Life is filled with ups and downs. When you feel like you're experiencing more downs than ups，sometimes it helps to get a little tough love. That's why we put together this list of five harsh（残酷的）truths that will help you grow.

1. Life isn't fair.

Life will hand you lemons，often when you least expect it. 【小题1】

2. The first step is always the hardest.

Changing bad habits is tough. Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said，" 【小题2】"So if you want to change something，start with small steps.

3. You may be better off without some of the people you currently care about.

Chances are that there's someone in your life you care about deeply who is holding you back. 【小题3】However，there comes a time when you need to make the tough decision to say no to people who can't help you grow.

4. 【小题4】

If you don't take risks you will have a hard time accomplishing what you want in life. People who truly change the world are the biggest risk-takers. And they treat each failure as an opportunity to grow and get better.

5. You are the only thing to hold yourself back from greatness.

Often we get so caught up in hoping for the next great thing that we don't realize what's unfolding right in front of our faces. 【小题5】 Instead, focus on the positive things you have in your life. Choose to be happy right now.

   Today, we drive safer cars on safer roads, but most car accidents are the result of human error. 【小题1】 So it’s a good idea to review some basic rules for safe driving. Here are four driving tips that will help bring you and your passengers home unharmed.

Defensive driving includes keeping a safe distance and not speeding. 【小题2】 Accept small delays, such as staying in line behind a slower car instead of suddenly changing lanes.

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how safely you drive. You are driving at the speed limit and obeying all traffic rules but someone else can crash into you. One good rule is to think everyone else on the road is a fool and be prepared for anything unexpected. 【小题4】 And it pays to be ready when you do.

Drivers need enough time to react if the car in front makes a sudden turn or stop. It can be too difficult for drivers to judge the proper distances while driving and the exact distance is adjusted by speed, so most experts suggest a “three-second rule”.

【小题5】 Drive below the speed limit if necessary, keep extra space between you and the car ahead, and be especially careful around curves. If the weather worsens, just find a safe place to wait out the storm.

   Searching for airfares often seems like a game that passengers are bound to lose.

Prices change from day to day, even minute to minute. Looking through various websites for the best deal can be a big challenge. Even when you do book, there’s no guarantee that you are going to get the best price.

“You just don’t know when to pull the trigger. It’s not like buying anything else I can think of,” said George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog. com.

Harriet Levy paid $ 179 for a recent round-trip flight on American Airlines between New York and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sitting just one row behind her, Shirley Harrison paid $ 215. A few rows back, Ellis and Dianne Traub paid $ 317 each. There were at least 12 fares on the flight, ranging from $ 169 to $ 360.

“There’s no reason for it,” Harrison said.

Fares can vary significantly in just a few hours. One Delta flight from New York to Los Angeles jumped from $ 755 to $ 1,143 from a Friday to Saturday in late April, and then fell to $ 718 on Sunday.

The flight was one of a dozen the Associated Press（美国联合通讯社）followed over three months for a vacation between July 16 and 22. The number one finding: avoid booking tickets on weekends. It’s the most expensive time to buy.

There’s no way to guarantee the best fare. But before booking, travelers should pay attention to this additional advice:

● Book on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. That’s when airlines most often offer sales.

● Buy in advance, but not too early. The best time is four to six weeks before traveling. In general, prices for any given flight are the highest when tickets are booked eight to ten weeks and two to three weeks in advance.

● Make use of social media. Airlines are giving more benefits like exclusive（专有的）sales to travelers who interact（交流）with them on Twitter and Facebook. Those specials are often gone within hours.

● The so-called discount airlines — JetBlue, Air-Tran, Southwest and Frontier — adjust their fares less frequently than other airlines, so you can feel more confident that the price will stay the same. But their prices aren’t always the lowest. Researching multiple airlines’ fares is the only way to get a good deal.

   When the weather turns warm，everyone wants to be in or around the water. 【小题1】 Learning how to swim is important if you plan to be near water. Many organizations provide swimming instruction for people of all ages. Check to see what classes are available（可得到的）in your area.

【小题2】 Always swim with a partner，every time—whether you're swimming in a backyard pool or in a lake. Even experienced swimmers can become tired or get muscle cramps，which might make it difficult to get out of the water. When people swim together，they can help each other or go for help in case of an emergency.

Get skilled. Speaking of emergencies，it's good to be prepared. Learning some life-saving skills，such as CPR and rescue techniques，can help you save a life. 【小题3】 Check with your YMCA or YWCA，the local hospital，or the chapter of the Red Cross.

Know your limits. Swimming can be a lot of fun—and you might want to stay in the water as long as possible. If you're not a good swimmer or you're just learning to swim，don't go in water that's so deep that you can't touch the bottom and don't try to keep up with skilled swimmers. 【小题4】 But it's a pretty sure bet they'd rather have you safe and alive.

Swim in safe areas only. 【小题5】 No one can predict changing ocean currents（流），rip currents，sudden storms，or other hidden dangers. In the event that something does go wrong，lifeguards are trained in rescue techniques.

Becoming Refreshed Without Sleeping

Sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done and get a good night’s rest. 【小题1】 Once in a while you can get away with a sleepless night and still feel reasonably good by adjusting your meals and activities.

【小题2】 The last thing you want to do when you are tired is get warm and cozy, because this will cause you to fall asleep. Keeping the air conditioner on will make you feel much more alert and refreshed.

Eat small amounts. Eating small amounts of healthy food will help refresh you. Fruit and nuts are a good choice because they are nutritious and will energize you. 【小题3】 Try to stick to low carbon meals to keep fit. Chewing gum after your snack or small meal will also help keep you awake.

Keep it bright. 【小题4】 Turn on lots of lights, which will trick your body into waking up and feeling better. Go outside whether it is day or night for some fresh air. You will get double benefits if it is daytime.

Take a break. Taking a little break will help you in the long run. Turn on some energizing music to get yourself positive. Relax and talk to a friend in person or on the phone for a few minutes. 【小题5】