How did you learn how to ride your bike? Someone probably gave you a few lessons and then you practiced a lot. 【小题1】 No one is born to know how to study. You need to learn a few study skills and then practice them.

【小题2】Do you have trouble paying attention in class? Are you sitting next to a loud person? Is it hard to see the board? Make sure you’re sitting in a good seat that lets you pay attention. Tell your teacher or parents about any problems that are stopping you from paying attention and taking good notes.

【小题3】Waiting until Thursday night to study for Friday’s test will make a homework night no fun! It also makes it hard to do your best. We’re all guilty of putting things off sometimes. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn’t happen is to plan ahead.

Ask for help. You can’t study effectively if you don’t understand the material. 【小题4】 You can check yourself by reading through your notes. Does it all make sense? If not, ask your teacher to go over it with you.

Get a good night’s sleep. So the test is tomorrow and you’ve followed your study plan — but suddenly you can’t remember anything, not even 2+2! Don’t worry. Your brain needs time to digest (消化) all the information you’ve given it. Try to get a good night’s sleep. 【小题5】

As more work can be done online, more and more people have chance to work at home. On the surface, working from home sounds like a dream come true. 【小题1】 After all, there are countless distractions (分心的事物) at home. To help you plan for the real-life challenges, we’ve collected some tips for avoiding distractions.

Every job has a uniform. Uniforms serve two purposes: First, they communicate to the outside world a person’s position, stature and function. And second, they reinforce those same messages to the person wearing the uniform. When you work from home, dressing in your normal work uniform reinforces the idea that you are actually working.

Many of us are more productive when we are working within a certain framework. 【小题3】 If your job requires a lot of interaction with colleagues in a time zone, you should try your best to make your schedule consistent with their normal business hours. If your work is largely independent, you have the freedom to work earlier or later than the regular workday.

【小题4】 Instead of working a straight daytime schedule of 9 to 5, divide the workday into two sections, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., then from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. With this schedule, you can be with the kids for a few hours when they get home from school, make dinner and eat together, then go back to the office for a few more hours in the evening.

When you work from home, you need a plan B for the unavoidable interruptions to your well-planned workflow. There are any number of mini-crises that can erupt at home: loss of power or Internet service, unscheduled playdates or a neighbor cutting down a tree a few feet from your office window. 【小题5】 It should be someplace close to your home with a reliable Internet connection where you can work in peace.

Can just one person make a difference to the community? 【小题1】 Find out your own talents and interests. Then find a need or an issue you really care about. Here are just a few ways to make a difference in your community.

【小题2】 Neighborhood cleanups are often sponsored by local businesses or schools. But if your community doesn’t have a cleanup program, get together with friends to organize one. You could clean a smaller area every few months, or you could pick up garbage in a larger area twice a year. Living in a clean neighborhood will be its own reward.

Include the isolated (孤立无援的). Almost all neighborhoods have a few people who are elderly and unable to leave their homes to perform simple tasks. 【小题3】 By letting them “borrow” your legs and eyes, you can make them feel included. You can do the daily routine for them like shopping or paying bills. 【小题4】 Governments provide some of the services these people need, but communities can give them friendship.

Round up some readers. Reading clubs are popular all over Europe and North America. Members might read at home to prepare for discussion, or they might read aloud to each other and talk about what they just read. 【小题5】 They can share experiences with others and find new friends in the clubs. If your neighbourhood doesn’t yet have a club, find a few friends with similar interests and get the ball rolling.