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    The ancient Greeks were very good at making conversations, and the greatest talker of them all was philosopher Socrates. His pupil, Plato, recorded some of his supposed conversations, and we read them in ‘The dialogues' of Plato. In many classrooms today, Socrates' method of teaching is used.

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    The best talkers appear to have a great interest in and love for their fellow creatures; a curiosity about the world in general; some powers of observation and reflection; respect for their own opinions and tolerance for those of others; and quick thinking. And they talked for the fun of it, not to show off their knowledge.

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    A good voice must have the help of good speech, whose two assistants are clear enunciation(清晰发音)and correct pronunciation. Poor enunciation may suggest to your listeners that you lack consideration, and that you are not especially concerned about their opinion of you.

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    Pronunciation is settled by common agreement of the community or group speaking the particular language or dialect. For standard pronunciation of words, a dictionary is your best friend. The usage of words is somewhat the same as pronunciation. To be accurate in your use of words is very important in your conversation. Dictionaries usually provide the usage of words. So whenever you meet with new words, it is a good idea to look them up in the dictionary.

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    Think of meeting a stranger as a chance to have a good time to talk, to make a friend. Look with a smile directly into the other's eyes when you are introduced, and shake hands with a firm, friendly clasp. This will give you confidence. Then try to have a smooth and pleasant conversation with him.

    Yu Xu, one of China's first female fighter pilots who could fly a J-10 jet, died during a flight training in Tangshan in North China's Hebei province on Saturday. Almost all major media outlets have sung high praise for Yu's spirit. People's Daily said: "She died for the peace and happiness of so many families ... The name of Yu and other heroes will be carved not only in stone, but also in the hearts of millions." However, despite being a news hit, a lot of social media platforms still pay much attention to pop stars, no matter their weddings, problematic marriages or just datings. The day Yu died, she did not even make it to the top-10 hot topics on micro blogs.

    Some netizens have criticized such people for being too cold to news about heroes who defend our country. They even quoted from the book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, to express their concerns over people being misled by new media while referring to pop stars as "xi zi", a contemptuous(轻蔑的) term used for entertainment stars in the old days.

    However, it is unnecessary to shame those netizens who were busy reading about film stars and other celebrities. We live in the age of social and new media, where the celebrities usually draw greater public attention than real heroes. This is partly because the agents(经纪人) of celebrities（名人）are very skilled at using social tools to expand their fan base for commercial gains.

    Of course, we should admit the great influence entertainment has on people's minds and it helps the media industry make money. Pop stars do take up a lot of our time, and especially many young people waste their spare energy on them, their new songs, new movies, even rumors about their love life and other scandals. The domestic media industry needs improvement, some entertainment stars should improve their public images, but it is not right to call them "xi zi".

    The media may be encouraging people to pay greater attention to celebrities than military heroes, but that does not necessarily mean people pay less respect to heroes than stars. The increasing number of reports about the pilot shows the heroes are worth people's added attention, and they get it.

Greater attention to celebrities doesn't mean less respect for heroes

    Imagine that you're an actor or actress performing in a play for the first time. You've learned all your lines and you know where to walk on stage. Waiting behind the closed curtain, you can hear the audience whispering. Then your big moment arrives! The curtain goes up, and the crowd falls silent. All you can see is the spotlight shining down on you. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The inside of your mouth is dry, and your hands are wet.

    If you've experienced a moment like this, you know all too well what it means to have stage fright. It's one of the most common types of fear.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}You can experience this kind of fear when playing sports, giving a talk, or even speaking in class.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The experience differs from person to person, but the same chemical process occurs on each of us. In reaction to anxiety, our bodies produce a chemical that prepares us to either fight or run away quickly. Scientists refer to this as our bodies' “fight for flight” reaction. As a result, we feel the great energy that makes our hands sweat, our hearts race and knees shake.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Practicing your performance and following some simple tips can help you calm down and manage the feelings caused by anxiety. Firstly, dress comfortably and appropriately. Secondly, before the performance, take deep breaths and stretch to help relax your body. Thirdly, stay away from drinks that contain caffeine(咖啡因).{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Instead, try a banana! Some doctors believe that eating a banana can help calm your heart and the rest of your body. Finally, when you look into a crowd, try to focus on particular people rather than the whole group. These tips have helped many people learn to deal with their fears.

    Do you know Australia? Australia is the largest island in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is in the south of the earth. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai. The cities in Australia have got little air or water pollution. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} You can clearly see fish swimming in the rivers. Plants grow very well.

    Last month we visited Perth, the biggest city in Western Australia, and went to a wild flowers' exhibition. There we saw a large number of wild flowers we had never seen before. We had a wonderful time. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In spring every year Perth has the wild flowers' exhibition.

    After visiting Perth, we spent the day in the countryside. We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Suddenly we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill. What we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to the car as quickly as we could. There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us down the path. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} After a short drive from any town, you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep. Sheep, sheep, everywhere are sheep.

A. The people of Australia are very hard-working.

B. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world.

C. Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos.

D. Australia is big, but its population is not large.

E. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers.

F. The sky is blue and the water is clean.

G. It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves.

注意：每个空格只填1个单词。

The changes facing fast-food companies

    Fast food was once thought to be recession-proof. When consumers need to cut spending, cheap meals like Big Macs and Whoppers become even more attractive. As a result, fast-food chains have survived the recession better than their more expensive competitors. In 2009 sales at full-service restaurants in America fell by more than 6%, but total sales remained about the same at fast-food chains. In some markets, such as Japan, France and Britain, total spending on fast food increased.

    But in this ongoing recession(萧条), which is more severe, not all fast-food companies have been as fortunate. Many, such as Burger King, have seen sales fall. In the recession, while some people trade down to fast food, many others eat at home more frequently to save money. Smaller fast-food chains in America, such as Jack in the Box and Carl's Jr., have been hit particularly hard in this downturn because they cut back spending on advertising.

    In face of such challenges, some fast-food companies have sacrificed their own profits by trying to give customers better value. During the recession companies set prices low, hoping to tempt more customers through the door. But in many cases that strategy doesn't work. Some companies are rethinking their strategies. KFC has launched a chicken sandwich that costs around $5 to attract consumers away from $1 specials.

    Companies are also trying to get customers to buy new and more items, including drinks. McDonald's started selling better coffee as a challenge to Starbucks. Its “McCafe” line now accounts for an estimated 6% of sales in America. As fast-food companies shift from “super size” to “more buys”, they need to keep customer traffic high throughout the day. Many see breakfast as a big opportunity, and not just for fatty food. McDonald's has started selling porridge in America, because the profits can be high.

    But what about those growing waistlines? So far, fast-food firms have cleverly avoided government regulation. By providing options like salads and low-calorie sandwiches, they have at least given the impression of doing something about helping to fight obesity(肥胖). These offerings don't necessarily lead to profit loss, as they can broaden the appeal of stores to groups of diners that include some people who don't want to eat a burger.

    But calls for tougher government regulation never wear down. This year Congress passed America's health-reform bill, which requires restaurant chains with 20 or more stores to put the calorie-content of items they serve to the menu. And the recent proposal by a county in California to ban McDonald's from including toys in its high-calorie “Happy Meals”, because law makers believe it attracts children to unhealthy food, suggests that fast-food companies will have to continue trying something new.

    The changes facing fast-food companies

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    Every person has a history of pain and tragedy that includes regret from the situation. At times, it's often hard to explain that pain to someone else. The challenge with a tragedy is the lack of support from someone.

    This has often been my challenge when I try to explain what occurred to me. When I was younger, I was a victim of a tragic accident that changed my life both academically and emotionally. At sixteen months old, due to the neglect of my babysitter I fell off the bed. The injury was so severe that I was rushed to the emergency room and the doctors explained to my mom that I suffered from a blood clot (血块) located on the left side of the brain.

    I was later diagnosed with what is known as a traumatic brain injury (外伤性脑损伤)．This accident affects my long term memory and testing ability. I often struggle with understanding information related to school and feel frustrated that I will not pass my tests. The pressure of school is so much, since I must always work harder than most students.

    I become easily disappointed that I study a lot but often flunk or re-take tests. It is hard to imagine, because in my mind I feel prepared for the work; however, the test results do not connect with the information in my brain. Although I always don't pass my tests, I feel like this injury encourages me to work and shows me that I can be confident when it comes to the future. For example, I have been able to maintain my grades, been employed for over a year at a local restaurant, and obtained my driver's license. I look forward to attending college, getting married, raising a family, and being a success. I will continue to live my life to the fullest and prove that an injury does not limit my life journey.