James. “but at least she is lucky that she has a really funny dad. She is always laughing and is such a happy little girl."

1. Their home was _______before they were blessed with Ella.

A．conservative	B．fashionable
C．messy	D．comfortable

2. If you describe something as "the icing on the cake", you mean that it makes something ______.

A．even colder	B．even better
C．more surprising	D．more believable

3. What does James mean when he says “Ella is yet to meet another baby"?

A．They are expecting a new baby.

B．Ella doesn't want any playmate.

C．James doesn't like Ella now.

D．He is simply making a joke.

4. The story mainly tells us that______.

A．spare the rod and spoil the child

B．a wife 's health is a man's wealth

C．parents are over the moon about a baby

D．all the glory comes from mothers