Peer Pressure

Teenage years are one of the most exciting yet confusing stages in a person’s life. You are no longer a child, yet not quite an adult. You are at a time of     1    , trying to find out your preferences, one of which, is your pastime.

Some pastimes have no moral implications. For example, shall we play basketball or soccer? However, there are other choices that need to be made based on your values, beliefs and principles in life. Some examples     2     attending a party where there will be alcohol and drugs freely given out, lying to your parents or even skipping school to watch a movie with some friends. How do you respond? Are you tempted to follow them?

Wanting to feel part of a group may force you to do things against your better     3    . However, it is right to say no to anything that is     4    , potentially causes harm or is hurtful to you or others. You may be afraid to refuse for fear of losing friends or being laughed at but do not let that stop you from standing up to peer pressure and being true to yourself. If your friends are true friends, they will respect your     5     and not force you to join them.

There are some steps you may take to steer clear from     6     peer pressure. Firstly, stay away from friends who force you to do things that you know are wrong. Instead, spend more time with friends who share the same values and principles as you. Next, be true to yourself and stand up for what you believe in. And if a     7     gets out of hand, do not hesitate to approach an adult you trust for help.

It may not always be easy to     8     peer pressure, but do know that you will feel good about yourself later. And even without you realising it, you may have been an activator in your group to bring about a positive change. Others in your group may just follow your lead and gain courage to always do the right thing.

Happiness, according to the Oxford English dictionary, is based on luck or good fortune. Joy, on the other hand, is described as a vivid emotion of pleasure. Thus, happiness depends on     1    ; joy, on our emotional well-being.

If you know joyful people, you will probably notice common traits among them. Joyful people are often healthy, both     2     and mentally; they value strong     3     relationships, and they don’t allow the extremes of life - sudden highs or sudden lows - to     4     them too much. Joyful people lead a more stable life. But these abilities do not just arrive; they have to be worked at.

Teaching ourselves to be joyful may be one of the greatest things we can do to enhance our     5     health. However it is important to understand that joy is an emotion that arises from within us and is not     6     by the things that happen to us. Instead of looking for external things to provide happiness in our lives, we must     7     to find the joy within. We must educate ourselves about joy and work to enhance it in our lives. One way to start is to make a     8     to wake up every morning and find joy in our lives. Think about a special person or a     9     pet. It is our choice to be joyful or fearful. Let’s take the time to train ourselves to be    10     - our lives will be both happier and healthier for it.

First aid is emergency care for a victim of sudden illness or injury until more skillful medical treatment is     1    . It may save a life or improve certain     2    signs including pulse, temperature, and breathing. First aid must be administered (执行) as quickly as possible. In the case of the critically injured, a few minutes can make the difference between complete recovery and loss of life.

First-aid     3    depend upon a victim’s needs and the provider’s level of knowledge and skill. Knowing what not to do in an emergency is as important as knowing what to do. For example,     4     moving a person with a neck injury can lead to permanent health problems.

Despite the     5    of injuries possible, several principles of first aid apply to all emergencies. The first step is to call for     6    medical help. The victim, if conscious, should be reassured (使安心) that medical aid has been requested, and asked for permission to     7    any first aid. Next, assess (评估) the scene, asking other people or the injured person’s family or friends about details of the injury or illness, any care that may have already been given, and     8    conditions such as heart trouble. Unless the accident scene becomes unsafe or the victim may suffer further injury, do not move the victim.

First aid requires rapid assessment of victims to determine whether     9     conditions exist. One method for evaluating a victim’s condition is known by the acronym ABC, which     10     for:

A – Airway: is it open and clear?

B – Breathing: is the person breathing? Look, listen and feel for breathing.

C – Circulation: is there a pulse? Is the person bleeding externally? Check skin color and temperature for additional indications of circulation problems.

Camping wild is a wonderful way to experience the natural world and, at its best, it makes little environmental influence. But with     1     numbers of people wanting to escape into the wilderness, it is becoming more and more important to camp unobtrusively and leave no mark.

Wild camping is not permitted in many places,     2     in crowded lowland Britain. Whenever you are, find out about organizations     3     for managing wild spaces, and     4     them to find out their policy on camping and shelter building. For example, it is fine to camp wild in remote parts of Scotland, but in England you must ask the landowner's     5    , except in national park.

Camping is about having relaxation, sleeping outdoors,     6     bad weather, and making food without modern conveniences. A busy, fully-equipped campsite seems to go against this, so     7     out smaller, more remote places with easy     8     to open spaces and perhaps beaches. Better still, find a campsite with no road access: walking in makes a real adventure.

Finding the right spot to camp is the first step to     9     a good night's sleep. Choose a campsite with privacy and minimum influence on others and the environment. Try to use an area where people have     10     camped before rather than creating a new spot. Always consider what influence you might have on the natural world. Avoid damaging plants. A good campsite is found, not made-changing it should be unnecessary.

Parents should help their children understand money. The best time to teach a child anything about money is when he shows an interest. So you may start talking about money when your child shows a（n）     1     in buying things, candy or toys, for example.

1. The basic function of money

Explain the basic function of money by showing how people trade money for goods or services. It is important to show your child how money is traded for the thing he wants to have. If he wants to have a toy, give him the money and let him     2     the money to the cashier. Talk about how the money bought the thing after you leave the toy store. When your child grows a bit older and understands the basic function of money，you can start explaining more     3     ways of using money.

2. Money lessons

Approach money lessons with openness and     4    . Tell your child why he can—or cannot-have certain things. If you must say no to a child's     5     to spend money，explain，"You have enough toy trucks for now. "Or，if the request is for many different things，say，"You have to make a     6     between this toy and that toy."

3. Wise decision

Begin at the grocery store. Pick     7     brands of a product a name-brand butter and a generic（无商标产品），for example. You can show your child how to make choices between different     8     of a product so that you can save money.     9     the child to choose between them. If he chooses the cheaper brand，allow him to make another     10     with the money saved. Later，you may explain how the more expensive choice leaves less money for other purchases.

Job seekers should know the rules of labor market before they try to find a proper job. Most career organizations     1     three stages for graduates to follow the process of securing a suitable career: recognizing abilities, matching these to available jobs and presenting them well to possible employers.

Job seekers have to make a careful assessment of their abilities. One area of assessment should be of their     2     qualifications, which include special skills within their subject area. Graduates should also consider their own values and attitudes. An honest assessment of personal interests and abilities such as creative skills, or skills acquired from work experience, should also be given careful     3    .

The second stage is to study the opportunities which are available for employment. To do this, graduates can study job and     4     information in newspapers, or they can pay a visit to a careers office, write to friends or relatives who may already be     5     in a particular profession. After studying all the various     6    , they should be in a position to make informed comparisons between various careers.

Good personal     7     is essential in the search for a good career. Job application forms should be filled in carefully and correctly, without grammar of spelling errors. They should also prepare properly by finding out all they can about the possible employer. When     8     information is asked for, job seekers should describe their abilities and work experience in more depth, as well as     9     their own abilities with the employer’s needs, explain why they are interested in a career with the     10     company and try to show that they already know something about the company and its activities. Interviewees should try to give positive answers and not be afraid of asking questions about anything they are unsure about.