I Think I Can: How to Push Yourself to Success

    “Because I can” is magic.It pushes us past our comfort zones.It gives us a reason to do the things that we think we can't.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

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    Whether it is to get to the store or work,climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator.Break the “I'm tired” or “It is too hard” or “It is too far” cycle.Increasing your activity level will provide enormous benefits,both physically and mentally.

Try Something New

    It is easy for us to make excuses for why we shouldn't try new things.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.Maybe it seems too difficult.Or maybe,it is just inconvenient.Reminding yourself that You Can try something new will help you to move past these roadblocks and discover new things about yourself and possible new interests.

Speak Up

    Often,we dare not address（处理）things that bother us or make us unhappy.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.Use that voice "because you can."Communicating to loved ones,co-workers,and even your boss as to how you feel,what your needs and expectations are and what you are thinking can help your develop deeper,more meaningful and rewarding relationships.Further,you will be truer to yourself,thus making you a happier individual.

Increase Your Willpower

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.However,developing a strong willpower,whether it is in response to our favorite chocolate cake or to over-shopping is something that we can all benefit from.Next time you are tempted to do something you think you might regret,try reminding yourself that you can say no.You have the power.

A. Be More Active

B. Maybe you think it is out of your comfort zone

C. You have a voice

D. Saying “No” to our favorites can be challenging

E. “Because I can” is an easy way to include more activities into your life

F. Here are a few ways to apply this positive thinking to your own life

G.A strong willpower can keep us motivated（有动机的）and reach our goals

    Asking for a raise can be a discouraging prospect for any employee.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you're a female employee seeking a raise, it matters to approach that conversation strategically. Here are a few tips for pulling it off successfully.

    Do your research.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}So if you're making a case for a pay increase, you'll need to gather some data on what others in similar positions are earning. To that end, do some research on sites like Salary.com.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Remember to collect the average earnings for all workers in your position and make your case for why you deserve to be paid similarly.

    Don't get emotional.

    Women are often accused of getting emotional on the job. In fact, it's that so-called sensitive nature that causes some people to claim they're uncomfortable working with and promoting female employees. That's why it's extremely important to keep you cool during a salary negotiation. Be specific and present hard evidence of your value to the company. Try to focus on your positive contributions, rather than the negative feelings. And although the discussion might get heated, be sure not to yell or, worse yet, cry while it's going down.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

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    Given many news stories about how men out-earn women, you may tend to draw on some of that data as a reason for getting a raise. But be very careful about using that argument, because unless you have definitive proof that your male colleagues—with the same exact titles, experience, and responsibilities — are making more money than you, you're better off avoiding that angle.

A. Don't accuse your employer.

B. Slaying calm will only help your case.

C. Take advantage of how much men colleagues earn.

D. It's never a good idea to go into a salary negotiation blindly.

E. You are often paid less salary than your workmates in similar positions.

F. But women face unique challenges when it comes to requesting more money.

G. They allow you to search for compensation info based on industry and geographic region.

    Like many people, the start of the day maybe isn't your favourite time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Try at least one of these tomorrow.

    Stretch（伸展）every part of your body for 15 minutes.

    Try this before you open your eyes. Lift your arm and begin by stretching each finger, then your hand, then your wrist, then your arm. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Then your toes, feet, ankles and legs. In this way, you upped the flow of blood through your body, providing more oxygen to all parts of your body.

    Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can begin your day by lying in bed, slowly waking up, mentally ticking off the decisions you made in advance about what you're going to wear, what you are going to do.

    Brush your tongue for 2-3 minutes.

    There's no better way to rid you of bad morning breath and begin your day fresh and clean. After all, more than 300 types of bacteria stay in your mouth every night. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Avoid any decisions.

    For truly relaxing mornings, reduce the number of choices and decisions you make to zero. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Really, there's no need to vary your breakfast, timetable or clothes to wear every morning.

A. Repeat with the other arm.

B. You can change your living habits.

C. Make your decisions the night before.

D. These few minutes in bed are all yours.

E. Quick brush can't make them all disappear.

F. Here are some healthy habits you can learn without much efforts.

G. In this way, you don't have to jump out of bed and rush through your morning.

    Long, long ago people couldn't write and they had no books. But they had stories. People learned the stories by heart and taught new ones to one another. Sometimes it was hard to remember them all. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    The ancient Egyptians wrote their stories on something made from papyrus (纸沙草) plants. People in other places wanted to learn from the Egyptians to use papyrus.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} So, parchment (羊皮纸), made from goatskin, later took its place.

    In ancient China books looked a little different. People there used ink to write on bamboo or silk. And then they invented paper. Made of trees, paper was easier and cheaper to make than papyrus or parchment.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Paper-making later spread to the West, but there was a big problem with these early books. Every single one had to be copied and written by hand.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They carved (雕刻) a page of words into a piece of wood or stone. They could then print the page by spreading ink on the wood or stone and putting it against paper. But it wasn't until a German printer invented movable, metal letters that books became fast and easy to make. The letters could be used to print copy after copy, and the letters put together again and again to print different pages of words.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Once a luxury (奢侈品) only the rich could buy, they soon became a treasure everyone could enjoy.

A. It took years to finish making just one book.

B. But papyrus grew mainly in Egypt.

C. Things grew a little easier when writing was invented.

D. Finally books could be printed by the thousands.

E. The Chinese were the first to think of a way to speed things up a little.

F. Books in the West didn't change for a long time after that.

G. Its surface was smoother and better for writing on too.

    Leonardo da Vinci is often thought of mainly as an artist, with world-famous works like The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But his notebooks, filled with his strange writing, show that his main interests were in engineering and technology.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If his pioneering work on anatomy (解剖学) is also taken into consideration, it is not hard to see why Leonardo is considered to be one of the greatest geniuses (天才) of all time.

    Born in 1452 to a Florentine lawyer and a local village girl, Leonardo was given only a very basic education. After ten years in the workshop of the artist Verrocchio, he began to work for himself. The work he did shows an unbelievable combination of technical skill and very careful observation.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    At the age of thirty, he left his hometown and moved to Milan, where he spent seventeen years working for the Duke of Milan. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In fact, his painting was increasingly influenced by his interest in mathematics. During this period, he painted The Last Supper and developed his ideas for chemical weapons (化学武器).

    In 1506 he returned to Milan and became increasingly interested in science. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} He also studied many other animals, comparing their bodies to the human body. From then on, Leonardo spent the rest of his life mainly on his scientific studies.

A. Before long, he returned to his painting.

B. Of course, his place in art history is certain.

C. It also shows his great interest in technology.

D. The notebooks are full of drawings for all kinds of inventions.

E. He began to study human bodies and the movement of the blood.

F. Here he continued to combine his scientific work with his painting.

G. It was a good chance to make some money with his new inventions.

How to Master Your Public Speaking Voice

    Public speaking skills can be a disaster if you don't know how to use your voice. However, a little bit of practice and a confident outlook can help you to be a fantastic public speaker. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Learn the sound of your own voice

    Record yourself as often as possible—speaking your thoughts aloud, having conversations with friends, giving a presentation at work, etc. so you can hear what your voice sounds like when you are relaxed, having fun, and in stressful situations. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Master your breathing

    The first step in developing a strong public speaking voice is mastering your breathing. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, which causes their voices to sound high and weak. Develop a habit of breathing deeply at a controlled pace throughout the day so that when it comes to your time to speak, you'll have less trouble doing it.

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    It's not just your breathing and vocal cords (声带) that have a physical vocal on your voice. When it comes to public speaking, it is essential that you stand or sit with your back straight. This makes your voice stronger and clearer by allowing you to breathe deeper. It also has the added benefit of making you look more confident.

    Adjust your speaking rate

    Speaking too slow can cause people to get bored while speaking too fast can be hard to follow. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. The best speaking rate is in the range of 120-160 words per minute. Practice to control your time.