1 . Your joke never works? Or, being humorous is just too hard for you? Some even think that being funny is something people are born with, not to be earned.     1    

Tell funny stories. Sometimes, the funniest thing you can do is to tell a funny story.     2     However, your audience will likely find that something that actually happened will be a little more humorous. Think of a few true funny things and tell those stories when it is proper.

Make the end funny. When you try to surprise your friends with a funny story or joke, put the surprise at the end.     3     You might say “And do you know what was in my car when I opened the door, Rebecca? A cat!” This will be funnier than saying “And, Rebecca, a cat was in my car when I opened the door!”

    4     Check out comedy clubs in your area and study the comedians. What kinds of jokes or stories worked with the audience and what didn’t? Notice what things made you laugh the most and tell similar stories and jokes in your personal life. You can also watch comedy shows online if you can’t find a local club.

Keep a journal to record funny things. Not only will this help you remember funny stories to tell later, it will also train you to look for comedic moments in your own life.     5     Every time you notice and write down something humorous, you’ll be getting more practice!

3 . In today’s world, technology is a part of daily life. In order to keep civilization hand in hand with technological advances, and to understand the connected future they will have, children in schools have to be taught technical skills. But how can teachers integrate(使……融入)technology into their classroom? Here are a couple of ways.

Teach acceptance of connected learning. In the information age, it’s only right to teach kids how to jump at connected learning.    1    For example, a tablet PC could be used in art class to draw pictures or even signs for the school.

Use a video chat system to teleconference. The idea of pen pals can be strengthened by video chat systems.    2    In this situation, children will learn how to share experiences and build new relationships from a distance. Teleconferencing is a great way to teach children about teleconferencing etiquette(礼仪).    3    

Develop a class wiki or blog. In order to help get your students active in class lessons, you can use a blog or wiki to make them comment on lessons, topics and current events. Students should also be allowed to create new posts about news or their thoughts.    4    

Create a podcast(播客)for your class. Technology is always about being seen.    5    It can also be used to be heard. With a classroom podcast, you can read passages from a textbook or a novel or schedule discussions on a certain topic that’s in line with your curriculum. This will teach broadcasting skills, speaking skills and critical thinking skills.

4 . Have you ever found yourself saying “I’ll never do that again”, only to find yourself doing the exact same thing just a short time later?    1    It seems all of us have repeated some of our mistakes at one time or another. The good news is that you can take steps to learn from your mistakes.

—Admit your mistakes.

Don’t blame (责备) anyone or anything else. Don’t try to hide your mistake. Admitting mistakes does not make you look weak.    2    When you admit mistakes, you help develop a culture of open communication and a willingness to improve by showing that you want to learn from the mistake.

—Ask yourself questions.

Even though you don’t want to face your mistakes, thinking about them carefully can be helpful. Ask yourself a few questions. What went wrong? What could I do better next time? What did I learn from this?    3    Seeing your answers on paper can help you think more logically about your experience.

—Make a plan.

Keeping feeling sorry for your mistakes won’t help you.    4    Make a plan that will help you avoid making a similar mistake. Be as detailed as possible but remain flexible since your plan may need to be changed.

—    5    

Sometimes people will point out your mistakes. Find someone who is wise and reliable and who is willing to listen to your explanations of what you’ve tried so far. If you can ask for advice from an expert, that couldn’t be better.

Every year, thousands of students choose to study in another country for a semester, the summer, or a year.Studying overseas can be an exciting experience for many people.

     1     Living in another country can help you to learn a language, and about another culture.    2     Overseas study may also look good on your future resume.Many companies today want employees who speak a second language, or have experienced living or working in another country.

Once you decide to study overseas, you have to make some choices.To choose the right country or school.Ask yourself: Where do I want to go and why? How much do I want to pay?     3     Do I want to live with a host family, with roommates, or alone?

Get your passport and visa early!     4     Learn about the money.Bring some of it, and a credit card, with you.

After the first few weeks overseas, many students will feel a little homesick.They may miss their family, friends, and familiar ways of doing things.    5     When you feel sad or homesick, try to talk to others, or write about your feelings in a notebook.

8 . Sometimes you may feel like you are studying a mad rush of one subject after another. When things happen at such a________ pace, it is easy to lose sight of what you are learning. It is important to________ every now and then to think about what you' ve been learning.

Self reflection means putting an end to the mad rush and________ yourself, so your brain can evaluate what it has already________. Some people prefer to do their self reflections________, while others keep a journal. Either method can work, depending on what your own personal________ is.

School textbooks are often divided into units. This can make it________ for someone to begin the process of self reflection. Watch for the times when you complete a unit of study .Sometimes you are reminded that the unit is ________ because there is some kind of test or quiz. Use these natural________ as opportunities to stop and reflect.

You should find a________ place-anywhere without distraction is OK. This can even be sitting at your desk at school when you finish something________ and the other students are still working. If you are going to take notes, take out your journal. Write down some notes on things that you________ learned in this unit. Let your mind think about the notes you have written and make some________.

Sometimes just pause to think deeply________ new information can quickly appear when you________   it again. Next, think about things that you still wonder about. ________ maybe you learned about a certain body system, but you don't________ how it works with the other body systems. Maybe you learned a new way to solve a math problem, but you're not sure when to use it. Writing down your________ will help you remember to continue seeking answers the next time you________ the same topic.

Self reflection is an essential skill for a________ student. If you have never taken the time to reflect, try it now.

9 . How to Avoid an Internet Addiction(上瘾)

While it may seem like everyone surfs the web these days, there is fine line between casually checking your social media pages and having a full blown Internet addiction. If you fear that you may lose interest in other aspects of your life because you prefer to be on the Internet, you may be on your way to an Internet addiction.    1    

Admit you are at risk of an addiction.

More and more people in the world are becoming addicted to the Internet. You are not the only one with this problem and it is becoming more and more common and more and more well- known.    2    

Set aside limited time for computer use.

Make sure not to turn it on too many times a week. If you have a laptop, make sure to put it somewhere that you can remember but not somewhere that you see every day. Try keeping the lid closed when you are not using it.    3    If you have a desktop PC, try not to go near it or put something over it like a sheet.

Call people instead of sending instant messages or texts.

If you are free on weekends, call friends and ask them to go outside. This will distract you from the computer.    4    

Use an alarm clock or timer.

Before using your computer, decide on a time limit such as 30 minutes. Set the clock or timer and make sure that you get off the computer when the time is up. Alternatively create a shutdown timer shortcut on your desktop.    5    

Everyone knows that fish is good for health.    1    But it seems that many people don’t cook fish at home. Americans eat only about fifteen pounds of fish per person per year, but we eat twice as much fish in restaurants as at home. Buying, storing, and cooking fish isn’t difficult.    2    This text is about how to buy and cook fish in an easy way.    3    Fresh fish should smell sweet: you should feel that you’re standing at the ocean’s edge. Any fishy or strong smell means the fish isn’t fresh.    4    When you have bought a fish and arrive home, you’d better store the fish in the refrigerator if you don’t cook it immediately, but fresh fish should be stored in your fridge for only a day or two. Frozen fish isn’t as tasty as the fresh one.There are many common methods used to cook fish.    5    First, lean it and season it with your choice of spices(调料). Put the whole fish on a plate and steam it in a steam pot for 8 to 10 minutes if it weighs about one pound. (A larger one will take more time.) Then, it’s ready to serve.