It’s nice to be invited to birthday parties, but sometimes you have to say no. How do you politely (礼貌地) refuse an invitation?

◆Send it in.

If you get a written (书面的) or an e-mail invitation to a party, refusing politely is easy. All you have to do is to give a polite answer.

◆Ask for time to think.

Refusing a face-to-face invitation can be difficult. The polite way is to ask for time to check your calendar. Then, you have time to find a polite answer. Just make sure that if you’ve been invited in person, you’d better refuse it in person. It’s polite.

◆Be thankful.

Even if you have to refuse the invitation, thank him or her for the invitation all the same. If your only reason is a conflicting (冲突的) event, tell the host that you will come if the dates are different.

◆Be honest (诚实的).

This may be the most important thing in politely refusing an invitation. You wouldn’t want people to lie (说谎) to you, so it’s correct etiquette (礼节) to give an honest reason. Just say it in a polite way.

If you have a weekend, how can you spend a happy day off? The following advice may be useful for you.

【小题1】 Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. And exercise will help you be awake (清醒) after sleep.

【小题2】 Stay away from junk food such as KFC or hamburgers etc. Eat a good meal with fruit, eggs and milk and so on. It will make you happy and active all day.

【小题3】 Read a book, play a game or just practice your violin until around ten o’clock a.m. Do something that you enjoy, and it will make you happy and relax for the rest of the day.

【小题4】 Bring a picnic basket full of good food such as sandwiches, apples, pear, cookies and so on. Be sure to bring juice boxes and water bottles and you’ll have fun.

【小题5】 Go to bed at around seven thirty, eight, or at the latest nine o’clock. Listen to some relaxing music before sleep. Maybe next weekend you can have another great day.

Teenagers these days have a lot of worries. Sometimes you have problems with your schoolwork, and sometimes with your friends. This may let you feel unhappy. When you are feeling unhappy or forget how great you are, here are six ways to make you feel good about yourself.

◆Look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I am a special person and there’s no one in the world like me. I can do anything!” It may not sound so good, but it really works!

◆Do something nice for someone. Helping others always makes you feel good.

◆Smile! Be friendly to people you meet. Look for the good things in your friends and family.

◆Learn something new! Have you always wanted to decorate (装饰) your own room or learn how to swim? Go for it! New challenges (挑战) are fun and give you a sense of accomplishment when you have finished.

◆Read and start a diary. Turn off the TV and let your imagination fly! Write down your thoughts, dreams or anything you want! Writing always helps to express (表达) your feelings.

◆Stay with your family. We all need our family time. Talk with your mom or dad or even your cousin.