If you are the type of traveler who just wants a suitable place to hang up your hat and you don’t want to spend a fortune to do it, here are several ways to save on your next hotel room.
Be flexible
Hotel rates are based on supply and demand, so beware of peak periods. If your destination’s high season is from December through April and you’re trying to book near the end of April, you might find considerable savings if you change your travel dates by a week or two.
Check Hotel Websites
The large travel-booking websites often sell rooms from the middlemen (中间商) who have bought up empty hotel rooms. But the major hotel chains also offer last-minute discounts, and because they are not paying the middlemen, they sometimes have better deals than the travel sites.
Don’t be afraid to bargain
Most people are so intimidated by know-it-all hotel desk clerks that they don’t bargain for a better deal. But bargaining for a better deal is often worth the trouble, because most hotel general managers would prefer having a customer paying a lower-than-usual rate to no customer at all. And if you find something unfair on your hotel bill, don’t be afraid to complain. To create and promote goodwill, hotels will often reduce or cancel such charges.
Avoid hidden costs
Expensive little extras hotels never mention they may increase the cost of your stay. Don’t let this happen. Find out about resort fees for parking and Internet use before you agree to stay. And don’t touch the hotel’s phone unless you absolutely have to—the rates can be more than $5 a minute even inside the United States.
【小题1】According to the passage, which of the following will save you some money?| A．Change your visiting places in high season. |
| B．Book an order for the room with the hotel far ahead of schedule. |
| C．Make arrangements for travelling during off-peak periods. |
| D．Make a demand directly on the middlemen for a fair price. |
| A．managers would rather have a customer paying less than have no one. |
| B．there are many business items which should not be charged. |
| C．customers are usually afraid to complain about the unreasonable high price. |
| D．the desk clerks and managers often cheat the travelers by false pretenses. |
| A．Advertise the hotels | B．Encourage the hotel business |
| C．Do a service for the customers | D．Introduce the hotel services |
As is well known, making art is good for your health. It can reduce stress and improve your spirit. But you don’t have to be a full-time artist to get these benefits.
Figure out your mode of creative expression. There are many choices available: painting, cooking, baking, woodworking, sewing—the sky is the limit.
Think about making art like any healthy habit. Just as you make time to exercise and hang out with friends, you should make time for your artistic creation. You don’t even need a few hours. Doing just 10 minutes of art each day can do wonders.
| A．Keep an open mind. |
| B．Improve yourself with regular practice. |
| C．Focus on the making and let go of expectations. |
| D．However, developing interest in art takes little time. |
| E．In addition to carving out time, carve out a physical space for art. |
| F．All you need to do is just to spare some time to make art in your daily life. |
| G．So no matter what your level is, you could feel all the good things that come with making art. |
Simple ways to improve your written English
Many people think it is really difficult to improve their written English. Don’t worry, though. Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your written English.
●Increase your vocabulary (词汇)
To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That’s not just being able to know lots of words — it means actually being able to use them correctly.
Tip: When you learn a new word, try to learn all the forms of that word.
●
People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in many ways. It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words appropriately.
Tip: Choose books or articles that interest you.
●Improve your grammar
Grammar is very important because it improves the quality (质量) of your writing.
Tip:
●Just do it!
The best way to improve your writing is to get a pen and paper and write. Be prepared to write several versions (版本) of each text.
| A．Know your readers |
| B．Read widely and often |
| C．Always check your writing twice |
| D．Remember, practice makes perfect |
| E．Learning shouldn’t be boring. |
| F．Use simple languages and shorter sentences to show your ideas |
| G．Do this by learning new words with example sentences, not just word lists |
The road to happiness
We all know that money can’t buy happiness, but many times we act as if we’d be happier with a bit more money. We are trained to want the latest style that television tells us
Positive thinking. I’m obviously a big proponent of positive thinking as the best way to achieve your goals, but it turns out that it can lead to happiness too.
Flow. This is a popular concept on the Internet these days-the state we enter when we are completely focused on the work before us. Having work and leisure that gets you in this state of flow will almost undoubtedly lead to happiness. People find greatest enjoyment not when they’re passively mindless, but when they’re absorbed in a mindful challenge.
| A．Good relationships |
| B．You’ve been given the three secrets to happiness |
| C．In fact, this should be one of first habits you develop |
| D．In may sound ridiculous, but it has worked for me every time |
| E．Luckily, here’re three secrets to happiness that don’t cost a thing |
| F．We want to earn more money because then we’ll have the good life |
| G．Optimism and self-esteem are some of the best indicators of people who lead happy lives |
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