Questions you should ask yourself when you fail

    Let's face it.We all fail.The more new things we try the more failures we are likely to have.Experiencing failure can be a learning experience and an opportunity for a fresh start.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} A good way to begin this process is by asking yourself some tough questions.

1．What can I learn from this?

    Take responsibility for what went wrong.OK，so it was not all your fault—but some of it was.Successful people don't make excuses or blame others.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Be critical but constructive.Try to look at the experience objectively.Make a list of the key things that happened.Analyze the list step－by－step and look for the learning points.

2．Do I need to acquire or improve some skills?

    Did the problem reveal some lack of skill on your part? How could you learn or improve those skills? Perhaps there are books or courses or people you could turn to.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

3．Who can I learn from?

    Is there someone whom you can turn to for advice? Did a boss，colleague or a friend see what happened? {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Most people do not ask for help because they believe it to be a sign of weakness rather than strength.It's not.It shows that you are ready to learn and change.Any good friend will be happy to help.

4．What will I do next?

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  Will you try something similar or something different? Revisit your goals and objectives.This reversal has been a setback on your journey but think of it as a diversion rather than a halt.You can now reset your sights on your destination and plan a new course.

A．Now draw up an action plan.

B．Make them stepping stones to future success.

C．They take responsibility of the failure.

D．In fact the only way to avoid failure is to do nothing new.

E．The important thing is how we deal with failure.

F．Make a self－development plan to acquire the skills and experiences you need.

G．If they are constructive and supportive then ask them for some feedback and guidance.

    For many people, history classes are seen as no more than requirements for getting degrees in chemistry, biology, business, marketing, etc. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}． Below are a few reasons why it's vital that today's people continue to learn about the past.

    Understanding where people come from plays a key role in understanding who they are.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} For this reason, it's extremely important to learn history in order to understand why people are the way that they are.   

    Through history classes, you can experience a shift (改革) in the way you think. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It's important to develop minds to be able to consider problems from different angles. Finally, this shift can improve your ability to analyze and understand situations, to make educated decisions and to learn how to weigh the consequences related to each choice before you.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The idea that history repeats itself is rooted in truth. From wars to fashion to political trends, historians are often able to make predictions about the future based upon the past. By having a deep understanding of what happened in the past, today's people can better prepare for brighter futures by making the right decisions—instead of repeating old mistakes.

    Many people may not believe that a degree in history can lead to a well-paid job. In fact, students who graduate with degrees in history can become lawyers, business owners, think tank members, educators, leaders in historical organizations writers and so on. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    Many times we tend to use our hands to explain our needs and thoughts.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}So you must be cautious when using hand gestures in communication.

    Hand gestures are a way of communicating with others and conveying your feelings. These gestures are most helpful when one is speaking to someone with no language in common. The meanings of hand gestures in different cultures may translate into different things.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Former President George W. Bush had to face a major faux pas（失礼） during a visit to Australia. He tried to signal a peace sign by waving the two-finger or V-sign at the crowd.

    You may think of this as a simple gesture, but he committed a major error.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}The meaning of this hand gesture in Australia was asking the crowd to screw themselves, a rude expression used to show you're very angry!{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Therefore, it is very important to understand the meanings of gestures before you travel to different countries.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Those considered as good gestures in one country may be termed as offensive gestures in some countries. So, if you are a frequent flier to different countries, improve your communication skills by learning the meaning of hand gestures.

A. Here is a very common example.

B. Instead of his palm facing outwards, it faced inwards.

C. The great man received warm welcome by the Australians.

D. We communicate not only by words, but by hand gestures as well.

E. A serious error committed by the then most powerful man in the world.

F. But the same hand gesture may mean something quite offensive to a person from a different cultural background.

G. Before you communicate with people in different cultures, you need to understand the meaning of gestures.

    The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modem traffic and modern communication means. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Pollution means making things dirty. It comes in many ways. We see it，smell it, drink it and even hear it Man has been polluting the earth.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Many years ago, the problem was not serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, Man moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Manis now slowly polluting the whole world. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It's bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city and from putting dirty smoke into the air. The earth is our home. We must take care of it {#blank#}5{#/blank#}And we must take care of the rise in population at the same time.

A. The more people, the more pollution.

B One of the biggest is pollution.

C. Air pollution is still the most serious.

D. Many countries are making rules to fight pollution.

E That means keeping the land, water and air clean.

F I hope scientists can find ways to solve the serious problem.

G Strange diseases have appeared in some places because of pollution.

    What happens when you want to go from one place to another, but there's water in the way？That's the problem people faced for hundreds of years in the area that is now New York City. In the city, there is a natural canal called the Narrows, separating Brooklyn on one side from Staten Island on the other.

    But the Narrows isn't really so narrow. The water is almost a mile wide, and it's more than 100 feet deep. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When they wanted to talk to each other, they climbed into their boats and sailed across.

    By the late 1800s, circumstances had changed dramatically. Population growth meant there were now many people needing to travel between Staten Island and Brooklyn for work. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Between 1888 and 1920 there were two major efforts to build a train tunnel to connect the areas. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Proposals to build a connecting bridge made during the 1910s also ended in failure due to opposition from the US Navy.

    Finally, after World War II, there were so many people living in New York City that leaders decided Brooklyn and Staten Island needed a direct connection. Since tunnels were too expensive, they decided to build a bridge. The design selected had two separate roadways stacked on top of each other. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Construction, which took five years, was completed in 1964 and cost $320 million. Today about 190,000 cars and trucks cross the bridge every day.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But in the case of the Narrows, figuring out a good solution took hundreds of years.

A. Sometimes getting from one place to another is easy.

B. Both were quickly abandoned however due to the high costs involved.

C. Neither road was large enough to satisfy the existing transport demands.

D. It was anticipated that the new train system would help the areas grow even faster.

E. Taking a boat every time was very slow, expensive and, in bad weather, unreliable.

F. Both would hang in the air from thick steel cables, supported by two giant steel towers.

G. For a long time that wasn't a problem, because only a few people lived in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

    Some are born with the ability to talk to people in any kind of situation and express their ideas. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Having no confidence can be one of the reasons why these people are afraid to talk with others. So it's necessary for them to know some ways to talk to people.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In some situations where you are finding it awkward (难为情的) to talk to people, just carry a smile, and you'll find that people will actually start talking to you!

    Using good body language during a conversation is also important. Before you start talking, make sure that you are in a good posture (姿势), and look into the eyes of the other person.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It also shows you're interested to talk to the person.

    For talking comfortably to people on the phone, you have to learn to listen actively. Here, body language is of no importance at all. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}And at the same time repeat to the person what he or she said from time to time. This shows your interest in the conversation.

    It's difficult to talk with unhappy people. Such people are less likely to talk first because of their bad state of mind. Try asking close­ended questions. For example, you can ask like this：Have you been alright lately? Or was your day a good one? {#blank#}5{#/blank#}This will help calm the other person down.

A. And this can increase your confidence.

B. However, remember to use a gentle voice.

C. Start a lively conversation with the latest events.

D. A smile is a good way to start any conversation.

E. Talking to people is not a difficult task as it may seem to be.

F. You just need to listen carefully to the person at the other end.

G. For some people, it's difficult even to start a light conversation.