Back to Friends
Connecting with friends makes going back to school a blast3. But forging tight bonds can be tricky4. Here gives you some friendly advice:
☆ The situation: Your crew is pushing you to drink or smoke.
The fix: Be prepared with smart reasons to just say no and use them freely. Find out how many people die from lung cancer each year and tells that your coach won't let you.
☆ The situation: Your best friend has a new friend, and now they're totally ignoring you.
The fix: Back off5 and give her a chance to realize that she might be losing you.
☆ The situation: You're clueless6 about making new friends.
The fix: Rehearse7 icebreakers8 on safe topics like the horrific food in the caf?伢. Once someone responds, chat her up, but resist the urge9 to spill your whole life story. Instead, find something to compliment10 her on, like her haircut or her jeans. Everyone loves flattery11!
与朋友们见面使得返校成了一件令人非常兴奋的事情，但要打造亲密关系可能还需要一些技巧，下面给你提供一些好建议：
*情景描述：你的死党们强拉着你去喝酒或抽烟。
应对技巧：准备一些巧妙的托辞，随时随地派上用场。告诉他们你发现每年有多少人死于肺癌，或说你的教练不让你去。
*情景描述：你最要好的朋友结识了一个新朋友，现在他们完全忽略了你的存在。
应对技巧：退回来，让她有机会意识到她可能会失去你。
*情景描述：你拙于结交新朋友。
应对技巧：试着用一些有把握的话题如餐馆里的可怕食物来打破僵局。一旦有人回应，就与她聊下去，但要防止急于倾诉自己的一切。相反，要找一些东西来赞美她，如她的发型或牛仔裤。人人都喜欢听恭维的话。
Back to Teachers
Here are some of the extra things that make teachers tell other faculty members how wonderful you are during their lunchtime gossip sessions. These tactics12 may pay off13 if your grade is in between, and the teacher needs to make that big decision about giving you the higher or lower grade.
☆ Always say a pleasant hello.
☆ If a teacher presents an opportunity for extra credit, go for14 it.
☆ If a teacher has been really helpful, send a note saying how much you appreciate it.
☆ Offer to stay after school to help clean blackboards, shelve15 books, or help straighten up16 the room, if you have time.
☆If you discover that your teacher likes iguanas17, dogs, marigolds18, start a conversation about the subject. But not during class time. You'll get known as a brownnoser19.
☆ Teachers and students alike can't stand tattletales20. Don't rat on21 people unless they're doing something harmful like poking22 each other with scissors or attempting to light a fire in class.
下面有一些特别技巧可以让老师在午餐闲聊时向同事们夸起你是多么优秀。如果你的分数不高不低，而老师又需要权衡到底是给你判高分还是低分，那么这些技巧对你非常管用。
☆ 总是愉快地和老师打招呼。
☆ 如果老师给你机会以示特别信任，一定要全力以赴抓住它。
☆ 如果老师对你的帮助确实很大，给她递上一张纸条，说你非常感激她。
☆ 放学后如果有时间，主动留下来帮老师擦黑板，把书放回书架，或打扫教室。
☆ 如果你发现老师喜欢鬣蜥、狗、万寿菊，就与她谈谈这方面的话题。但不要在课堂上谈论，否则，你会落下溜须拍马的坏名声。
☆ 老师和学生一样不能忍受搬弄是非的人。不要在背后说别人的坏话，除非他们正在做一些很危险的事情，如相互用剪刀戳对方或是企图在课堂上点火。
Back to Stress
With homework, tests, friends, sports, school can be a serious pressure cooker. Here are top five stress-survival strategies:
☆ Get yourself a mantra23.
Positive self-talk or affirmations24 help you focus and create perspective25 in your life. You can post these positive slogans26 in your notebooks, locker, bedroom—even on the bathroom mirror. Like, “I can handle this, I will survive!”
☆ Work it out.
Regular exercise decreases the production of adrenaline27 and counteracts28 the stress response. It also helps build self-esteem and can ease depression.
☆ Feed your body—and your soul.
The right foods can stomp29 stress, so eat stuff that nourishes30 your body and give you energy.
☆ Decorate31 for stress reduction.
Transform your personal space (your locker) into a peaceful place with soothing32 colors and images. Also, clean up now and then—clutter33 is a major source of stress.
学生需要应对家庭作业、考试、朋友和体育活动，学校就像是一个高压锅。下面是应对压力的五大方略：
☆ 赞美自己。
积极的自我肯定有助于你密切关注并创造人生的远景目标。你可以将这些积极的口号如“我能做到，我会成功！”贴在你的笔记本、抽屉和卧室中——甚至贴在盥洗室内的玻璃镜上。
☆ 积极锻炼。
经常锻炼身体可以降低肾上腺素分泌物，减轻压力；还有助于树立自尊，减少压抑。
☆ 正确饮食 （食物养身体，也养心情）。
恰当的饮食能够减轻身心压力，因此要吃一些能给身体补充营养和能量的食物。
☆ 做做清洁。
用一些令人舒心的颜色和图片装点你的私人空间（带锁抽屉），把它变成一个平和安宁的地方。同时，时不时做做清洁——混乱可是压力的主要源头哦。
Back to Extra
After-school activities make life more fun—make you a better, more well-round34 person. Here, how to choose and enjoy the best extracurriculars35 for you:
1. Listen to your heart instead of your head.
Don't think about how something will affect your status36 at school or look on a college application. You'll enjoy activities more if you try things you've always dreamed of getting involved in. Your heart will lead you in the right direction. Maybe you've always wanted to try acting, so you're tempted37 to join the drama club. Go for it! Even if you're afraid, the initial38 fear will burn off39.
2. Don't be haunted40 by your past.
It's a whole new year—and you can do anything, even things you might not have excelled at41 before. Maybe you got stronger over the summer. Maybe you had a crummy42 coach the last time you tried. Maybe your sneakers43 were too tight. Think positive and give it another shot.
3. Shake the “shoulds.”
Don't go out for something just because you think you should—say, your parents want you to or all the cool people are doing it.
4. Don't let extracurriculars run your life.
Even if you're interested in a ton of clubs and teams, limit yourself to a few—you can always try a new one next semester.
课外活动可以让生活变得更加生动有趣——让你自己成为更优秀、更全面的人。下面谈谈如何选择和享受最适合你的课外活动。
1．聆听心声，不要凭头脑一时发热。
不要老想着课外活动会影响你的学业或总盯着申请上大学的事情。如果你尝试做一些你一直梦想去做的活动，你就更能享受其中的乐趣。你的心会指引你朝正确的方向前进。也许你一直希望去尝试表演，因此对参加话剧社很感兴趣，那么去参加好了！即使刚开始你会感到恐惧，这种恐惧感也会慢慢消失的。
2．不要对过去的失败耿耿于怀。
这是一个全新的学年——你能做任何事情，甚至那些你以前并不怎么擅长的事情。也许过完暑假后你变得更强壮了，也许你上次尝试时教练对你的帮助不大，也许你的运动鞋太紧了。要积极地思维，勇敢地再次尝试。
3．抛掉“应该”。
不要只是因为觉得你应该去做——比如说，你的父母想要你去或所有酷毙的人都在做才出去参加活动。
4．不要让课外活动支配你的生活。
就算你对很多俱乐部和球队都感兴趣，你也只能选择其中几个参加——这样你就总能够在下个学期尝试一种新的活动。
1. no-brainer 不用动脑筋的事情
2. juggle v. 同时做（两种以上的活动）
3. blast n. 令人极兴奋或愉快的经历、事件
4. tricky adj. 棘手的，需技巧的
5. back off 撤回，离开
6. clueless adj. 无能的；笨的
7. rehearse v. 排练，练习
8. icebreaker n. 破冰设备
9. urge n. 强烈愿望，迫切要求
10. compliment v. 称赞，恭维
11. flattery n. 恭维话
12. tactic n. 手段；策略
13. pay off 使人得益，有报偿
14. go for sth努力获取
15. shelve v. 置于架子上
16. straighten up 清理
17. iguana n. [动]鬣蜥(一种产于南美洲和西印度群岛的大蜥蜴)
18. marigold n. [植]万寿菊, 金盏草
19. brownnoser n. 拍马屁者
20. tattletale n. 告密者，搬弄是非的人
21. rat on 背叛，告发
22. poke v. 刺，戳
23. mantra n. 颂歌
24. affirmation n. 肯定
25. perspective n. 远景，前途
26. slogan n. 口号，标语
27. adrenaline n. 肾上腺素
28. counteract v. 抵消，中和
29. stomp v. 践踏，踩
30. nourish v. 滋养，使健壮
31. decorate v. 装饰，布置
32. soothing adj. 抚慰的，使人宽心的
33. clutter n. 混乱
34. well-round 有多方面能力的
35. extracurricular adj. 课外的，业余的
36. status n. 情形，状况
37. tempt v. 引诱，诱惑
38. initial adj. 最初的
39. burn off 烧掉，蒸发
40. haunt v. 时常萦绕心头；使困窘
41. excel at 擅长于（某项活动）
42. crummy adj. 不愉快的，无用的
43. sneaker n. 运动鞋