Everyone wants to be self-confident, but maybe we just don't know how to be. Here are some tips on how you can feel more confident about yourself.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Everyone has shortcomings. When you have found your shortcomings, work to overcome them. If you are a shy person, take part in social activities, such as parties, and speak to at least one or two people there.

    Second, try to spend more time with positive people. Successful and confident people have their own ways of settling problems.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Third, set goals for yourself. With each goal you achieve, your self-confidence will increase.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}We are afraid that we might lose. Stop thinking like that and give yourself a chance.

    Fourth, start each day with a sense of opportunity.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Think positively about yourself.

    Actually everyone has his or her own way of becoming confident.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Friends might have useful suggestions, too. In short, as long as you try new things, you are sure to become more confident.

A. Pay attention and learn from them.

B. You should talk with your friends.

C. First, don't think about your weak points.

D. It's not always right to ask friends for help.

E. Sometimes we might be afraid of trying new things.

F. Start your day by reading something encouraging.

G. First, you should know what your weak points are.

    Some people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel you are already close friends. They are always good talkers. Here are several skills that good talkers have in common. If you follow the skills, they'll help you put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    First of all, good talkers ask questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says，“At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}” From there you can move on to other matters—sometimes to really personal questions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers. Your questions should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully. Real listening at least means some things. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he's really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to tones of voice. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Finally, good talkers know well how to “say goodbye”. If you're saying goodbye, you may give him a firm handshake and say, “I've really enjoyed meeting you.” {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away, happy and satisfied.

A. It's polite to listen to others with a smile.

B. You'd better change the subject if the voice sounds dull.

C. Don't be afraid to say so if you want to see that person again.

D. Common as the question is, it will get things going.

E. You can become a popular person.

F. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.

G. These people have something in common.

    How could we live without the Internet? That's not how most of us keep in touch with friends, research a cool place to visit, or find out the latest news.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But when you're moving through the Internet, you need to stay safe.

No Talking to Strangers

    Since you were a little kid, your mom or dad has probably told you not to talk to strangers.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's easy to meet a stranger on the Internet. You might visit a chat room or get an email or a text message from someone you don't know.

    It can be fun to make new friends, but do not communicate with strangers you meet online.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}．Children have been tricked online by people who pretend to be something that they're not. Some children have found themselves in a dangerous situation when they agreed to meet the mysterious (神秘的) online “friend” in person.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The email could be from a person or a company trying to sell you something, A grown-up should decide what's best to do, which may include changing your email address or telling the police.

Keep Your Privacy (隐私)

    Anybody who uses the Internet has been asked to sign in, log in, or create a personal profile (简介). Kids need to check with a parent or grown-up before doing so. Why?{#blank#}5{#/blank#}．

    Another way to keep your privacy is to choose a screen name or email account name that isn't your real name.

A. You can do all these things online.

B. The same goes for the online world.

C. Let your parents know if a stranger emails you.

D. This information could be used for reasons you wouldn't like.

E. Think carefully before you create an email address or screen name.

F. Don't talk to them, agree to phone them, or email them photos of yourself.

G. Don't ask the strangers too many questions for information.

How parents can help children with reading skills

    Making sure that your children read well can help them perform better in school and increase their confidence in their ability to communicate well. The following ways can be very helpful.

    Have your children read to you.

    Have your children choose their favorite book and sit down to read with you each evening. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It doesn't matter whether that starts after dinner or around the time your children go to sleep.

    Stock (储备) your house with reading materials.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is reported that children who have different kinds of books and magazines to choose from at home actually score higher on standardized tests.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Researchers suggest having your children read signs on the road, menus, game directions, movie listings and other daily things. This will help your children try to understand the importance and applicability (适用性) of being able to read well.

    Pay attention to reading problems.

    See how well your children can sound out words, understand what they have read and use reading context (上下文) to understand the meaning of new words. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} For example, you can take them to reading learning centers.

    Use other reading tools.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Take games as an example, try to use them as much as you can, since they can make children look forward to and enjoy the process (过程) of improving their reading ability.

A. Read wherever it is possible.

B. Take your children to a library.

C. Make reading an important part of each day.

D. Keep some reading materials available in your house.

E. Games, textbooks and books on tape are good choices.

F. If your children have difficulty reading, get them some help.

G. You should watch your children's progress with their reading skills.

Diet Myths — Get the facts, or your diet may fail!

    Dieting is hard work, and there are plenty of "helpful" diet tricks that can make weight loss even harder. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Carbs(含碳水化合物的食物) are bad for you. Carbohydrates are actually an important source of energy. There are good carbs and bad carbs. Some foods, like white bread or white rice, are example of bad carbs. Good carbs include whole wheat bread and brown rice. They're rich in fiber and really good for you!

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} On the contrary, studies show that people who eat breakfast will eat fewer calories throughout the day. And if you know you're going to be eating a big meal later, don't starve yourself in order to save you calories. You'll just eat more during the meal because you're so hungry! Instead, eat smaller meals a couple days before and after, and exercise more.

    You can control where your body loses weight. Bad news – if you want a flatter stomach, just exercising your stomach won't work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Cardio(有氧运动) exercises will help burn fat, while weight training helps build muscles. Your "trouble areas" might not be the first to slim down, but keep exercising!

    Your weight depends on your genes. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} While a "fat gene" does exist, its influence on your size is small. Smart eating and exercise have a much greater effect than your genes. Only 25 percent of your weight is controlled by genes – the rest is up to you.

    Say "no" to junk food. Many people think that the key to losing weight is cutting out all bad foods. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} To lose weight and keep it off, eat great 80 percent of the time, but allow yourself in a treat or two the other 20 percent.

A. You can't target where you lose weight.

B. But the more strict your diet is, the more likely you are to break it – and in a big way.

C. Here are some common myths about losing weight and the truth behind them.

D. Skipping meals helps you lose more weight.

E. If you and your family have problems with obesity, you're not sure to be fat.

F. Don't miss meals but exercise.

G. Instead of choosing a difficult diet, find one you can manage and stick to it every day.

    Every student has his/her own style of studying and it's up to you to use the available resources to be as effective and productive as possible. Here are some tips on how to study effectively.

    ● Know yourself. When determining the best approach, you need to assess your personality. Some people can read for hours while others can't sit still through more than one chapter. Find your pace, improve it and work around your strengths and weaknesses.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you prefer being alone, learn to study by yourself.

    ●Set a goal. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It'll not only help you keep focused and stay on track, but it'll also help you organize your time and activities.

    ●Learn over time. It's impossible to learn a lot of things in a short time. If you don't know or understand the lesson from the start, you won't get it the night before your big test. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ●{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Allocate(分配) your time between studying and other activities. Create a routine schedule for your studying time. Strictly follow this schedule so as to develop an effective studying session.

    ●Have time to rest. It's necessary to have enough time to rest in order to regain all the energy used up by the body from all the studying. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Communicate with other people and participate in recreational activities to help you relax and refresh your mind.

    Following the tips above, you can easily have your way of studying effectively!

A. Have good study habits.

B. Set a realistic and reasonable schedule.

C. Try to discover the type of reading that best suits you.

D. Your mind won't be so sharp if you don't have enough sleep.

E. You need to determine what you want to achieve in a given subject.

F. If you need other people to help you, get a tutor(家教) or join a study group.

G. It's best to study smaller loads of information repeatedly over a period of time.