Shyness equals losing opportunities, less pleasure and fewer social connections, but there are ways to make it a thing of the past.
When I was fifteen, I was shy. I remember an attractive girl trying to talk with me. My shyness made me focus on me instead of her. I heard my own voice but not hers and I thought about what I was trying to say instead of what she was trying to say.
To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax. This gives you the space to practice certain conversational skills. Relaxed socializing (社交) is so pleasurable. To start reducing your own shyness, I want you to absorb the following tips and ideas and start to put them into practice.
Focus your attention away from yourself. Notice what other people are wearing and make a mental note, listen to their conversation, imagine where they might live, and make a point of remembering names. Not only does this give you more to talk about, it also reduces social anxiety, leaving you feeling calmer.
Ask people open questions. Many people like to talk about themselves and will find you interesting if you find them interesting. Ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response such as “What do you like about this place?’ rather than “Do you like this place?” Once they have answered, you can use add-on (追加) questions connected with the first such as “What other places do you like in this city?” Next you can express your views. This is a great way to get the conversation going.
Now I love meeting new people and suspect that my current social confidence would be unrecognizable to my fifteen-year-old self.
The author didn’t pay attention to what the girl was saying because       .

A．her voice was very low

B．he was shy and nervous

C．he was attracted by her appearance

D．he wasn’t interested in her topic

To get rid of your shyness, you should       .

A．pay much attention to yourself

B．find a beautiful girl to talk with

C．learn to talk to others in a relaxed way

D．ask people some interesting questions

It can be inferred from the text that       .

A．people will notice our appearance if we focus on their looks

B．shy people will have no friends unless they change themselves

C．shy people may suffer a great deal and may be less happy

D．girls like to show off their voices in front of boys

Which of the following questions will the author probably advise us to ask?

A．What a lovely day, isn’t it?

B．Do you like playing basketball?

C．Do you think he will pass the exam?

D．Why do you find that English is hard to learn?