Perhaps you have heard the expression “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. So when you want to do business in France, you have to get to know French culture, make marketing plans, and run your business by local laws.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The French take great pride in their language, so anyone who does not speak it may run the risk of being disrespected by his French colleagues or business partners. Also, another reason why learning French is important is that it is a great way to show every possible French business partner that you care and respect their country's culture and language.

    The first thing that you should do when meeting someone new is to shake his hand firmly and always look at the person in the eye. In social meetings with friends, kissing is common.

    Use first names only after being invited to.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The French will sometimes introduce themselves using their surname first, followed by their first name.

    Dress well.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Your business clothing is a reflection of your success and social status. Always try to be tasteful and stylish. Women are advised to dress simply but elegantly. Wearing make-up is practiced widely by businesswomen.

    The French are passionate about food, so lunches are common in doing business in France, which usually consist of an appetizer, main meal with wine, cheese, dessert and coffee, and normally take up to two hours.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Do not begin eating until the host says “bon appetite”. Pass dishes to the left, keep wrists above the table and try to eat everything on the plate.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This may suggest that you find the food tasteless. If eating in a restaurant with the person who invites always pays.

A. Remember to be as polite as possible.

B. This is a time for relationship building.

C. Use Monsieur or Madame before the surname.

D. Be careful with adding salt, pepper or sauces to your food.

E. Make an appointment with your business partner in advance.

F. The French draw information about people based on their appearance.

G. Language should be the focus of anyone planning to do business in France.

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” —Lao Tzu

    If you are in a city where everyone rushes, realize that you don't have to be like everyone else. You can be different. You can walk instead of driving in rush hour traffic. You can be on your iPhone or Blackberry less, and disconnected sometimes. Your environment doesn't control your life you do. I'm not going to tell you how to give you a step-by-step guide to moving slower. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Do less.

    Cut back on your projects, on your task list, on how much you try to do each day. Focus not on quantity but on quality.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Save smaller, routine tasks for later in the day, but give yourself time to focus.

    Have fewer meetings.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}And they eat into your day, forcing you to squeeze the things you really need to do into small windows, and making you rush.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    When you do the important things with focus, without rush, there will be things that get pushed back, and that don't get done. And you need to ask yourself: how necessary are these things? What would happen if I stopped doing them?

    Practice mindfulness.

    Simply learn to live in the present, rather than things so much about future or the past. When you eat, fully appreciate your food. When you are with someone, be with them fully. When you are walking, appreciate your surroundings, no matter where you are.

    Try these things out. Life is better when unrushed. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Start to put off or cancel the unnecessary.

B. Meetings are usually a “big waste of time”.

C. The world likely won't end if you don't pass one of the examinations.

D. But here are some things to consider and perhaps adopt, if they work for your life.

E. Remember the quote: if nature can get everything done without rushing, so can you.

F. Pick 2-3 important things—or even just one important thing—and work on those first.

G. Give yourself more time to get ready and get there.

    If you are like millions of people around the world, the New Year brings with it new goals. But you get busy. Yet, your goal remains important. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Identify specific goals.

    As you identify your goals, be specific. If a goal is too general, it may be hard to pursue, let alone achieve it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That's a fine idea. Yet psychologists might say as a goal, it is too general. To make the goal more specific, you could sign up for a regular exercise class.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Experts say writing down your goals is important. It gets the goals out of your brain and into the real world. Some psychologists suggest that writing a goal on paper is better than typing it on a device or saying it into your phone. Your brain receives information differently when it comes from handwriting. Writing has another benefit: You can post your goals somewhere as a reminder.

    Break down big goals into small ones.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Some can be quite big. And for those bigger goals, experts suggest breaking them down into smaller ones. Say you want to work for yourself. You decide to start your own comp any that supplies food for special events. That is a very big goal. But it is made up of many smaller goals. So, identify them, write them down and set for yourself time limits.

    Tell a friend.

    Telling someone your goals is also helpful. If someone else knows about your goals, you are held responsible for any progress or lack of progress. You feel the pressure of your friend's op inion of you. That can be a big pressure! {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Write your goals down.

B. Not all goals are created equal.

C. Keep your life goals as a reminder.

D. Say your goal is to get in better physical shape.

E. You are bound to achieve your goals if you are determined.

F. So how can we find time to work on these larger life goals?

G. Many people do not want to let others down, especially friends and family.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 

    The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand (速记). When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Use words, not complete sentences.

B. There are three practical note-taking methods.

C. You must write your notes on separate paper.

D. Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later.

E. You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F. That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

G. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

Writing an art exhibition review is a creative experience that helps you express your ideas about an artist's work. Your review will provide a description (说明) of an art exhibit.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some tips that may help you write a good art exhibition review.

Walk through the show to watch the artwork. Spare 1-2 hours to experience the art exhibit so you have plenty of time to examine the artwork. Move through the exhibit slowly, examining each piece of artwork. Besides, make several passes through the exhibit. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Take notes on the description, the form and your impression. Be as detailed as possible so you can use your notes to write the full review. First, note the title and theme of each work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Finally, record your impression on the art, how it made you feel, and what worked or didn't work within the piece.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} While you don't need to include audience responses in your review, it may help you improve your own review of the show. Watch flow others comment on the exhibit and write down the sentences that they say.

Talk to the artists if they're present at the exhibit. If you attend on the opening night, you may meet the artists. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Ask about what they hope the audience will experience, and how they created their works. Take notes on what they say so you can use the information to write your review.

A. Notice how others are reacting to the artwork.

B. The reasons can be explained from several aspects.

C. These will help you find something new about the works.

D. Take the chance to chat with them about what inspired their works.

E. Besides, compare your review with other reviews to find out the differences.

F. Then write down the medium, materials, and techniques used to create the piece.

G. This helps visitors know what to expect from the exhibit and gives advice to the artist.

What I've been wondering is: {#blank#}1{#/blank#}And if so, how? Here are three ideas to do just that.

Read books and watch movies that transport you

One of my favorite things to do before taking a trip is to search out books and movies that can help me get a feel for a place. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Search out famous—or not-so-famous—books or films from the part of the world you want to visit. Then get lost in these during your staycation week.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Music is deeply connected to our emotions, which makes it particularly transporting. The beautiful sounds of Sigur Rós, for example, can create a dreamy atmosphere. Hawaiian ukulele and hula music bring the beach to your living room. Try searching for artists or genres of music from your desired destination and build a playlist to help you set the atmosphere.

Visit a museum — virtually

Museums in many locations have started to reopen with social distancing and masks, but if you're not ready to go in person, you can spend an afternoon exploring them online. Google map has digitized hundreds of collections and online tours at museums around the world. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Tour a national park

Camping is one type of vacation that's mostly safe and accessible to do right now. But if you can't get to the great outdoors, bring the outdoors to your home.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Explore a Hawaiian volcano, dive a Florida beach or ride horseback through the red rocks of Bryce Canyon.

If you don't have the budget or time to travel right now, try layering a few of these ideas together to create a kind of at-home immersion(沉浸感).

A. Listen to related music.

B. Is it necessary to go out for an adventure?

C. You can choose a national park for camping.

D. Find one near your destination using this map.

E. But you can still do this even if you're staying at home.

F. Is it possible to have an adventure without leaving home?

G. You can do that with an online tour in America's national parks.