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 ourselves 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.

    We all go through times when we feel we are not good enough. We might feel that way at work or in school or even as a parent. Here are some things to remember when you feel like that.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. When 1 started my Ph.D. program, I felt like the dumbest (愚蠢的) person in every class. I couldn't believe how many smart people were there. I didn't know if I could measure up to their intelligence or compete in the same league with them. Years later, I found out that almost everyone felt this way, too.

    You are unique and have special talents. If you can barely make Hamburger Helper, don't compare yourself to your sister who is a chef. I'm sure you can do many things that she can't.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. You are you. You are not your sister.

You need to stop chasing perfection. It doesn't exist. What's perfect to me is not perfect to you. So if you think that there is some objective measurement of perfection and that the rest of the world is judging you against，then you are wrong.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Our sense of self-worth is based on our thoughts. We have been programmed for many years with thoughts about ourselves. Messages come from our parents, our peers, teachers, the media and our own labels. But guess what? They are only thoughts. Just because you think these thoughts, it doesn't make them true.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. You have the power to change your future.

B. So focus on your own passions and talents.

C. You are not the only one who feels this way.

D. If you love yourself for who you are, other people will notice.

E. You need to change your thought patterns.

F. One of my favorite sayings is, “Don't believe a negative thought you think!”

G. Most people are too worried about their own lack of perfection to judge you.

Social Phobia

    It is natural to feel nervous, or shy in front of others at times. Most people manage to get through these moments when they need to. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's probably more than shyness. It may build up into a powerful fear. As a result, people feel uncomfortable participating in everyday social activities. This is called social phobia (also called social anxiety).

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It prevents them from chatting with friends in the lunch time, joining an after-school club, or going to a party. Sometimes, they even feel too nervous to ask a question in class or go to a teacher for help. Social phobia not only prevents people from trying new things. It also prevents them from making the normal, everyday mistakes that may help people improve their skills even further

    It is really sad, isn't it? But the good news is that people with social phobia can learn to manage fear, develop confidence and communicating skills and stop avoiding things that make them nervous. Of course it's not always easy. Dealing with social phobia takes the willingness patience and courage to face fears. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Therapists (治疗师) can help people create a plan for facing social fears and build the skills and confidence to overcome it. And family or friends are especially important for them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They can encourage them to pick a small goal to aim for, remind them to go for it, and be there when they might feel discouraged.

    Little by little, someone who decides to deal with extreme shyness can learn to be more comfortable. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} As shyness and fears begin to melt, confidence and positive feelings build. Pretty soon, the person is thinking less about what might feel uncomfortable and more about what might be fun.

A. Friends can overcome their fears easily.

B. But for someone, the anxiety can be extreme.

C. They are not able to make eye contact with classmates.

D. Social phobia makes people lonely or disappointed over missed opportunities.

E. Each small step forward helps build enough confidence to take the next small step.

F. It also takes an action to go forward rather than back away when feeling shy.

G. The support from those key people helps them gather the courage to try something new.

    Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.

    Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons (神经元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

    If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information — our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

    Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.

A. We should also try to sleep well the night before.

B. It's as if the brain is preserving its most important memories.

C. That's why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

D. Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

E. The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories.

F. Tononi's team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice.

G. “Sleep is the price we pay for learning,” says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea.

    From time to time, we all get a bit down. Maybe we are feeling bad because we're not doing well with our goals. There are many reasons for feeling down, but I'm not able to discuss all of them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}
    Make a list. Sometimes we are sad simply because we are troubled by all the things we have to do.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Make a list of the most pressing things you have to do. Thus you're getting things under control. You can see, right in front of you, what you need to do, and that can pick up your mood.
    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}You've made a list, and you still feel puzzled? Well, get started on the first thing you need to do. Once you get into action, you'll feel better. And once you start doing something, you will feel much better than lying around feeling sorry for yourself.
     {#blank#}4{#/blank#}I like Brown Eyed Girl, the Kinks, the Ramones, or an upbeat Beatles tune. You might have your own brand of feel-good music. Whatever it is, let yourself move to the beat. It may just be what the doctor ordered.
    Talk about it. Get a best friend, family member or coworker you can talk to.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}It can also help you work out the reasons you're feeling down.

A. Take action.

B. Play some lively music.

C. Get out of the house and do something.

D. Getting things off your chest makes a big difference.

E. Start simply by picking up a piece of paper and a pen.

F. Do whatever you need to do to feel good about yourself.

G. What I can talk about are some things that have worked for me.

    Are you happy with your appearance？{#blank#}1{#/blank#} "Almost all the girls with single﹣fold eyelids in our class have had double﹣eyelid operations, "Zeng, a Senior 2 student from Chengdu, told Xinhua. Zeng had the same surgery done this summer. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    From popular photo﹣editing apps to plastic surgery, it seems that large eyes, pale skin and a skinny body are the only standard for beauty these days. But can following this standard really make us feel good about ourselves？

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} According to Huxiu News, over six in ten girls choose not to take part in certain daily activities, such as attending school, because they feel bad about their looks. As much as 31 percent of teenagers avoid speaking up in class because they worry that others will notice their looks.

    Many teenagers are upset about their appearance because they believe in unrealistic standards of beauty, experts say. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Seeing all these things can make anyone believe that they're too dark, too fat, too short, or too tall.

    However, trying to live up to strict standards can make us feel anxious. What troubles us is not just our "imperfect" looks, but the fact that we criticize ourselves too much.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Plus﹣size models are being featured in some fashion shows. All of us should be just as confident as they are.

A. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

B. Body image anxiety is common among teenagers.

C. Guys care just as much as girls do about their body image.

D. Some teenagers might feel negatively about their appearance.

E. She and many of her classmates believe bigger eyes look more beautiful.

F. It's not uncommon for teenagers to feel confident about their appearance.

G. Perfect faces and bodies are everywhere in advertising TV shows and social media.