Investing in yourself

    Figuring out how to invest your money can be a difficult task. This is something that you will want to learn how to do.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Things that will improve your knowledge, skills or health are all great investments. However, before you start, you need to be clear about what you will gain out of doing all of these things.

    You may think investing in yourself means investing in your education. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} . There are some other things you can do as well as buying a gym membership or learning a new skill.

    So what are some specific things you can do? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} . Reading books can really expand your mind and allow you to learn different skills and gain knowledge. I'm talking about the books where you will actually learn a new skill, not fiction books.

    You can also take courses and attend seminars. These programs are taught by people with a high level of knowledge or skill. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} . Only in this way can you avoid being fooled by some sales presentation.

    Moreover, investing in yourself is a safe way to keep your money. Although a savings account is seen as the most secure investment, that isn't 100% safe. Even if you never experience your bank closing down, the return is little when inflation(通货膨胀) is taken into consideration. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} . But over time, they will show up in terms of your happiness level as well as your level of success.

A. This is just one way.

B. The benefits will stay with you.

C. If you aren't a reader, you should start with that.

D. The more you do this, the more valuable you will be.

E. Of course, you need to do some research before investing.

F. The best way to invest your money is to invest it in yourself.

G. When you invest in yourself, you may not see gains right away.

    Although problems are a part of our lives, it certainly doesn't mean that we let them rule our lives forever. One day or the other, you'll have to stand up and say – problem, I don't want you in my life.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Problems with friends, parents, girlfriends, husbands, and children —— the list goes on. Apart from these, the inner conflicts within our work, too. These keep adding to our problems. Problems come in different shapes and colors and feelings.

    But good news is that all problems can be dealt with. Now read on to know how to solve your problems.

    Talk, it really helps. What most of us think is that our problem can be understood only by us and that no talking is going to help. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Talking helps you move on and let go.

    Write your problems. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. When you write down your problems, you are setting free all the tension from your system. You can try throwing away the paper on which you wrote your problems. By doing this, imagine yourself throwing away the problems from your life.

    Don't lose faith and hope. No matter what you lose in life, don't lose faith and hope. Even if you lose all your money, family… you should still have faith. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Your problems aren't the worst. No matter what problem you get in life, there're another one million people whose problems are huger than yours. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.Your problems might just seem big and worse, but in reality they can be removed.

    Go about and solve your problems because every problem, however big or small, always has a way out.

A. But the truth is that when you talk about it, you're setting free the negative energies that have been gathering within you.

B. When we have a problem, a pressing, critical, urgent, life-threatening problem, how do we try and solve it?

C. Tell yourself: when they can deal with them, why can't I?

D. Of course, we've been fighting troubles ever since we were born.

E. We can often overcome the problem and achieve the goal by making a direct attack.

F. Having a personal diary can also be of huge help if you don't want a real person to talk with.

G. With faith and hope, you can rebuild everything that you lose.

    A good book can be satisfying. If reading is a habit you'd like to get into, there are some ways to develop it.

    Realize that reading is enjoyable if you have a good book. If you have a difficult book and you are forcing yourself through it, it will seem like a task.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Set time. You should have some time during every day when you'll read for at least 5 to 10 minutes. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, make it a habit to read during breakfast and lunch and even dinner if you eat alone.

    Always carry a book. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.When I leave the house, I always make sure to have my car keys and one book at hand. The book stays with me in the car, and I take it into the office and to appointments and pretty much everywhere I go.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Find a place in your home where you can sit in a comfortable chair. Don't lie down unless you're going to sleep. There should be television or computer near the chair, and no music or no noisy family members/roommates. If you don't have a place like this, create one.

    Reduce television/the Internet. If you really want to read more, try cutting back on time on TV or the Internet.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Still, every minute you reduce of the Internet/TV, you could use for reading. This could create hours of book reading time.

A. Wherever you go, take a book with you.

B. Go to bookstores.

C. Have some good tea or coffee while you read.

D. Find a quiet place.

E. This may be difficult for some people.

F. If this happens, give up the book and find another one that you'll really love.

G. It means you will read no matter how busy you are.

    The process of forgiveness can be a liberating experience. Interestingly, forgiveness can only occur because we have been given the gift of the ability to make choices. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The choice of offering forgiveness develops along three steps.

    At step one you are filled with self justified anger. At some point in your life you have been hurt and you are mad at the person who you feel has wronged you. You blame the person committing the wrong. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You have forgotten that you have a choice as to how you will react.

    The second step towards forgiveness emerges when after feeling angry with someone for a while you realize that the anger does not feel good to you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} So you take steps to forgive. You may begin to see the problem from the other person's point of view or you may simply decide to let the problem go. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    The third stage of forgiveness comes after you have seen the beneficial results of forgiveness and you don't want to waste your precious life in discomfort. In this stage the choice is to work to either repair the relationship or let go of seeing the situation as a problem. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} At this stage you are aware that the length of time you experience the situation as a sorrow is primarily up to you.

A. If we want to forgive someone, no one can stop us.

B. We have the choice to forgive or not to forgive and no one can force us to do either.

C. In either case you decide to forgive because you have had some practice with it and see the benefit in your life.

D. It is their action and not your choice of response that you feel causes your anger.

E. In either case you are no longer angry and you have forgiven the person.

F. This could emerge in a situation where you are cut off by another car on the road.

G. It may be hurting your emotional balance or your physical health.

How to stay focused in class

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}No matter how much you want to sit with your friends during the class, try your best to avoid them. Talking with friends is not going to help you stay focused in class and will cause trouble, too.

    Look at the teacher. Your teacher is not just standing up there talking — they're trying to give you an acceptable education. Show the teacher that he or she has your full attention, by looking him or her in the eye.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Take notes. By taking notes, you'll be able to "get into" the lesson.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Listen for key phrases such as, "This is important," "This is the main idea," etc. This can help you listen more intently (专心地); you'll have something to do and focus on.

    Get involved (参与) in class discussions. This is a wonderful way to become a more focused and successful student. When a teacher asks a question, offer to answer it.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}This shows the teacher that you're listening intently during the class.

    Ask a question.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This really shows your teacher that you want to be better, and can recognize the things you're having difficulty with. Chances are, someone else in the class has the same question (and is too afraid to ask!). They'll be relaxed — and so will you.

A. Do your best.

B. Avoid sitting with friends.

C. Don't try to finish your old notes in class.

D. Write down key points as your teacher speaks.

E. If he or she asks for an opinion, share your own.

F. If you don't understand something, never be afraid to ask.

G. This person should have your full attention at all times in class.

    We are surrounded by messages trying to get our attention. Advertisers, politicians and other groups all try to get us to agree with them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Propaganda is not always a bad thing, but it often hides the truth about a topic. It's very similar to advertising, whose goal is to get people to buy something, while propaganda is to change what people believe.

    Propaganda Techniques

    To create propaganda, a common technique is name－calling. A politician might call someone a traitor or liar, which makes the other person look bad. Another is the trend technique. People want to be on the side in the favor.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Some propaganda is based on fear. It scares people into choosing a certain side or taking action, which might not be bad. Anti－smoking campaigns are one example. They may scare people into thinking that if they smoke, they will get cancer.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Propaganda is used by many groups, such as businesses, politicians and the government. It is spread through posters, television and radio. The Internet makes it easy to send messages to the whole world.

    Types of Propaganda

    Political propaganda has been around as long as there have been politicians.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. People have used it for many years. War propaganda began during World War I, more than 100 years ago.

    To see if propaganda is saying the truth, people need to do extra work. For example, ads might always sound like they're true. But before you believe them, try to think about who created and paid for them. Find out why they did it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Propaganda Targets

B. Propaganda Mediums

C. Another word for this is propaganda

D. So most people will agree with those politicians

E. Then, you can decide if they're being honest or not

F. However, religious propaganda was actually the first official one

G. People might join someone who claims to be popular or winning