Some people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel you are already close friends. They are always good talkers. Here are several skills that good talkers have in common. If you follow the skills, they'll help you put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    First of all, good talkers ask questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says，“At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}” From there you can move on to other matters—sometimes to really personal questions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers. Your questions should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully. Real listening at least means some things. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he's really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to tones of voice. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Finally, good talkers know well how to “say goodbye”. If you're saying goodbye, you may give him a firm handshake and say, “I've really enjoyed meeting you.” {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away, happy and satisfied.

A. It's polite to listen to others with a smile.

B. You'd better change the subject if the voice sounds dull.

C. Don't be afraid to say so if you want to see that person again.

D. Common as the question is, it will get things going.

E. You can become a popular person.

F. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.

G. These people have something in common.

    Have you ever heard of spring fever? When we have spring fever, are we really sick? Originally, yes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But now people used it to mean a sudden increase of romantic feelings.

    These days, we use "spring fever" to describe a restless feeling after the long, cold days of winter. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is also a verb that means something happening or appearing quickly.

    Imagine that you are resting in the chair when suddenly you see a mouse run across the floor. You spring into action! You jump from the chair and run after the mouse! {#blank#}3{#/blank#} And it works! But when you tell your roommate that you caught a mouse in a trap, tears spring from her eyes. You feel badly, but she really should have told you about her pet mouse Charlie!

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You say to her, "You can't just spring that on me! I'll need time to find another roommate!" But then you think that maybe it's for the best. Every time you see her you feel guilty about Charlie. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} She always expects you to buy her things: she wants you to spring for lunch, spring for movie tickets, and sometimes even spring for groceries.

    So, when you spring for something, you pay for someone else.

A. Many people suffer a lot from it.

B. Your roommate turns her back on you.

C. But the word "spring" is not just a season.

D. Spring fever used to refer to an actual illness.

E. Then your roommate is moving out tomorrow.

F. That night you spring a trap with some cheese in it.

G. And anyway, she does something that really annoys you.

    Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Second,your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you,are studying for a test.Third,note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.

    You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.Whenever or however you take notes,keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    The following methods may work best for you.

    Read the text quickly to find the main facts arid ideas in it.

    Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.

    Write your notes in your own words.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Note any questions or idea you may have about what was said or written.

    As you take notes,you may want to use your own shorthand（速记）.When you do,be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them all the time.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A.Use words,not complete sentences.

B.There are three practical note-taking methods.

C.You must write your notes on separate paper.

D.Otherwise,you may not be able to read your notes later.

E.You will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.

F.That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.

G.First,the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.

                                                                            Master Your Deadlines

    The struggle begins in high school, sometimes earlier. Deadlines, and lots of them, start to pile up. At college, the pressure sometimes leads to last-minute rush and unsatisfactory work. At work, failing to meet deadlines can easily get you fired.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are a few best practices.

    Assign deadlines to what matters.

    If the task isn't of high importance, don't set a specific deadline. In this way, you are able to keep it on your radar for a while without feeling pressured.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} This will provide just enough pressure to ensure you get it done.

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    Set a personal deadline for yourself a day or two before the actual deadline.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you're working with a group of people, add in even more time to account for potential follow-ups and the need for approvals.

    Keep communicating.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This means letting others know when something is taking longer than expected, when a delivery didn't come in, when a client is not providing the necessary information, etc. Although it may feel embarrassing to admit that something is not on schedule, being honest is much better for relieving your stress.

A. Plan for flexible hours.

B. Finish your project as early as possible.

C. But if an activity is urgent, set a deadline immediately.

D. In this way, you'll never have to stay up late and feel stressed.

E. But handled properly, deadlines can actually improve productivity.

F. Whenever you feel challenged to finish work on time, communicate.

G. So if anything takes longer than expected, you can still wrap it up and submit it on time.

    Whether you are at Disneyland or another Disney park, you will usually find a nighttime show that will be showing.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Read this article to find out how you can get a good seat for an evening event at any Disney park.

    Plan on seeing the show in advance.

    Usually, if you decide an hour beforehand that you're going to see a show, you will likely end up not getting a good seat, unless the park is not very busy. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Do your research.

    Research online: "The best places to view ..." {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Some of them may even be less known, so you may not deal with such a big crowd.

    Arrive to the event early.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Possibly even earlier if the park is more crowded on that day. If you arrive ten minutes before the event starts, you're a lot less likely to get a good spot.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    If you must leave to do something, make sure that it's extremely quick, and try to have another member of your party stay in your spot while you are away.

A. Stay in the same area.

B. Enjoy the show with a friend.

C. It's usually much more enjoyable if you can get a good seat.

D. This is especially important if you arrive closer to the event time.

E. In order to get a good spot, plan on arriving an hour before the event.

F. Therefore, look at the schedule before your trip, or at least the day before.

G. You'll see a list of places in the park that are the best for viewing that event.

    With modern technology, much written communication tends to focus on the keyboard, but handwriting is still a necessary and important skill.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some tips for you to improve your handwriting.

    Examine Your Handwriting

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Look through your writing to decide what makes it difficult to read or what makes it unattractive. Perhaps you write your letters too small. Check on spacing of letters and words, and proper formation of letters. If your letters are small, put more effort into writing larger letters. If certain letters trip you up, practice those letters separately and within words.

    Write Correctly

    Positioning and technique play a role in how your handwriting looks. Hold the pen between your thumb and first two fingers so that it rests against your fingers. Hold it firmly enough to control the tip but not so hard that it hurts your fingers. Lighter pressure on the paper helps you create smooth lines and focus on your letter formation.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Letters are formed from several basic strokes(笔划). Practice those strokes separately to get your hand used to forming them. Strokes found in letters include vertical lines, horizontal lines, and circles. Build on those to practice specific letters.

Write for a Purpose

    Teach young children handwriting in meaningful contexts. Use that same idea by picking up a pen to write lists and notes by hand instead of typing. Keep a journal daily with slow, correct strokes.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}These true and sincere writing opportunities make the practice meaningful.

A. Build on Basics.

B. Practice makes perfect

C. Focus on improving your correctness instead of speed

D. Writing at a slower speed also helps you focus on letter formation

E. Put a handwritten letter in the mail to surprise a friend or a relative

F. Handwriting requires your brain, eyes and hands to work together to form letters.

G. Before you can improve your handwriting, you need to know where you're falling apart.