November is the month when many people offer thanks. 【小题1】 Use these tips to help develop a sense of gratitude (感激) in each of your children, no matter what their age.

【小题2】 While sitting at the dinner table, ask each member of the family to think about their day and share something that they are thankful for. Meanwhile, use this same time to ask everyone if there is something that they could improve upon or do better tomorrow.

Make yourself be the model. Children learn what they see, not what you say. Keep a gratitude journal. 【小题3】 Let their first entry (日记的一则) be the ABC’s of gratitude, naming one thing for each letter that they are grateful for.

Write thank-you notes. We live in a time when we communicate through text messages, Twitter, and Facebook. Show children the value of writing a thank- you note by hand. 【小题4】

Put together a “care package” of donations (捐赠物) for an orphanage nearby. In the season of giving, teaching your child to share his blessings with those less fortunate can be a valuable lesson in gratitude. Use the activity as a jump-off point.

Gratitude isn’t “taught” overnight, and it is certainly not something that children of a young age can grasp at the start. 【小题5】 Being grateful is something our kids begin to understand when we act as the model. Grateful kids come from grateful parents.

   If you cut down on the time you spend sitting，you might live longer. New research shows that sitting less than three hours a day might extend your life by two years.

【小题1】 But modern lifestyles and office jobs rarely give us the chance to move around. Sitting is something we do all the time and everywhere. We sit while we're eating，we sit in the car and we sit while we are watching TV. And many of us sit for many hours at work. So on average，Americans report that they sit between four and a half to five hours a day.

Exercise is important. But so is not sitting.

You may exercise often. But it does not mean you can sit for the rest of your waking hours. 【小题2】 Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day，what goes on in the other 23-and-a-half hours a day is also very important，according to a study on how sitting all day affects the length of life. It shows that cutting television time to less than two hours a day could add one point four years to life.

【小题3】

Change is already coming to some offices，especially in the design of desks. A "standing desk" lets people stand while they work. Another new design is called the "treadmill（跑步机）desk". A treadmill is an exercise machine that lets you walk in one place. Even some U.S. schools are beginning to experiment with desks that are part bicycles to keep children moving.

Exercising while working.

【小题4】They may have got five "standing desks" for their employees or a "treadmill desk". Some other companies may not buy one for everybody but they'll have a bank of these desks where people can go for an hour a day and answer their emails or talk on the phone. People are really trying to limit the amount of time spent sitting at the desk.

Suggestions for sitting less.

If you work in an office or have a sedentary（久坐不动的）job，scientists suggest a few simple changes. Get up from your desk as often as you can. 【小题5】 Instead of emailing colleagues，walk to their offices and talk directly. If you are sitting down reading this，stand up. Move your legs. Touch your toes，if you can. Do anything but sit.

All these activities may help you live longer.

How to Make Friends

Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leave us without a friend.【小题1】But for many of us the process is difficult and requires courage. Below are some helpful suggestions on how to make and keep friends.

1. Associate with others.

The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.

2. Start a conversation.

Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.【小题2】 You can always start the conversation. Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with other people.

3. 【小题3】

Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together. Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.

4. Let it grow.

It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend.【小题4】The best friendships are the ones that grow naturally.

5. Enjoy your friendship.

The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves.【小题5】Try not to change them from who they are to what you want them to be. Become the kind of friend you will want your friend to be to you.

   Some people don't wish to waste even a second at work. Looking at a computer screen for a long time can cause stress on one's eyes. Sitting and looking at a television screen for hours can also make the eyes tired.

Bookworms love reading and they will make sure they read much more than their bodies can deal with. The strong wish to finish a book may result in fast reading，without taking breaks, which can lead to tired eyes. Reading for a long time in weak light can also cause tired eyes.

More salt-based junk food like burgers，pizzas, etc. and less water also play a role in causing tired eyes. The junk food is a reason for tired eyes for it hasn't enough vitamins（维生素）.

Less sleep causes the eyes to become heavy. Dark circles also develop if one doesn't get enough sleep over a period of time.

If not treated in time，the condition can become worse. Here are some ways to relieve（减轻）a tired eye condition.

Every hour during your day at work, spend a minute relaxing your eyes. Look away from your computer screen and roll your eyes in all directions. Try and blink（眨眼）more often. Look around the room or close your eyes for a minute if you want and then work again. Following these every hour will help relieve the stress on your eyes，and you won't feel so tired after work.

Tea helps relieve tired eyes. Make a cup of hot black tea and pour it into a glass. Hold the glass close to your eyes，so that the vapors from the tea reach your eyes. This will also make you feel fresh.

If your eyes feel very tired at work, go to the washroom and wash your face with cool tap water. The cold water will help relieve the tired feeling. Do this every hour during work and your eyes will feel good.