Tips for Confident Decision Making

    Are you a good decision maker? Do you sit on the fence?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you'd like to be more content and confident with your decision making, then these four tips are just the things you need.

    Do your “homework”

    Make choices based on what is the most important to you.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}You may even want to speak to someone else who has been through this before. Then when you are ready, just decide.

    You are in charge.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}By blaming others you give your power away. Just believe you have made the right choice and take responsibility for the result. This will be a real encouragement to your self-confidence.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    It's great to stick with your decisions. There are times however when you need to change your mind. Don't worry about making a wrong choice. The good thing about being wrong is that you will know where to correct yourself and when to take action.

    You're going to make it.

    Sometimes it is going to be hard to be persistent(坚持不懈). You know you are doing the right thing and it's just taking so much time, effort, money and energy. After making bold choice, remember you have a reason why.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Say to yourself out loud “No matter how hard it is, I'm going to make it.”

    Decision making takes courage and there are many things you can do to decide more confidently. So don't delay, you can start right now by deciding to make this new habit.

A. The more confident, the better decision.

B. This will mean you have to do a research and look at all theavailable options.

C. Whatever result you get, you can't blame others.

D. Confident decision making is of great significance.

E. Or are you constantly changing your mind?

F. It's OK to change your mind.

G. Remember you are taking yourself to the next level.

    There are so many expressions in American English that sound pleasant but are not.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}When someone says they have to “face the music” , it does not mean they are going to a concert. “Facing the music” means to accept and deal with the punishment of an action.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}For example, “ I can't face another night of camping! It's a cold and rainy”. Or “In life, you must face your fears”. Face used in this way is very common.

    But now, let's go back to facing the music. Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the keys and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I'm away. But please, do not drive it. It is an extremely fast car.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}You drive it around town one night. And you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. Bang!

    When your returns you must tell her what you have done and “face the music”{#blank#}4{#/blank#}It could be losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports to her sports car or both.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}To “take your medicine” means to accept the results from something bad you have done. And if someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it” they mean you created a bad station and now you will experience the results.

A. But you do not listen.

B. “Face the music ”is a good example.

C. The “music ” here is the result of your actions.

D. American often use the word “face” in this way.

E. Everyone likes to enjoy a concert in the evening.

F. You are very afraid of losing your trust of your friend.

G. There are other American expressions that mean the same thing as “Face the music”.

    When you step into a new environment, you must have a strong wish to fit in. Fitting in means making more friends, having more influence on others and getting more chances to live a happier life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Be confident. Confidence attracts most people. Everyone is special and there is only one person like you in this world. Spend some time thinking about your strong points. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You won't have much difficulty fitting in.

    Be kind to everyone. Kindness is the bridge to your own happiness. When people notice your kindness, they will return it one day. Always give more than you receive, and think more of others than of yourself.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Various activities like playing football can help you to be known to others. You may add more friends to your circle. At the same time, you'll be amazed to see how much they like you. Instead of wasting time being alone, go out to dance and sing together with others to develop friendship.

    Do smile to everyone every day. It makes both you and others feel happy. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Humor catches others' attention as well. People will like you for making them live happily.

    If you follow what is mentioned above, you will be accepted by people around you. As a result, you will fit in very well and enjoy your new life.

A. Be active in group activities.

B. A pleasant smile costs the least and does the most.

C. Here is some advice that can help you.

D. If so, you will be able to build up confidence step by step.

E. A person who cares for others is popular everywhere.

F. However, everybody needs friends.

G. Even so, it often leaves one to wonder if we fit in well.

Tips for Using Google Maps When You Travel

    Traveling somewhere new can bring exciting adventures. But it can also bring unwelcome surprises. That may be in the tools you use before and during your trip. With the right technology, you can make the most of your time on the road. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} While people most commonly use Google Maps for directions from one place to another, it offers many other kinds of travel tools. Today, we bring you several tips for using Google Maps.

    ⒈Plan a road trip route

    When you are traveling on a road trip, you do not have to plan each part of the trip separately with Google Maps. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} To plan a road trip, open Google Maps. Search for your first destination, and then click on the arrow to get directions. Then, click on the plus + sign to add more destinations to your trip.

    ⒉Save your maps for offline use

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Or you may not want to pay international charges for using your phone in other countries. The good news is that you can still use Google Maps even without the Internet. You can download a map from Google Maps to your phone. To do this, open the Google Maps app on your phone and search for the area you want to save. Click on the address at the bottom of the screen, then choose Download.

    ⒊Use Google Maps for a walk or bike ride

    While Google Maps may first give users directions to a place by car, it also offers biking or walking directions.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The results also tell you the elevation change of the route, so you know how much energy you will have to use by choosing to walk or ride a bicycle.

    ⒋Save money on gas

    If you are planning a car trip in North America, Google Maps can show you the lowest gas prices in the United States and Canada. Search for “gas stations” on the Google Maps app and you will see a list of nearby stations with gas prices.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Therefore, Google Maps is really a great convenience to tourists.

A. Google Maps has many tech tools that help make traveling easier.

B. When traveling, you may not always have access to the Internet.

C. You can get those directions by clicking the walking or bicycle icon.

D. The “gas stations” on the Google Maps app are sometimes difficult to find.

E. They will also be marked on the map so that you can see the closest ones to you.

F. The apps and maps are of great help when people are going to a store or supermarket.

G. You can search for all of the parts of the trip in order to prepare your route more efficiently.

    Playing a musical instrument can be a fun and rewarding hobby. It's a good way to express feelings and develop confidence in your abilities. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are a few questions to help you decide.

    What kind of music do you like?

    What you are interested in will encourage you to play. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Traditional orchestra musical instruments are what you hear in classical music. Modern music calls for modern instruments, like electric guitars.

    Where are you going to practice?

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Think about where and when you are going to practice, as well as the patience of the people you live with or near. Some instruments like the guitar give you the chance of playing in the night using earphones, while your housemates sleep in peace. Also, you may need to consider going to a school or a music center to practice.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    This is quite a big problem. A lot of instruments can be bought in different price ranges. But this doesn't change the fact that many instruments, such as the piano, are always expensive. If you can't afford your chosen instrument, will you be able to borrow someone else's?

    Are there any physical limitations?

    If you are small and don't like lifting heavy objects, you won't want to carry around a cello (大提琴). If you don't have great lung power, think twice about the saxophone. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But remember that with the right coaching, everyone can develop the right skills.

When you think about art, you might consider it to be permanent. After all, that picture you drew in kindergarten might still hang on your refrigerator years later. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Think about a Broadway performance. When it's over, it's over. Sure, it might live in your memory. But the live show is a special event. It is limited to a certain time and place. 

Can you think of other forms of art that are temporary? If you're a fan of the beach, sandcastles might come to your mind. Have you ever spent hours building a beautiful sandcastle? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You knew your work of art would be gone as soon as the tide came in. The sandy beach is a canvas where nature erases "paintings" daily. 

Most of the time, art made from sand can't last long. Still, many people love using sand to create their own unique vision of beauty. One of the most attractive types of sand art is sand animation. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Artists who work in sand animation use sand to make a set of images that usually tell a story. They often start with a large amount of sand on a flat surface, such as a table. They then use their hands and fingers to draw in the sand. 

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} However, the wide variety of beautiful and highly-detailed sand artworks might surprise you. Many of these works or art are temporary. That's where the animation part comes in. 

Sand animation artists create a series of images that move to tell a story. They might also use music and special lighting to complete the effect. Sometimes they photograph or video their creation throughout the process. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. It is a type of live performance art. 

B. Not all works of art are permanent, though. 

C. Sand animation is beautiful but lasts only for the moment. 

D. Then, they turn it into a sand animation movie when it's finished. 

E. It might seem like using sand would limit the art you could make. 

F. If you have, you would probably be sad when it was time to leave the beach. 

G. Building a sand castle is a family-friendly activity perfect for large groups.