If you think you're too shy and want to be a little braver, try the following. You can make it.

             There's no need to hide it. When they get to know you're a shy kid, they'll understand you better. This also helps you feel easier in talks.

              When you smile, people think you're friendly and easy to talk with. Remember that other people have feelings, too, and ①most people will stay away from an angry-looking face.

      Take one small step at a time. If you find it hard to start talks, say something nice about people around you.         Doesn't it make you want to keep talking to that person?

      Turn your attention elsewhere.         ②Don't waste(浪费) time worrying about your looks or whether people like you or not Don't lose heart Each time after you say “hi” or smile at someone for the first time, say “I did it!” to yourself.        

Keep trying and one day you'll never be shy when you talk to others.

Tips for Writing Better Articles

    Many of us don't spend a lot of time improving our writing skills. This can be a problem when we hand in our articles. Good writing skills will help us improve our grades and benefit us later in life.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Make good word choices. When we're not sure which word is the right one for a sentence, look it up in a dictionary. Many of us choose words in a hurry and don't take the time to decide if they're proper.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Check facts. If we want people to believe what we write, we must make sure our facts are true. We should use dependable facts.

    Rewrite. A common problem is that we don't like to rewrite. In fact rewriting is the best way to find out and correct some mistakes, like grammar and spelling mistakes.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} though it takes more time and more work.

    Read aloud. Sometimes it's easier to find problem with spelling, word usage, and grammar when we read aloud. Reading aloud helps us not only find out our problems but also develop our writing.

     {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Preparing a list is necessary for writing a good article. Such a list includes: Is there a proper title? Have we explained every point? Are all the parts of the article included? This can help us to make sure that we have covered everything.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But with a few simple steps, we can improve our writing skills and learn how to write better articles.

    Do foreigners find online shopping fun or painful? Some of my foreign friends have shared their online shopping stories with me.

    Ari James(the US)

    One of the first things I was told about China is Taobao. When I arrived in Nanjing, it didn't take me a long time to start buying things from Taobao. I bought bags, shoes and many other things.

    Christine(Australia)

    I've been shopping online for nearly three years. Now I'm completely in love with Taobao. I can find almost everything I want on it. It took me a long time to get used to online shopping, since most online shops serve Chinese people. But as soon as I got the knack(诀窍), online shopping became quite easy.

    Barbara Gordon(the US)

    I've only used Taobao a few times. Compared with website like Amazon, Taobao is worse. You have to be very careful about what you will buy in order to avoid scams(诈骗). If Taobao can try harder to fight against online scams, it'll be more successful.

    Lindy(Canada)

    I can't stop shopping on Taobao! I often search for what I want through Taobao of a whole day! I'm so crazy about traditional Chinese gifts. I won't miss this year's shopping day.

根据短文内容填空。（每空不超过2个词）

    It's the end of class. When the bell rings, students of a Foreign Languages School in Shenzhen quickly take out their mobile phones. They like to log on (登录) to their micro blogs to check the funny things that have happened in the last hour.

    Micro blogging has swept the country during the last few years. Recent surveys show that most students in middle schools have a micro blog, and some even update their blogs more than five times a day.

    "We learn many fresh and interesting things on micro blogs and they have become popular topics in class," said Liang Jianmin, 14, a student from Harbin No. 3 Middle School. "If you do not know about them, you are out.”

    It is also a great place for students to relax." My parents always ask me to study hard, and encourage me before exams, but actually it adds pressure," said Zhang Yazhe, 15, a student from a Foreign Languages School. "When I share these feelings on my micro blog, I get many replies from friends in the same situation, which makes me feel better."

    But parents are worried that micro blogging could be a waste of time. Some misleading messages may even be dangerous to kids.

    Shen Mingde, a professor, suggests parents not worry too much that kids are crazy about micro blogging. Instead， however, it can also become a window for parents to understand their children. "If parents can read their children's micro blogs, they'll know their thoughts, it can lead to better communication and solutions to problems," he said.

    He also gives some advice to kids.

    Don't micro blog for more than one hour a day.

    Never micro blog in class.

    Try to talk face to face with people from time to time.

    Be critical(批判性的). Not all the messages on the micro blog are true.

What would you do if you see someone hurt badly? The following will help you to learn some important skills to give casualty (伤员) first aid.

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The first and most important thing you must do is to make sure the place is not dangerous. Can you see anything that might not be helpful to you? Can you hear anything that could be dangerous?

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When you see someone has been hurt, you may feel scared. If you feel yourself starting to be nervous, try to calm yourself down. For example, talk to people you trust about what happened, and you'll be relaxed.

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When someone needs first aid, talking to him will help him to stay calm and feel safe. Even if he does not answer you, you should still tell him what you are doing. It will let him know that you are helping him.

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Sometimes, the casualty will need more help than you are able to give. The best thing you can do is to phone some people for help. They can give you some useful advice or offer you some help.

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There are also many other things to do. Try your best to help the casualty. Asking people around you for help is really better than waiting for doctors. Besides, you can also try to keep in touch with his families and friends.