Have you ever felt a sudden feeling of joy because you heard a favorite song playing? Then you know that music can have a strong effect on your emotions. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It can help get you out of a bad mood (心情) or stay in a good one, says Alicia Ann Clair, professor at the University of Kansas. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    To cheer up, listen to Latin music or anything with a strong beat or a fast speed{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. When you want to relax after a busy day, music with a slower speed can calm you down.     

    Listen to calming music before you start any stressful activities, advises Dr. Clair. "Once you' re in a good state of mind, it' s easier to keep it." You can lower stress at work with music, too, by playing relaxing tunes (曲调). {#blank#}4{#/blank#} "If you listen to them all day long, you'll stop noticing them," Dr. Clair explains. Then the music won't have any effect.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}."To feel energetic, start with something relaxing, and then gradually increase the speed and beat," says Dr. Clair. For example, first play some nice slow love songs, and then listen to something more energetic. When you want to calm down after a busy week at work, just do the opposite.

    The benefits of being an independent business are truly great. Beyond the rewarding nature of owning something truly unique, small businesses have the edge over their big business counterparts in many areas. Consider the importance of being independent and how that independence can help drive your business.

    To some, having fewer customers simply means less cash flow; however, having a smaller base also allows you to focus more on customer satisfaction.

    Companies are always searching for ways to improve customer service and have more of their business. Whether through paying special attention to who comes through your door or monitoring your customers through the social network, it's less of trouble to make sure your customers' needs are being met when there's a smaller sample to deal with. In addition, it becomes much easier to create a personal connection with buyers when you have enough time and attention to show them some love.

    Small businesses have an inherent advantage over their big box competitors in the sense that they can offer something different. People want to see the independent businesses that offer unique products and flavor to their communities. Your business can be the difference when it comes to what customers want.

    Of course, big box companies will almost always beat you down when it comes to price. Consider, however, that if you can offer a truly unique product or experience, price becomes much less of an issue.

    People like the idea of supporting local independent businesses versus “the big guys”. So, what businesses are booming due to the rise of independence?

Craft Beer(精酿啤酒) —- The craft beer movement in the United States is supported so widely that big breweries have taken to creating their own competing “craft beer” brands in an attempt to follow the trend. While Anheuser Busch represents nearly half of America's breweries, craft beer has seen a huge jump in sales in recent years.

Video Games —- Whether through PCs, traditional consoles or mobile games, independent developers are supported by enthusiastic fans and micro-transactions in an industry that was formerly dominated by bigger developers.

Musicians —- The modern web offers immense opportunities to musicians, resulting in more economic and artistic freedom. A surprising number of mainstream artists have seen great success from their independent releases, such as Macklemore's The Heist, which has sold over one million copies in the United States alone.

    Some small businesses don't want to be small businesses forever. Regardless, consider what independence does for you and your company. If you offer something out of the ordinary, you can build an audience that respects your individuality and supports your cause.

    A fear of public speaking is common.Unfortunately, many fail to find a way that helps themselves out of trouble.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}I'm sure the following ways can help you overcome（克服）the fear of public speaking.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}The first step in overcoming the fear is to find out why you're fearful.Probably the main reason is the fear of being embarrassed.This includes being laughed at,messing up,or doing anything foolish{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Either way,for most people,it comes down to the fear of what others might think of them.

    Change your mindset（心态）.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Think about what the audience might think of you or how you can best get your message understood, and you will be able to drive away the fear.

    Practice.

    Although you may still get nervous even if you have done dozens of speeches,the more you do it,the easier it will get{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This will not only make public speaking easier but also help you develop confidence.You can do things like joining your local Toastmasters（宴会主持人）Club where you will get the chance to practice speaking in front of people who are all there to help you become a confident speaker.

A.Understand the cause of the fear.

B.From my experiences.

C.To overcome the fear, you need to change your mindset.

D.It could also be that you had a bad experience in the past that causes fear.

E.When you practice,it's best to do it in front of a supportive group of people.

F.Nobody will never feel nervous.

G.Don't be afraid.

    Most of us probably dreamed about becoming an astronaut when we were little. But how many of us actually became one, or are at least working toward it?

    The advice “Always follow your dreams” is something that is typically easier said than done.

    But still, this is the one piece of advice that Alyssa Carson wants to share with her peers. This 17-year-old girl from the US has become one of the candidates for NASA's 2033 project to go to Mars. If everything goes well, Carson will be one of the first human beings to ever set foot on the red planet.

    Carson has dreamed of going to Mars since she was only three years old. Watching an astronaut-themed cartoon and learning that humans have only been to the moon but not Mars, Carson decided that she wanted to be the first one to do so.

    Since then, she has worked hard toward this goal. At the age of 12, Carson became the first person to attend all three NASA space camps, and she sat with real astronauts in a NASA panel(座谈会) to discuss the future of Mars missions.

    Now 17, Carson is continuing with her space training while still taking on her high school work like a “normal” teenager, except that she studies all her subjects in four languages – English, French, Spanish and Chinese.

    “I don't think there's anything specific that makes it easier for me or makes it something that others can't do,” Carson said in an interview with Uproxx News. “I've just really focused myself on what I want to accomplish.”

    And Carson is willing to make sacrifices for her dream. She's fully aware of the danger of the mission and the possibility that she might never be able to come back. She also accepts the fact that she can't get married and start a family because any loved ones left on Earth may be a distraction for her and for the mission. But Carson believes that it's all worth it, summarizing her view with this ancient Greek proverb she once quoted, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they'll never sit in.”

    So after all the hard work that Carson has done and all the sacrifices she's made, everything still boils down to the simple phrase, “follow your dreams”. And while some people's dreams may sound out of this world, in Carson's case, they literally(毫不夸张地) are.

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.