2784.After I decided on an early retirement,I soon realised I had plenty more to do and give time,energy,and help to others.I searched for opportunities of doing voluntary work online and found I could help in a secondary school,where I would teach children aged 14~16.The school was very beautiful with a lot of plum trees.Every morning,the children wearing school uniform stood along the doorway,smiling merrily and greeting teachers in chorus.It was really fantastic to begin a day's work with such a pleasant sight. Every summer,when plums were ripe,we had more fruit than we could eat or give away.So rather than let it go to waste,we'd find a way to preserve it for future use.This summer I decided to make jam,because aside from letting the fruit rot on the ground,I literally had no other choice.What I decided really interested the children,and they experienced how the fruit was made into jam.It was great fun.Beyond having fun,there were also some serious issues I addressed:coordinating supervised contact with parents,drafting safety plans,working with teachers on educational plans,mailing the school reports,and addressing health problems. I felt it necessary to spend the days after my retirement playing a positive role in a child's life.The work which I did was of great help to the school and the children,as well as providing me with an enjoyable time in my later life.
(1)What did the author think of her volunteering work?
2788.Lots of people find it hard to get up in the morning and put the blame on the alarm clock.In fact,the key to easy morning wake-up lies in resting your body clock. (1)
Here's how to make one. ●(2)
In order to make a change,you need to decide why it's important.Do you want to get up in time to have breakfast with your family,get in some exercise,or just be better prepared for your day?Once you are clear about your reasons,tell your family or roommates about the change you want to make. ●Rethink mornings.Now that you know why you want to wake up,consider re-arranging your morning activities.If you want time to have breakfast with your family,save some time the night before by setting out clothes,shoes,and bags. (3)
That's a quarter-hour more you could be sleeping if you bought a coffee maker with a timer. ●Keep your sleep/wake schedule on weekends.If you're tired out by Friday night,sleeping in on Saturday could sound wonderful.But compensating(補(bǔ)償) on the weekends actually feeds into your sleepiness the following week,a recent study found. (4)
●Keep a record and evaluate it weekly.Keep track of your efforts and write down how you feel.After you've tried a new method for a week,take a look at your record.(5)
If not,take another look at other methods you could try.
A.Get a sleep specialist. B.Find the right motivation. C.A better plan for sleep can help. D.And consider setting a second alarm. E.If the steps you take are working,keep it up. F.Stick to your set bedtime and wake-up time,no matter the day. G.Reconsider the 15 minutes you spend in line at the café to get coffee.