Question: Why is it so hard for some people to apologize after they've done something wrong? I have made efforts to persuade my uncle to be nice to people that he's hurt. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} How I wish things would be better if he'd just say he's sorry and ask them to forgive him.

Answer: {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's just easier for him to pretend nothing happened than to face the embarrassment (尴尬) of admitting he was wrong. You've probably done the same thing yourself at some time. In fact, most of us have. Furthermore, what if others won't forgive him even if he apologizes?

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Pride blinds us to our mistakes or faults. Or at least it makes us pay less attention to their seriousness.

    Pride also makes us unwilling to admit to others that we were wrong. Perhaps we're afraid they will look down on us if we admit it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} 

    But others see through our pride. And things would be far better if we admitted our faults and asked for forgiveness. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

    Now you know why your uncle refuses to apologize, talk to him again. Help him to learn how to apologize and ask for forgiveness from others.

A. But a deeper reason is pride.

B. But he just refuses to do that.

C. We may even hope that somehow they will overlook it.

D. As a result, you would offend others and hurt their feelings.

E. There are a variety of reasons for your uncle's refusal to apologize.

F. Otherwise our pride would only hurt us and cause conflict with others.

G. One reason your uncle finds it hard to apologize could be embarrassment.

    Follow these steps and you'll be getting to bed earlier before you know it.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    If you're currently going to bed at 11 pm, don't decide that tonight you're going to get to bed at 9 pm. But more generally, it's also important to give your body time to adjust as you start changing your bedtime. So you should take smaller steps.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Write down your new bedtime.

    Set up your environment to avoid objections.

    What you'll need to do is to think through your specific plan, and identify potential objections.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Imagine your routine for this evening, think through any possible obstacles and decide on specific ways that you'll avoid them.

    Set reminders for yourself to stick to your plan.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The idea here is that reminders not only alert you in the moment, but they also help you build tiny habits for certain behaviors.

    Decide what time you're going to begin the process of getting ready for bed. Add it to your calendar.

    Make a public commitment.

    Making a public commitment to getting something done is a great way to create responsibilities for yourself.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Decide what time you're going to go to bed tonight and find friends to tell them what time you're going to bed in case you miss your bedtime.

A. Make a change gradually.

B. Studies show that once we make it, we are more likely to honor it.

C. Remind yourself to go to bed as early as possible tonight.

D. Decide to go to bed 15 minutes earlier tonight than you usually do.

E. Make sure you get success in one time when you plan to change your bedtime.

F. Once you've mapped out a plan for your evening, you can set reminders for yourself.

G. The idea is to design your environment to make it less likely that you'll give up your plan.

    If you are hungry, what do you do? Have your favorite-meal and stay quiet after that?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. But it never lets you know, because, you keep it busy thinking about your friends or favorite stars. So it silently serves your needs and never let itself grow. When mind loses its freedom to grow, creativity sets a full stop. This might be the reason why we all sometimes think "What happens next?", "Why can't I think?"

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Why reading but not watching TV? It is because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from childhood．Since it develops other aspects of our life, we have to take help from reading．

    Once you read a book, you run your eyes through the lines and your mind tries to explain something to you{#blank#}3{#/blank#}．Now this seed is unknowingly used by you to develop new ideas．If it is used many times, the same seed can give you great help to relate a lot of things, which you would have never thought of in your wildest dreams!

    This is nothing but creativity．{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Within no time you can start talking with your friends in English or any other language and never run out of the right words．

    So guys, do give food for your thoughts by reading, reading and more reading.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}．Go and get a book!

A．Now what are you waiting for?

B．Reading can help you make more friends, too．

C．Just like your stomach, your mind is also hungry．

D．Why not do some reading while you are hungry?

E．Also this makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary．

F．The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed．

G．Hunger of the mind can be actually solved through wide reading．

    Unsurprisingly, people who are very busy also tend to be very successful and knowledgeable, so it's in your interest to befriend with them. But how do you talk to such busy people in order to make friends with them?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} the same rules apply. However, there are a few specific rules for talking with busy people in particular.

    Remember that even busy people are social creatures. That people are busy doesn't mean they don't want to chat with others or they don't enjoy it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Busy people can be very social and friendly. Like anyone else, they have a deep-seated need to socialize and make friends.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They know they're capable and in demand, but it doesn't mean they expect others to prove themselves to them. The best use of your time talking with busy people is not in trying to impress them. Focus on making a conversation and creating a connection, not on proving yourself.

    Spend more time in their field. When dealing with busy people, since their time is in high demand, your favorite topics take a slight backseat to theirs. It usually makes sense to make sure they find the topics you talk about meaningful.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Get to the point.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Their time is highly valuable. So they don't need you to sugar coat your messages that much, they just want you to say what you have to say.

A. Don't try to prove yourself.

B. Don't hesitate to change your plans.

C. They just don't have that much time for it.

D. It's comfortable for them to chat with people who they like.

E. Mostly, talking to busy people is the same as talking to any others.

F. Once you've found a topic they enjoy talking about, you should explore that topic.

G. Busy people have little patience for communicators who beat around the bush.

    Rather Public speaking and critical thinking

    What is critical thinking? To a certain degree, it's a matter of logic (逻辑) — of being able to spot weaknesses in other people's arguments and to avoid them in your own, it also includes related skills such as distinguishing fact from opinion and assessing the soundness of evidence .

    In the broad sense, critical thinking is focused, organized thinking – the ability to see clearly the relationships among ideas{#blank#}1{#/blank#}The greatest thinkers, scientists, and inventors have often taken information that was really available and put it together differently to produce new ideas. That, too, is critical thinking.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} As the class goes on, for example, you will probably spend a good deal of time organizing your speeches. While this may seem like a purely mechanical (机械的) exercise, it is closely connected with critical thinking. If the structure of your speech is loose and confused, chances are that your thinking is also disordered and confused. If, on the other hand, the structure is clear, there is a good chance your thinking is too. Organizing a speech is not a matter of arranging the ideas your already have{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    What is true of organization is true of many aspects of public speaking.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} As you work on expressing your ideas in clear accurate language, you will improve your ability to think clearly and accurately{#blank#}5{#/blank#} As you learn to listen critically to speeches in class, you will be better able to assess the ideas of speakers in a variety of situations.

    If you take full advantage of your speech class, you will be able to develop your skills as critical thinker in many circumstances. This is one reason public speaking has been regarded as a vital part of education since the days of ancient Greece.

A. Rather, it is an important part of shaping the ideas themselves.

B. This may seem like a lot of time, but the rewards are well worth it.

C. It may also help you to know that there is no such thing as a perfect speech.

D. As you study the role of evidence and reasoning in speechmaking, you will see how they can be used in other forms of communication as well.

E. The skills you learn in your speech class can help you become a more effective thinker in a number of ways.

F. If you are wondering what this has to do with your public speaking class, the answer is quite a lot.

G. It has often been said that there are few new ideas in the world, only reorganized ideas.

Participating (参与) in Class

    Class participation is a valuable part of learning. Many students are unwilling to participate in class. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Other students participate in class, but do so not correctly. Here is some advice that can help you become an effective class participant.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Do all tasks and readings and go over your notes from previous class periods. This will help to prevent you from making uninformed (无知的) comments or asking unsuitable questions. As you get ready for class, think about important questions and concerns that may appear in class. Be sure that you are prepared to deal with these.

    Try to sit close to the front of the class. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Besides, you can hear what the teachers say clearly.

    Listen to what the other students say. You can then build on their comments to make your own. Be active when you respond to something another student says. You can disagree, but don't go into an "attack mode".

    Don't be afraid to be wrong. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You can learn from being wrong. Don't be afraid to ask questions. This is a good learning skill. Also, the chances are that other students in the class have the same questions as you do, and they will appreciate your asking.

    Be sure that your questions and comments are closely connected with the class topic.

    Don't waste the time of the teacher and other students by going off way. Don't take it in person if others disagree with what you say. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Creating a personal connection helps you feel more comfortable about participating in class.

B. Be confident that your opinions will be valued by your teacher and other students.

C. It's hard to stay unconcerned when you are near to the teacher.

D. Be sure that you are well prepared before coming to class.

E. This may be because they are shy or fearful of being judged and criticized (批评).

F. Your class should be a good place for giving opinions and taking advice.

G. Learning is a change in behavior based on experience.