Speaking to Develop Self-confidence

Overcoming stage fright

    Most people are nervous about public speaking. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you know that your topic is interesting, and that your material is well organized, you have already reduced a major worry.

Facial expressions

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} During your speech try to change your facial expressions to convey the emotions that you feel. Throughout your speech you need to use expressive facial expressions.

Eye contact

    When you speak, you should look your audience straight in the eye. The idea is to give the impression that you are talking to each individual in your audience. If you have a large audience, try to look at people in the middle of the room, then slowly look to the right side of the room, then to the left side, then back to the center of the room. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This will give the audience the idea that you are not interested in your topic or in them.

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    Enthusiasm is being lively and showing your own personal concern for your subject and your audience. If you are truly interested in your topic, your delivery is certain to be enthusiastic and lively.

Varying speaking rate

    Your words should not be too fast or too slow. If you speak too slowly you will bore your audience. If you speak too rapidly you will be difficult to understand. Adapt your rate to the content of your speech. For example, if you are explaining complex information, slow down. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. If you are nervous , take a few steps to your right or left while speaking.

B. Smiling before you start your speech shows that you are not nervous.

C. The best way to cope with nervousness is to be really well prepared.

D. If you are happy or enthusiastic, you should speed up.

E. Don't look at the floor, the ceiling or out the window.

F. Speaking with enthusiasm

G. Inspiring your audience

How to Make Friends

    Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. If offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leaves us without a friend.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. But for many of us the process is difficult and requires courage. Below are some helpful suggestions on how to make and keep friends.

1）Associate with others.

    The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.

2）Start a conversation.

    Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You can always start the conversation. Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with other people.

3）{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together. Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.

4）Let it grow.

    It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. The best friendships are the ones that grow naturally.

5）Enjoy your friendship.

    The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Try not to change them from who they are to what you want them to be.  Become the kind of friend you will want your friend to be to you.

A. Be cheerful.

B. So you will need to give your friend time to react to you.

C. Making new friends comes easy for some people.

D. For a friendship to develop you need to stay in touch.

E. Do not wait to be spoken to.

F. Try not to find fault with your friends.

G. Do things together.

How to Build Team Spirit

    An important part of being on a team is team spirit, the sense of oneness and support gained from working together. How can you build team spirit in this everyone-for-himself world and expand the concept to include school loyalty and pride?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When students and fans see enjoyment and a good attitude, they will be eager to show their team spirit, too.

    Encourage common cooperation among team members even in individual sports such as tennis or gymnastics. Break the team into pairs or small groups. It will help each other during practice. Assign each new player an experienced member of the team to be his mentor(辅导教师).

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Disagreement is unavoidable, but complaints affect team performance.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Don't just suggest, set goals such as mentioning the team to three people a day, covering all books in school colors and logos or inviting five friends to the next game.

    Support a very noticeable non-sports activity such as a blood drive, Toys for Tots, fundraising for new science equipment of whatever the team decides. Wear school colors, logo and name tags when promoting the project.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}On the day, make an effort to find a job or activity for everyone as you encourage students and staff to dress in school colors, make signs (“Jefferson School rocks!”), display notebook stickers and so on. If school rules permit, consider a face-painting booth.

    Put on an assembly（集会） with banners, music, cheerleading, introductions and applause for team members.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}You'll also want to display the statistics of various teams' achievements, whether it be a district prize, a personal best or simply winning their last game.

A．Get disagreements out in the open quickly and mediate （调解）if necessary.

B．Plan a monthly “school spirit” day.

C．There are ways to build team spirits .

D．Begin with energetic promotion.

E．Divide students into small groups.

F．Prove ways to build up the team around school.

G．Teach everyone cheers and the school song there.

How to Overcome Depression

    Suffering from depression means more than just dealing with a bad week or even a bad month. Depression is a weakening condition that can make it impossible for you to enjoy your daily existence. To overcome your depression, you have to first determine if what you're feeling are the symptoms of depression.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}While medications can help relieve symptoms, it is still important for depressed persons to understand the disorder and develop healthier strategies for coping with it.

    Keep yourself busy. Fill your schedule with events and activities you love. Keeping a busy schedule will force you to stay active, focused, and thinking about the next thing on your plate. You can draw up a schedule for each day at the start of the week, or simply plan out each day the night before.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Improve your diet{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Even if you're losing your appetite, you need to be determined to eat three meals a day. You don't need to try to lose weight or be incredibly healthy-conscious when you're dealing with your depression, but eating healthier food regularly will improve your mental and physical state.

    Think positively. Being a more positive thinker will help you look at your life and world in a way that fills you with hope instead of despair. To think more positively, you should learn how to recognize your negative thoughts and to fight them with stronger positive thoughts whenever you can. For a jump start, find at least five things to be grateful for{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Neglecting personal hygiene (卫生) is a common side effect of depression. While you will not beat your depression by transforming your looks, if you take time to maintain your appearance and hygiene every day, you will feel better about yourself. Shower daily, brush your teeth and wash your hair.

A. Control your emotions.

B. Improve your appearance.

C Most importantly be happy about every single day.

D. Whichever method you choose, make a goal of sticking to it.

E. However, not everyone knows depression has a positive side.

F. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can also help you beat depression.

G. If you are feeling sad, lonely, or worthless, you may be suffering from depression.

    No one likes to fail. Whether it's at work, at home, or in another area of your life, failure is painful and it can also be costly in terms of time, money, or both. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you never suffer a failure, then you're probably not pushing yourself to your full potential. The following are some tips on how to pick yourself up after you've failed.

    Remember that other people fail too. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They'll tell you about that great new contract they signed, not the deal that failed eventually though they worked on it for months. But failure is normal, and lots of people fail time and time again before meeting with success.

Remind yourself of your past successes. Failing doesn't mean that you're worthless, or that you'll never achieve the things you want. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Maybe you had high marks last term, or you lost weight, or you learned to play a musical instrument. You might want to write down a list of successes—things that you've accomplished over the past few year, whether big or small. If you ever lack confidence, you can go back and read over that list.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Your past successes are important, but so are your past failures. You've made mistakes before, and you've survived them. Perhaps you did badly in an exam, or lost your temper and had to apologize. It's not fun to think about the times when things went wrong, but by acknowledging your failures, you can remind yourself that today is no different. Just as you recovered in the past, you can recover from your recent failure too.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Whatever went wrong, you're probably facing some sort of decision. Don't rush into making hasty decision, but do look for a forward path. That might require some deep thinking.

A. Make a decision.

B. Limit the damage caused.

C. Remind yourself of your past failures.

D. However, failure is a normal part of life.

E. Get some advice and support from others.

F. Most people don't talk openly about their failures.

G. Think of all the times in the past when you've succeeded.

How to Enjoy Life As a Teen

    The "best years of your life"? Maybe not, but you can learn to make the most of your high school days.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Whether it's having a computer, having friends, having a good supply of food, a bed to sleep on, family that loves you or simply being born in this world. Remember that the point of life is for you to enjoy it. Be happy, and life will reward you. Remember that these are the last few years you will be able to enjoy yourself without having to worry about the responsibility(责任) of an adult.

    Choose your friends wisely. Unlike what many articles state, you don't have to be popular and have lots of friends to be happy. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Try to have friends that like you who you are, not just because you are wearing a certain brand of shoes or something like that. These are people who shop at the same store as you; not someone who will sympathize(同情，安慰) with you when your dog dies.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Having a healthy body leads to a healthy and happy mind. Being confident in your appearance makes you more confident in other areas. Be sociable. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}While you only need 4 or 5 close friends, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to meet new people. Participating gives you something to do instead of sitting bored at home and wallowing in self-pity.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} ! If you have a special girl/guy you want to ask out, dance with, etc. just ask! You probably won't be rejected(拒绝)but if you are, remember that there will always be someone else that likes you for who you are. Don't go to sleep that night with regret.

A. Go for it

B. Keep your grades up

C. Play a sport or work out

D. Learn to appreciate small things

E. If you are not good at sports, join a band or choir

F. In fact, many of the "Friends" you have when you are popular are not true friends

G. Joining in clubs, activities and sport increases your chances of meeting new friends