A
Dear Highlights,
My sister is always in a bad mood, which gets me in a bad mood. What should I do?
Tessa, Virginia
It can be hard to be around someone who is in a bad mood. Since you can’t change another person’s mood, try to focus on what you can control: your own mood and reaction.
You might find it easier to stay in a good mood if you leave your sister alone when she feels grumpy (脾气暴躁的). The next time she is in a bad mood, go to a quiet place in your house. Read, exercise, draw, listen to music — do something that makes you feel happy.
Your parents might have some good suggestions for you, too.
Dear Highlights,
I play soccer, but sometimes I play badly. How can I do better?
Jarom, Utah
To be good at anything, determination and practice are important. Listen closely to your coach, watch other players, then practice, practice, practice! Professional athletes continue to practice their sports each day, knowing that if they start to get lazy, they won’t keep or develop their skills.
In addition to practicing with teammates, you can work on drills on your own.
Learning more about the sport may help too. Your coach can likely direct you to some good resources on skills development.
Dear Highlights,
I was moved up a grade a few years ago. Now, almost everyone in my previous grade asks me why. It wouldn’t be a problem, except some boys ask over and over just to be annoying. What do I do?
Allison (by e-mail)
If you’re sure that they are trying to be annoying, you might respond with something humorous. For ex-ample, you could say something like “They told me that the lunch lines would be shorter.” Use the situation to turn annoying questions into something to laugh about.
21. What should Tessa do when her sister gets bad-tempered?
A. Accompany her. B. Change her mood.
C. Try some happy things. D. Leave her in a quiet place.
22. When talking about Jarom’s problem, Highlights especially stresses the importance of ______.
A. determination B. practice
C. team spirit D. the coach’s help
23. What’s Allison’s problem?
A. She cannot get along well with her classmates.
B. Some boys in her class annoy her on purpose.
C. She is fed up with being asked the same question.
D. Her friends cannot accept that she moved up a grade.
24. What can we learn from the answer to Allison’s question?
A. Laughter is the best medicine.
B. He who laughs last laughs longest.
C. A sense of humor makes you easy-going.
D. Humor can ease the tension in many situations.
