Everyone knows that the Frenchmen are romantic, the Italians are fashionable and the Germans are serious. Are these just stereotypes or is there really such a thing as national character? And if there is, can it affect how a nation succeed or fail?

    At least one group of people is certain that it can. A recent survey of the top 500 entrepreneurs (企业家) in the UK found that 70% felt that their efforts were not appreciated by the British public. Britain is hostile (敌意的) to success, they said. It has a culture of jealousy(嫉妒). {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Jealousy is sometimes known as the “green – eyed monster” and the UK is its home.

    Scientists at War wich University in the UK recently tested this idea. They gathered a group of people together and gave each an imaginary amount of money.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Those given a little were given the chance to destroy the large amount of money given to others – but at the cost of losing their own. Two thirds of the people tested agreed to do this.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} . But there is also opposite evidence. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recently reported that the UK is now the world's fourth largest economy. That is not bad for people who are supposed to hate success. People in the UK also work longer hours than anyone else in Europe. So the British people are not lazy, either.

    “It is not really success that the British dislike,” says Carey Cooper, a professor of management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. “It's people using their success in a way that seems proud or unfair or which separates them from their roots.”

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They set out to do things in their way. They work long hours. By their own efforts they become millionaires. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}It hardly seems worth following their example. If they were more friendly, people would like them more. And more people want to be like them.

A. This seems to prove that the entrepreneurs were right to complain.

B. The one who owns most money in the end is the winner.

C. As a result, the survey said, entrepreneurs were “unloved, unwanted and misunderstood.”

D. It is not true that British people are born jealous of others' success.

E. Some were given a little, others a great deal.

F. But instead of being happy they complain that nobody loves them.

G. Perhaps it is the entrepreneurs who are the problem.

How to Develop Courage by Overcoming Daily Fears

    Sometimes when thinking of courage, we think 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 what 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.

    Courage comes from taking action. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 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. You cannot think courage comes just in one day.

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.

    Moving to a new place may be an exciting adventure.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you have a friend experiencing this anxiety, there are some steps you can take to make him feel more at home. Talk to your friend about his homesickness.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} This also gives you the option to share with him any strategies you have personally discovered to help overcome these feelings.

    Join your friend in discovering and adapting to the new environment. It is human nature to fear the unknown. By learning to deal with the new environment, your friend will find it easier to overcome the desire for what is familiar.

    Introduce him to new friends by including him in your social circle. These new relationships help relieve the feelings of homesickness and keep his mind off those friends he left behind.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, if he likes sports and being outdoors invite him to go hiking or camping with you and your friends.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Developing a new schedule will help him change things to where he does not need his old routine. Perhaps get him involved in an athletic club where he can boost endorphins(内啡肽) by keeping physically fit.

    Keep a positive outlook. Encourage him to see the glass half full so he can embrace this new experience instead of longing for what once was. Being positive helps your friends become more positive, so make the most of your influence{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. However, there are many ways to overcome it.

B. Burying it will only make his homesickness worse.

C. Invite him to clubs that you know he will enjoy.

D. Help him develop a new routine to replace the old one.

E. You will help him keep an active attitude to life if you are positive.

F. He could be homesick due to missing family dinners every night

G. However, following that is the anxiety that comes from a change in routine.

                                                                                             Everyday life in Britain

The weather is the most common topic in Britain. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Because in Britain the weather changes a lot. Wind, rain, sun, cloud, snow— they can all happen in Britain.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} At banks, cinemas, shops, bus stops you can always see people in queues. They stand and wait quietly, often for a long time. Each new person stands at the end of the queue—- sometimes in rain, wind or snow. They never complain and they will get quite upset when someone jumps the queue.

    Men always shake hands when they meet.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} They shook hands to show that they didn't have a sword(剑). Now shaking hands is a customer most countries. In Britain you don't shake hands with your friends or family members. But you do shake hands when you meet a person for the first time.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} And they always send birthday cards or presents. There are also other cards like Christmas cards, good luck cards, congratulations on your new baby cards and get well soon cards. They have everything for every important moment.

    British people are very superstitious (迷信的). They believe in all sorts of signs they see. For them black cats are lucky. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The more leaves you catch the more lucky you will be. On the contrary, never open an umbrella in the house and never break a mirror because they mean seven years of bad luck.

A. Shopping is another common topic in Britain. 

B. Another common thing is Britain is queuing.

C. Hundreds of years ago, soldiers began this custom. 

D. In autumn if you catch falling leaves you are lucky.

E. Why do the British talk about the weather so often?

F. They also pay attention to tiny details like your birthday.

G. Never walk under a ladder, and don't walk past somebody on the stairs.

    Lavender essential oil (熏衣草精油) is obtained mostly from the flowers of the lavender plant. It has not only been used in making perfumes for many years but also has various health benefits.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Lavender essential oil is known as an excellent treatment for various types of pains including those caused by sore and tense muscles, muscular aches, backache, and So on. A study on postoperative pain relief showed that combining lavender essential oil vapor with the oxygen significantly reduced the amount of pain experienced.

    Induce (引起) sleep. Frequent studies on elderly patients have shown an increase in their sleep regularity when their normal sleep medication is replaced with some lavender essential oil being placed on their pillows. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Therefore, it often replaces modern medicines for sleep issues.

    Reduce mental stress and anxiety. Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent treatment for the nerve and anxiety issues. The refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness while also increasing mental activity. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Provide hair care. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}A Scottish study reported that more than 40% of alopecia(脱发)patients in the study reported an increase in hair growth when they regularly applied lavender essential oil to the skin under their hair. Therefore, lavender oil is sometimes recommended as a preventative measure for male pattern hairlessness.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}There is a significant research on the effects of lavender, in combination with other essential oils, as a way to prevent the occurrence of breast cancer in mice. However, this could be an indication of an increased chance of lavender battling the presence of other cancers.

A. Prevent cancer.

B. Relieve muscle pain.

C. It has a relaxing impact on people.

D. Promote muscle strength and health.

E. It has a well-researched impact on the automatic nervous system.

F. Lavender essential oil is very helpful in the treatment of hair loss.

G. Therefore, it can be helpful in treating depression, nervous tension and emotional stress.

    It is believed that raisins were discovered in the Middle East, where they were treasured. Any food that wouldn't spoil in the hot sun was very valuable. Prehistoric drawings in France show that raisins have been enjoyed in southern Europe for thousands of years.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} In 1000 B. C. the Jews paid their taxes with raisins. Two jars of raisins in ancient Rome could buy one slave boy{#blank#}2{#/blank#} In North America, the original mistake of leaving grapes to wither(枯萎)on the vine was not the only time raisins accidentally became popular. In the 1870s many people were growing grapes in California. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Most Americans had never heard of raisins at that time. In September, 1873 a severe heat wave struck the area. Before the growers could pick all their grapes, the heat shriveled(使枯萎)them on the vine. The grapes were lost. One grower took the dried grapes to a grocer in San Francisco. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The new accidental raisins grew into a major industry in California. Today almost all the raisins eaten in the United States are grown in California. California produces a third of the world's raisins.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Raisins also provide potassium, magnesium, calcium and certain B vitamins. Without added preservatives(防腐剂), raisins will stay fresh, delicious and nutritious if kept in a cool place. Raisins are tiny, portable and above all delicious.

A. The grapes were either eaten as fresh fruit or were made into wine.

B. The grocer's customers discovered that raisins made a delicious treat.

C. They have been used for necklaces and as religious symbols.

D. The grocer was unwilling to buy the dried grapes.

E. Raisins are high in iron, which is important to children's growing bodies.

F. Roman doctors believed raisins could cure anything from mushroom poisoning to old age.

G. Raisins are children's favorite snacks