1 . Things To Remember On Your First Solo Travel Adventure

If you’ve ever thought about just taking a trip yourself instead of waiting for someone to join you, you’re not alone.     1     However, do you count yourself among the many who have tried it? If you’re planning your own solo trip, here are four important things to keep in mind.

    2     Since you’re traveling solo, how you choose to explore it is entirely up to you. This is your chance to do whatever you want whenever you want because this time, you’re running the show.

Don’t be afraid to talk to random people. Though there is someone who poses a threat, it’s important to remember that not everyone is out to get you.     3    That’s because you’re a novelty, a person from another country who is visiting theirs. Therefore, instead of putting on your headphones or instantly seeing them as weirdos, use this spontaneous chat as a chance to meet the locals or get recommendations for things to do during your trip.

It’s okay to have bad days.     4     It happens and it’s completely okay to take some time to process whatever it is you’re feeling. Take yourself to a movie or spend the day dong something relaxing like writing in your journal or reading on the beach.

It’s okay to start small.     5     Start by doing a staycation in another part of town, spending a few days in a new locale a bus or train ride away. Just do whatever you’re comfortable with and see how it all feels for you.

A．You are the boss of your own adventure.

B．You need to make an unusual travel choice.

C．It’s no secret that solo travel is on the rise.

D．Sometimes things can go incredibly wrong.

E．People like you simply don’t know how to start.

F．Most of the time people are just curious and try to be friendly.

G．Remember, your first solo trip doesn’t have to be to a whole other continent.

2 . There is much conversation about boundaries these days, but what exactly are boundaries? Simply put, boundaries are limits we personally set in order to protect our physical, emotional, and mental health, and they can be set with ourselves, with others, or with both.     1     — physical boundaries, emotional boundaries, and time or effort boundaries.

    2    . They help us to protect ourselves from harm - keep us safe. They also help us to maintain our sense of self and feeling of control over our lives.     3    . The most common reason is that your boundary may mean someone else’s disappointment. Here are some tips when you are setting boundaries.

Initially, be clear and direct. The more clear and direct you are, the more others will be able to respect the boundaries you set. “I’m heading home today at 5 pm” will be understood more clearly than “I need to head home sometime around 5 or 5: 30 pm.”     4    . We can’t expect people to respect our boundaries if we don’t respect theirs. Further more, be willing for others not to like the boundaries you set. At first, this can feel difficult. But ultimately other people will respect you more for having clear boundaries and know what to expect from the relationship, which will become healthier and stronger.     5    .

Once you set boundaries, it’s important to maintain them. At the beginning, it may feel challenging to set and maintain them, but eventually, they can become second nature and we find ourselves in relationships built on mutual respect and care-the kind of relationships we all want to be in.

A．Or it will need to end

B．Boundaries have cons and pros

C．Then be respectful of others’ boundaries

D．Naturally, they may be met with resistance

E．There are many different types of boundaries

F．Boundaries are important part of a healthy life

G．However, people often have a difficult time setting them

3 . Glaciers are melting; children are facing violence; hatred is spreading. At times, it feels as if the world is reaching the bottom.     1     It’s one of the most powerful and essential human mindsets, and possible to achieve even when it feels out of reach. Chan Hellman, a psychologist, emphasizes that hope is a teachable and attainable mindset, not an inherent trait. How can we stay hopeful-even when it feels unattainable?

    2    

As children, we were often warned against getting our hopes up. However, David Feldman, a professor studying hope, notes, “The truth is, whether or not we allow ourselves to hope, at some point we’re going to be disappointed. I think the solution is allowing ourselves to feel hopeful.

Set at least one meaningful goal

In the mid-1980s, the psychologist Charles Snyder identified three crucial factors forming the basis of Hope Theory, a model researchers still rely on today: First, people must think in a goal-oriented way. More on the other two elements, pathways and agency.) Make it a point to always be working toward at least one goal that’s meaningful by nature, Feldman advises.     3    .

Brainstorm solutions

    4    . Feldman explains it as having clear and feasible strategies for goal attainment. If you’ve set a goal that’s meaningful to you, but you can’t figure out a way to achieve it, you’ll probably feel pretty hopeless. People who are high in hope, meanwhile, tend to have an alternative at the ready.

Call your support team

According to Snyder’s research, people who are hopeful tend to have a lot of “agency”, which means the motivation to actually achieve their goals. Getting a good night’s rest, following a healthy diet, and meditating can all promote agency, Feldman says.     5    . However, sometimes the strongest source of agency is other people. When Feldman is feeling low, he calls his father, who’s his biggest cheerleader.

A．Seek for hope in loneliness

B．Give yourself permission to be hopeful

C．The cure for any despair might be hope

D．Surround yourself with supportive people

E．So can tapping into our own positive beliefs about ourselves

F．Another key element of Snyder’s Hope Theory is “pathways”

G．It shouldn’t be something you have to do but something you want to do

4 . In order to grow and be better than before , you must learn to be emotionally intelligent. Here are some strategies to help you become emotionally mature!

You cannot change others. Everyone else is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions. It is completely normal. Keeping that in mind, it is better if you understand that you cannot change others, no matter how hard you try. Even if you try changing others and their feelings, you will only be hurting yourself in the process.     1    

People interact with us like we are mind readers sometimes.    2     This can be extremely painful. You need to communicate your needs to the other person, and they need to do the same with you. Never rely on expectations, which will only make you feel disappointed. Share your needs with your loved ones and see the positive changes. So communicate your needs.

It is necessary to take responsibility for your actions. Just like your words, you need to take full responsibility for your actions. Many people make silly excuses and don’t take responsibility for their actions. That is where they hurt others and themselves.    3     It won’t bring your self-respect down, and it will actually raise you as a person.

    4     So it is wise to avoid negative people. If you are surrounded by negative people that only bring others down, then you will always feel uncomfortable. If you are surrounded by happy people, you will always be delighted. Keep away from people who emotionally control others.    5     In order to be emotionally intelligent, you must have a supporting partner by your side.

A．You need to mind whatever you do.

B．You are known by the company you keep.

C．Just as you try to be a mind reader, others expect so.

D．The best course of action would be to change yourself.

E．Whenever you feel something like that, cut ties with them.

F．Your partner would want you to know exactly what they want.

G．If you make a mistake and affect others negatively, apologize immediately.

5 . Children and adolescents require support from adults, especially parents and teachers. Such support builds a healthy environment for their emotional growth and brain development.     1     Here are a few tips for offering them the guidance they need during adolescent development.

Teens need to gradually work toward independence. Caregivers can help adolescents gain independence by allowing them to make their own choices. You may also practice showing your teen love and compassion when they make mistakes to teach them that failures can be helpful growth Opportunities.     2    

Even if they don’t act like it, your teen likely looks up to you. It’s normal for young people to look to adults in their lives for how to behave.     3     Seeing you put these things into practice first can help them fill their toolboxes with these tools, which will be useful to them throughout the rest of their lives.

    4     In this way your child feels they can come to you with challenges or concerns. It’s true that your teens may think it unnecessary or even annoying to communicate with you.     5     However, your positive relationship with your children remains important for them to feel safe.

In a word, proper guidance from parents and teachers can equip adolescents with the tools to handle challenges later in life as adults.

A．In this way, you can encourage their independence.

B．Your definition of children or adolescence may vary.

C．Remember to keep the lines of communication open.

D．Seeking the support of a mental health doctor is needed.

E．However, you may not know exactly how to provide this.

F．You can support them simply by modeling healthy behaviors.

G．Instead, they may rely more on peers and friends for connection.

6 . A blister (水疱) is a small bag of fluid that forms in an area of the body.     1     They may develop after a skin burn,   infection with bacteria, insect bites, bumps or scratches.

Depending on its location, a blister can interfere with our day-to-day tasks. For example, if we have one on our feet, we may have difficulty walking, exercising or standing for a long period of time.     2     Fortunately, there are some home treatments that can reduce our discomfort and decrease the risk of suffering them

    3     In many cases, they are the result of poorly fitted, too tight, or too loose shoes that can cause a graze (擦伤) of the skin. This causes friction and, as a result, fluid collects under the outer layer of the skin.

A blister on feet caused by a graze usually heals in a few days with home treatments.     4     A doctor should be consulted if the blister causes severe pain or prevents us from walking. If we have a fever, nausea or chills, it may be a sign of infection.

Blisters are usually drained with a sterile needle. If there are signs of infection, a sample of fluid may be examined to determine the cause.Moreover,antibiotics (抗生素) will be prescribed to treat the existing infection and prevent an additional infection from occurring.       5    

A．Dampness or too much sweat can cause these blisters.

B．In fact,blisters on feet may be the most common ones.

C．Blisters can vary in size and occur for different reasons.

D．However,not all who walk or stand for long develop blisters.

E．Preventing foot blisters involves addressing the fundamental cause

F．If they turn yellow,they may have been infected and you need medical attention.

G．However, some blisters do not respond to these treatments and get worse over time.

7 . Ways to Employ the Power of Your Strengths

If you have ever had a job interview, you have likely been asked what your strengths are. It’s a common question.     1     It’s often easier for them to focus on their weaknesses instead. Below are five ways you can identify your strengths and use them to help you.

    2     Take an online assessment of your character strengths. Once you have taken the assessment, brainstorm different ways that you can use your core strengths throughout the week, then document your experience each time you use your strength in a new way.

Identify times you’ve used your strengths in the past.     3     Write out these examples in a journal. Next, reflect on how these strengths have served you in different areas of your life.

Reflect on feedback (反馈) you’ve received from others about your strengths. Think back to times when others provided you with positive feedback about your strengths. Write out what the positive feedback was.

Use a strengths jar. Anytime you notice that you have used one of your strengths, write down what strength was used and put it in the jar.     4    

Engage in new activities and hobbies that test your strengths. Getting out of your comfort zone and trying new activities, hobbies, or classes can help you get in touch with new strengths.     5     Contrary to what you may think, being good at the activity or hobby you try is not needed to get in touch with your strengths. For example, if you decide to try rollerblading (轮滑) for the first time and fall repeatedly, you may discover that humor is a strength.

A．Make full use of your strengths.

B．Identify your signature strengths.

C．What you find may surprise you.

D．Of course, not everyone has the same hobbies.

E．However, many people have a hard time identifying their strengths.

F．Reflect about previous times when you exhibited your signature strengths.

G．Once every few weeks, set aside some time to review what you have written.

8 . As I was standing in a long line to get into the grocery store waiting to buy fruits and vegetables, I realized I could turn my backyard into a garden.     1     Here are several expert tips to help you break ground on your garden.

Before you start your work, think about the space you’re changing. Is your space a yard? A rooftop? How much sunlight does it get? Watch out for the temperature and find out which plants adapt well in your region.     2    

Set the stage with healthy soil. It’s full of billions of bacteria and helps plant roots grow. Then consider the structure of the soil. Different plants require different soil.     3     Tomatoes want more clay for keeping water.

    4     The decision depends on your preferences, space, what you’re growing and your budget. Stay away from containers that have been used for poisonous materials. They can bring chemicals into the soil as they break down from sunlight.

Should I plant seeds or transplants? In general, a seed is like a baby. It needs tons of care, but not everyone knows how to get it to survive. Transplants are for starters.     5     They still need your love but they’re not going to fall down and kill themselves.

With a little planning, I was able to watch three adorable baby trees take root in my yard. One of them recently had its first fruit — sweet little peaches. The yard has totally transformed too.

A．It used to be a junkyard.

B．Just create a vision based on your location.

C．You can start a garden in pots or containers.

D．You can buy your garden soil at a hardware (五金) store.

E．It enables me to grow my own food and save waiting time.

F．Carrots want sandier soil, so their roots can more easily grow.

G．They are plants that are a few inches high grown in small pots.

9 . The goal of this book is to introduce some of the cognitive (认知的) prejudices we have—and how misunderstandings can cloud our judgment and affect the people around us. This book also guides us on how to do our best to correct these thinking traps. Here are some examples.

The first one is that we tend to be overconfident in our abilities without enough evidence. This can lead us, for example, to mess up career-changing presentations because of lacking preparation, or greatly underestimate the time we may spend completing the projects.

We can correct this propensity by trying it out ourselves. This will quickly put any feelings of overconfidence to rest or fight this trend by over-preparing and considering potential problems in advance. For example, if we’re decorating our homes and have no idea how long it will take, talk to friends who went through a recent case or consult with a few experts to understand the time the project costs and what problems may arise.

Another, which can be dangerous, is that we are likely to focus a lot more of our attention on negative events than positive ones. It explains why a friend’s unenthusiastic review of a well-known movie might lead us to watch something else. This tendency can hold us back from making a decision about something, say a big purchase like a house, out of fear there was once a negative event associated with an otherwise good choice.

There are several suggestions here. Initially, when making a choice, stress the positive aspects of our options. Sellers use this approach all the time. For example, instead of saying the beef contains 11% fat, they label it is as 89% lean (纯瘦肉的). These are both true and accurate descriptions of the same product but describing it from the opposite of it can make it a more attractive choice for buyers concerned with fat intake.

1. What is the book aimed at?

A．Teaching social skills.	B．Changing thinking mode.
C．Solving physical problems.	D．Promoting reflective learning.

2. What does the underlined word “propensity” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Tradition	B．Over-preparation
C．Collection	D．Tendency

3. What is the harm of prejudice according to paragraph 4?

A．Buying useless things.	B．Messing up presentations.
C．Missing big opportunities.	D．Avoiding making decisions.

4. What will be talked about in the following paragraph?

A．Analyzing reasons.	B．Giving examples.
C．Adding suggestions.	D．Making contrasts.

10 . You have an exam tomorrow and you’re not feeling prepared. With only a few waking hours to go, how is it best for you to spend your time?     1    . They will improve your exam success and relieve your exam anxiety.

Get organized

Time-poor students should use a planner to identify the times available for study and block out those times in the planner.     2    . You can also get a study folder and keep it organized, using it regularly to review your study notes and materials. Being organized with your study materials helps you to be organized in your thinking, too, as you can easily access the materials you need.

Take, make, interact with and reflect on notes

Taking notes is important. An active note-taking process is important to help you transfer new information from short-term memory and then recall it more easily after it is stored in the long-term memory.

    3    

Research has found the rate you forget information is minimized if you interact with (reread/discuss/write) new information within 24 hours of first receiving it. A second, shorter repetition within 24 hours brings recall back up to 100%. A third repetition within a week for an even shorter time brings recall back to 100%.

Research shows learning is more effective if the type of material being studied is mixed and study periods are spaced out over time.     4    .

Self-testing

So once you have a good set of notes, what is the best way to interact with them? Self-testing is a powerful way to study and learn.     5    . Good organization of where you store your flash cards and effective use of them are essential to maximize their study potential. It’s good to mix up sets of flash cards and study them in short bursts.

A．You may try four strategies here

B．Keep interacting with the content

C．It will be over in a few hours anyway

D．Focus on one thing for an extended time

E．Flash cards are also tools to help you to self-test

F．Then actually be disciplined and use that time to study

G．So, you’d better mix up study sessions with various practices