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1

A report says plastics are responsible for $13 billion in damage to the oceans and the undersea environment        1

Plastic thrown away carelessly makes its way into rivers and other waterways.        2        After a while， it collects in the sea. And plastic never goes away. It just breaks up into smaller pieces over time. The oceans contain a lot of chemicals and other pollutants.        3        That means harmful material may get into our food supply.

4        Human beings cause pollution and they can take steps to stop it. They can use fewer single use product containers and throw plastics away correctly. Plastic recycling programs also works—where old bottles and other plastics are collected， broken down and used to make new products. We could， when we get rid of that plastic， recycle it and reuse it， which replaces the need for raw materials.

The report also calls on companies to improve methods for using plastics.        5        And it calls for information about the way plastic is thrown out or removed from use. By putting a new value on plastic， industry has a special reason to clean up the environment.

A. Then， fish may eat the plastics.

B. But people can make a big difference.

C. Plastics should be gathered together and reused.

D. It is convenient to use plastic bags in everyday life.

E. It asks them to better measures and direct plastic use.

F. The plastic eventually reaches coastal areas and ocean waters.

G. The report tells about harm to sea life and what might be done to improve the situation.

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2

Five Ways to Improve Communication Skills

Communication is one of the most important skills we can ever learn. It affects everything that we do—whether were communicating at work to achieve results， or communicating with friends， family and partners to build strong relationships. Here are five ways to improve your communication skills.

1

This reflects a real lack of respect. By interrupting someone， what youre basically saying is “I dont care what youre saying—what I have to say is more important”.

Dont finish other peoples sentences.

2        Research has shown by doing this you are dis-empowering （剝夺权利） the other person because you are taking control of the conversation， so bite your tongue！

Paraphrase （改述）.

3        All you do is repeat back to someone what he/she has just said， before you comment yourself. Heres an example： “So Barney， what Im hearing is that results are the number one objective for you right now and we need to find some fast solutions for you？”

Listen actively.

4        The difference is that active listening means you engage with and respond to the other person based on what he/she has said， while passive listening is simply the act of listening with no response.

5

By looking at the other person in the eyes， you are proving that youre interested in what he/she is saying. This also keeps you focused.

A. Talk actively.

B. Maintain eye contact.

C. Never interrupt people.

D. Focus on active listening instead of passive listening.

E. You dont see them interrupting others or leaving off mid-conversation.

F. Paraphrasing is a great tool to show you have really understood someone.

G. I used to do this a lot thinking I was helpfully finishing peoples sentences for them.

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3

With modern technology， much written communication tends to focus on the keyboard， but handwriting is still a necessary and important skill.        1        Here are some tips for you to improve your handwriting.

Examine your handwriting.

2        Look through your writing to decide what makes it difficult to read or what makes it unattractive. If your letters are small， put more effort into writing larger letters. If certain letters trip you up， practice those letters separately and within words.

Write correctly.

Positioning and technique play a role in how your handwriting looks. Hold the pen between your thumb and first two fingers so that it rests against your fingers. Hold it firmly enough to control the tip but not so hard. Lighter pressure on the paper helps you create smooth lines and focus on your letter formation.        3

4

Letters are formed from several basic strokes （筆画）. Practice those strokes separately to get your hand used to forming them. Build on those to practice specific letters.

Write for a purpose.

Write in meaningful contexts. Use that same idea by picking up a pen to write lists and notes by hand instead of typing. Keep a journal daily with slow， correct strokes.        5        These true and sincere writing opportunities make the practice meaningful.

A. Build on basics.

B. Practice makes perfect.

C. Focus on improving your correctness instead of speed.

D. Writing at a slower speed also helps you focus on letter formation.

E. Put a handwritten letter in the mail to surprise a friend or a relative.

F. Handwriting requires your brain， eyes and hands to work together to form letters.

G. Before you can improve your handwriting， you need to know where youre falling apart.

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4

When I think of meditation （冥想）， my mind automatically pictures someone sitting by the beach， cross-legged and humming. “Boring，” I used to say， dismissing （摒弃） the ancient art and its promises of inner peace.        1        Or perhaps I should say I dont believe in my ability to find peace of mind by sitting quietly. Id rather sleep， to be honest.

Still， a friend convinced me to give meditation a shot. Unwilling but curious， I tried a session offered by a meditation app， right in the middle of my workday.        2

For starters， the app didnt ask me to sit cross-legged—thats one thing to be thankful for. It only asked me to sit in my chair in whatever position I found most comfortable.        3        You are with your body every second of every day， but you rarely feel it.        4        The womans comforting voice was directing my attention to each part of my body. It was like all of my senses were suddenly activated and strengthened.

When I opened my eyes after the 10-minute session， I wouldnt go so far as to say that the world seemed brand new， but my body felt more awake， like it had been in hibernation （冬眠） all long.        5

A. I mean really “feel” it.

B. Then came the magic part.

C. Still， I had no interest at all.

D. I dont have faith in meditation.

E. Surprisingly， I saw the difference.

F. I cant wait to change my attitude to meditation.

G. I did find “peace” before I went back to my regular working mindset.

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5

Most people have practiced some form of hobby at a point in their lives. There are many different reasons and skills for taking up a hobby.

Realize you have more time than you think.

This is probably the one thing that keeps most people back from practicing a hobby.        1        But we waste so much time on social media， television commercials and worrying about life which we could have used to practice a hobby. Schedule （安排） some time for a hobby into your day.

Involve other people.

Why？ Well， have you ever noticed that you stick to something longer when you feel that you cannot let another person down？ So， get someone to jog with you， or share recipes with you. Plus， you will inspire them to keep on practicing their hobby.        2

Put your money where your mouth is.

3        So give out a bit of your budget （預算） to your hobby of choice so that you cannot blame a lack of “materials” for not doing anything.

4

For me， this has been the most important step in going out and doing a hobby. If you jog， decide which races you want to do this year.

Find the pleasure in what you do.

As with most things， starting of getting something ready to start can be difficult. But don t give up.        5

A. It is a total win-win.

B. Work towards something.

C. Think of a hobby that might interest you.

D. Others help will definitely do you good.

E. You think that you don t have enough time to even start.

F. The fact is that people spend money where their heart is.

G. Once you have started youll find the beauty and relaxation in it.

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6

Tips for Dealing with Holiday Parties When You Have Social Anxiety （焦慮）

Social anxiety is more than just being shy. Someone can be so uncomfortable in a situation where he becomes panicked or frozen.        1

Practice light conversation before the event.

Participate in small conversation during low-pressure situations， such as at the coffee shop.        2        Then make an effort to only focus on your subjects reply.

Limit alcohol （酒） intake.

3        But if you are at a party and experience social anxiety， thats not a good idea.

Bring a partner.

If its proper， ask a friend who makes you feel comfortable to go along with you to the event.        4        Offer to go to the party together so it feels like you have someone in your corner.

Write in a journal after the event.

After a holiday party， write down the good things you did at the party in a journal. Perhaps you finished the goal of saying hello to the host， or maybe you made friends with a co-worker at the office party.        5        This can help you make improvement.

A. Think about what youre wearing.

B. You can ask the waiter how his morning is going.

C. Read on to learn how to deal with such occasions.

D. Pay full attention to what is going on in your surroundings.

E. Write down what you did and how you think you performed.

F. For work parties， ask a co-worker what his plan is for getting to the event.

G. Some people will choose to have a drink to calm down when they feel nervous.

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7

Celebrate！

Pi?atas

In Mexico， children often get pi?atas on their birthday. Their parents put chocolates and other sweets inside the pi?ata and hang it on a tree. Then the children hit the pi?ata with a stick.        1

Noodles

In China， people often celebrate birthdays by eating with family or friends， and the last dish of the meal is always noodles. The noodles are long and thin.        2        You cant cut them. In Chinese culture， long noodles mean you will have a long life.

Business birthdays

A business birthday shows that a company is successful. Many businesses in the USA celebrate important birthdays， like 10， 50 or 150 years.        3

Sometimes they make TV advertisements. It is a good chance to advertise the business.

Name days

As well as a birthday， many people in Southern Europe also celebrate their name day.        4        People have big parties and open their houses to anybody who wants to come. People bring small gifts， often flowers or a box of sweets.

Islamic New Year

In Muslim countries across the world， people celebrate Eid. Eid means festival or celebration. During Eid， people visit family and friends， as well as people who are sick or in hospital.        5        Children receive toys， too. Children often wear special traditional clothes during the Eid celebrations.

A. You have to eat them in one piece.

B. They go out for a meal to celebrate.

C. Companies hold parties and send cards.

D. They give presents， such as sweets and food.

E. It breaks and the sweets fall out onto the ground.

F. This is one of the two important festivals in the country.

G. In Greece， name days are more important than birthdays.

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Since the day of its birth， the United Nations has been the subject of much debate （爭论）.        1        Others think that it is too weak. We can better understand this debate if we learn more about the UN and its history.

The UN was started for two reasons. First， when the idea was born， people all over the world were tired of war. They felt that there must be peaceful answers to the worlds problems.        2        The second reason was that modern science had developed new bombs and airplanes.        3        National borders were beginning to lose their meaning. Science would develop even more dangerous weapons in the future. Only an international organization would be able to control modern science.

Franklin D. Roosevelt， US President at the time， believed that the Allies （同盟國） should plan for peace before the war ended. On December 1， 1943， Roosevelt， Britains Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin from Soviet Union agreed to start an organization for world peace.        4        During the next year and a half， the idea of such an organization was debated around the world. Then came the big day. On April 11， 1945， the first international meeting of the United Nations took place in San Francisco. The goal of the meeting was to write the UN Charter （宪章）. All of the fifty-one nations at the meeting had their own ideas to offer for the Charter.

5        Every nation present voted for the Charter. No one voted against it.

A. The UN Charter is a beautiful piece of writing.

B. After a long debate， a final Charter was agreed upon.

C. Even the smallest country on earth can have its voice heard.

D. They asked all countries， large and small， to join the organization.

E. These weapons made it almost impossible for a country to defend itself.

F. Some people attack the organization because they think it is too powerful.

G. They also felt that only an international organization could keep world peace.

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9

All over the world， animals and plants are in trouble. People are trying to find ways to help them.        1

Adopt an animal.

Many zoos and wildlife organizations have programs that let kids donate money to help a specific endangered animal.

2

Dont release fish or pets onto the wild.

3        Your pet is not native to where you live. Set loose， it might become an invasive species， or it might spread parasites （寄生蟲）. So keep your fish in their tank， or find them a new home but not the pond.

4

Chemicals used to kill garden weeds and bugs are a big problem for animals. Maybe if you offered to pull up the weeds instead， you could help people to use fewer poisons.

Speak up！

Share what you know and speak up for the animals. Write letters！ Powerful people need to know that you care and that youre keeping an eye on them to make sure they do their jobs right and protect the planet.

Make less trash.

Pollution and plastic trash are bad for animals and nature. How can you help？

5

Take your lunch in a lunchbox or reusable bag.

Bring cloth bags to the store and remind grow-ups if they forget.

A. Pull weeds.

B. But what can you do in daily life？

C. Bring drinks from home in a refillable bottle.

D. It might seem kind to set pets free—but it isnt.

E. Pulling weeds is a chore—but you said you want to help！

F. People are finding lots of ways to help the endangered species.

G. For your next birthday， why not ask your friends and family to help you adopt？

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10

Creating a good study environment takes a little planning. Many people fail to do this and wonder why they cannot concentrate. After a couple of times of studying the right way， most people will be surprised at how much they can actually enjoy studying.        1

Know that concentration is the key. Reduce every possible distraction. Turn off the television and go in an area where you will not be interrupted by people.        2        If you are studying on your computer， dont get distracted by emails and social networking sites.

3        If it is too dim （暗）， your eyes will be strained and leave you tired and wanting to close your eyes. Sun is a light that naturally wakes you up and helps you think.

Choose a comfortable seat.        4        Now a couch can work just fine for this as long as you dont find yourself lying flat after a few minutes. The whole point of studying is to be able to concentrate on the study matter and not on a sore back.

5        Now this is for the person who needs the background noise to tune out all the little noises of life going on. If you find yourself thinking about the song then maybe silence is better for you.

A. Turn on some music.

B. Find a place that is proper to read.

C. If you can， turn off your cell phone.

D. Learn more to make study environment different.

E. It should have a good back support and a good feeling.

F. Some people can study with lots of activities going on.

G. Read on to learn how to create a good study environment.

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11

Have you come across the term “soft skills” before？ Most likely not. However， to be truly happy and successful， you need to develop a wide range of soft skills.        1        Without them， youll struggle to find work and happiness. Here are several important soft skills.

2        I remember reading a self-help book that states， “Winners make decisions quickly， losers make them slowly.” Theres definitely something to this. If you spend days making decisions， youll often find yourself left behind by those who make decisions quickly and also act on these decisions quickly.

Have great interpersonal relationship skills. Happy people know how to communicate with others.        3        They also know how to participate in constructive conversations. The best way to learn interpersonal skills is to listen and watch others who are great at this skill.

Understand the power of team working. Being able to team up with others is a vital skill. Wherever you work， its certain that youll be part of a team.        4        And if youre a team leader， you must also know how to inspire your team.

Know how to make other people laugh.        5        However， how about when you meet strangers？ In these situations， perhaps you withdraw into your shell. Break free， and add humor to all of your interactions. Your popularity will soar， and your personal happiness will climb too.

A. Read more self-help books.

B. Youre sure to be popular with them.

C. Have the ability to make quick decisions.

D. You must learn how to get on with others.

E. They can make a huge difference to your life.

F. Im sure with your friends and family you have a great sense of humor.

G. Theyre comfortably communicating with people from all backgrounds.

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12

Every child is a good seed of the future. Children are gifts that God has given to parents to faithfully care for. But whether you are a mom or a dad， it isnt easy to raise children to be adults.        1

Walk the walk， but dont just talk the talk.        2        Thats to say， they dont like it when you are just telling them to “Do as I say， not as I do”. So， set an example to them.

Listen to your teens. This takes more than just hearing and needs paying close attention and sincerely caring about what they have to say. If teens do not come to their parents for advice or support when they face difficult situations in life， theres usually a reason.        3

Be quick to listen， slow to speak， and slow to get angry. Often， young people simply need to talk and express their sadness， questions， or concerns. Trying to solve their problems simply adds more trouble to the situation.        4        But before that， show them that you care for them by listening.

5        In a society where so many marriages break up， countless teens have no loving parent or role model that they need. Whether you believe it or not， parents are the biggest influence in their teens life.

A. Being a good student takes practice.

B. They will ask for advice when they are ready for it.

C. Most likely， it is because the parent is not a good listener.

D. Realize that you influence your teens out of your imagination.

E. Here are some practical steps you can take to be a good example.

F. They are watching you closely and modeling their lives after you.

G. But it is easier for parents to raise children today than over 50 years ago.

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13

Traveling to all corners of the world gets easier and easier. We live in a global village， but this doesnt mean that we all behave in the same way.

How should you behave when you meet someone for the first time？        1        In Japan， you should bow， and the more respect you want to show， the deeper you should bow. In Thailand， people greet each other by pressing both hands together at the chest.        2

Many countries have rules about what you should and shouldnt wear. In Muslim countries， you shouldnt expose your body， especially women， who should wear long blouses and skirts.        3        Remember to place them neatly together where you come in.

In Spain， lunch is often the biggest meal of the day， and can last two or three hours.        4        In Mexico， lunch is the time to relax， and many people prefer not to discuss business as they eat. In Britain， its not unusual to have a business meeting over breakfast.

In most countries， an exchange of business cards is necessary for all introductions. It should include your company name and your position. If you are going to a country where your language is not widely spoken， you can get the back side of your card printed in the local language.        5

A. Dont make any noise when you eat or drink soup.

B. As the saying goes， “When in Rome， do as the Romans do.”

C. In both countries， eye contact is avoided as a sign of respect.

D. An American shakes your hand while looking into your eyes.

E. In China， you may present your card with the writing side up.

F. For this reason， many people eat a light breakfast and a late dinner.

G. In South Korea， you should take off your shoes when entering a house.

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14

When people succeed， it is because of hard work， but luck has a lot to do with it.        1        Napoleon once said all the hard work and talent in the world cant make up for bad luck. However， hard work can invite good luck.

When it comes to success， luck can mean being in the right place to meet someone. Nothing can replace hard work， but working hard also means youre preparing yourself for opportunity.        2

How many of the great inventions and discoveries came about through a lucky mistake or a lucky chance？ One of the biggest lucky mistakes in history is Columbus so-called discovery of America. He changed history， but he was really looking for India.        3        It was backed up by years of studying and calculating （計算）.

Success comes from pure luck and no hard work can be a real problem.        4        Imagine shes been picked from nowhere because of her looks. She is going to feel insecure （无把握的）， because she knows she didnt do anything to earn her stardom （明星身份）. On the other hand， think about an actress whos spent years learning and working. When she finally has good luck and becomes a success， she will deal with stardom better. She knows she earns it.

5        When it comes to success， I think that hard work and luck go hand in hand.

A. Luck is also important in peoples life.

B. Opportunity very often depends on luck.

C. Success without some luck is almost impossible.

D. Hard work plays a very important part in success.

E. However， Columbus chance discovery wasnt pure luck.

F. For example， consider a teenage girl who becomes a movie star.

G. People who work hard help make their own luck by being ready when opportunity knocks.

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15

Thomas Edison was one of the most successful inventors the world has ever seen.        1

But people found that although Edison was good at inventing new things， he was a poor fisherman. He used to spend an hour almost every day sitting at the side of a river and fish. He always fished all alone by himself.        2

People asked Edison， “Why are you so crazy about fishing when you are so bad at it？” His answer was， “I really never caught any fish because I have never used any bait （誘饵）.” Another question followed， “Why would you fish without bait？” Edison answered， “Because when you fish without bait， people dont disturb you and neither do the fish.        3        ”

Sometimes the worlds best inventor was the worlds worst fisherman. In fact， because Edison was the worlds worst fisherman， he could become the worlds greatest inventor.

Are you setting aside some time for yourself to think？        4        Here are some ideas for you：

? Slowing down and taking long showers is a good idea.

?        5

? Long walks are good， too.

? Afternoon naps have been proved to improve creativity.

A. But he never caught any fish.

B. It provides me my best time to think.

C. In all， Edison has thousands of inventions.

D. Listening to some soft classical music is also good.

E. He was asked the reason behind him being a fisherman.

F. To make your brain work better， you need to take a rest.

G. Set aside 15—20 minutes per day for you to do something relaxing.

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