This Way to Dreamland

Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what's happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} ey annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.

         But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?

         So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?

First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you're daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.

It's also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concerntrate. “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

            Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

           Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.

A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.

B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.

C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn't have relatively, Coke or Post-it notes.

D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.

E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.

F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.

G. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you're in the daydream zone.

    What do the world's most successful people all have in common?

By examining the work habits of over 150 greatest writers and artists and scientists, the researchers including Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeiffer found that high achievers like Robert Moses turned out to be all alike: 

Busy! Busy!

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In a study of general managers in industry, John Kotter reports that many of them work 60 to 65 hours per week—which translates into at least six 10-hour days. The ability and willingness to work difficult and tiring hours has characterized many powerful figures. Energy and strength provide many advantages to those seeking to build power.

Just Say No!

    The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say “no” to almost everything. And that's what gives them the time to accomplish so much.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} And focus means saying “no” to a lot of distractions (分神).

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    Ignore your weaknesses and keep improving your strengths. Don't waste time exploring skill areas where you have little competence. Instead, focus on—and build on—your strengths. This means knowing who you are, what you are and what you are good at.

Create Good Luck！

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There's a science to it. Richard Wiseman studies lucky people for his book Luck Factor, and breaks down what they do right. Certain personality types are luckier because they behave in a way that offers the chance for good opportunities. By being more outgoing, open to new ideas, following the feeling that something is true, and being optimistic, lucky people create possibilities.

    Does applying these principles to your life actually work? Wiseman created a “luck school” to test the ideas—and it was a success. In total, 80 percent of the people who attended Luck School said that their luck had increased.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Spend enough time to improve your weakness.

B. Achievement requires focus.

C. On average, these people reported that their luck had increased by more than 40 percent.

D. They never stop working and they never lose a minute.

E. Busy people are more likely to be lucky.

F. Know What You Are!

G. Luck isn't magical.

A. Come in with something to say.

B. Prepare general comments.

C. Bring materials with you.

D. Don't make them wait.

E. Have no fear.

F. Go it alone.

    One of the best things you can do any time in the semester is go see the professor. So hoof on over to an office hour and have some one-on-one face time with someone who'll help you master the material and improve your grade, to boot. But how should you have this conversation with the professor? Here are five insider tips about how to make that office hour really count:

     {#blank#}1{#/blank#} No need to get all bent out of shape about going to see the professor. The professor would actually like to see you and answer your questions. Believe it or not, he or she is on your side and is eager to see you do well. And besides, he or she has seen many students stupider than you, so nothing you're gong to ask will set the record for stupidity.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Even though you might feel more comfortable going with a friend or partner, the office hour will go better if it's just you and the professor. You'll get in more questions, the discussion will be tailored to what you need most help on, and two-party communication is almost always more productive than committee work. You friend can wait outside for the discussion.

     {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you can't make the official office hours, most professors are willing to make individual, appointments to help you out. If you're lucky enough to land such an accommodation, though, be sure you're 100 percent on time. There's nothing that ticks off a professor more than making him-or herself available for a custom office hour only to find that you don't care enough to come on time. And besides, the professor might leave after ten minutes, which would make your trip a total loss.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you're meeting with the professor to go over a paper or test, or to ask questions about a particular lecture or reading, make sure you bring that paper or test, or your lecture notes or a copy of the article. The professor doesn't remember the comments he or she wrote on your individual piece of work—though he or she will be able to recall them after just a brief glance at your work. And if you have your lecture notes or the article in hand, you and the professor will be able to examine specific points that are confusing to you, rather than just talking in a general way about the contents.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Office hours almost always go better if you bring a few specific questions to the meeting. It's almost never good to start a meeting with general comments such as: “I didn't understand what you said about [main topic of the course]”or “I couldn't understand any of your lectures last week.” Much better is to come in with two or three conversation-starters, about a specific concept, point, or problem you didn't understand. Keep in mind that in a fifteen-minute office hour (which is how long these things usually last), two or three questions are usually the most you'll have time to discuss.

Suggestions for cooking on a Tight Schedule

    In my opinion, there are three main reasons why people don't cook more often: ability, money and time,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Money is a topic I'll save for another day. So today I want to give you some wisdom about how to make the most of the time you spend in the kitchen. Here are three suggestions for great cooking on a tight schedule:

    ⒈Think ahead. The moments when I think cooking is a pain are when I'm already hungry and there is nothing ready to eat. So think about of the coming week. When will you have time to cook? Do you have the right materials ready?{#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    ⒉Make your time worth it. When you do find time to cook a meal, make the most of it and save yourself time later on. Are you making one loaf of bread? {#blank#}3{#/blank#}it takes around the same amount of time to make more of something. So save yourself the effort for a future meal.

    ⒊{#blank#}4{#/blank#}This may surprise you, but one of the best tools for making cooking worth your time is experimentation. It gives you the chance to hit upon new ideas and recipes that can work well with your appetite and schedule. The more you learn and the more you try, the more ability you have to take control of your food and your schedule.

    Hopefully that gives you a good start.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} and don't let a busy schedule discourage you from making some great changes in the way you eat and live!

A. Cooking is a burden for many people.

B. Make three or four instead.

C. Ability is easily improved.

D.A little time planning ahead can save a lot of work later on.

E. Let cooking and living simply be a joy rather than a burden.

F. Try new things.

G. Understand your food better.

How to keep a Relationship Healthy and Strong

    Are you new to experiencing relationships? Well，let me give you advice on how to have a healthy relationship with your partners.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Don't hide things from them，and don't lie. Don't be afraid to say things that aren't very flattering about yourself. Getting them to trust you is the most important element in any relationship. If there's no trust，there's nothing there. So please be honest and they will learn to open up to you.

    Make sure you give them respect. Now，respect isn't just simply treating them nicely. There is a lot more to it. You have to learn to adjust to their liking. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Don't just think about yourself，but think about what your partners need out of it as well.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Always be willing to help them and give them honesty and positive at the time. Make them feel you are someone they can really count on and build a future with. This is an important step in a relationship. Your partner needs out of it as well.

Make sure you' have a good sense of humor with them. Laughter is the key to happiness. Laugh a lot with them，and joke with them. Laughter may seem silly，but it's the secret to a lot in life. It will keep the sparks alive. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Make sure the communication is good. This goes along with trust，but always communicate how you feel even if it's something that upsets you. Instead of screaming, talk to them.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It's important to communicate this to them，not to keep it bottled up.

A. Show them your personality.

B. Be an honest person with them.

C. Make sure you are reliable to your partners.

D. Laughter keeps the relationship strong and lasting.

E. Don't start to neglect them and make them feel unwanted.

F. Bascially, learn to study your partners' moods, wants and needs.

G. If they did something that made you happy, tell them about it in a respectful manner.

Can We Stop Food Longing Through Imaginary Eating?

    Are you fighting an urge to reach for chocolate? Then, let it melt in your mind, not in your mouth. According to the recent research, imagining eating a specific food reduces your interest in that food, so you eat less of it.

    This reaction to repeated exposure to food—being less interested in something because you've experienced it too much—is called habituation. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The research is the first to show that habituation can occur through the power of the mind. “If you just think about the food itself—how it tastes and smells—that will increase your appetite,” said Carey Morewedge, a well-known psychologist. “It might be better to force yourself to repeatedly think about chewing and swallowing the food in order to reduce your longing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Visualizing yourself eating chocolate wouldn't prevent you from eating lots of cheese,” he added.

    Morewedge conducted an interesting experiment. 51 subjects were divided into three groups. One group was asked to imagine putting 30 coins into a laundry machine and then eating three chocolates. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Another group was asked to imagine putting three coins into a laundry machine and then eating 30 chocolates. Lastly, a control group imagined just putting 33 coins into the machine—with no chocolates. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When they said they had finished, these were taken away and weighed. The results showed the group that had imagined eating 30 chocolates each ate fewer of the chocolates than the other groups.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Physical signals—that full stomach feeling—are only part of what tells us we've finished a meal. The research suggests that psychological effects, such as habituation, also influence how much a person eats. It may lead to new behavioral techniques for people looking to eat more healthily, or have control over other habits.

A. What's more, this only works with the specific food you've imagined.

B. People were advised to try different methods to perform the experiment.

C. For example, a tenth bite is desired less than the first bite, according to the study.

D. All of them then ate freely from bowls containing the same amount of chocolate each.

E. It meant those who repeatedly imagined eating would concern about some specific food.

F. This requires the same motor skills as eating small chocolates from a packet, the study says.

G. This study is part of the research looking into what makes us eat more than we actually need.