It happens to all of us. When it is the end of the term, your teacher will give you your report card. You look at it and your heart stops because you realize that your parents are going to be very angry. This is the classic case of a bad report card! There is nothing you can do to change the past. So, what do you do now?

A bad report card is something that almost all the students will experience at least once in their lives. Grades are how most schools evaluate（评价）students and they are pretty important. The problem is that we do not always get good grades we（or our parents）want. After a bad report card, it is important to figure out what to do next.

The first thing to do is to talk to your teacher. Find out how your grades were calculated. Was the problem a bad test, lack of participation（参与）in class, or a failure to complete homework? Next, if the problem is something you can solve on your own（such as not doing your homework）, make a promise to change your behavior（行为）! However, if you have been studying hard and still got a bad grade, you probably need some help with your classes. Talk to your teacher and explain your situation. He or she will tell you where you can receive the extra help you need. Then, make a careful plan of how you will improve your grades. Write down the plan and have it ready when you talk to your parents. That’s a good way to make your parents less angry.

While all parents want their children to get good grades, most understand that not every report card will be perfect. The important thing is that you show your parents you have a plan to improve your grades for next time. Always remember, many of the world’s most successful people failed many times before they became successful. They learned from their failures, and you should too!

Films bring us more than just fun. For many people, watching foreign films is a way to learn the language. Of course, there must be some difficulties. Here is my advice for you to enjoy watching films in English.

Choose a film that you enjoy.

If you like action films, watch an action film like Indiana Jones. If you like comedies better, watch a comedy. Anything with Hugh Grant in always makes you laugh. If you choose something you enjoy watching in your own language, you may enjoy it better in English.

Choose something that is simple for you.

It’s best to start with something simple. Then you can understand the story of the film better. Disney films, such as The Lion King and Tangled, are great examples.

Ask friends for advice.

Maybe your friends watch English films. If so, they may be able to recommend good films to you.

If necessary, use subtitles.

For beginners, subtitles are very useful. Using subtitles in your own language is the easiest way to understand the film.

Chemical reactions（反应） make for some great experiments. You can make use of the CO₂ (carbon dioxide) given off by a baking soda（小苏打）and vinegar reaction to blow up your balloon!

What you’ll need

★ Balloon

★ About 40 ml of water

★ Soft drink bottle

★ Vinegar

★ A teaspoon of baking soda

Instructions

★ Before you begin, make sure that you pull the balloon long to make it as easy as possible to blow up.

★ Put the 40 ml of water into the soft drink bottle.

★ Add the baking soda and mix it with water.

★ Put the vinegar in and quickly put the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.

What’s happening?

If all goes well, then your balloon should inflate! Adding the vinegar to the baking soda creates a chemical reaction. The baking soda is a base, while the vinegar is an acid. When the two combine（结合）, they create CO₂. The gas rises up and escapes through the soft drink bottle. However, it doesn’t escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up.