Communication (沟通) is a problem for parents and children of all ages. If it is hard for you to communicate with your parents, do not worry about it. Here is some useful ________ for you to solve the problem.

Don’t argue with your parents. Don’t talk to your parents when you are ________. Your parents probably won’t consider (考虑) your ideas ________ you shout at them. And you can’t express (表达) ________ well if you are angry. Go ________ to calm down. Make sure you understand ________ you are unhappy. Then ________ what you want to say to your parents. If you don’t think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter.

Try to reach a compromise (妥协). Perhaps sometimes you have different opinions about something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to ________ each other. Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. If that happens, it is really important to show love and respect (尊敬) to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship ________.

Talk about your values (价值观). The fact is that your parents’ values are probably ________ your own values. It doesn’t matter. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding values might help them see your purpose in life.

Narwhals (独角鲸) may look like unreal animals, but they do live in the sea. Here are some fun facts about narwhals.

Narwhals change colour a few times in their lives. Most baby narwhals are blue-grey. But as they grow older, their colour changes to blue-black. And in time their colour usually becomes dark grey. Old narwhals are almost all white.

Like elephant tusks (长牙), a narwhal’s tusk is in fact a tooth. It can grow as long as 3 metres. Narwhals use their tusks to hit fish so that they can be caught and eaten. And some narwhals even have two tusks!

Although narwhals usually stay less than 50 metres underwater, they can reach about 1.5 kilometres under the sea, according to the University of Washington. And they can stay underwater for 25 minutes before needing to come up for air!

Narwhals are used to very cold weather. They spend their lives in the northernmost countries such as Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. Most narwhals spend the winter for up to five months under sea ice.

Known as the “unicorns (独角鲁) of the sea”, narwhals are really interesting animals you must watch when you take trips to the countries mentioned above.

① Small talk means an informal (非正式的), polite conversation that has to do with unimportant topics. Small talk topics are good conversation starters between people who do not know each other well. You should know what things to talk about and what to avoid (避免).

② The weather is a good topic that everyone can discuss. Practice making small talk about the weather before next time you find yourself in the middle of a silence (沉默). It may open up other topics.

③ Also, people like to talk about their interests and are possibly interested in yours. If you do not have any interests, why not try something new. Not only will you have something to talk about, but you will also get a chance to meet others with similar hobbies.

④ Besides, ________ If you travel, be ready to answer questions and tell people about the places you have visited. Ask others about their favorite places of interest and what places you cannot miss. Many people like to help others and will be happy to share their experiences.

⑤ Once you know a few good conversation starters, it is also helpful to understand what kind of small talk topics you are better off avoiding. The problem with talking about politics (政治) is that you never know who in the crowd may have strong opinions against yours. Stay away from this topic unless you want to risk ending up fighting with somebody.

⑥ Death is another topic that should be avoided during small talk, because it sounds heavy. When you are together with strangers, do not bring up emotional (引起情绪激动的) topics, either.

⑦ What’s more, avoid questions about what other people look like. Do not ask anyone if they have become fatter or not, or you could be left in an uncomfortable situation.

⑧ Choose small talk topics in a right way, and you will get the most from it. Good luck out there.

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