{#blank#}1{#/blank#} People use money to buy food, furniture, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things they need or want. When they work ，they usually get paid in money.

    Most of the money today is made of metal or paper. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} One of the first kinds of money was shells.

    Shells were not the only things used as money. In China, cloth and knives were used. In the Philippine Islands, rice was used as money for a long time. Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used as money in parts of Africa.

    The first metal coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the centre. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Different countries have used different metals and designs for their money. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Sweden and Russia used copper to make their money. Later some countries began to make coins of gold and silver.

    But even gold and silver were inconvenient if you had to buy something expensive. Again the Chinese thought of a way to improve money. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The first paper money looked more like a note from one person to another than the paper money used today.

    Money has had an interesting history from the days of shell money until today.

A. The first coins in England were made of tin (锡)．

B. But people used to use all kinds of things as money.

C. No one knows for certain when people began to use money.

D. People strung(串连) them together and carried them from place to place.

E. Money, as we know，is all made of paper.

F. They began to use paper money.

G. Today anyone will accept money in exchange for goods and services.

    Having a shy style isn't necessarily a problem. It's OK to take time to warm up to new people and situations.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some people want to feel less shy so they can enjoy socializing and being themselves around others. Here are some tips on overcoming shy feelings.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Practice social behaviors like eye contact, confident body language, introductions, small talk, asking questions, and invitations with people you feel most comfortable around. Smile and build your confidence.

    Think of some conversation starters. Often the hardest part of talking to someone new is getting started. Think of conversation openers, like introducing yourself, giving a compliment (赞美), or asking a question.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    Rehearse (排练) what to say. When you are ready to try something you've been avoiding because of shyness — like a phone call or a conversation, write down what you want to say. Read it out loud in front of a mirror. Then just do your social activities.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Few of the things that more confident people do are perfect, either.

    Give yourself a chance.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Practice socializing with these new people and get to know them slowly. People who are shy often worry about failing or how others will judge them. Don't let these worries and feelings keep you from trying.

A. Start small with people you know.  

B. Then you can start smiling and saying “hello” in real life.

C. One of the best ways to get over shyness is to believe in yourself.

D. Find group activities where you can be with people who share your interests.

E. Being ready with a conversation starter makes it easier to approach someone.

F. Don't worry if they're not exactly like you have practiced or they're not perfect.

G. But shyness prevents some people from being as comfortable as they'd like to be.

How to Deal With Travel Anxiety Abroad

    Traveling abroad offers many benefits. But for those suffering from anxiety, travelling in a new country they know little about can be challenging.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Take a notebook. A notebook is the perfect choice to keep your trip organized! It can be used to detail the itinerary (行程) and map important locations{#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, whenever you feel bored, you can find a quiet place to sit and draw as you like.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The biggest travelling fears can be getting lost, losing smartphones or having passports stolen. So to deal with such nerves, think of possible ways in advance for all the situations before travelling.

    Socialize with strangers.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}But when you're traveling, you have to talk with others.

    You'll find plenty of people willing to recommend new places or share their experiences.

    Be proud of how far you've come. Things are not always going as you like. There is nothing better than some positive words to make yourself calm and confident that things will get better and you're doing the right thing.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Don't ruin all the progress you've been making.

All in all, anxiety can strike anytime. Positive thoughts and preparedness can help you go on and get lost in a new culture — you'll be glad you did!

A. It is also important to record details.

B. Try to keep your emotions in control.

C. It can bring some other benefits as well.

D. You may be a person with social anxiety.

E. Create plans for some issues ahead of time.

F. Fortunately, there are ways of managing this fear.

G. These tips will change your opinion about travelling.

    When you ask people how to make friends as an adult, they usually give you suggestions like, “just get out there,” “join a dance class,” or , “try speed dating.”{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    After all, making friends does require us to get out into the world and take a few emotional risks. Most of the time, however, we are not lacking for ideas on where to meet people. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    For this reason, most people find that reconnecting with themselves is a first step towards reconnecting with others.

    If you feel tired, out of shape, or sad, most of the time, making friends is going to be extremely difficult. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Start small. Use the1-minute technique to gradually increase your commitment to exercise. Get out into nature. Set a timer to remind yourself to get up every hour to stretch. Try gentle yoga.

    While you build up your body, don't forget to nourish your mind. Write down one thing every day that you are grateful for. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Learn to become your own best friend.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Instead of relying on our social circumstances to bring people into our lives, we need to change ourselves first and then invite people into our lives.

A. On the surface, these are fine suggestions.

B. Spend a few minutes every day in reflection.

C. It will be even more difficult when you are an adult.

D. We only need to know how to start a conversation with strangers.

E. We are missing the motivation and self-confidence to get started.

F. Making friends as an adult is possible, but it requires a new approach.

G. Fortunately there are plenty of simple things that you can do to increase your physical and emotional resources.

    If something that you're doing doesn't challenge you, then it doesn't change you. We all need some normal stress in our lives, after all.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} So challenge the following limits:

    ⒈Figure out what you're scared of and do it continuously.

    If you're a salesman, and you're scared of talking to people personally or over the phone now, instead of being scared and thinking you'll fail, spend at least five minutes a day to pick up the phone and make a call. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But don't stop on the first try! Eventually, you can look at fear in the eye and say, “Go on. I'm not scared!”

    ⒉{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Make sure this hobby is not linked to your career; you have to relax and relieve your stress while performing this. Some examples might be cooking, sewing, painting and so on. Apart from helping you challenge yourself, taking a class for your hobby may also give you extra income.

    ⒊Set aside at least nine minutes a day for physical exercise.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A simple 9-minute run around your neighborhood can do wonders for yourself. Exercise can not only help you maintain your regular weight, but also make you feel better about yourself.

    ⒋Travel and allow yourself to be interested in new people.

Don't just limit yourself to your fellow travelers—-try to connect with the service staff. You never know what kind of people they're going to be. Get out of your house or go online right now to book your class. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. You should do it continuously.

B. Someone may hang up on you.

C. You don't need to go to the gym.

D. Running in the gym may be a better choice.

E. Start to travel now and learn to challenge yourself.

F. Take a class for a hobby you've been wanting to develop.

G. You can never see any improvement if you stick to your comfort zone.

Films and computer games

    In just a few decades the gaming industry has become much bigger than the film business. What is called "interactive entertainment" makes more money than Hollywood cinema. Is there any way of making films more appealing to people who like to play computer games?

    Making a film out of a best-selling computer game can guarantee a large audience. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Nowadays films are made with similar ones. They have attractive action scenes relying on fantasy effects as well. Gaming markets consist of science-fiction games, and film-makers have also set films in science-fiction worlds. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Any attempt to borrow more than the setting from a game is certain to fail.

Why do gamers feel disappointed by films based on their favorite games? One of the reasons is technical. Now everything can be computer-produced. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} However, filming a scene from 20 different cameras would cost a fortune, so it simply isn't done in the film version—leaving the gamers feeling that the film didn't look as real as the computer game.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In a film the director doesn't show you some things to keep you have the feeling of excitement or anxiety. For example, you wouldn't be interested in watching the film if you knew the identity of the murderer. But this is not true for computer games. When you play a game, you have to do certain tasks to continue to the new level. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You are always in control as a player, while in the cinema you never control the action. You just sit and watch.

    There can be some interaction between films and computer games on different levels. For all the similarities between technologies and special effects, we shouldn't forget that a story and a game are fundamentally different.

A. Cameras matter in another sense, too.

B. The success of a game usually lies in the use of special effects.

C. You can't influence what happens at all in the computer games.

D. Computer games may show the action from a number of views easily.

E. The game has a good chance of being as successful as the film on which it is based.

F. You must be able to have access to all the information in order to decide what to do next.

G. However, the difficulty for film producers appears to be knowing where and when to stop.