Being able to communicate effectively with others is one of the most important skills a person can have. From talking with family and friends to sharing your ideas at work, communication is absolutely fundamental.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} there are some strategies you can use to improve them.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, it doesn't have to be. There are some simple ways for you to start communicating with someone, even if you don't know the person very well. For example, you can focus on the weather or some other aspects of your surroundings.

    Besides, you should consider what topics are appropriate for the situation. In some cases, sticking with small talk and interesting topics might be best, but sometimes, you may consider developing into a deeper conversation.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Talk about things that interest the other party. If you want to become a better communicator, your focus has to be less on yourself and more on the person you re talking with.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} you shouldn't go on all night about yours. Find connection points that allow you to get the other person talking.

    The conversation will come to an end at some point{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Maybe you need to move on with your day. To end a conversation politely, pay attention to the other person's reaction and then say something to officially close the conversation.

A. If you want to make an apology to the other party

B. This may be because of running out of things to discuss

C. If he doesn't share his hobbies and interests

D. it's not appropriate to transform the conversation into a deeper one

E. If you feel like your communication skills fall short of your expectations

F. Consider the situation to determine what kind of topics might be appropriate

G. Starting a conversation can be the hardest part of communication for some people

    Are you simply moving through your day without fully living? I think many of us have done this. Everyone wants to fully live every day. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So I've decided to share with you some ways to help you enjoy every moment.

    Sit in the morning. When you wake up, in the quiet of the morning, sit on the floor. I often use this opportunity to stretch (伸展). {#blank#}2{#/blank#} I also just sit, and focus on my breathing going in and out.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I like to take breaks from work, and go outside for a slow walk. Pay attention to your breathing, to everything around you, to the sounds and light of objects.

    Read in silence. Find a quiet time, and a quiet place, and read a good novel. Have no television or computers on nearby. And just put yourself in the world of the novel. It might seem difficult to let your mind move from the present into the time of the novel, but it's a great practice in focus. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Each day, find someone you care about and be grateful for his existence. If you want, you can tell that person how thankful you are to him.

A. Walk slowly.

B. Work with focus.

C. Look at someone in a grateful way.

D. But this is easier said than done.

E. I feel every muscle in my body.

F. It's a way of building something good into your life.

G. Also, I love a good novel more than almost anything else.

    Exploring somewhere new can bring us adventurous experiences. With the proper technology, we can make full use of our time on the road. Google Maps is just this kind that helps make trips easier. People most commonly use Google Maps for directions from one place to another. It offers many other kinds of travel tools. And, how do Google Maps work? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Project and share a road trip route.

    When we are traveling on a road trip, we do not have to plan each part of the trip separately with Google Maps.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Besides, we can share our journey with others. After we have planned our route, click share or open the menu and click” share or insert map “to share our route with others.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When we are traveling, we may not always have access to the Internet, or we may not want to pay international charges for using our phone in other countries. The good news is that we can still use Google Maps even without the Internet. We can download a map from Google Maps to our phone.

    Find the best places in town.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}We can ask Google Maps for recommendations. After we search for a city in Google Maps, click” Nearby” to find the top- rated restaurants, hotels, pubs, coffee shops, and more.

Share our current position with friends.

    Thanks to a recent Google Maps update, we can now share our position with our friends. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}For example, using Google Maps for a lonely place, we can share our route with friends so that they can locate a general position where we stay and join us.

A. Is there any place to explore?

B. Want to know the best local places?

C. Here are 4 top tips for using Google Maps.

D. Save our maps for off-line use.

E. Google Maps can offer us all kinds of conveniences.

F. We can search for the whole trip in order to plan our route more efficiently.

G. During exploring a totally strange area, there is no need to worry about losing way.

    Whether you're flying to an island paradise or traveling for business, these packing tips will help you minimize time and maximize space.

Start with the right-sized suitcase

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. But if you can't travel light, it's best to choose a bag that can easily accommodate everything you need. Trying to force a full suitcase to shut is a waste of time and energy, especially since you may return with even more stuff, if you like to buy souvenirs.

    Lay everything out before starting

    Lay everything you're taking out on the bed, so you can see exactly what you need to pack and spot any missing items promptly. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. For folded items, putting layers of tissue between each item will cut down on wrinkles.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Begin by putting rolled items in a layer at the bottom of your suitcase. Cushion fragile items like perfume bottles in the middle. Plan to put items you need on arrival at the top end of the case. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Finish with a large top layer

    Lastly, lay a large item like a towel over the tops and tuck it in around the sides. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. It's much easier to close the zipper if you don't have items like belts or laces.

A. Pack your suitcase in layers

B. Then fold or roll each item of clothing

C. Take a moment to assess your needs for this trip

D. So they'll be easy to find when you need them

E. For a short trip, a small carry-on bag is ideal

F. Get everything ready before you start the actual packing

G. This will stop items from sliding around during the journey

Think like This When You Feel Stressed

    It's a sweet opportunity. If you look on pressure as a threat, you are sure to be negatively impacted by its occurrence. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}They look on it as a great chance. They will cherish the pressure moment and approach it with confidence and enthusiasm.

    I'll get another chance. Under pressure, we often lose hope. We tend to distort the reality of the situation. One of the most common phrases is the "chance of a lifetime" in which we tell ourselves, "I will never get an opportunity like this again, so I can't miss it."{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    I'll do my best. This is what people who do their best under pressure tell themselves when they are going into a pressure moment. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Because it prevents them from wasting valuable energy worrying over things they can't influence and promotes confidence at the same time. Focusing on doing your best keeps you in the moment and guides your behavior toward success.

     {#blank#}4{#/blank#}People who perform their best under pressure will reduce the significance of the upcoming pressure moment, so they feel less stressed. Whether it's a sales call or an interview for their dream jobs, they are like winning athletes, and when asked how to handle the pressure of the big game, they responded, "It's just another game."

    I can control how I respond. People who do their best in a pressure moment focus on what they can control. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you have an upcoming interview, don't worry about the other applicants. You can't control them. Practice how you will handle an unexpected problem.
A. It's no big deal.
B. It stops you paying attention to anxiety.
C. Instead, take care of your own business.
D. Remembering past successes increases your confidence.
E. In fact, we have many chances to succeed in our lifetime.
F. But people who do their best in a pressure moment are different.
G. Focusing on doing your best quickly decreases pressure in the moment.

    Learning a foreign language is more than just a help to your CV(简历) or convenient for travelling. It will make you smarter, more perceptive(透视的) and even better at English. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    You become smarter

Speaking a foreign language improves the ability of your brain by challenging it to recognize, understand meaning, and communicate in different language systems. Students who study foreign languages will score better on standardized tests than their monolingual ( 单语的) classmates, particularly in maths, reading, and vocabulary.

    You become more perceptive

    A study from Spain shows that multilingual(多种语言的) people are better at observing their surroundings. They are better at focusing related information and editing out the unrelated. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Is it any surprise that Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot know several kinds of languages?

    You build multitasking skills

    Multilingual people, especially children, are skilled at switching between two systems of speech, writing, and structure. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The research found that people who spoke more than one language made fewer errors in their driving.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Educators often compare the brain to a muscle, because it functions better with exercise. Learning a language involves memorizing rules and vocabulary, which helps strengthen that mental "muscle." This exercise improves overall memory, which means that multiple language speakers are better at remembering lists or sequences.

    If you haven't spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be gaining these bilingual benefits. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} People who begin language study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still gain the same mental benefits, too.

A. However, it's never too late to learn a foreign language.

B. In one study, participants used a driving simulator (模拟器) while doing separate, distracting tasks at the same time.

C. Your muscle improves.

D. Below are several advantages of learning a foreign language.

E. They're also better at discovering misleading information.

F. Language speakers also develop a better ear for listening.

G. Your memory improves.