How to develop courage by overcoming daily fears

    At times, when it comes to courage, we tend to believe it only applies to rare and uncommon situations. Yet our ordinary lives can also be full of courage, even if we are not facing the end of a gun, a wild animal or a dangerous criminal. Courage doesn't just mean doing heroic acts.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} In fact, where there is fear on a daily basis, there are opportunities for you to show your courage. Here are some suggestions to develop courage by overcoming daily fears.

    Recognizing your fears.

    By realizing that you're fearful, you are more likely to get to the bottom of what your fear is.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You might come to understand that you're afraid of failing or taking chances. You may be fearful simply because you don't have confidence in yourself. The key is not to dwell on your fear, but rather to understand what it is that you're worried about.

    Ask yourself what is the worst that can happen.

    If you hesitate to take action, ask yourself this: what's the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then go on to improve on the worst. Is failure the worst thing that can happen? No, absolutely not.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Doing nothing is actually the worst thing that can happen. When you take no action, you are assured of getting nowhere.

    Take action.

   {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  You cannot think courage comes just in one day. You need to act to overcome your fear. Your action may put you into discomfort, but you have to just do it. And your action can prevent you from being stuck.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} To build up your confidence, you need to do the same thing over and over again. Soon you will discover that less courage is needed because you have already gained mastery. You are able to move decisively forward.

A. Share your fears with others.

B. Practice, practice and practice.

C. So you are already in a comfort zone.

D. Courage comes from taking action

E. Each undesired result is just one more step towards your goal.

F. Finding out what is truly holding you back,

G. You needn't wait for an emergency to occur to develop courage.

How to Introduce Yourself Before Giving a Speech

    Greet the audience and state your name. If you're giving a speech, it's important to state your first and last name. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Don't state down or at some aimless point in the corner of the room. If you don't like the thought of looking into that many eyes, look at their eyebrows or noses—they won't be able to tell the difference.

    Share some relevant（相关的）information about yourself. After you provide your name, share why you and the speech are relevant, making sure you provide something believable. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you're giving a speech about the importance of eating organic foods, tell people that you're a scientist, chef, or environmental professional. If you're giving a speech about child development, be sure to include that you are a child psychologist.

    Communicate effectively. From the very start, make sure your voice is loud enough for everyone to hear you. You can even ask the audience if you are speaking loudly enough for all to hear. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Move your body. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Stand up tall, move your shoulders back, and keep your hands free, using them to gesture when necessary. You can walk around to show the crowd how comfortable you are and to make yourself look less stiff.

A. Make eye contact with a few people.

B. Focus just on what you are going to talk about.

C. Stand with good posture（姿势）, and move freely while you speak.

D. As you say hello and give your name, remember to speak clearly and confidently.

E. It depends on the context of the conversation, but start off by telling something about yourself.

F. People will not be able to understand you or respect what you are sharing if they cannot hear you.

G. The sort of information you share will depend on the audience and the subject you'll talk about.

    Too many of us are waiting too long to live our best lives. We keep putting everything off until tomorrow. Then, before we know it, we find ourselves asking, "How did it get so late so soon?"

    So we'd better make today the beginning of our new life. Take time to figure ourselves out. Take time to realize what we want and need. Take time to love, laugh, cry, and learn. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are five things we should start doing today:

    Accept ourselves. The secret to happiness and success is the acceptance of ourselves. We will never become who we want to be if we rely on everyone else to qualify us.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} So always go with ourselves, never against ourselves. Be who we were created to be and we will set the world on fire.

    Make ourselves a priority. To tell the truth, there are only a few people in this world who will stay 100% true to us, so we should stay true to ourselves. Put our own needs into the list of things to do.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Don't sit back and let things happen to us. Go out and make things happen. We are what we do, not what we say we'll do. Stop saying "I wish" and start saying "I will". Turn our dreams into plans.

    Do the work. We can't underestimate (低估) a person who always works hard. Be that person. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Always remember that the task ahead of us is never greater than the strength within us. Do what's right, not what's easy. Our dreams are worth it.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}We can't force things to happen; we can only drive ourselves trying crazily. There's a time and place for everything. So don't force what's not yet supposed to fit into our life. When it's meant to be, it will be. Work hard, and be patient.

A. Take positive action.

B. Enjoy every moment of life.

C. Life is shorter than it often seems.

D. Everyone has a different way of life.

E. Accept ourselves just the way we are.

F. Allow life to happen like it's supposed to.

G. In life, we don't get what we wish for; we get what we work for.

How to stay focused in class

    Being relaxed during class is a bad habit, and it is also bad to your grade. Focusing in class not only proves to teachers that you are a capable student but also shows that you have the ability to control yourself, which will be very important.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} No matter how much you want to sit with your friends during the class, try your best to avoid them. Talking with friends around you is not going to give you the focus in class. This will get you into trouble.

    Look at teacher and make eye contact. Your teacher is not just standing up there talking.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Show the teacher that he or she has your full attention by looking them in the eye. This person should have your full attention at all times during class.

Take notes. By taking notes, you'll be able to "get into" the lesson. Write down key points as your teacher speaks. And listen to the key phrases such as "This is important" "This is the main idea" "This will be the test" etc.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Get involved in class discussions. This is a wonderful way to become a more focused, successful student. When a teacher asks a question, offer to answer it.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} This shows the teacher that you are listening carefully during the class.

    Ask a question.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This really shows your teacher that you want to be better, and can recognize the things you are having difficulty with. Chances are that someone else in the class has the same question （and was too afraid to ask!）. They'll be relieved, and so will you.

A. Avoid sitting with friends.

B. This can help you listen more attentively.

C. If he or she ask for an opinion, share your own.

D. Talking with friends makes you lose interest in class.

E. He or she is trying to give you an acceptable education.

F. The more quickly you answer, the more attention you pay.

G. If you don't understand something, never be afraid to ask.

    What is happiness? When you can feel inner peace and satisfaction, you are happy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} This usually happens when we do something we love or achieve something that we value. It is our opinions that make us feel happy or unhappy. All of us constantly go through various situations or conditions, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Try hard to make a change of the way you look at things. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} That means looking at the good and positive side of every situation. Pay attention to solutions, not problems. Listen to relaxing and uplifting music. Watch funny and interesting programs that make you laugh.

    Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't done. Look at what you can do, not at what you cannot do. Each day do at least one act to make others happy. When you make someone happy, you'll become happy, and then people will try to make you happy. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} On the contrary, be happy for their happiness. Communicate with happy people and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, do your best to stay detached (冷静的) when things do not occur as intended and desired. Detachment has much to do with inner peace. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Chinese culture values family bonds very much. Family members don't just gather during the holidays. In fact they often live under one roof all year round. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Families in the East and West are very different from each other.

    In most East Asian cultures, extended families are common. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} According to the Atlantic, 90 percent of children in Shanghai and 70 percent of children in Beijing were cared for by their grandparents. Chinese people believe that "a grandparent is a treasure to their family".

    In many Western countries, most families are nuclear families (小家庭). These are solely made up of children and their parents.

    Additionally, the duties parents have toward their children can also differ.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    It's normal for parents to pay for their children's college, help them find a job, or buy them an apartment. Chinese adults also follow their parents' opinions when making major life decisions, more often than not.

    In most Western countries, however, kids usually move out of the house after they turn 18.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Also, if they choose to keep living with their parents after becoming an adult, it can be seen by some as a failure on their part.

    While the East cares more about close family bonds, the West values privacy and independence. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Families will always be a source of love, warmth, and care for people around the world.

A. These families have three or even four generations living together

B. Nuclear families are the most common type in China.

C. In China, many parents look after their children all the way into adulthood.

D. Different cultures have different family values.

E. But in the end, home is best 一 east or west.

F. Many young people going to college often need to take out loans and work part-time jobs in order to pay for tuition and rent.

G. Both Easterners and Westerners value quality family time.