If you're looking for a challenging situation to practice your English, pick up the phone. Not being able to see the other person and the body language can make the chatting difficult. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are some tips to guide you through an average phone conversation in English.

1)．Greetings

    Every phone call should begin with a polite greeting such as “Hi, how've you been？” or “Nice to hear from you”. Even if you're calling a business contact for a specific purpose, it'd be rude to jump right into business.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

2)．Getting to the point

    There always comes the point where you want to move on from friendly chatting and get down to business. What should you do in this situation? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, if you are waiting to find out why someone called you, you can guide the conversation by saying “So what can I do for you？”

3)．Interrupting without offence

    Sometimes you may happen to be speaking with a very talkative person. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Keep in mind when you'd like to interrupt, and be sure to do it politely. For example, begin with “I'd like to say something here”．

4)．Closing the call

    This can be the trickiest part of the conversation! It may be the time to offer good wishes if it's appropriate. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Sometimes it's easiest to just say you enjoyed speaking to the other person. Also remember cleverly saying the word well at the beginning of a sentence can indicate you're ready to end the conversation.

    My mother is a diligent and kind woman. She is very busy from morning till night. As a teacher, she works hard. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Both my brother and I love her dearly as she loves us.

    My mother has been teaching math at a middle school in my hometown. She goes to work early in the morning and does not return home until late in the afternoon. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} She treats them with patience and teaches them well. For her excellent quality and very good teaching results, she has been elected as a model teacher several times.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Every day, when she comes back home from work, she sets about doing housework, sweeping the living room and bedrooms or cleaning the furniture, and putting everything in good order. She seems to be busy all the time. As she has been very busy working every day, she looks older than her age. But she looks as cheerful and happy as ever. Mother never buys expensive dresses for herself, but she often buys some inexpensive but high quality clothes for us. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} She just eats a plain meal outside when she is too busy to cook herself. She lives a busy yet simple life, without any complaints.

    Often she says to us, “work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy and gay. If you do not work, you will become lazy and be of no use to society”. What a piece of good advice this is! {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This advice of hers will always serve as a guide to my behavior. My mother is great indeed, and I always feel proud of her.

A. She enjoys listening to classic music.

B. As a mother, she takes good care of us and gives us every comfort.

C. She loves her students and cares for them.

D. She never goes to expensive restaurants to enjoy meals.

E. My mother is hard-working and never wastes money.

F. I never forget it and always bear it in my mind.

G. Can you tell us something about your mother?

    Are you planning to go to university? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Perhaps you will be choosing the classes you want to take, finding accommodation and enrolling in other activities. However, if you go to university in Chile there is something extra you must do before you can begin.

    An essential part of starting university in Chile is the “mechoneo”{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Students beginning their first year at university are “welcomed” by the older university students. They are taken from their classrooms on an unknown day and blindfolded. The older students tear their clothes, cut their hair, and cover them in raw eggs and other disgusting things.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This will be based on how well the students do the activities, and many students try very hard as they want to be the king or queen of the year. The older students then take away everything of the younger students and tell them they must go out onto the street and ask people for money. They will need to bring back a certain amount of money in order to be given their things back.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    During March it is common to see new university students all around town wearing ripped, dirty clothes and covered in paint and mess. But the “mechoneo” is increasingly a source of dispute and debate. Some students see it as an important tradition and a unique experience that help new arrivals get to know everyone.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} There have been campaigns to ban or soften it in favour of more “positive welcomes'', and student organizations in some universities have voted to end the “mechoneo” completely.

A. It is an ancient university tradition here.

B. The younger students are forced to do games in dirty places.

C. The “queen mechona” and “king mechon” are chosen that day.

D. They have to do games and take up challenges for a whole day.

E. But others find it abusive, like a form of bullying.

F. What do you think you need to do in the first few weeks?

G. The money is then used to have a massive welcome party at night-time.

    Are you trying to find ways to be more efficient at your job? If so, please follow these habits of naturally productive people.

    They take breaks. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Studies show that prolonged tasks that require high levels of focus, energy, and attention can cause you to become less productive and focused over time. Take brief mental breaks. Setting aside a little time here and there to release your focus can significantly help maintain it for longer periods of time.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Settle down, super men and women. While it's fine to pride yourself on your abilities to multitask, it's in your best interest (and your employer's) if you stick to one to-do at a time. Somewhere along the lines, our culture has embraced and promoted this idea that the more we can do at once, the better. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In fact, the more we multi-task, the less efficient and productive we become in all the tasks we are trying to accomplish.

    They have a full night's sleep. In school, you may have found that too many students stay up late to finish a paper or study for an exam, but, despite your best efforts, research shows this is not the way to do business. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Actually, studies have linked insufficient sleep to decreased levels of productivity, unsatisfactory work performance, and poorer safety outcomes.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You know the countless benefits of exercise. It also seriously improves your mood by releasing something to relieve stress and increase your brains productivity. Even 30-minute bursts of moderate-to-high physical activity just three to four times a day can go a long way in helping you accomplish your personal and professional goals.

A. They value fitness.

B. Pressing pause Is Important.

C. They prefer to do more every day.

D. However, research shows the opposite.

E. They don't try to do everything at once.

F Enough sleep makes great contribution to efficient work.

G. Poor sleep or lack of sleep carries some pretty negative rewards.

    If you are like millions of people around the world, the New Year brings with it new goals. But you get busy. Yet, your goal remains important. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Identify specific goals.

    As you identify your goals, be specific. If a goal is too general, it may be hard to pursue, let alone achieve it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That's a fine idea. Yet psychologists might say as a goal, it is too general. To make the goal more specific, you could sign up for a regular exercise class.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Experts say writing down your goals is important. It gets the goals out of your brain and into the real world. Some psychologists suggest that writing a goal on paper is better than typing it on a device or saying it into your phone. Your brain receives information differently when it comes from handwriting. Writing has another benefit: You can post your goals somewhere as a reminder.

    Break down big goals into small ones.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Some can be quite big. And for those bigger goals, experts suggest breaking them down into smaller ones. Say you want to work for yourself. You decide to start your own comp any that supplies food for special events. That is a very big goal. But it is made up of many smaller goals. So, identify them, write them down and set for yourself time limits.

    Tell a friend.

    Telling someone your goals is also helpful. If someone else knows about your goals, you are held responsible for any progress or lack of progress. You feel the pressure of your friend's op inion of you. That can be a big pressure! {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Write your goals down.

B. Not all goals are created equal.

C. Keep your life goals as a reminder.

D. Say your goal is to get in better physical shape.

E. You are bound to achieve your goals if you are determined.

F. So how can we find time to work on these larger life goals?

G. Many people do not want to let others down, especially friends and family.

    Five Things to Do in a Traffic JamTired of traffic jams? Here are some tips that can help you to calm down in a traffic jam. Listen to CD audio book. It's a good idea to keep several audio books in your car. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Listening to an exciting story is more interesting than sitting silently and being bored. Sing loudly. If you begin getting angry because of a long traffic jam, turn your CD player on or radio up. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Imagine you're a wonderful singer and the audience is listening to you in admiration. Your stress will disappear. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.You can use the radio and play entertaining games while waiting. For example, you can guess the song or the singer or to see how quickly you can recognize a new song. Have a snack Keeping a tasty snack in the car is especially good for waiting in traffic jams. Choose what you like most of all, so you will look forward to traffic jams to have a chance to eat the delicious snack. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}In that case, time is the last thing to worry about. Argue with the radio talk show host Find a station with a radio talk show.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you disagree, you can show your anger. Don't be afraid to call their ideas stupid. Only make sure that the car windows are closed so no one may hear you. Sitting in a traffic jam can be very stressful but next time you can use these simple tips, and you won't notice how long you have been waiting and soon you will be on your way.

A. Play games

B. Use the radio.

C. Enjoy every bite of it.

D. Listen to their debates carefully.

E. Loud singing can help to reduce stress.

F. Begin to enjoy them as quickly as you can.

G. The storyteller's voice can clear all your bad emotions.