Now, if you want to be charming, then you'll need to build self-confidence, but becoming more outgoing is actually pretty easy. To get to a point at which you feel comfortable talking to complete stranger, follow these steps.

    Encourage your curiosity about people{#blank#}1{#/blank#}I wonder what his parents look like. I wonder what her favorite color is. Is he from around here? Is she the girl I saw at the movie theater last week? It will take some conscious effort, but you can't be outgoing if you don't care about people.

Smile at others. Make it a goal to smile at one person a day. It can be anybody, and it can be the most subtle(微妙的) of smile. A quick glance paired with a smile—then run away if you want!{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Eventually, you will want to get to a point where you smile instinctively whenever you make first eye contact with someone.

    Ask people questions. The standard ”how are you?” doesn't really count, because people use it as a greeting rather than a real question{#blank#}3{#/blank#}This is where the curiosity and interest in others come into play.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}This is key to being a good conversationalist. If you don't make enough eye contact, the other person will feel invisible and the sense that you're elsewhere mentally. If you make too much, they'll feel uncomfortable. Is that specific enough for you?

    Note your body language{#blank#}5{#/blank#}To show that you're outgoing and welcome conversations, keep your body open, you head up, and a smile on your face. Resist playing with your phone or otherwise occupying yourself.

A. Master eye contact.

B. Never hesitate to smile at others.

C. Most of communication isn't verbal.

D. The more you do it, though, the less scary it will be.

E. Make eye contact when you're asking questions about people.

F. Wherever you go, try to observe people, and ask questions about them.

G. If you've already exchanged eye contact and smiles with someone, start off with a question,

    We often close ourselves off when painful events happen in our lives. Instead of letting the world soften us, we let it drive us deeper into ourselves. We try to ignore the hurt and, pain, but we can't hide from ourselves. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The items listed below are four tips you can open your heart more fully and completely.

    ⒈Breathe into pain

    Whenever a painful situation arises （出现）in your life, try to face it instead of running away. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. When the sadness strikes, take a deep breath and accept it. By using our breath we soften our experiences and allow more newness.

    ⒉{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    We're often confused （困惑的）at the next step to take. Actually, we can try a new decision making process. To start this process, we may ask, “Heart, what decision should I make here? What action feels the most right?” See what comes up, then put it into practice and evaluate（评价）the outcome.

    ⒊Spend time alone

    For most of our lives we're surrounded by people: our friends, family members, and strangers. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When you spend time in solitude（孤独）, you're free from the influences of other people. It might be painful at first, but eventually you'll add a whole new understanding into your life.

    ⒋Get outside of yourself

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} But in reality, they actually work hand-in-hand. After you've explored the depths of yourself, you come away with a new understanding.

    Now, it's time to share that —not through telling others, but through being with others.

A. Have a light heart

B. Ask your heart what it wants

C. Is there anything I'm hiding from myself?

D. How often do we really spend time alone?

E. This may seem a little contradictory（对立的）to the last tip.

F. We should open our hearts and take action to heal（使愈合）the wounds.

G. When we run away from sadness, it gets stronger and more real.

    While it is impossible to live completely free of stress(压力), it is possible to prevent stress as well as reduce its effect{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. The US Department of Health and Human Services offers the following suggestions for ways to deal with stress.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    When you are nervous, angry or upset, try releasing the pressure through exercise or physical activity. Running, walking, playing tennis, and working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try.

    Take care of yourself

    You should make every effort to eat well and get enough rest. If you easily get angry and can't sleep well enough, or if you're not eating properly, it will be more likely that you will fall into stressful situations.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Make time for yourself

    Schedule time for both work and entertainment. Don't forget, play can be just as important to your overall well-being as work.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Go window-shopping or work on a hobby. Allow yourself at least a half hour each day to do something you enjoy.

    Make a list of things to do

    Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that "there's so much to do, and not enough time". Trying to take care of everything at once can be too much for you and as a result, you may not achieve anything. Instead, make a list of everything you have to do, then{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, checking off each task as it is completed. Set out to do the most important task first.

A. You need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun.

B. Try physical activity

C. take care of everything at once

D. If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping, you should consult a doctor.

E. do one thing at a time

F. Lie in bed for a rest

G. when it can't be avoided

    Are you having trouble concentrating when you're reading a book or listening to a lecture? This list of activities might help to improve your study habits.

    Make a List. We often have trouble paying attention to one thing because our brain wants to think about something else. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You don't worry about whatever else you should be doing.

    Sleep More. Studies show that people who sleep fewer than eight hours a night for a period of time have slower response systems and more difficulty recalling information. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Eat Healthier Foods. Many people enjoy foods high in fats and sugars. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They might give you a temporary burst of energy. However, that energy is soon followed by a crash.

Reduce Screen Time. This may be the most unpopular suggestion among young people. Screen time — or time spent looking at cell phones, televisions, computer screens, has a clear effect on the attention span. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Concentration improves for students who participate in team sports. It could be that being active is helpful in this way. Participating in a sport trains your brain to concentrate on specific tasks, and shut out other thoughts.

A. Be active.

B. Practice more.

C. These foods can provide enough energy for focusing.

D. But these foods can't be helpful enough when it comes to focusing.

E. That is bad news for teens who stay up studying the night before a test.

F. Researchers advise parents to limit it when their children need to be focused.

G. By writing down all the things you need to do, you'll gain a sense of control.

How to Fight Laziness?

    Lazy people will never gain anything in life. However, laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Many people lack sleep constantly, since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation(动力) once they arrive home. Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency to put off things. By adjusting your sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest, you can fight laziness throughout the day.

    Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active. Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from task to task. Others take a more positive approach, viewing each task as a challenge they must overcome alone.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Some people fight laziness by removing the temptations(诱惑) that surround them. A television in the living room may provide entertainment, but watching too much TV often contributes to laziness. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Complete a few tasks and reward yourself with what you enjoy, such as a good dinner or a film.

    Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home. Couples and children may all have different energy levels, but laziness can be spread if not dealt with immediately. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal. Others at home may finally follow your example and perform their own tasks. It is difficult to practice laziness when you are surrounded by motivated people.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Enough exercise and a balanced diet can help you to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus enabling you to have more energy and help lift your spirits.

A. One way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.

B. Knowing how to fight laziness is important.

C. To fight family laziness, set an example.

D. Create a reward system for yourself, just as parents do for a child.

E. Laziness sets in when you no longer feel in charge of your own life.

F. Finally, taking exercise regularly can help you fight laziness.

G. With strong determination, you will be able to achieve your goal.

    This summer, when earthquakes rocked Southern California on back-to-back days, it was a close-to-home reminder that we may one day experience the "Big One," a quake with the power to kill and destroy. A few people, however, saw something else: a photo opportunity. Tourists poured to a large crack in a highway to see evidence of the damage for themselves and, of course, take a quick selfie.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It feeds so many of the weakest parts of ourselves: our born attraction to images of human faces instead of landscapes or objects, our interest in capturing memories, and yes, our need for social approval. Yet, it is easy to feel uncomfortable with selfies and even laugh at them, especially when they are risky or in bad taste. So why do we take selfies?

    Selfies have become so common that my grandma does them when we get together. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead, selfies are a way for us to connect and communicate, and feel a more personal connection with people all around the world.

    In one example, researchers developed a #ScientistsWhoSelfie campaign studying how scientists posting photos of themselves with their work on social media influenced public opinion of the profession. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} "Those scientists in general were described as warmer, but no less competent," said Paige Jarreau, the lead author on the study.

    While some scientists refused at first, fearing that their colleagues would consider them self-centered or think they take their work less seriously, those concerns disappeared once researchers explained that it could help build public trust. "This is not just me taking a duck-faced (嘟嘟嘴) selfie or trying to look cute on camera," said Dr Jarreau. "This is me being able to better tell the story about my science in a way that helps people trust me."

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Dr Jarreau recalled a road trip she made to national parks, where she witnessed so many people taking selfies, she began taking photos of the selfie-takers themselves. "Ask yourself: Why are you posting that picture?" she said. "If there was a platform that didn't enable likes, would you post it?" After all, there are other ways to develop a social connection. You could send the photo to a private group. You could put it in a frame at home. You could be mindful in the moment by not taking it at all. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. But if you do, watch your step.

B. There is no denying the draw of the selfie.

C. With each like, we feel better about ourselves.

D. The thought that selfie is the symbol of self-love is outdated.

E. However, most of us post mechanically, even madly, in our daily lives.

F. After all, people have been making self-portraits for long, in remarkably similar ways.

G. They found that photos with human faces helped improve impressions in a field that is often subject to negative stereotypes.