How to Be Confident

    We are all human and have weaknesses. Even if your physical appearance or social skills aren't what you wish they were, that doesn't have to stop you from being confident. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    *Make a list of special talents you have, or things you do that are good—morally（道德上） or otherwise. It doesn't have to be a specific skill；it can be an approach or an attitude that you hold through life. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Are you very patient with people? Do you always see the humorous side of things? Are you always there for your friends?

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} When you feel strongly about something, speak loudly and clearly and make eye contact with people. People will judge you all the time, and usually they'll misjudge you anyway, so why bother trying to live up to their opinions at all?

    *Take care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet and get enough exercise. Don't abuse your body, don't overload it, and don't deny it any of the things it needs. At the same time, don't obsess(沉迷). {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Those things are only band-aids(权宜之计） and make-up. Confidence comes from within. In order to be confident, you must value yourself and understand that your well-being is important.

    *Improve your posture. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Don't drop your shoulders. Make sure that your back is straight, your shoulders are square, and your chest sticks out slightly (but stay loose, otherwise you'll appear stubborn （固执的）and nervous). Good posture also helps with deep breathing, which helps with feeling calm and relaxed.

    There are good reasons to value our friendships.Some years ago a public-opinion research firm,Roper Starch Worldwide,asked 2007 people to name one or two things that said the most about themselves.Friends far outranked homes jobs, clothes and cars.

    “Ironically,” says Brant R.Burleson, professor of communication at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., “the better friends you are, the more likely you'll face conflicts.” And the outcome can be what you don't want—an end to the relationship.

    The good news is that most troubled friendships can be mended.

    Swallow your pride. It wasn't easy, but that's what Denise Moreland of Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii did when a friendship turned sour.For nearly four months,Moreland,45,had watched over Nora Huizenga's two young daughters, who were living with their father on the base,while Huizenga,40,completed training as a dental hygienist in Nevada.“I felt honored to be asked to step in,” Moreland says.

    “When Huizenga returned at Christmas,” Moreland recalls,“I had so much to tell her, but she never called.”

    One daughter had a birthday party, but Moreland wasn't invited. “I felt like I'd been used,” she says.At first, Moreland swore to avoid Huizenga.Then she decided to swallow her pride and let her friend know how she felt. Huizenga admitted that she'd been so worried about being separated from her family that she'd been blind to what her friend had done to help her. Today she says, “I would never have figured out what happened if Denise hadn't called me on it.”

    When a friend hurts you, your instinct is to protect yourself.But that makes it harder to solve problems,explains William Wilmot,author of Relational Communication.“Most of us are relieved when differences are brought out in the open.”

    Apologize when you're wrong—even if you've also been wronged.But over the course of a friendship, even the best people make mistakes. “We don't think clearly when we're arguing,” says Michael Lang,a professional mediator (调解人) in Pittsburgh. Instead, says Lang, ask: “What's going on? This doesn't make sense.”

    See things from your friend's point of view. Sociologists Rebecca Adams Rosemary and Blieszner interviewed 53 adults who each had many friendships lasting decades. “We were curious how these people managed to sustain strong friendships for so long,” says Blieszner. Tolerance is key, the researchers learned.” It's surprising how often a dispute results from a simple misunderstanding,” adds psychotherapist Anne Frenkel.

    Accept that friendships change. “Friendships change as our needs and lifestyles change,” Wilmot observes.

    Making friends can sometimes seem easy,says Yager.The hard part is keeping the connections strong during the natural ups and downs that affect all relationships.Her suggestion: Consider friendship an honor and a gift,and worth the effort to treasure and nurture.

    A fear of public speaking is common.Unfortunately, many fail to find a way that helps themselves out of trouble.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}I'm sure the following ways can help you overcome（克服）the fear of public speaking.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}The first step in overcoming the fear is to find out why you're fearful.Probably the main reason is the fear of being embarrassed.This includes being laughed at,messing up,or doing anything foolish{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Either way,for most people,it comes down to the fear of what others might think of them.

    Change your mindset（心态）.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Think about what the audience might think of you or how you can best get your message understood, and you will be able to drive away the fear.

    Practice.

    Although you may still get nervous even if you have done dozens of speeches,the more you do it,the easier it will get{#blank#}5{#/blank#}This will not only make public speaking easier but also help you develop confidence.You can do things like joining your local Toastmasters（宴会主持人）Club where you will get the chance to practice speaking in front of people who are all there to help you become a confident speaker.

A.Understand the cause of the fear.

B.From my experiences.

C.To overcome the fear, you need to change your mindset.

D.It could also be that you had a bad experience in the past that causes fear.

E.When you practice,it's best to do it in front of a supportive group of people.

F.Nobody will never feel nervous.

G.Don't be afraid.

                   How to make friends at a new school

    Starting with a new school can be difficult. Everything seems to be different, and you don't even know where to go for your own classes.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}However, if you use these skills, you can quickly turn some of those strangers into friends.

Be yourself.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}If some people don't accept you, they're not the kind of friends you need. People often stay together because they have similar interests. For example, someone who does a lot of sport may make friends with those who also run or swim a lot. 

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Remember to be nice to the people you meet at your new school. If you think that you will say something that may make them feel sad, do not say anything and just nod your head if they talk to you. Also, remember to be as helpful as possible!

Believe in yourself.

    A smile goes a long way. When you walk in the halls, don't keep your eyes on the floor. Raise your head and make eye contact (目光接触) with other people.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Introduce yourself. Tell them your name and where you're from.

Remember people's names.

    You like it when people use your name, and so do other people.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Besides, ask them in a kind way if they have a nickname (昵称). You'd be surprised how often this might come in handy.

A. Be friendly to others.

B. Making new friends can be hard, too.

C. Join after-school activities you like.

D. Never change who you are to try and fit in.

E. If you see someone you know, smile or say “Hi”.

F. People may become angry if you just begin by saying “Hey” each time.

G. Don't sit at the back of the classroom where other people don't notice you!

AlphaZero--an Updated Model of AI

    Soon after Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion, lost his rematch against IBM's Deep Blue in 1997, the short window of human-machine chess competition slammed shut forever. Unlike humans, machines keep getting faster, and today a smartphone chess app can be stronger than Deep Blue. However, as people see with the new AlphaZero system, machine dominance has not ended the historical role of chess as a laboratory of cognition.

    Much as airplanes don't flap their wings like birds, machines don't produce chess moves like humans do. Based on a generic algorithm (算法), AlphaZero incorporates deep learning and other AI techniques like Monte Carlo tree search to play against itself to develop its own chess knowledge. Unlike the traditional program Stockfish, which employs many preset evaluation functions as well as opening and endgame moves, AlphaZero starts out knowing only the rules of chess, with no preset human strategies. In a few hours, it plays more games against itself than have been recorded in human chess history. It teaches itself the best way to play, reevaluating the relative values of the pieces. It quickly becomes strong enough to win 28, draw 72, and lose none in a victory over Stockfish. Since AlphaZero can program itself, this superior understanding allows it to outclass the world's top traditional program despite calculating far fewer positions per second. It's the typical example of the cliché, "work smarter, not harder".

    AlphaZero shows that machines can be the experts, not merely expert tools. Explainability is still an issue—it's not going to put chess coaches out of business just yet. But the knowledge it produces is information humans can learn from. AlphaZero is surpassing humans in a profound and useful way, and researchers are working on transferring the knowledge acquired from AlphaZero to other fields.

    Machine learning systems aren't perfect. Even though great progresses have been achieved, AI algorithms are still struggling on open problems such as computer vision, natural language understanding... There will be cases where an AI will fail to detect exceptions to its rules. Therefore, as Kasparov writes, "We must work together to combine our strengths. I know better than most people what it's like to compete against a machine. Instead of raging against them, it's better if we're all on the same side."

    Recently, in the quest for a selfie (自拍), a woman climbed over the concrete barrier of a Jaguar (美洲虎) enclosure at Wildlife World Zoo, Arizona. The jaguar ripped into her arm. Bystanders pulled her away before the animal could injure her further. She's fine-so is the jaguar.

    This isn't the first time a story of a person acting rudely to get close to a wild animal made headlines. Last year, a man jumped into a lion enclosure at a zoo for a close-up photo. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Multiple tourists in Yellowstone National Park have been attacked by bison (野牛) when they've gotten too close for a photo.

    It's common sense not to get close to wild animals that can hurt you. It's why zoos have barriers -sometimes multiple walls-to keep people separated from animals. Signs posted everywhere state the obvious warning. Keep your hands off the cage.

    "Yet animals have become less real to us," says an environmentalist. We see exotic animals most frequently in managed settings like zoos. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} People are trying to take advantage of their rarity to show off on social media and ignore their fierceness.

    Media often normalize interaction with dangerous animals. Seeing a man like "Lion Whisperer" Kevin Richardson regularly play-fight with lions on TV, may send the message that these animals aren't so dangerous after all.

    Social media are also perfectly positioned to contribute to the rise of animal selfies. Getting likes and comments provide instant satisfaction. Your self-esteem actually gets a temporary boost. To hold onto that feeling, people may go to more and more extremes to showcase the most exciting versions of themselves. It may not be enough to get a photo of a beautiful, dangerous animal from outside a cage. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    People's careless approach can put the animal's safety at risk as well. Zoo animals often must be killed to protect the person who's entered their space. In fact, thrill-seekers actively endanger the lives of animals. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} with the zoo environment, they take it for granted that animals are there for people, ignoring the fact that animals and humans are both equal existents in the nature.