1 . Are you happy with your appearance?
“Almost all the girls with single-fold eyelids (单眼皮) in our class have had double eyelid operations,” Zeng, a Senior 2 student from Chengdu, told Xinhua. Zeng had the same surgery done this summer.
From popular photo-editing apps to plastic surgery (整形手术), it seems that large eyes, pale skin and a skinny body are the only standard for beauty these days. But can following this standard really make us feel good about ourselves?
“Many teenagers are upset about their appearance because they believe in unrealistic standards of beauty,” experts say.
However, trying to live up to strict standards can make us feel anxious. What troubles us is not just our “imperfect” looks, but the fact that we criticize ourselves too much.
| A．Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. |
| B．Body image anxiety is common among teenagers. |
| C．Guys care just as much as girls do about their body image. |
| D．Some teenagers might feel negative about their appearance. |
| E．It’s common for teenagers to feel confident about their appearance. |
| F．She and many of her classmates believe bigger eyes look more beautiful. |
| G．Perfect faces and bodies are everywhere in advertising, TV shows and social media. |
2 . Everyone complains. Even if you argue that you are the happiest person in the world, you still complain sometimes. Sometimes you complain without even realizing it, but rarely is it ever helpful.
When you find yourself thinking or saying a negative comment about something or someone, stop and force yourself to say something positive instead. Seek the help of a cheerful friend to change you when you complain and help you to see the positive in the situation.
Make a list of things you are grateful for.
You often complain about the things you don’t have without noticing those things you already have. Be grateful for what you have in your life because you are lucky simply for being yourselves.
Learn to adapt to the changes.
There are many things you can’t change.
Allow yourself to vent (发泄) your feelings every once in a while.
Constantly ignoring negative thoughts could add up. If you are really going through a rough time, don’t be afraid to share your feelings with a close friend or family member or see a therapist.
Find what makes you happy.
| A．Sometimes this list can be easy, full of hobbies you enjoy. |
| B．The best and only thing you can do is to accept them. |
| C．Change the way you think. |
| D．Are you constantly complaining about your present job? |
| E．Set down things you are thankful for and you’ll see that you don’t have any reason to complain. |
| F．Make friends with positive people. |
| G．So how can you manage to force yourselves to end complaining? |
3 . Most children now chat daily either online or through their mobile phones.
Sometimes the online world, just like the real world, can cause problems, such as bullying (恃强凌弱) or arguments.
| A．Going online is great fun. |
| B．Computer studies are part of schoolwork now. |
| C．The language of chat is strange to many parents, too. |
| D．There are some websites that are not suitable for the children. |
| E．To keep children safe, your management must cover the family computer. |
| F．They are connecting to a huge number of other children all over the world. |
| G．Surfing the Internet takes up too much of the time that should be spent on lessons. |
4 . Ways to fight the flu
The flu is annoying enough on its own. In order to keep yourself from it, follow these tips.
★Get the flu vaccine (疫苗). It’s the best way to protect yourself against the flu.
★Wash your hands often. Hand washing is an important way to protect against germs (细菌) like flu viruses.
★
★Cough or sneeze into a tissue (手巾纸) –not into your hands. That way, you’re not spreading the virus when you touch surfaces that other people may touch too.
★
You also can fight the flu by getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and getting regular exercise.
Don’t let the flu ruin your fall and winter fun. Fight back!
| A．Stay home if you have the flu. |
| B．Rest can help the body recover faster. |
| C．Keep your distance if someone is sick. |
| D．Take some medicine as soon as you have the flu. |
| E．It also helps protect against other germs and illnesses. |
| F．Getting vaccinated doesn’t just protect your own health. |
| G．Don’t let the flu fall at one of the most exciting times of the year. |
5 . Smartwatches and fitness trackers (健身追踪器) have gained popularity recently. These tools can record your daily steps, heart rates, etc.
It’s a struggle to overcome the addiction to fitness trackers.
Of course, failing to meet your daily goal can be discouraging. You might focus on your shortcoming rather than your progress. Another problem is that you might find yourself paying too much attention to the step number rather than how your body feels.
Therefore, if you’re spending too much time looking at your smartwatch, limit your daily step count to a comfortable level.
| A．How can you tell whether you’re addicted to your fitness tracker? |
| B．Actually this addiction to step count can be risky, mentally and physically. |
| C．Don’t overuse your smartwatch. |
| D．However, do you find yourself checking your steps and heart rates too often? |
| E．After all, reaching a daily step count can be so appealing. |
| F．Besides, you can find other things to do that don’t involve checking your fitness tracker. |
| G．It doesn’t covey what you’re really feeling. |
6 . How to Teach Kids to Be Calm
Children often get overwhelmed by emotions. There`re some gentle but powerful ways to bring your child to a state of peace and teach him how to calm himself.
Speak to your child about what has caused an outburst after he has calmed down. It’s much easier to address the causes of lack of calm when the child is in a state of calm. As soon as he is old enough to talk, encourage your child to express his feelings and explain what was wrong.
Teach your child to recognize the signs that he is about to lose his calm.
Teach your child a routine to go through when he or you recognize that he is starting to lose his calm. Find a quiet place where he can calm down. Show him how to take three deep breaths.
| A．Keep yourself calm. |
| B．Prevention is better than cure. |
| C．Stay close to your child when he is angry. |
| D．Listen patiently even if his problems don’t make sense to you. |
| E．An angry adult isn’t a good model for teaching a child calmness. |
| F．Or teach him a simple gentle song about happiness or calmness. |
| G．Set aside a time each day for you and your child to be calm together. |
7 . Every relationship has survived on apologies.
Your past. Your past might contain some mistakes which you aren’t proud of.
Being honest.
Taking me time. Let’s all agree that we need some time alone to figure out our life. Or many people prefer to be alone after a long day just to go through their day and think of times they are thankful for.
| A．Being yourself. |
| B．Apologizing for what you are. |
| C．Don’t feel bad about not lying. |
| D．Always don't say sorry for what makes you happy. |
| E．You need to let them go, because it’s your life and that was your decision. |
| F．Sometimes besides listening to people, we really need to relax and listen to our own thoughts. |
| G．After all, we are humans and take stupid decisions and do dumb things which annoy (使烦恼) the other person. |
8 . The Way to Lift Up Your Mood
Everyone has periods in their lives when everything seems very hard, there’s nobody to talk to and the mood (情绪) is just getting worse and worse.
The first thing you should try is socializing and thinking positively. It’s very hard, because usually when we feel sad, we lock ourselves at home and try to think about all the bad things we have. But if you try to force yourself and call a friend for a cup of coffee, the chances are that you may change your mood into better. Just try to avoid bad thoughts.
Not only giving gifts to yourself can lift up your mood.
Take control of your feelings. Don’t let them control you.
| A．Cry aloud if you feel it is necessary. |
| B．Here are some things that may help you lift up your mood. |
| C．Making yourself feel better isn’t that hard. |
| D．Buying things to others may be a perfect way to feel happy. |
| E．Do your best to find someone to talk to. |
| F．Instead, try to think about the bright side of your life. |
| G．You should also try doing something only for yourself, something totally selfish. |
9 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make
Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.
·Doing too much too soon
One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine
·
Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.
·Not wearing the right equipment
•Running through pain
| A．Not taking rest days |
| B．If you’re just starting out |
| C．Comparing yourself to others |
| D．Running can be uncomfortable at times |
| E．It’s important not to use the same muscles |
| F．While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running |
| G．Experts suggest increasing your running distance by no more than 10% each week |
10 . Whistling (吹口哨) can be a fun passtime.
Start by finding a mirror. First, place your lips (嘴唇) to form a small “O”.
Once you’ve produced a beautiful note, move on, adjusting your lips, tongue, and the force with which you blow to produce different sounds.
When you first learn to whistle，you may hear sounds like those heard when air escapes a tire (轮胎). When you hear such sounds, don’t feel sad.
| A．Then stick your tongue out. |
| B．Small amounts of air often work best. |
| C．This means you are heading in the right direction. |
| D．Some people whistle a song to help pass the time. |
| E．You may need someone to teach you how to whistle. |
| F．Next, position your tongue behind your lower teeth. |
| G．Don’t expect to learn to whistle perfectly on the first try. |
