Some students get so nervous before a test, they do poorly even if they know the material. Sian Beilock has studied these highly anxious test-takers.

    Sian Beilock: “They start worrying about the consequences. They might even start worrying about whether this exam is going to prevent them from getting into the college they want. And when we worry, it actually uses up attention and memory resources. I talk about it as your cognitive horsepower that you could otherwise be using to focus on the exam.”

    Professor Beilock and another researcher, Gerardo Ramirez, have developed a possible solution. Just before an exam, highly anxious test-takers spend ten minutes writing about their worries about the test.

    Sain Beilock: “What we think happens is when students put it down on paper, they think about the worst that could happen and they reappraise the situation. They might realize it's not as bad as they might think it was before and, in truth, it prevents these thoughts from appearing suddenly when they're actually taking a test.”

    The researchers tested the idea on a group of twenty anxious college students. They gave them two short math tests. After the first one, they asked the students to either sit quietly or write about their feelings about the upcoming second test.

    The researchers added to the pressure. They told the students that those who did well on the second test would get money. They also told them that their performance would affect other students as part of a team effort.

    Professor Beilock says those who sat quietly scored an average of twelve percent worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved their performance by an average of five percent.

    Next, the researchers used younger students in a biology class. They told them before final exams either to write about their feelings or to think about things unrelated to the test.

    Professor Beilock says highly anxious students who did the writing got an average grade of B+, compared to a B- for those who did not.

    Sain Beilock: “What we showed is that for students who are highly test-anxious, who'd done our writing intervention, all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and performance. Those students most prone to worry were performing just as well as their classmates who don't normally get nervous in these testing situations.”

    But what if students do not have a chance to write about their fears immediately before an exam or presentation? Professor Beilock says students can try it themselves at home or in the library and still improve their performance.

    Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your school work.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The following are some tips that might help you take good notes.

    Write down key facts and ignore unimportant details.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Some teachers write notes on the blackboard, and that's great. You can copy them in class. Some teachers may not write anything down. You should take notes of the important points said by them.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} don't be afraid to ask your teacher to repeat what you miss. Comparing your notes with your classmates' can be good for your learning. It can also help you and your classmates correct some mistakes.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The notes of different subjects should be written in different notebooks so that you can find everything easily when a test comes.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} but in the long run it saves time. If you get into the habit of recopying your notes every evening, you will find that you have got a better understanding of your lessons.

A. Good note-taking takes time.

B. If your teacher speaks too fast.

C. Good note-taking is not just copying.

D. Your teachers might do things differently.

E. Note-taking also needs good organization.

F. Note-taking also needs good memorization.

G. It can also make you feel more confident when you are studying.

    Hobbies let you explore interests outside your work. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are plenty of options available to you. How can you choose the hobby that suits you from these options? Here are some tips.

    Look at what interests you. And examine what takes up your spare time, when you have it. Do you enjoy reading books? Maybe you want to try your hand at writing them. Do you like a cool beer at the end of the day? Maybe your hobby could be trying to make beer at home. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Think about what you value most. What qualities do you think important? Do you value wisdom or courage? Do you admire artistic expression? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For instance, maybe you could volunteer at a library as a hobby because you value education, or maybe you could take up painting because you admire people who can express themselves with art.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Certain hobbies require certain skill sets. If you don't have much patience, then maybe hand sewing isn't something you'd enjoy. However, if you love building things, maybe you should consider a hobby like building furniture.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Ask your friends and family what you seem to talk about the most. Now, think about what it is about that subject that you enjoy so much and determine how it can be turned into a hobby.

A. Help others to choose a hobby.

B. Examine your skills and personality.

C. Turn what you already love into a hobby.

D. Decide whether you're interested in one thing.

E. Think about the topics you go on endlessly about.

F. They let you be creative and try all kinds of new things.

G. Let those qualities guide you when you're choosing a hobby.

    It is important for everyone to learn how to apologize effectively. You might think a simple “I'm sorry.” will take care of everything.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are some situations in which you need to apologize properly.

    Apologize truly.

    Apologizing through a half-hearted “sorry” will get you nowhere.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. If you are really want to apologize, you must do it truly. Accept the fact that you are wrong.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Contrary to what you might think, apologizing over and over again isn't going to help, especially you are apologizing to someone who is your boss.

    Don't wait too long to apologize.

    One piece of advice on how to apologize effectively is to do it as soon as you realize your mistake. Some people put off giving an apology because they think it will save them from the offended(被冒犯的) person's anger. However, that's just not polite. If you can't approach the person personally at once, send him or her a message first.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Don't expect too much.

    You can't expect that person to forgive you immediately. If you are going to apologize, you have to be prepared for the worst. The conversation isn't going to be the most comfortable one either.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Learning how to apologize effectively is very important. It shows people that you are a very kind person.

A．Don't apologize again and again.

B．However, that's not exactly true.

C．Pay a visit to others ahead of time.

D．You'd better prepare yourself for anything.

E．But make sure you make an apology in person as well.

F．In fact, it might get you into even bigger trouble than before.

G．A lot of people don't know how to make an apology to their boss.

Help Migrant Workers

    There is nothing like going home. More so if it is for the Spring Festival family reunion. For a migrant worker it perhaps means even more. To be able to set out on a homeward journey with money from a year's toil in his pocket is the best thing he can think of. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They had to press hard for their defaulted payments, the salaries that were failed to pay up.

    About 200 million migrant workers nationwide are something left behind by economic reforms and opening up due to their contributions in the past three decades. It is almost impossible to imagine life in these places without them. However, they still form a disadvantaged group. Their rights are violated in different forms. Among other things, unpaid salaries are the most painful of such violations that are likely to drive a migrant worker to desperate actions. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}They have taken measures to prevent employers from holding back payments to them. Yet, as the financial crisis bites deep, some small enterprises that are struck the most try to reduce their economic losses by laying off migrant workers or refusing to pay them. So it is particularly important for governments at all levels to do an even better job in helping villager-turned-workers recover their unpaid salaries before the Spring Festival.

    It is good news that quite a number of local governments have organized special taskforces to conduct inspections in those labor-intensive enterprises to make sure they have paid their migrant workers in a timely and fair manner. Construction commissions in almost all provinces have published hotlines for farmer-turned-construction workers to lodge complaints against their employers for withholding their salaries.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} But we need to look for solutions that will work at all times. We need to put in place a mechanism that will effectively prevent employers from holding back salaries to workers.

A. Some have reportedly climbed up chimneys to jump to their death unless they get their defaulted salaries.

B. It is something every Chinese look forward to as the traditional gala draws near.

C. Unfortunately, weeks preceding the Spring Festival have turned out to be hard times for migrant workers.

D. Hopefully, these efforts will send more workers on a happy journey home for the Spring Festival with their salaries in their pockets.

E. However difficult the situations they are in, it is too cruel and unfair for employers to hold back salaries they should pay their migrant workers.

F. Objectively speaking, governments at various levels have done a great deal in helping these workers recover their defaulted salaries.

The Board Meeting had come to an end. Bob started to stand up and pushed the table, spilling his coffee over his notes. "How embarrassing! I am getting so clumsy in my old age. "

Everyone had a good laugh, and soon we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing moments. It came around to Frank who sat quietly listening to the others.

Frank began, "My Dad was a fisherman. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not just enough for our family, but also for his Mom and Dad and the other kids that were still at home. "

Frank's voice dropped a bit. "When the weather was bad, he would drive me to school. He would pull right up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here I was twelve years old, and my Dad would lean over and kiss me good-bye!"

He paused and then went on, "I remember the day I thought I was too old for a good-bye kiss. When we got to the school, he had his usual big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my hand up and said, ‘No, Dad.' It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised look on his face. I said, ‘Dad, I'm too old for a good-bye kiss. I'm too old for any kind of kiss.' My Dad looked at me for the longest time, and his eyes started to tear. I had never seen him cry. He turned. 'You're right,' he said. 'You are a big boy…a man. I won't kiss you anymore. '"

For the moment, the tears began to well up in Frank's eyes. "It wasn't long after that when my Dad went to sea and never came back."

I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running down his cheeks. Frank spoke again. "Guys, you don't know what I would give to have my Dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek."