Everybody has dreams, but not all these dreams can come true easily. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Read on and you can make your dream come true.

    Break your dream down into manageable “projects”. Achieving a dream can be complex and you might need to complete a number of different “projects” as you go forward. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Remember that you need to have all the parts and tools you need in order to be successful in achieving your dream.

    Take action on each “project”. Start taking action on each part of your dream. If you can, work on all of your projects at the same time—for example, try to do something for each project each week. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} And keeping yourself moving forward is one of the best ways to motivated toward achieving your goal.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Find out how others have accomplished their goal. Do some research to find out how other people have achieved the same dream. Seek out the people who have achieved their dreams and talk with them or read their stories. Find out what they learned from their journey, and what they like best about achieving their dreams. You can find out about other successful dreamers by reading their biographies, watching documentary films, or reading about people on the Internet.

    Always know what's next on your list. As you are taking action on the different projects that lead you to your dream, be sure that you always know what to do next. Being unsure of your next step is one common way that people get stuck in their progress toward a goal. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Be sure that you will be ready for each one.

A. Be inspired by others.

B. People give up their dreams for this or that reason.

C. Manage your lime so that there is room for your dream.

D. Each week revisit your project lists to see what tasks are coming up.

E. Achieving your dream might require you to gain new skills or knowledge.

F. Figuring out what the different “projects” arc will move you toward your dream.

G. Even if you are moving in small steps toward your goal, you are still heading in the right direction.

    How much do you know about Chicago, Illinois, in the United States? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} And it is! Chicago is actually the third most populous city in the US, right after New York City and Los Angeles, according to the US 2010 Census. “The Windy City” is Chicago's most famous nickname (绰号). {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The city lies right next to Lake Michigan and heavy gusts (一阵风) of wind blow through the city.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In fact, TripAdvisor says that the Art Institute of Chicago is the No 1 place to visit in the city. It is not only a school, but also a world-class art museum.

    If you don't feel like visiting a museum, your best choice is to go to Millennium Park. This is one of my personal favorites. This park holds the famous Cloud Gate, and it looks kind of like a big reflective (反光的) bean. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you enjoy heights, go visit the famous Willis Tower! You can go up to the top of it and step out onto a glass box. You'll be standing over the city, but don't worry – it's completely safe. Doesn't Chicago sound like a fun city?

A. Many people enjoy taking photos in its reflection.

B. You might think it's a big city.

C. Chicago is very well known for its art and culture.

D. Chicago also offers other fun things to do.

E. The famous Cloud Gate is a new landmark in Chicago.

F. It is for good reason.

G. Forget the fact that Chicago is home to nearly 200 art galleries.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective(选择性的) process.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.

    As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand (速记).When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Otherwise (否则), you may not be able to read your notes later.

B. There are three practical note-taking methods.

C. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

D. Use words, not complete sentences.

E. That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

F. You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

G. You must write your notes on separate paper.

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.

    Our personal strengths are part of what makes us unique as individuals, and part of the value we offer to the world around us. If we're not aware of our personal strengths, we can't use them well.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The activities we enjoy often slow the skills we naturally have. Take a few moments to think about the things you really love doing and look at the potential parts that enrich these experiences for you.

    Ask trusted friends and family.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Many of us come from cultures where it's polite to be modest, and this can make it hard to make out our own strengths without any outside help. Ask trusted friends or family what they think your personal strengths are, and see if any of the answers surprise you.

    What qualities do you like in yourself?

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}For example, if you like the fact that you stick to your goals, even when the going gets tough, one of your personal strengths might be determination.

    What makes you proud?

    Think about three examples in your life when you really felt proud of the way you acted or responded. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}What values did you display and why do you feel proud of the way you acted?

A. Notice what you enjoy.

B. Take a look at a list of personal strengths.

C. Sometimes it's hard to judge our strengths exactly.

D. Most of us have role models in our business and personal life.

E. What was it about your action or response that made you proud?

F. We potentially miss out on true achievements in our lie and careers

G. The qualities you like about yourself will show some of your personal strengths.

How to politely refuse an invitation

    Have you ever received an invitation that you couldn't accept? Do you have difficulty in refusing it without hurting someone's feelings?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. In fact, this happens to most people at some time in their lives. Here are some tips on how to turn down an invitation in a polite way.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Putting the invitation aside to deal with it later isn't good for you or the person who sent it. He needs to know whether or not you will be there. Ignoring the invitation shows that you don't know proper etiquette(礼节), and you might be left off the guest list for his next party.

    Be honest. You don't ever have to come up with false excuses for why you're unable to go to the event, but you also don't have to go into details.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} That will be enough.

    Ask for a different time. If the invitation is not proper for you, let the person know you're unable to make it at the time he requested.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} In this way, both of you won't feel uncomfortable about the event.

    Don't over-explain.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Long and unclear explanations will make it sound like you're just trying to come up with excuses.

A. Don't ignore the invitation.

B. Don't respond immediately.

C. Let him know that you already have plans.

D. Do you wonder what you should send to the inviters?

E. If you can't make it  keep your explanation short and to the point.

F. Does it trouble you to turn someone down?

G. But tell him you'd love to get together with him at another time.