I was ten when I first sat with my grandmother behind the cashier（收银台）in her general store. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I quickly learned the importance of treating customers politely and saying “thank you.”

    At first I was paid in candy{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I worked every day after school, and during the summer and on weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. My father helped me set up a bank account. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    By the time I was 12, My grandmother thought I had done such a good job that she promoted me to selling cosmetics（化妆品）. I developed the ability to look customers directly in the eye. Even though I was just a kid, women would ask me such things as “What color do you think I should wear?” I took a real interest in their questions and was able to translate what they wanted into makeup（化妆）ideas. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

The job taught me a valuable lesson: to be a successful salesperson, you didn't need to be a Rocket scientist—you needed to be a great listener. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Except they are no longer women purchasing cosmetics from me; instead, they are kids who tell me which toys they would like to see designed and developed.

Common public speaking problems

    The use of “I feel”, “I think” and “maybe”

    In the question-and-answer session of the speaking competition, many contestants began their answers with uncertain expressions like “I feel”, “I guess”, “I hear”, “maybe” and “perhaps”. These words show that the person is only speaking from his or her point of view{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Work on keeping your answers brief and to the point{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead of the empty-sounding “I guess”, using facts, together with a clear conclusion based on those facts, is far more likely to be popular with an audience.

Using only one speaking style

    “Don't stick to the same tone{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, when they spoke about their dreams some sounded romatic. Others used humor. Very few used several different styles together. Try mixing more than one style, rather than just sticking with the same one.

    Irresponsible answers

    Public speaking is different from personal conversations. You're responsible for your words{#blank#}4{#/blank#}So you should think twice before you talk. Don't belike the student who, when asked about his opinion on book piracy（盗版）, started by saying he supported it.

    Talking around the topic rather than directly answering it

    You should focus on one point and give a clear solution. The key is to work out what question is being asked. Is it asking you to discuss a certain topic or to present your own point of view?

    Use one or two arguments together and give a strong conclusion{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It can be boring. Try to mix it up.

B. Also work on delivering them with calmness and confidence.

C. Even though you want to answer quickly, you don't want to sound foolish.

D. This lacks the support of facts and seems not to be reliable for the judges and audience.

E. Remember that judges are not judging you on whether they agree, but on your ability to say what you think clearly.

F. Confidence is extremely important in public speaking as it lets a speaker sound more convincing.

G. Deliberate gestures and affected（做作的）expressions of feelings are improper in a successful speech.

    Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.

    Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons (神经元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

    If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information — our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

    Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.

A. We should also try to sleep well the night before.

B. It's as if the brain is preserving its most important memories.

C. That's why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

D. Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

E. The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories.

F. Tononi's team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice.

G. “Sleep is the price we pay for learning,” says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea.

    The art of growing dwarf(矮小的)trees, or "bonsai"(盆栽)as their Japanese planters call them, is increasing in popularity in the United States. Growing bonsai can make a fascinating hobby for anyone who enjoys plants and creating beautiful effects with them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    In growing bonsai, in fact, one must be careful in choosing the type of tree, as the growing conditions are unusual.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Varieties of pines with small needles and hardwood trunks are especially suitable.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}This is necessary because the major growth of bonsai is kept confined(被限制) to the tree's trunk and leaves, not its root system-a process quite unlike what is done with other plants.

    Another thing the bonsai-grower must do is to trim(修整)the roots and branches of the tree periodically (定期地). Unless this is done, the plants will not have the proper proportions(比例) and will look unnatural.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    The last thing one must do is to be careful to keep the tree well-watered. Because bonsai are grown in smaller-than-usual containers, they often need more water than ordinary houseplants do.

    As can be seen from the above, the art of bonsai-growing is one which requires a certain amount of time and effort.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Imagine having such a tree in your living room and passing it down through several generations of your family. That is exactly what bonsai-growing is all about: establishing a tradition of beauty which lasts for years and years and is a symbol of the beauties of the natural world.

A. Then one must be careful in choosing the size of the container.

B. How can we meet the goal of making such a kind of art?

C. Why do so many people take a fancy to the art of bonsai-growing.

D. But one must get well prepared before starting bonsai-growing.

E. The satisfactions that growing bonsai brings can be great, however.

F. The ideal for bonsai plants are trees just like normal trees in everything but size.

G. Not all species of trees can be made into bonsai.

Tips to fight summer weight gain

    When we think of summer, most of us think of outdoor fun. So it seems like we should naturally lose weight over the summer — not gain it. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Lots of summer activities can work against our efforts to stay at a healthy weight. The good news is that it's easy to avoid problems if we know what to look out for.

    Get going with goals. When we don't have a plan, it's easy to spend summer moving from couch to computer, with regular stops at the fridge. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Just be sure to plan for some downtime so you can relax a little!

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} With school out, we lose our daily routines. If you don't have a specific job or activity to get up for, it's easy to sleep late, watch too much TV, and snack more than usual. Make sure your summer days have some structure — like getting up at the same time each day and eating meals at set times. Plan activities for specific times, like exercising before breakfast, for example. If you have time on your hands, offer to make dinner a couple of nights a week so your family can enjoy a sit-down meal together.

    Think about what and how you eat. Summer means picnics and barbecues — activities that revolve around an unlimited spread of food. Pace yourself. Don't overload your plate. Avoid going back for seconds and thirds. Choose seasonal, healthy foods like fresh fruit instead of high-sugar, high-fat desserts. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Stay busy. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In addition to helping you avoid the cookie jar, filling your days with stuff to do can give you a sense of accomplishment. That's especially true if a dream summer job or planned activity fell through. Limit your screen time — including TV, computer, and video games — to no more than 2 hours a day.

A. Stick to a schedule.

B. Plan more activities.

C. Appropriate summer eating sets you up on the right track!

D. Most of us, however, don't take summer weight gain seriously.

E. In reality, though, summer isn't all about beach volleyball and water sports.

F. When we're bored, it's easy to fall into a trap of doing nothing and then feeling low on energy.

G. Avoid this by setting a specific aim, like volunteering, mastering a new skill, or working at a job.

    Confidence is a skill that many folks want to master, but have a hard time acquiring. Have you ever wondered why? Possibly you were born confident. You were talked to negatively as a child or maybe you were rejected many times. Whatever the case is, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    But how to boost your confidence?

    Act as if .Begin to act as if you are confident. Act as the person you would want to be like. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Surround yourself with people who you think are confident and have high value. You will learn so much from observing other confident folks.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. One of the most areas that you need to pay attention to is your self-talk. Your thoughts about your capabilities and self-worth need to be positive and encouraging. Whenever you notice you think negatively, pause and take a moment, and shift your focus to something that can help you feel better about yourself.

    Go after your goals. If you are really serious about building self-confidence, you need to identify your goals and go after then. The more you add to your accomplishments, the more confident you will feel about your abilities and skills. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    By using these steps to boost your confidence, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Always stay positive

B. Improve your positive self-talk

C. Begin to think and behave like them

D. This requires you to know what a confident person looks like

E. you will be on the path to improving your self-esteem and self-worth

F. You'll begin to trust your inner self more and appreciate yourself more

G. you should know you can improve your self-esteem and build confidence