Speaking to Develop Self-confidence

Overcoming stage fright

    Most people are nervous about public speaking. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you know that your topic is interesting, and that your material is well organized, you have already reduced a major worry.

Facial expressions

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} During your speech try to change your facial expressions to convey the emotions that you feel. Throughout your speech you need to use expressive facial expressions.

Eye contact

    When you speak, you should look your audience straight in the eye. The idea is to give the impression that you are talking to each individual in your audience. If you have a large audience, try to look at people in the middle of the room, then slowly look to the right side of the room, then to the left side, then back to the center of the room. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This will give the audience the idea that you are not interested in your topic or in them.

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    Enthusiasm is being lively and showing your own personal concern for your subject and your audience. If you are truly interested in your topic, your delivery is certain to be enthusiastic and lively.

Varying speaking rate

    Your words should not be too fast or too slow. If you speak too slowly you will bore your audience. If you speak too rapidly you will be difficult to understand. Adapt your rate to the content of your speech. For example, if you are explaining complex information, slow down. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. If you are nervous , take a few steps to your right or left while speaking.

B. Smiling before you start your speech shows that you are not nervous.

C. The best way to cope with nervousness is to be really well prepared.

D. If you are happy or enthusiastic, you should speed up.

E. Don't look at the floor, the ceiling or out the window.

F. Speaking with enthusiasm

G. Inspiring your audience

    I like travelling very much.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}They are wonderful adventures filled with new sights and experiences. And my wife and I have another trip in the planning stages．

    We're home now and have settled back into our daily routine of life.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I find that when I am at home, particularly for a while when we have just returned from a trip, I feel very comfortable. Perhaps it is because everything around me is familiar and the daily routine is so much the same and I can move through it almost without thinking.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Perhaps it is because we can have meals at home instead of always being in restaurants, although it's nice to let someone else do the cooking, and because I can sleep in my own bed. There are times I think it would be nice to simply stop travelling and stay home．{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Yet I guess I am probably a restless soul because I know that after I have been home for a while I will start to think about other places we might go and other things we want to see.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} We will travel again and we feel fortunate to be able to do so. Still, one of the best things about travelling for me is coming home. I'm very comfortable here at home even if it is difficult to say exactly why．

A. I enjoy local food while travelling．

B. I like being home，for whatever reason．

C. Perhaps it is because our friends are here．

D. And I enjoy my daily life at home so much．

E. It's lucky that my wife and I both love travelling.

F. The world is filled with people who are travelholic．

G. I have been fortunate enough to make trips to many countries.

    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 classical 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?

    Sticking to your body's natural sleep-wake cycle is one of the most important strategies for achieving good sleep. If you keep a regular sleep schedule, you will feel much more refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times. This holds true even if you change your sleep schedule by only an hour or two.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Try the following ways to help you stick to your body clock, and you will have a better sleep.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Keeping a regular sleep-wake schedule helps set your body's internal clock and improve the quality of your sleep. Start by setting realistic bedtime that will work with your lifestyle.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you're getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm. If you need an alarm clock to wake up on time, you may need to set earlier bedtime.

    Avoid sleeping in — even on weekends or nights you've stayed up late.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you need to make up for late night, choose a daytime nap rather than sleeping in. This way allows you to pay off your sleep debt with disturbing your natural sleep-wake rhythm.

    Be smart about napping. As mentioned above, napping is a good way to recharge and make up for lost sleep hours. But if you tend to have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night, napping can make things worse.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Besides, limiting them to 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon is a good idea.

A. Never sleep after dinner.

B. Consistency is vitally important.

C. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day.

D. Don't turn to sleeping pills every time you can't sleep quickly.

E. If sleeplessness is a problem for you，consider ridding naps altogether.

F. Choose a time when you normally feel tired, so that you will fall fast asleep.

G. The more your weekend / weekday sleep schedules differ, the worse the jet lag-like symptoms you will experience.

How to Get Rid of a Cold Naturally Fast

    Although a cold usually goes away on its own within 4-7 days, you can ease your symptoms to feel better faster. You can get rid of a cold both naturally and fast by clearing your nasal passages with non-medical options. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. However, if you experience symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing or fever or your symptoms don't improve, see your doctor immediately.

    ①Clear Your Nasal Passages

    Blow your nose correctly. While it's important to blow your nose while you have a cold, don't blow too explosively. The pressure from blowing hard can impact your ears, giving you an earache on top of your cold. Be sure to blow gently, and only as often as necessary. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    ②Help Your Body Feel Better Faster

    Drinking plenty of warm fluids makes you feel better faster and relieves cold symptoms such as a runny nose, cough, sneezing, and sore throat.

    Consume vitamin C, which can help strengthen your immune system. Citrus fruits, red and green peppers, kiwifruit, spinach, and other raw fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamin C.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Try to take plenty of naps during the day, since having a cold can make you feel run—down and you need to keep up your strength.

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    See your doctor immediately if you have shortness of breath or wheezing. Any time you're having trouble breathing, it's an emergency situation.

    Visit your doctor for a fever above 101.3℉ (38.5℃) or lasting 5 days. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Babies under the age of 12 weeks need medical care for a fever of 100.4℉ (38.0℃) or greater.

    If your symptoms don't seem to be going away in 7 days, then your infection could be worsening. It's best to see your doctor to make sure you're getting the proper treatment.

    Many people think of guys as being carefree when it comes to their appearance. But in fact, a lot of guys spend plenty of time in front of the mirror. They care just as much as girls do about their body image.

    Body image is a person's opinions and feelings about his or her own body and physical appearance. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You appreciate your body for its capabilities and accept its imperfections.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Here are some ideas.

    Recognize your strengths.

    Different body types are good for different things. What does your body do well? Maybe your speed, strength, or coordination (协调) makes you better than others at a certain sport. That may be basketball, table tennis, mountain biking, dancing, or even running. Or perhaps you have non-sports skills, like drawing, painting, singing, playing a musical instrument, writing, or acting, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Exercise regularly.

    Exercise can help you look well and feel good about yourself Good physiques (体形) don't just happen. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A healthy habit can be as simple as exercising 20 minutes to 1 hour three days a week Working out can also lift your spirits.

    Respect your body!

    Practicing good habits—showering regularly; taking care of your teeth, hair, and skin; wearing clean clothes, and so on can help you build a positive body image.

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    Your body is just one part of who you are. Your talent for comedy a quick wit (智慧), and all the other things make you unique. So try not to let small imperfections take over.