Although everyone has a creative side and a logical side, some people find it a challenge to get in touch with their creative side. Being creative means being prepared to think of new and original ways to do things. Here are some ways to help you get in touch with your creative side.
When you want to be creative, it’s very important to relieve any tension from your body so that your mind can be open to new experiences and not be occupied with dealing with tension or stress. It’s possible to relax very quickly if you take three or four deep breaths. In the relaxed state you pick up a pen and start to write down all the potential ways that you could take to achieve what you want. You might find that you would like to use paints instead or a musical instrument to express your new found creativity and explore where it leads you.
Once you are fully relaxed, you can begin to think about the project you are attempting to complete and allow your mind to wander over various possibilities rather than immediately going for the obvious logical way to do it. Close your eyes and ask yourself what ways there might be to solve your project and notice the scenarios (设想) which appear in your mind as you do this. You may notice pictures, sounds or emotions or a combination of all three. Then imagine yourself moving into the scenario that you are thinking about and then discover what might or might not work for you and others. Be aware of any emotions that come up when you visit the various scenarios(情节). Keep a notebook handy to write down your experiences and insights as a result of your visualization(可视化).
It’s easy to dismiss unusual or different solutions which you haven’t tried before but it’s important to be prepared to experiment and play with them. Sometimes what is needed is just doing something even if you are uncertain of the potential outcome. People often think of all the possible ways that something won’t work and as a result they dismiss the idea of performing an experiment to see what would happen. The reality is that we can't foretell the future, so it’s useful to plan for it in a creative and exciting new way.
Title |
How to develop your . |
|
Introduction |
◆It’s in getting in touch with their creative side. ◆Being creative means being ready to think of new and original ways to do things. |
|
_____ to helping you be creative |
. |
◆Release any tension from your body to open your mind. ◆ deeply for several times ◆Set down the entire potential ways of helping you achieve something while you feel relaxed. |
Visualizing |
◆Think about your project and take various possibilities into. before going to the way to do it. ◆Close your eyes and ask yourself the ways to solve your project and notice the scenarios appearing m your mind. ◆Make a of your experiences and insights as a result of your visualization. |
|
◆Be prepared to try unusual or different solutions. ◆Do something of what is the potential result. ◆Plan for the future in a creative and exciting new way. |
“We see lots of adults being diagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (多动症) around age 38,” says Timothy Widens, MD, an professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “That’s right around the time people start doing more-tasks, juggling jobs, families, a home, and other personal duties,” he says.
But not everyone who slacks on work or forgets appointments has ADHD; there are plenty of other reasons you may be losing attentions. Here are five things that could be sucking your attention span dry.
1. Technology overload
Your computer, cell phone, and iPod all compete for your attention—no wonder you're distracted(心烦意乱)! To a certain point, your brain can act as secretary, keeping you organized and helping with time management. But the more tasks you try to do, the harder it is for you to stay focused on any single task, research shows. Learning basic organizational skills, like writing down responsibilities and maintaining a day planner, can help reduce these problems. So take a break from constant television, Internet, and email floods
2. Lack of sleep
If you’re missing out on enough shut-eye—most likely seven to eight hours a night—you’re probably easy-angry, dealing with mind fog, and have difficulty addressing daily tasks. That’s a normal reaction, says Dr. Widens.
3. Poor job satisfaction
Sure, everyone’s unhappy at work from time to time—maybe your customer presentation failed or your boss gave you a poor performance review. And if a disorganized working environment or a boring project make it difficult to focus, that's completely normal. But if you find that you often can't complete projects,you probably need medical attention, or a new job.
4. Too much stress
Stress takes side affects on concentration. Researchers at the University of Madison found that the relaxation technique can add to your ability to focus on your mind. Another study, from researchers at UCLA, suggests that in adults with ADHD, meditation improves attention and eases symptoms of anxiety and depression.
5. Too little exercise
Mounting evidence suggests that regular exercise can keep your mind sharp and increase learning and memory ability. It’s even more important in adults with ADHD. ” My patients who exercise all report that they see improvement in attention,” says Dr. Widens. Working up a sweat can also help you burn off the extra energy that causes you to feel uncomfortable, and it can help you sleep better at night.
Hopefully after you understand these helpful methods, you become more attentive on what you are doing.
Reasons that You Lose |
|
Passage outline |
Supporting details |
The of the passage |
To tell us we can improve our concentration by following the five things. |
Technology overload |
Your computer, cell phone, and iPod all compete for your attention—no wonder you're distracted! So yourself away from constant television, Internet, and email inundation— just for a break. |
Lack of sleep |
If you’re missing out on enough shut-eye, you are to be easy-angry, dealing with mind fog, and have difficulty solving daily tasks. |
Poor job |
Everyone’s unhappy at work from time to time. When in a disorganized environment or on a boring project, you find it difficult for you to complete projects. |
Too much stress |
Stress takes side effects on concentration. Relaxing yourself can your ability to focus on your mind. |
Too little exercise |
Mounting evidence suggests that regular exercise can keep your mind sharp and increase learning and memory . |
After these helpful methods, you are wished to be more attentive on what you are doing. |
As Chinese President Xi Jinping leaves on Friday on his first overseas tour, which includes stops in Moscow and three African countries, Beijing’s media is very interested in Xi’s famous wife Peng Liyuan, who will be traveling with him.
China’s new First Lady, one of the country’s most famous folk singers and
a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador(亲善大使) for
Tuberculosis(结核病) and HIV/AIDS, has long been as well known
as her husband.
The news that she would come along with her husband on the trip has already attracted widespread attention on China’s micro-blogging service, where expectations(期望) are high about her ability to promote China’s image abroad.
“Each country’s First Lady has her own style and charm, and the thing that the world loves is color and difference,” says Tsinghua University political scientist Tang Xiaoyang.
As Peng and President Xi start their trip to Moscow, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo, the outing is the president’s first chance to shape his image as China’s new leader before foreign audiences.
Renmin University journalism professor Zhong Xin says there are high expectations that Peng will help her husband pass on a friendly image of China.
“Mrs. Peng is beautiful and popular.” Zhong said, explaining that the new First Lady will not only have a good effect on herself, but the president and the whole country.
Peng Liyuan—China’s New First Lady |
|
A brief__________ |
● Beautiful and popular. ● Famous for her folk __________. ● Well-known ________ a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. |
Her overseas tour |
● Setting out with her __________—President Xi. ● Starting her overseas tour on Friday, __________stops in Moscow and three African countries. |
Widespread attention on her |
● Beijing’s media is__________ in her. ● On China’s micro-blogging service, people express that they look forward to her__________ China’s image abroad. ● The world expects her to be colorful and__________ from other countries’ First Ladies. |
Possible effects |
● Peng will help President Xi pass on a(n) ________ image of China. ● Peng will not only have a good__________ on herself, but the president and the whole country. |
Many people think a telephone is a necessity. But I think it is of great harm and a time waste. Very often you find it impossible to escape from it. If you have a telephone in your own house, you will admit that it tends to ring when you least want it to ring: when you are asleep or in the middle of a meal or a conversation, or when you are just going out, or when you are in your bath. Are you strong-minded enough to ignore it? You are not. You think there may be some important news or message for you. I can assure you that if a message is really important it will reach you sooner or later. Have you ever gone to answer a telephone in a hurry from the bath, or from the table, or from the bed, only to be told that you are a wrong number?
But you will say, you need not have your name printed in the telephone directory, and you can have a telephone which is only usable for outgoing calls. Besides, you will say, isn’t it important to have a telephone in case of sudden emergency---illness, accident, or fire? Of course, you are right, but here in a thickly populated country like England one is seldom far from a telephone in case of dreadful necessity.
I think perhaps I had better try to justify myself by trying to prove that what I like is good. I admit that in different circumstances---if I were a wealthy and powerful businessperson, for instance, or badly ill and had to lie in bed. I might find a telephone a necessity. But then if I were a taxi-driver I should find a car a necessity. Let me put it another way: there are two things for which the English seem to show particular talent: one is mechanical invention, the other literature. My own business happens to be with the use of words but I see I must now stop using them. For I have had just been handed a piece of paper to say that somebody is waiting to speak to me on the telephone. I think I had better answer it. After all, one never knows, it may be something important.
Title: The |
|
Different towards it |
Many people: It is when one wants to make a call, especially in time of emergency. The author: It can time and even be . Not everyone, a businessperson or a sick person who has to stay in bed, needs it. |
Problems with it |
It to ring when one doesn’t want it to ring. Almost can ignore it even if they want to. One to answer it only to find that he is a wrong number. Anyway, one has to answer it, because it may be something . |
The emotional bond a child secures with its parents has a greater impact on its education than previously thought, a report suggests. The Sutton Trust study says children’s early attachment to parents has far-reaching consequences for their ability to speak, learn and think. Parents who are insecure themselves find it harder to provide children with security, it says. And the report calls for more help so parents can develop such crucial bonds. The study focuses on the application of the theory of attachment—a key theory in child developement and psychology. This says the degree to which children are secure and resilient as they grow up depends on their own early experiences with their mothers and fathers and how they have bonded.
The report from the Sutton Trust education charity, entitled Baby Bonds, makes the case that it has an important impact on children’s future educational chances as well as their emotional well-being. It is based on an analysis of more than 100 studies on the issue, including home visits and assessments and observations of children in a range of countries. The trust argues that although psychologists have been aware of attachment theory, it has not been seen by policy makers as a key influence on educational attainment. And it asks them to take this into account. The report says when babies and toddlers do not form these strong parental bonds—known as secure attachment—they are more likely to exhibit poor language and poor behavior before they reach school.
And it cites international studies which suggest this continues late into life, with insecure children more likely to leave school early or duck out of employment or training. They are also more likely to suffer from aggression, defiance and hyperactivity later in life.
The Sutton Trust says its analysis of the research suggests that about 40% of children in the UK lack a secure attachment with their parents. Lead author Sophie Moullin said that when her team looked at large scale representative studies in a number of countries they all found, from their observations, that between 38% and 42% of children suffered from poor attachment in all the different study locations. She added: “Secure attachment really helps children with emotional and social development and at school it really helps them to manage their behavior. Shouting, looking out of the window, hitting each other…These are the things that teachers will tell you that are stopping children from learning. It’s really only as we understand more about these behavior problems that we have decided that a lot of it goes back to this early bonding with parents. ”
Research director at the trust Conor Ryan said: “Better bonding between parents and babies could lead to more social mobility, as there is such a clear link to education, behavior and future employment. The educational divide emerges early in life, with a 19—month school readiness gap between the most and least advantaged children by the age of five.
This report clearly identifies the fundamental role secure attachment could have in narrowing that school readiness gap and improving children’s life chances. “More support from health visitors, children’s centers together with local authorities in helping parents improve how they bond with young children could play a role in narrowing the education gap. ”
The Sutton Trust study |
|
Introduction |
The study reveals children’s early attachment to parents _______ affects their ability to speak, learn and think. |
Method of the study |
Researchers_______ more than 100 case studies on the issue through visiting homes, assessing children and ________children. |
Statistics of the study |
·In the UK, only about 60% of children have a secure attachment with their parents. ·In other countries where the studies were carried out, the numbers are quite________. |
Negative effects of insecure _______ |
·A________ of secure parental bonding may lead to poor language and behavior for preschool children. At the age of five, the_______ school readiness gap between children can be 19 months. ·Without secure attachment, future life difficulties such as quitting school, _________ from work and other emotional issues would emerge. |
The significance of parental attachment |
Better bonding between parents and babies could lead to a change in people’s social ________ because it narrows children’s school readiness gap and it improves children’s life chances. |
Suggestion |
A_____ effort is needed for strong parent-child bonding. |
An E-ticket ride is an especially thrilling amusement park ride. The term now can refer to anything extraordinary. What distinguishes this from any other ride is the level of detail, technology, and entertainment value.
From 1955-1982, the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, sold individual ride tickets with admission to the park. In 1972, simple rides like the King Arthur Carousel took A-tickets, while Alice In Wonderland was B-tickets. C and D-ticket rides were a bit more advanced, including Peter Pan’s Flight, and Flight to the Moon. The biggest, best, and newest rides in the park were reserved for the 85 cent E-ticket. In the 1970s, this list included Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion.
One interesting thing about the tickets is that Disney officials consistently referred to them as coupons, while guests insisted they should be called tickets. In 1982, the tickets — or coupons — were phased out of the Disneyland world, as the park introduced a pay-one-price admission.
As a replacement of sorts for the ticketing system, Disney introduced the FASTPASS® for some of the rides. Generally, the FASTPASS® is used on the most popular rides. Rumors often circulate to suggest that Disneyland is planning to stop using this system in favor of VIP tickets, outraging some fans.
From 1997-2004, the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida offered an experience called E-ride Nights. This popular, although costly, extra allowed ticket-holding visitors to stay in the park three hours after closing and ride some of the most popular attractions.
Today, although the tickets no longer officially exist, Disney fans still classify rides by their ticket status. In the 2007 announcement of expansions to the California Adventure Park, at least two new E-ticket attractions were announced, the Little Mermaid ride and a test-track racing ride based on the Pixar movie Cars. Recent criticisms of the re-opened Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage suggest that some fans think the ride has been downgraded to a D-ticket from its former glory.
In popular culture, the phrase has been used to refer to an extraordinary experience. American astronaut Sally Ride famously referred to riding the space shuttle as an E-ticket experience. The phrase has appeared in several movies. Fans of the Disney parks have also produced a ride-based fan magazine called The “E” Ticket since 1986. Although the term no longer applies to the Disney method of ride admission, it is still consistently popular as a popular phrase.
What Is an E-Ticket Ride?
Outlines |
Supporting Details |
______ of E-Ticket Ride |
●It is a thrilling amusement park ride. ●It______ from any other ride in the level of detail, technology, and entertainment value. |
______ of ride tickets |
●From 1955-1982, A, B, C and D-ticket rides______ up in the Disneyland theme park. ●FASTPASS® was introduced to Disney to______ for the ticketing system. ●From 1997-2004, people could go ______E-ride Nights in the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. ●Disney officials referred to them as coupons all the time. ●In 2007, at least two new E-ticket attractions were announced to ______ to the California Adventure Park. |
Present situation |
●In popular culture, the term can refer to extraordinary______. ●American astronaut Sally Ride______ riding the space shuttle as an E-ticket experience. ●Although the term no longer applies to the Disney method of ride admission, it______ consistently popular as a popular phrase. |
Self-esteem is all about how much people value themselves, and how worthwhile they feel. Self-esteem is important because feeling good about yourself can affect how you act. A person who has high self-esteem will make friends easily, is more in control of his or her behavior, and will enjoy life more.
Some teens struggle with their self-esteem when they begin puberty(青春期) because the body goes through many changes. These changes, combined with a natural desire to feel accepted, mean it can be tempting for people to compare themselves with others. They may compare themselves with the people around them or with actors they see on TV or in magazines.
It’s not just development that affects self-esteem, though. Many other factors can affect a person’s body image too.
Family life can sometimes influence self-esteem. Some parents spend more time criticizing their kids and the way they look than praising them, which can reduce kids’ ability to develop good self-esteem.
People also may experience negative comments and hurtful teasing about the way they look from classmates and peers. Sometimes racial and ethnic prejudice is the source of such comments. Although these often come from ignorance, sometimes they can affect someone’s body image and self-esteem.
Some people think they need to change how they look or act to feel good about themselves. But actually all you need to do is change the way you see your body and how you think about yourself.
The first thing to do is recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape, size, or color it comes in. If you’re very worried about your weight or size, check with your doctor to verify that things are OK. But it’s no one’s business but your own what your body is like—ultimately, you have to be happy with yourself.
Next, identify which aspects of your appearance you can realistically change and which you can’t. If there are things about yourself that you want to change and can, do this by making goals for yourself. For example, if you want to get fit, make a plan to exercise every day and eat nutritious foods.
When you hear negative comments coming from within yourself, tell yourself to stop. Try building your self-esteem by giving yourself three compliments(赞扬) every day. By focusing on the good things you do and the positive aspects of your life, you can change how you feel about yourself.
Title |
Body Image and Self-Esteem |
|
Why is self-esteem important? |
Feeling good about yourself can affect your_______ and thus you can enjoy life more. |
|
What affects a person’s self-esteem? |
Puberty |
_______ changes mixed with the desire to feel accepted lead them to make a_______ with others. |
Outside _______ |
● More criticism from_______ can reduce kids’ ability to develop good self-esteem. ● Classmates and peers comment on them and______ their appearance. |
|
Tips for ______ your body image |
Change the way you see your body and how you think about yourself. ● _______ your body as it is despite others’ opinions. ● Make goals to change some aspects of your image if _______. ● Focus on positive compliments_______ than negative comments from within your heart. |
Definitions of literature have varied over time. In fact, it is a “culturally relative definition”. Once in Western Europe, literature indicated all books and writing. During the Romantic period, it began to refer to “imaginative” literature. Nowadays literature is seen as a term used to describe written or spoken material, including all the following.
Poetry uses rhythmic qualities of language to bring out meanings in addition to, or in place of, unimaginative surface meaning. Poetry has traditionally been distinguished from prose(散文) by its being set inverse (颠倒); prose is cast in sentences, poetry in lines.
Novel is typically written in a narrative (叙事) style and presented as a book. Novels tell stories, in which the characters and events are usually imaginary. The novel has been a part of human culture for over a thousand years, although its origins are somewhat debated. Regardless of how it began, the novel has remained one of the most popular and treasured examples of human culture and writing. It remains an essential part of the literary cultures of nearly all societies around the world.
Novella is classified as “Too short to be a novel, too long to be a short story”. There is no precise definition in terms of word or page count. Literary prizes and publishing houses often have their own arbitrary limits, which vary according to their particular intentions.
A short story is different from novels or novellas in that the plot is usually tied to one single chain of events. Because the reader must identify with a character quickly to become engaged, the tale is often told from the chief character’s point of view.
A drama refers to a play for the theatre, television or radio. It generally consists of chiefly dialogue between characters. It also uses dance to convey their message. Dramas usually aim at dramatic performance rather than at reading. In theater, a drama is presented by actors to an audience.
Good literary works depend on literary techniques. A literary technique can be used by authors in order to improve the written framework of a piece of literature, and produce specific effects.
Literary techniques include a wide range of approaches to crafting a work. The ability to let readers know what might happen in the future in an indirect way is possible through the technique foreshadowing. The practice of representing objects and qualities as human beings in literature is personification. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas.
Literature |
|
Definitions of literature |
Definitions of literature have kept changing all the time. |
They are connected with __________. |
|
Among them are “books and__________”, “ ‘imaginative’ literature” and “written or spoken material”. |
|
Categories of literature |
Poetry, with rhyme, uses unusual word order in lines, which may be a barrier to see what it__________. |
A novel takes the form of a book, talking about what is ________ up by the writer. |
|
The novella, as for length, exists between a ________ and a short story. |
|
___________ from novels and novellas, a short story tells a comparatively simple story. |
|
Dramas are _________ rather than read, with the ideas expressed either orally or physically. |
|
Literary _______ |
A warning or sign of a future event is given by using the technique called foreshadowing. |
When personification is used, something _________ life is treated as if it were a human being. |
|
Symbolism is the practice of representing ideas by means of_________. |
阅读下面短文,根据所读内容在文后第53至第57小题的空格里填上适当的单词或短语,并将答案转写到答题卡上。注意:每空不超过3个单词。
A recent study shows that nearly 50 percent of the school kids in Beijing do not have breakfast. They tend to feel sleepy all day and have bad memories,so it is hard for them to get high marks in all kinds of tests. Some students who study deep into the night choose to miss breakfast so that they can have few extra minutes in bed. Others are given money to buy their breakfast on the way to school because their parents are too busy to prepare it for them. In addition,a few school girls want to stay slim and often go to school without breakfast.
In fact,the morning meal plays an important part. It can provide 30 percent of the whole day’s energy. For a creative mind and better judgment,school kids should start their days with a regular breakfast.
Statistics(统计)about school kids’ not having breakfast |
||
Reason |
Result |
Suggestions |
They stay up late at night studying |
They tend to feel all day. |
The morning meal is important,which provides30% of the day’s |
The parents give them money to buy breakfast. |
They usually have bad memories. |
It is useful for creative thinking and better . |
Some girls want to and go to school without breakfast. |
It’s hard for them toin all kinds of exams. |
School kids should start their day with a good breakfast. |
请阅读下面短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意: 请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。 每个空格只填一个单词。
People select news in expectation of a reward. This reward may be either of two kinds. One is related to what Freud calls the Pleasure Principle, the other to what he calls the Reality Principle. For want of better names, we shall call these two classes immediate reward and delayed reward.
In general, the kind of news which may be expected to give immediate reward are news of crime and corruption, accidents and disasters, sports, social events, and human interest. Delayed reward may be expected from news of public affairs, economic matters, social problems, science, education, and health.
News of the first kind pays its rewards at once. A reader can enjoy an indirect experience without any of the dangers or stresses involved. He can tremble wildly at an axe-murder, shake his head sympathetically and safely at a hurricane, identify himself with the winning team, laugh understandingly at a warm little story of children or dogs.
News of the second kind, however, pays its rewards later. It sometimes requires the reader to tolerate unpleasantness or annoyance — as, for example, when he reads of the threatening foreign situation, the mounting national debt, rising taxes, falling market, scarce housing, and cancer. It has a kind of “threat value.” It is read so that the reader may be informed and prepared. When a reader selects delayed reward news, he pulls himself into the world of surrounding reality to which he can adapt himself only by hard work. When he selects news of the other kind, he usually withdraws from the world of threatening reality toward the dream world.
For any individual, of course, the boundaries of these two classes are not stable. For example, a sociologist may read news of crime as a social problem, rather than for its immediate reward. A coach may read a sports story for its threat value: he may have to play that team next week. A politician may read an account of his latest successful public meeting, not for its delayed reward, but very much as his wife reads an account of a party. In any given story of corruption or disaster, a thoughtful reader may receive not only the immediate reward of indirect experience, but also the delayed reward of information and preparedness. Therefore, while the division of categories holds in general, an individual’s tendency may transfer any story from one kind of reading to another, or divide the experience between the two kinds of reward.
What news stories do you read? |
|
Division of news stories |
● People expect to get from reading news. ● News stories are roughly divided into two classes. ● Some news will excite their readers instantly while others won’t. |
ofthe two classes |
● News of immediate reward will seemingly take their readers to the very frightening scene without actual . ● Readers will associate themselves closely with what happens in the news stories and similar feelings with those involved. |
● News of delayed reward will make readers suffer, or present a to them. ● News of delayed reward will induce the reader to for the reality while news of immediate reward will lead the reader to from the reality. |
|
Unstable boundaries of the two classes |
● What readers expect from news stories are largely shaped by their . ● Serious readers will both get excited over what happens in some news stories and themselves to the reality. ● Thus, the division, on the whole, on the reader. |
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Not all print dictionaries are the same, as you will notice when you select one. To make a wise selection, you should know how to distinguish among three kinds of print dictionaries: pocket, desk, and unabridged. You should also know the copyright date of your dictionary, and check is special features.
A pocket dictionary is small. Generally, it contains no more than 75000 entries, making it hardly to carry to class and efficient to use. However, a pocket dictionary doesn't contain enough entries to be adequate for college reference homework. In addition, the information about each word in a pocket dictionary is generally limited. A desk dictionary is medium sized, generally containing over 100,000 entries as well as extra features. For college work, you should own a current desk dictionary. An unabridged dictionary is a complete dictionary. Abridged dictionaries, such as pocket and desk dictionaries, are shortened. Because unabridged dictionaries contain nearly all English words, they are large and heavy. They are often used by schools and libraries.
If the copyright date of your current dictionary shows that it was published five or more years ago, consider investing in a more recent edition. English is a dynamic language that admits new words and recognizes changes in meaning, spelling, and usage of familiar words. This is reflected in an up-to-date dictionary.
In selecting a dictionary, check the features it offers besides vocabulary definitions. Many editions contain signs, symbols and foreign words. Some also contain CD-ROMs and access to special online features.
阅读下面短文,根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填一个单词。
Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they'll probably start a conversation. "Hot today, isn't it?"one might say. "You said it." another replies.
Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don't begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.
Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.
Small talk even helps people get hired. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.
So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.
Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment (赞美) the other person to make himor her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.
Third, keep eye contact (接触). When you look people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and builds trust.
Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don't know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small talk does get easier.
Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!
Title |
Small Talk: A Big ____ |
Introduction |
We are likely to make small talk when we ____ meet people. |
___ |
❖ Small talk can help people form____ friendships. |
❖Small talk can also help people get a ___. |
|
Advice |
❖Find some topics ____ with the other person. |
❖Keep the talk going by making compliments and ____ questions. ❖Keep eye contact in conversation to build ___. |
|
❖____ more in order to make small talk easier. |
|
Conclusion |
Small talk really ____ a lot to us. |
任务型阅读(共10小题,每小题1分,满分10分)
认真阅读下面短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入最恰当的单词。注意:每空1个词。
It’s important to get along with your teacher because it makes that time you spend in the classroom more pleasant. It can also help you learn how to deal with the different types of people you’ll meet throughout your life.
In fact, students who get along with their teachers not only learn more, but they’re more comfortable asking questions and getting extra help. This makes it easier to understand new material and do your best on tests. When you have this kind of relationship with a teacher, he or she can be someone to turn to when you have problems with such things as learning or school.
Then what does “getting along” with your teacher mean? It means you and your teacher have a way of communication that works for both of you and you both are getting what you need from the relationship. For your teacher, he or she wants to make sure you are listening carefully, being respectful and polite, and trying your best to learn. For you, you want a teacher who is respectful to you, answers your questions, and tries to help you learn.
However, teachers and students sometimes have personality clashes(冲突), which can happen between any two people. If you show your teacher that you want to make the situation better, he or she will probably do everything possible to make that happen. By solving a problem like this, you learn something about how to get along with people who are different from you.
Take these steps if the problem seems difficult to solve:
Talk to an adult you can trust. For example, talk with your parents about what to do next. Lots of times, a meeting can be set up to discuss the problem. This may clear the air and make things better. Give it time. You may not feel immediately comfortable with your teacher, and that may change as you get to know one another.
Remember that everyone’s goal should be to create trust and kindness.
Title: Getting Along with Your Teacher |
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Theme |
It is important to get along with your teacher. |
Advantages |
●You can learn more and enjoy being in _____. ●You can learn how to deal with different kinds of people. ●You do not have any worries about ___ questions. ●You can get ___ help. |
___ |
●The teacher ___ you, answers your questions and tries to help you learn. ●You pay ____ , show respect and do your best. |
Problem ___ |
●Let your teacher know you wish to __ the situation. ●Turn to an adult you trust for advice. ●Set up a ___ to discuss the problem. ●Give it time, and the relationship with your teacher will ___ you.. |
Escape from FoMO
Here’s a test you might enjoy: rate these situations on a number scale, ranging from 1 for mild discomfort to 7 for unbearable distress.
Situation 1: you’re visiting New York City and realize there’s no way you’ll be able to get to all the exhibits, see all the recommended plays or take in even part of the“musts”. How do you feel now? Something like 5?
Situation 2: you’re at dinner with friends, and you’ve all agreed to make it a strictly phone-free evening. But your smart phone won’t stop beeping Twitter and text alerts. Something is obviously up in your social network, but you can’t check. Even 7 wouldn’t match the stress you’re feeling now.
Welcome to FoMO (Fear of Missing Out), the latest mental disorder caused by social media connections sharing updates that leaves individuals feeling that they are missing out on something more exciting, important, or interesting going on somewhere else. It is an outcome of technological advancement and booming social information. According to a recent study, 56 percent of those who use social networks suffer this.
It is not uncommon that at night when you’ve sworn again to put the phone aside or turn off the computer, you cast one last glance at the screen on your way to bed in case you miss some titbit (趣闻)supplied by mere acquaintances or even strangers’ requesting your “friendship”.
We all know the studies showing that end-of-life regrets centre on what we didn’t do, rather than on what we did. If so, constantly watching others doing things that we are not is rich ground for a future of looking back in sorrow. Attractive online images—so charming from afar—make FoMO more destructive. Technology has become the major construct through which we define intimacy (亲密).You may look on in wonder as someone taps out an endless text message instead of actually talking to the person they’re with. Being connected to everyone, all the time, is a new human experience; we’re just not equipped to cope with it yet.
Researchers say our dependence on technology can be reduced if we manage to separate ourselves, even for short periods of time, from our gadgets. However, the problem can only be settled when we grasp that our brains and our humanity—not our technologies—enable this addiction. We cannot seek solutions without honestly asking ourselves why we are so afraid of missing out. Researchers find FoMO occurs mostly in people with unfulfilled psychological needs in fields such as love, respect and security. FoMO levels are highest in young people, in particular young men.
What, then, can we do about something so damaging to our quality of life? The best way to cope with FoMO is to recognize that, at our fast-paced life, we are sometimes bound to miss out. Instead of trying to maximize our benefits, we seek a merely “good enough” result. If you still doubt that“good enough” is the best cure for FoMO, the words of the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson might strike the right chord,“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”
Escape from FoMO
Chinese parents are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the US or Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument or ballet, or other classes that will give them a head start in life. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is. So parents will spend unreasonable amount of money on education. Even poor couples will buy computers for their sons or daughters.
However, what most parents fail to see is that the best education they can give to their children is usually very cheap.
Parents can see that their children’s skills vary, skilled in some areas while poor in others. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today’s children lack self-respect and self-confidence.
The reasons are that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills: they need to be confident, happy and clever.
Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework.
Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life. Cooking demands patience and time. It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and a lot of confidence. These activities are not only teaching a child to work, but rather to think, and to use his mind. And that is more important.
试题篮
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