Everyone can benefit from better communication. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Of course, we know that isn't true, but this shouldn't stop you improving your communication skills. Here are a few tips to help you become a better communicator.

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    Verbal (口头的) language is only one part of the communication — body language is another. If you ever wanted to know how to tell if someone is lying, body language is the answer. Your body language tells other people what you aren't verbally saying, such as if you are anxious, confident, confused, angry or any other type of emotion or state of mind. If you become great at reading body language, it will help you become a better communicator.

    Listen to others

    Before you ever begin to speak, take a minute to see if anyone else has something to say. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Listening to others has many benefits, such as allowing you to learn new things or get information that you may later need.

    Think before you speak

    Your parents probably told you this as a child, but many people still do not take a moment to think about the words they are about to say. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There is a time and place for all words and tones of voice.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} You will have to practice your communication skills before you can ever become an excellent communicator.

A. To become a better communicator is not an overnight thing.

B. Singing a song for them is good.

C. Become fluent in body language.

D. Don't try to make the conversation go your way.

E. You should decide what you want to get in a conversation before you choose your words.

F. If you are too anxious, you can't look for the right body language to use in communication.

G. In fact, if everybody were excellent communicators, the world would be a much better place.

    Four smart ways to help build your children's vocabulary

    “Johnny next door can name his colors, but Gloria can hardly even say her own name. What am I doing wrong?”{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But the good news is that children really are born to absorb the language around them. The following are some ways to help build your child's vocabulary.

Never use baby talk

    Young children understand so much more than they can initially repeat.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Of course you are not going to start speaking to a baby in difficult English, but it's important to speak to them the way that you'd speak to anybody else. Even if your child can't or doesn't use the same vocabulary when he talks, it is helping his language development.

Follow your child's lead

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Trying to turn her attention away from the clown (小丑) so that you can point out the word for “elephant”, is not only frustrating, but also it's probably not doing much good. Instead of driving the conversation, you'll be more successful in making words “stick”, if you look at what your child is paying attention to.

Encourage any kind of reading.

    Even young kids who haven't yet learned to read will memorize books that they've often heard. So go ahead and have your child “fill in” words as you're reading together.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}For older children who are already readers, it's important to let them choose their own reading material.

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    At two years of age, some kids may only use about 30 words while others may be able to use 300 words. But there's very little evidence that those children with 30 words at age two will have worse outcomes by the time they are five or six years of age.

A. So don't talk down to them.

B. Correct pronunciation gently.

C. Don't panic if your child is slow to talk.

D. It will help with their vocabulary development.

E. That sort of comparison can lead to a lot of parental anxiety.

F. Let's say you're taking a trip to the circus with your young daughter.

G. The best thing that parents can do is really just talk to their children all the time.

                                                                                     How to Forgive Yourself

    Kelly came home fired and discouraged from her job. She started yelling at everyone in the house. When she calmed down, she started to feel guilty and wanted her family to forgive her.

    Does this story sound familiar? What about you?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    We sometimes make some mistakes.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}When you hurt someone and start feeling guilty, the first thing yon need to do is forgive yourself before you ask others to forgive you. Whether you screamed at your child, hurt your partner or lied to your friend, it is necessary to forgive yourself for your benefit.

    To learn how to forgive yourself, follow the guide below:

    ◆{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If it is something simple such as screaming at your child or your partner, then work on understanding yourself and emotions. It is also necessary to understand why you took this action for which you have to forgive yourself now.

    ◆After you have known about your mistake, you need to learn your lesson from it, so you won't repent it. Ask yourself, what can you learn from what you have done?{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ◆Realize that you are a human and everyone makes mistakes or does things they are not proud of.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} All it will do is to cause you pain, sorrow, stress, and could lead you into low spirits. Therefore, it is better to make a decision to forgive yourself.

    Always remember the saying, "We achieve inner health only through forgiveness, the forgiveness not only of others but also of ourselves.”

A. Recognize your behavior and what you have done

D. It is of great help if you just ignore what led to the situation

C. If you stay upset and angry at yourself, this will not benefit you.

D. Have you done something you feel you can't forgive yourself for?

F. Do you hate yourself so much that you feel life is corning to an end?

F. We also hurt others intentionally and unintentionally now and then.

G. Do you have to change some habits or behavior to avoid such experiences?

    Curiosity is at the heart of lifelong learning. It not only gives children an advantage in school, but today's business leaders agree that it's also at the heart of successful organizations.

    Psychologists view curiosity as a life force, vital to happiness, intellectual growth, and well-being.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It points students toward the knowledge, skills, relationships, and experiences that they need to live full and productive lives.

⒈ {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Often, the temptation（诱惑）is to benefit students when their curiosity leads to a desired outcome or good grade. But it's more important to notice and strengthen curiosity when you see it in action. When you praise students by describing how their questions and explorations are contributing to their own or classroom learning, you let them know that they are valued for their motivation, regardless of the grade they achieve.

⒉Teach students how to ask quality questions.

    Quality questions are vital for curiosity; Google, is great at finding answers but doesn't motivate the formation of questions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}An excellent book for understanding the art of questioning is A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger.

⒊Spread the curiosity around.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Curiosity is influential in groups working toward a real-world common goal, helping to inspire questions and new ideas.

⒋Explore a variety of cultures and societies.

    How is one culture or society uniquely different from another one? Encourage students to explore their genetic or emotional links to other cultures. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

How the Elderly Are Treated Around the World

    How cultures view and treat their elderly is closely linked to their most prized values and qualities. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    In the US and UK, Protestantism (新教) is at play. Western cultures tend to be youth-centric, stressing qualities like independence. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It ties a person's value to his or her ability to work – something that becomes weaker in old age. As their health becomes worse, the elderly in these cultures often move to old people's homes and nursing homes.

    In France, parents are protected by law. It is difficult to imagine an Elderly Rights Law being a focus in the laws of many Western cultures. France did, however, pass a similar law in 2004. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} One was a group of official statistics showing France had the highest rate of pensioner suicides in Europe, and the other was the aftermath of a heat wave that killed 15,000 people, most of whom were elderly and had been dead for weeks before they were found.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Native American cultures traditionally accept death as a fact of life. In many Native American areas, elders are respected for their wisdom and life experiences. Within Native American families, it's common for the elders to be expected to pass down their learning to younger members of the family.

    The way to care for Chinese elders is changing. Chinese families traditionally view respect for one's elders as the highest virtue, according to the Confucian tradition. Adult children are generally expected to care for their parents in their old age. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Nursing homes are beginning to become a more socially acceptable option for elderly care.

A. However, this tradition is beginning to break down due to rising lifetime and an aging population.

B. In the African-American area, death is seen as an opportunity to celebrate life.

C. Here's what we can learn from other cultures about treating the elderly.

D. But China faces the unique problem of tending to an increasingly elderly population.

E. Native American elders pass down their knowledge.

F. It was only passed following two disturbing events, though.

G. This relates back to the Protestant work rules.

    We need to be responsible for our environment. Being a frugal consumer (节俭的消费者) is one way to help. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Use It Up.

    You can use things up instead of wasting them. Squeeze (挤) that last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Don't throw away any bits of the biscuit at the bottom of the box.

    Wear It Out.

    You do not always need to have new things. Suppose your sneakers (运动鞋) have broken laces (鞋带) , but they still fit you. Repair them and wear them longer. You don't have to have the latest iPhone until the old one doesn't work any more. Then you can get a new one. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Make It Do.

    When something you want is not on hand, look for something else that you already have to take its place. Suppose you are packing your lunch for tomorrow and want a butter sandwich. You are out of butter. Have a cheese sandwich instead so you can use all of the cheese. Learn to fix broken toys instead of just throwing them away. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

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    Think about all those things that you would like to have. Do you really need them? How long will you really play with that new toy you saw on TV? Making the things that we want uses up our world's resources (资源). And, getting rid of the things we don't want any more takes up even more resources and space.

A. Do without it.

B. Throw it away.

C. What exactly does that mean?

D. Do you know what to consume?

E. Use the last little piece of soap.

F. With a little thought, you can make something do.

G. Think twice before replacing something that still works.