1 . When you are feeling unhappy or forget how great you are, there are six ways to make you feel good about yourself.

◆Look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I’m a special person and there’s no one in the world like me. I can do anything!” It may not sound so good, but it really works!

◆ Do something nice for someone. Helping others always makes you feel good.

◆ Smile! Be friendly to people you meet. Look for the good things in your friends and family.

◆ Learn something new! Have you always wanted to decorate (装饰) your own room or learn how to swim? Go for it! New challenges (挑战) are fun and give you a sense of accomplishment when you have finished.

◆ Read and start a diary. Turn off the TV and let your imagination fly! Write down your thoughts, dreams or anything you want! Writing always helps to express your feelings.

◆Stay with your family. We all need our family time. Talk with your mom and dad or maybe even your cousins.

3 . Different countries have different customs and cultures. Every culture around the world has different customs and ways of communicating. When you learn a language, you learn more than words.

In China, people are used to saying “sorry” to show that they regret doing something wrong. But it’s very proud for American people to have polite manners towards one another in public. They often use the word “sorry”—even when they don’t really mean it! Usually, if they want to ask a stranger for the time, they will start by saying “Sorry to trouble you.” If they’re five minutes late for the appointment, they will greet the person by saying “Sorry, I’m late!” It’s quite different in China. They use the word “sorry” in so many different situations that the meaning of the word has changed a little over time. The two main dictionary definitions (定义) of “sorry” are: 1) feeling sad for someone else because of their problems or bad luck; 2) feeling regret because you’ve done something wrong.

So what does “sorry” really mean? And why do western people use it so much? Well, in western culture, saying “sorry” is a way to be polite. It’s also a very clever way to get what they want. If you want to borrow something from others, you’d better say “sorry” to them about something. Or it’s hard for you to get what you want. So maybe saying “sorry” is not only just being polite, but also a good method to get what you want!

4 . What will our life be like in 50 years? No one knows the answer exactly (确切地), but we are sure that it will be very different from the life today. My brother Jim Green makes some predictions. Here are some of his ideas.

First, people will have less work to do, and robots will do most work. People will use robots to make cars, do the housework, look after sick people and teach students. People will spend most of their time playing sports and traveling. So people will become stronger and healthier, and they will live to be about 200 years old.

Second, cars will become very small and computers will control (控制) their speed. So there will be fewer accidents on the road. Planes will be very popular and most people would like to take them to travel.

Third, people will be able to live in the sea, on the moon or on Mars. The earth won’t be crowded or noisy. So there will be more space for people to plant trees. There will be less pollution, and the air will become much fresher.

Finally, water shortage will become one of the most serious problems. If people don’t save water now, there will be water wars in 50 years.

5 . Do you know the movie I, Robot? It tells us a story about the future. The year is 2035 and robots are just as common as mobile phones. People depend on their robots to do lots of things, for example, babysitting, cooking, doing chores and taking their dogs for a walk. Robots have to obey (听从) human’s orders, because their designers make them do so. A police officer called Spooner hates robots. He doesn’t think humans can get on well with their robots at all! But the scientist Susan has different opinions. Susan works on robots’ mind and she thinks one day robots will become more powerful (强大的) than humans and help humans to make progress (进步).

When Spooner and Susan work together, they find that something is wrong with the world’s robots. A few robots have their own thoughts and they’re trying to get out of humans’ control (控制)! Of course these robots’ dream doesn’t come true. Humans work hard to control their robots again and they succeed at last.

6 . Welcome to your future life!

You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. You look young. In 2035, many people can live to be about 150 years old. So at the age of 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents look the same age as you!

You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” can change the color and style as you like. You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but you hear the voice, “You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge remembers the information about the milk. It knows that the milk is not fresh. In 2035, every household appliance(家用电器) is like your secretary(秘书).

It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend with your watch. Such “smart technology” is all around you.

So will all these things come true? “All these things will come true, even better.” says a scientist.

I couldn’t agree more with the scientist. I am looking forward to the new life.

8 . Maps are pictures of places. You must see a map of the world, of your home country, and even of your home city. They show us towns, cities, roads, parks, schools, hospitals, and more.

There are also many other types（种类）of maps. Each gives a special kind of information. There are street maps, tourist maps, and even maps of the air and sea.

Here is a simple road map.

9 . In the film Forrest Gump (《阿甘正传》), there’s a famous saying: “Life is like a box of chocolate; you never know what you’re gonna get.” It’s the same with blind boxes (盲盒).

Each of these small, sealed (密封的) boxes has one of many toy figures in a series (系列的) inside. The buyer doesn’t know which figure they’ve got until they open the box. The start of blind boxes can be dated back to lucky bags sold in Japan from the late 1860s. In recent years it becomes big business in China.

During the Double 11 shopping festival, POP MART, a leading blind box company in China, sold 55,000 LABUBU dolls on Tmall in just 9 seconds according to a Tmall report.

One reason for their popularity is the lovely look of the figures inside the boxes. They’re like small cartoon characters. They can be put anywhere in your home to make your home more beautiful and lovely. But another, perhaps more important reason people like them is the fun of being surprised. “The most interesting thing about blind boxes is the gap between what you expect and what you get.” said Wen Xi, a blind box collector from Beijing. The excitement of getting the exact thing you want is like winning the lottery.

The boxes are certainly enjoyable to some. However, others worry that children might spend too much money on these toys. “The blind box economy makes use of gambling psychology (赌博心理),” said Liu Chunsheng, “young people want to look for the excitement brought by higher risks, which leads to impulse buying (即兴购买).” Last year, over 200,0 Chinese customers spent more than 20, 000 yuan collecting blind boxes. Most of them were Generation Z (those born after 1995), according to a report by Tmall.

10 . Sometimes you might feel it impossible to get on with your parents. But in fact, it isn’t as difficult as you think. Follow these ways, and then you’ll improve your relationship with them.

Spend more time with your parents. Your parents won’t always be around, so try to spend more time with them. This doesn’t mean just sitting in front of the TV together. Instead, you should do more activities with your parents together. By doing them, all of you will feel happy and relaxed.

Talk with your parents more often. In order to understand them better, you should talk with them more often. Try to learn more about them. For example, you could ask them about their own childhood. In this way, you will understand them better.

Always listen to your parents. This may seem simple, but it’s often harder than you think. Look at your parents when they are talking. Don’t interrupt (打断) them, and then speak clearly when replying to them.

Share your feelings with your parents. Sometimes your parents also want to learn more about you. Just do your best to open your heart to them. When possible, talk to them about something at school or what you really want to be in the future.

Make your parents feel proud. There are always some ways to make your parents feel good about you. By working hard, you can do well in school or win prizes in games. They will think how lucky they are to have you and be more willing to talk about you in front of others.