Exams are a fact of school life for most people.Almost everyone worries about them and feels stressed，although they have prepared well.
A little stress caused by the exams is useful as it can sharpen your mind and motivate（激发） you to do well.But too much stress can stop you working to the best of your abilities，so it's important not to let it get out of control.Here are some ideas to help you.
The keys to being prepared for exams and avoiding unnecessary exam stress are knowing what you need to know，planning and preparing for your revision（复习），and giving yourself enough time to do it.
If you can，find a copy of the syllabus for each subject.This tells you what you need to know and gives you the topics for revision.
Make a week﹣by﹣week revision timetable chart to display in your work space.Include the topics you need to cover for each subject.
About 12 weeks before your first exam，record the dates and times for each of your exams in your planner or diary and make a copy to put on your wall at home.
During your exam period you want your brain to work at is very best，so build in relaxation time before bed，avoid late night revision sessions and try to go to bed early so you get enough sleep.If panic（惊慌） starts to creep in，try to replace your negative thoughts with more positive（积极的） ones，such as.It's going to be OK.' If you have difficulty answering a question，leave it and move on to the next one﹣don't spend time tying yourself in mental（ 思想上的） knots over each question.
You are not alone while dealing with the stress.Call psychological（心理的） hotline to share your worries and get help from others going through the same experience.Remember that there is life after exams.Things may feel stressful right now，but it won't last forever.And then the rest of your life will still be there.
The Exam Stress |
|
Situation |
（1） about exams is a real fact for almost everyone at school. |
Problem |
◆Though a little exam stress does good to you，too much may make you （2） to work as well as you can. |
How to control exam stress |
◆Careful preparation is necessary to stop you from worries. ◆Find a copy of the syllabus for each subject to get necessary（3） . ◆Make a revision timetable chart for every （4） to display in your work space，including necessary topics. ◆Prepare for your exams（5） and remind yourself of the dates and times for each exam. ◆Make yourself（6） before bedtime and get enough sleep. ◆Try to（7） yourself to stay positive. ◆ If you meet difficult questions，just move on，instead of（8） how to answer them too long. ◆Turn to psychological hotline and those in the same boat for（9） . ◆Remember stress will disappear but your （10） will go on. |
Ways to reduce food waste
Food waste is a big problem around the world. While some people t ___ 1___away unwanted food, lots of people in other parts of the world face food shortages.
In order to reduce food waste, many c ___ 2___in the world like German and France have food banks. People and grocery stores can give extra food to them and they can give the food to t ___ 3___in need. Shanghai Oasis opened China's first food bank in 2015. In five years, it saved seven million tons of food and h ___ 4___760,000 people.
Many fruits and v ___ 5___go to waste because they look ugly. For example, about 25 to 30 percent of carrots don't make it to the store because of their l ___ 6___. So try to buy ugly food next time, since it is j __ 7___as good as "normal" food.
Many Chinese restaurants are telling people to o ___ 8___dishes by using the "N-1"formula. "N" s ___ 9___for the number of people in your group. So if you're in a group of s ___1 0___people, you should order five dishes.
To reduce food waste is a big task, and it needs time. Everyone can do something to make a difference.
Eyes always on us
Video cameras are everywhere: schools, theatres and stores. But in recent years, theyhave entered our homes. Many parents set up cameras at home to watch their children's online classes and homework. Are cameras really helpful? What do students think about it?
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Li Ming Earlier last year, I liked to lie in bed and videos instead of studying. This watch affected my studies and made my grades worse. So my parents set up a camera to keep an eye on me. It worked. With the camera watching, I had to do my homework first and make plans for studying at home. When I was alone at home, the camera made me feel safe because I knew that my parents were watching on the other side. My grades improved after a year. |
Zhang Hua When I was in Grade 8, my parent set up a camera in my room. I really didn't like it because I felt like there were always eyes watching me. I felt so uncomfortable that I couldn't sleep well at night. Knowing there was a camera around when my friends came to my home, they would speak quietly and carefully. We couldn't have pillow fights. I was sad. So I asked my parents to take the camera away. They agreed it as long as I promised to behave well. I feel happy and free now. |
回答下面5个问题, 每题答案不超过5个词。
（1） What does the underlined word "they" in Paragraph 1 refer to?
_____________________________________________________
（2） What was the reason for Li Ming's parents' setting up a camera at home?
_____________________________________________________
（3） What happened to Li Ming one year later?
_____________________________________________________
（4） Why does Zhang Hua feel happy and free now?
_____________________________________________________
（5） What do you think of parents' setting up cameras at home?
_____________________________________________________
Homestays are becoming more and more popular, and people around the world are offering their homes as hotels. Homestays offer cheap places to stay, and the chance for guests to see the area like a local. They are very popular with people who want to stay in another country to study or on holiday. We asked three families who run homestays to tell us about where they live.
The Atal family
Our family home is in a small village in the north of Pakistan, in the Himalayan mountains. The village is quite small and very quiet. The mountains are extremely beautiful. You can go for long walks and swim in the rivers but there are no shops, cinemas or cafes.
Kate and Julian Foxton
Our two-bed house is by the sea in the south-west of England. It is about five minutes' drive to the nearest village of Portreath. There are lots of beaches, rivers and forests and it is very quiet. We spend a lot of time reading books, watching films and going for walks. Our area is great for sports like surfing, kayaking and mountain biking. However, the houses here are expensive, which can be a problem for local people. There are no buses or trains here, so it can be difficult to get around without a car。
Chafic and Aline Halwany
Our home is near the centre of Beirut, Lebanon, one of the largest cities in the Middle East. There are lots of cafes and restaurants, which open late at night. We love it here because it's so friendly and you can always find what you need-lots of people come to stay to learn Arabic and French. However, it can be noisy at night, and there is quite a lot of traffic during the day.
Homestay holidays - A home __ 1 ___ from home
|
Families |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
|
The Atal family (Pakistan) |
It's in a small and quiet village in beautiful mountains. People can __ 2 ___and swim there. |
There are no shops, cinemas or cafes. |
|
Kate and Julian Foxton （ 3 ） |
It takes a short __ 4 __to the beaches, rivers and forests by car. It's a good place for ___ 5 ___like surfing, kayaking and mountain biking. |
Houses here are not ___ 6 __. It's difficult to get around ___ 7 ___a car. |
|
Chafic and Aline Halwany (Lebanon) |
Lots of cafes and restaurants ___ 8 __at night. You can always find ___ 9 __you need. |
There is much __ 10 ___at night and lot of traffic during the day. |
All the runners stood nervously at the starting line.All of them had prepared
（1） （they） for this important race.
The race meant more to a boy named Bill，because most of the other runners had greater speed.Could Bill realize his dream of being （2） "all﹣school"runner？He would have to finish in the top 5 to win that honor.
Bill's life （3） （fill）with disappointment.Primary school had been a long nightmare（噩梦） for him.Of all the reading skills，he even couldn't pick up（4） （basic） one，although he had tried many times.Bill did not complain（报怨）.He simply tried hard.But in the following years he was till unable to catch up with his classmates.
Then one day his teacher called us in （5） a conversation.She said， "I'm sorry to have to tell you this，but Bill isn't trying anymore.He has given it up（6） （complete）. "I became very sad and afraid.I was afraid Bill might have forever lost heart.
I had a talk with Bill.I told him about my own experiences.I said， "（7） I was the slowest one in my class in primary school，my parents and teachers were loving and understanding.Because of that，I made it through those years and finally went on to a music school.Now，you know，I'm a（8） （piano）.We think achievements come easily to others.Life usually isn't like that.The person who（9） （success）is usually only a few percent. "Bill said， "Dad，I guess that not doing so well isn't all that bad if someone loves you and stands by you.
In the （10） （nine） grade，Bill went out for the race again.
In the （1） （south） part of China，eating qingtuan at the beginning of spring is a kind of tradition.Chinese people （2） （start） to eat it more than 2，000 years ago.It is made of sticky rice（糯米）and red bean paste（红豆沙），and is famous for its softness，freshness and sweetness.
People living in the Yangtze River Delta（长江三角洲）usually put qingtuan on the tombs（墓）of their dead family members to cherish the past memory.Making qingtuan is also a chance for family members to get together at home.It（3） （real） takes time and effort to make the snack.
Now，qingtuan has already spread its special taste to the northern part of China.Qingtuan has many different （4） （taste） inside it，such as apples and bean milk，to meet customers' tastes.The difference of the taste shows that it's getting more and more popular across the whole country.
Even though there is warm weather and green leaves in spring，the season wouldn't be complete（5） （with）a taste of qingtuan.