1 . It is not always easy to keep a conversation going in English. You might not be sure about what to say. Or maybe you are afraid that your pronunciation is not good. So how can we continue a conversation in English?     1    

Listen and follow up

First, remember the importance of listening. Listen to the other person attentively, so that you can ask a follow-up question. For example, let’s say the other person tells you, “I just got back from a trip to Canada.”     2     Where did you go in Canada? What was your favorite place there?

How was the food there?

Avold simple “yes” or “no” questions

If you want to keep a conversation going, it’s a good idea to ask questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. If the other person asks you a “yes” or “no” question, try to give a longer answer to help keep the conversation going.

For example, a friend might ask, “Hey, have you seen the new Star Wars movie?” You could just answer, “No, I haven’t.”     3     You could answer: “No, but I plan to see it soon. How about you?”

    4    

Do not worry about your pronunciation. If your pronunciation is a little different, the other person will still understand your message if you try speaking slowly and clearly. When you are traveling in an English-speaking country and have some free time, be brave and speak in English with someone who does not look too busy.     5    

2 . Ways to make a great first impression

You’ve heard it a million times already. But it really does take but a few seconds to make that all-important first impression（印象）. Here are some easy ways for you to impress your classmates or teachers.

*    1    

Before you shake hands with somebody, make sure that your hands are clean. The hand-shake should not be too strong or weak. Most people use their right hands, unless they have a reason to use the left.     2    

*Be on time

When meeting someone for the first time, arriving on time is as important as breathing. You may have an excuse, but that will leave the person who hardly knows you with a bad impression.     3     It’s better to be hanging around the place than be stuck in traffic.

*Introduce yourself and ask for names

Make sure you properly introduce yourself. Ask for their name in a polite way.     4    . This will increase the chances of their remembering your name in the future. Always remember to stand up when greeting someone and be sure to introduce them to anyone you’re with.

*Make good conversation

To get the most out of your discussion, try to find something common between the two of you.     5    . A person will feel more comfortable with someone they can relate to（产生共鸣）.

3 . A British friend told me he couldn't understand why Chinese people love eating sunflower seeds (葵花子) as a snack so much. “I’ve met a lot of older Chinese and many have a crack in their front teeth; I believe that's from cracking the seeds,” he said.

I had never noticed the habit, but once he mentioned it, I suddenly became more aware. I realized that whenever I’m watching TV or typing a report, I always start mindlessly cracking sunflower seeds. My friend doesn't like sunflower seeds, and, to him, it seems unnecessary to work so hard just to get one small seed.

When we were young, the whole family would usually get together for Chinese New Year. Then, we all lived close to one another, usually in a small city, and sometimes even neighbors would go doortodoor on Chinese New Year’s Eve to check out what every household was making.

I remember my parents would be in the kitchen cooking. In the living room, a large table would already be laid out, complete with a fancy tablecloth, readymade dumpling fillings, and dishes full of candy, fruits and sunflower seeds.

Some of the dishes were to be offered to our ancestors later, while others were for neighbors and children to eat before the evening feast. I must have learned how to crack sunflower seeds back then.

I don’t think it’s right to criticize one’s choice in food or eating habits, no matter how strange they may seem.

It’s not only in China. When I went abroad, I found people had all sorts of strange habits when it came to food. In Denmark, they put salted red fish on bread and eat it for dinner, no matter how much it ruins their breath. They think it’s a delicacy, and it’s connected with their culture. I think it’s a wonderful tradition.

5 . Who says you have to stay indoors when the temperatures drop? Here are favourite places to explore this winter.

Athens, Greece

In Athens, every November temperatures stay around the mid-20s, so have a trip to the Parthenon and Acropolis. A full afternoon is also necessary for exploring the Museum of Cycladic Art and its exhibitions — recently it has hosted Picasso’s.

In the streets of the Pysrri district is a hidden hole in the wall, from which one can go down to the basement restaurant, Diporto.

Huaraz, Peru

To some, Peru gives people images of students in printed shorts on a tour of Machu Picchu. There’s obviously so much more to do in the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) site. Any hike through the surrounding Huascaran National Park will make you feel like you’ve stepped into The Lord of the Rings.

April and November are considered “shoulder season”, which means fewer clear days but you can enjoy the trails (路线) with fewer people.

Edinburgh, UK

Yes, it’s probably going to be freezing cold. Hot coffee steam up in a pleasing, romantic fashion in cafes. People can take a few minutes’ walk from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

For simple Scottish dishes there’s neighbourhood inn, the Little Chartroom. And the Sheep Heid Inn has been long enough to have served Mary, Queen of Scots. In the eight bedrooms at the 18th century Rock House, each is a mixture of ancient details and current fashion.

Valletta, Malta

Flights from the UK to Malta’s capital are only around £30, making it one of the best destinations for a November trip. This tiny city has a temperature of 17 or so and has changed itself into a year-round city break with artistic cafes, hotels and newly opened galleries — Muza opened last year and houses the former National Gallery collection.

6 . Best Places to Visit in the UK

United Kingdom has long been a popular European tourist place for many because of its beautiful countryside, historic cities, top museums and outstanding theaters. Here are some of the best places to visit in the UK.

Cambridge

Cambridge is a beautiful English city located on the River Cam just north of London. As the home to one of the world’s top universities, the University of Cambridge, it has all of the cultural and entertainment choices you might expect from a college town.

Chester

Located on the River Dee in Cheshire, England, Chester is more than 2,000 years old, which means there is plenty of history, culture and architecture lasting several centuries. The ancient walls around the city are one of Chester’s biggest tourist attractions.

Stonehenge

One of the most famous sites in the world,Stonehenge consists of earthworks surrouding a circular setting of large standing stone in southwest England.It is also home to some of the most important Neolithic and Bronze Age finds and structures in the UK. It was not until 1600 BC that Stonehenge came to be completed.

Lake Distric

Located in northwest England, the Lake District is the second largest National Park in the UK. The main attractions are the lakes, mountains and hills. It is England’s famous destination for hiking and climbing.

According to a recent survey, violence (暴力) did exist in schools. Students showed their fear and parents and teachers also     1     (express) their great concern about it. Experts hope     2     whole society should pay more attention to the mental health of teenagers.

Nowadays, school violence is a hot topic, which     3     (call)for our great concern. We should make every effort     4     (prevent) violence happening at school because more and more students would drop out of school if their personal     5     (safe) could not be guaranteed(保证). In fact, violence can be imitated.    6     (actual), children learn violent behavior from adults or from     7     they see on television or on the Internet.

If I meet with school violence, I will not answer violence with violence, for it will result in     8     (much) fighting. I will tell my teachers and parents about it. I think they will help me deal with it well and they will protect me     9     the bad guys.

All in all, we students should behave     10     (we) and keep away from violence.

8 . Physical education(体育), or PE, isn’t required for all high school students. In some schools, it isn’t offered for some different reasons. But should high school students receive physical education? The answer is certainly “Yes.”

Today many people don’t do sports. But as is known to all, doing sports is very important for an adult. Teaching teens the importance of a healthy lifestyle and making fitness plans now can help teens put exercise in the first place as an adult.

The American Heart Association says that 10 million kids and teens suffer from obesity(肥胖症). The increase in activities that don’t get teens to move around, such as computer games, means many teens don’t get their required exercise. PE classes act as a public health measure to encourage physical activities and help teens have healthy weights.

Not doing sports increases teens’ hazard of developing many diseases. An active lifestyle offers a good way of protection from these health problems. As much as 75 percent of health-care spending goes toward treating medical conditions that can be prevented by lifestyle changes, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

According to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN), students who performed five hours of physical activity each week improved their academic(学业的)performance. Students from programs with no physical activity, who used the extra time for classroom study, did not perform better on tests than those who gave up some study time in support of physical education.