Getting your children to study can be a little like getting them to eat their vegetables.

    One of the best ways to form good study habits for your kids is to design（设计、制定） a schedule that they keep to. Make a study time and have it at the same time every day. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} And it will also give them a sense of control over how they spend their time.

    Allow them to study in blocks（一段） of time. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Ideal study times are usually after dinner or right after school before dinner.

    Never allow your children to study in front of the television, as that will encourage passive（被动的） activity. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    You'll also need to help your kids find the right place to study. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} After you've set up a good study time for little learners, set up a good place where they can get those creative juices flowing.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This includes helping them out with their homework sometimes and being there for them with the answers to any questions. The input（投入） you give your children during study periods will help form a bond（纽带、关系） and make studying enjoyable.

    Attending an interview with the intent to impress the hiring manager is dangerous if you go about it in the wrong way. Below are some things you can do to maximize your chances of getting the job.

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    True, sometimes interviewers aren't prepared themselves, but that doesn't mean they'll forgive you for the same mistake. Developing and following a plan at the beginning of a job search has a significant impact on its success. Research the job thoroughly. Think about how your previous experience qualifies you and how it compares to the work on offer. Set "process goals" to keep you on track toward your larger career goals. "Process goals" aren't big-picture objectives. They're "roll up your sleeves and make it happen" objectives.

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    You can't think of any personal weaknesses, you've overcome all your weaknesses, or you say you haven't given it a lot of thought. Mistakes? Not you. No one progresses in a career without making mistakes and learning from them. Trained interviewers will be looking to see if you readily acknowledge and admit your weaknesses and can describe mistakes you've made and what you learned from them. Never give a measured response that sugarcoats reality to a tough interview question about your past.

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    If you were a 6-foot, 5-inch, 250-pound Frenchman with strong arms and a bushy beard, would you apply for the part of Little Orphan Annie on Broadway? How ridiculous that image is. If you don't have an accurate understanding of what the job is all about, your opinion of how well-matched you are will be based on an inaccurate foundation. For example, sales professionals are expected to possess excellent communication skills, time management and organization skills. Make sure you have a full job description from the employer so you can match your skills to the job's requirements.

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    The best way to ensure a good first impression is to dress smart. What is appropriate depends on the particular employer and job but, generally speaking, it is better to dress formally while remaining comfortable. If you are unsure what to wear, you should always go with the most conservative, professional option. What you are wearing tells employers a lot about how serious you are about getting the job. The more confident and polished you appear, the more likely you are to leave the interviewer with a positive impression of you.

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    Learn as much as you can about how the interview will be conducted. Employers are looking for the candidate with the best knowledge and experience, but rarely do they hire for work skills at the expense of social skills. If you lack self-awareness, it shows. And it doesn't look good. Be on time for your interview. Be aware of your body language. Even in the critical small talk before the interview, make eye contact with your interviewer to convey confidence when you're speaking, smile when it's appropriate, and look alert.

    A major source of teen stress is school exams, and test anxiety is not uncommon. When you recognize your teen is under stress, how can parents help your teen stay calm before an exam?

    Be involved. Parents need to be involved in their teen's work.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}What they look for is your presence - to talk, to cry, or simply to sit with them quietly. Communicate openly with your teen. Encourage your teen to express his worries and fears, but don't let them focus on those fears.

    Help them get organized.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Together, you and your teen can work out a time-table in which she can study for what she knows will be on the test.

    Provide a calm setting. Help your teen set up a quiet place to study and protect his privacy. Give them a nutritious diet. It's important for your teen to eat a healthy, balanced diet during exam times to focus and do her best.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If this happens, encourage your teen to eat light meals or sandwiches. A healthy diet, rather than junk food, is best for reducing stress.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Persuade your teenager to get some sleep and/or do something active when she needs a real break from studying. Making time for relaxation, fun, and exercise are all important in reducing stress. Help your teen balance her time so that she will feel comfortable taking time out from studying to spend time with friends or rest.

    Show a positive attitude.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Your panic, anxiety and blame contribute to your teen's pressure. Make your teen feel accepted and valued for her efforts. Most importantly, reassure your teen that things will be all right, no matter what the results are.

    One day when I was 12, my mother gave me an order: I was to walk to the public library, and borrow at least one book for the summer. This was one more weapon for her to defeat my strange problem — inability to read.

    In the library, I found my way into the "Children's Room." I sat down on the floor and pulled a few books off the shelf at random. The cover of a book caught my eye. It presented a picture of a beagle. I had recently had a beagle, the first and only animal companion I ever had as a child. He was my secret sharer, but one morning, he was gone, given away to someone who had the space and the money to care for him. I never forgot my beagle.

    There on the book's cover was a beagle which looked identical to my dog. I ran my fingers over the picture of the dog on the cover. My eyes ran across the title, Amos, the Beagle with a Plan. Unknowingly, I had read the title. Without opening the book, I borrowed it from the library for the summer.

    Under the shade of a bush, I started to read about Amos. I read very, very slowly with difficulty. Though pages were turned slowly, I got the main idea of the story about a dog who, like mine, had been separated from his family and who finally found his way back home. That dog was my dog, and I was the little boy in the book. At the end of the story, my mind continued the final scene of reunion, on and on, until my own lost dog and I were, in my mind, running together.

    My mother's call returned me to the real world. I suddenly realized something: I had read a book, and I had loved reading that book. Everyone knew I could not read. But I had read it. Books could be incredibly wonderful and I was going to read them.

    I never told my mother about my "miraculous" (奇迹般地) experience that summer, but she saw a slow but remarkable improvement in my classroom performance during the next year. And years later, she was proud that her son had read thousands of books, was awarded a PhD in literature, and authored his own books, articles, poetry and fiction. The power of the words has held.

Social Phobia

    It is natural to feel nervous, or shy in front of others at times. Most people manage to get through these moments when they need to. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's probably more than shyness. It may build up into a powerful fear. As a result, people feel uncomfortable participating in everyday social activities. This is called social phobia (also called social anxiety).

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It prevents them from chatting with friends in the lunch time, joining an after-school club, or going to a party. Sometimes, they even feel too nervous to ask a question in class or go to a teacher for help. Social phobia not only prevents people from trying new things. It also prevents them from making the normal, everyday mistakes that may help people improve their skills even further

    It is really sad, isn't it? But the good news is that people with social phobia can learn to manage fear, develop confidence and communicating skills and stop avoiding things that make them nervous. Of course it's not always easy. Dealing with social phobia takes the willingness patience and courage to face fears. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Therapists (治疗师) can help people create a plan for facing social fears and build the skills and confidence to overcome it. And family or friends are especially important for them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They can encourage them to pick a small goal to aim for, remind them to go for it, and be there when they might feel discouraged.

    Little by little, someone who decides to deal with extreme shyness can learn to be more comfortable. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} As shyness and fears begin to melt, confidence and positive feelings build. Pretty soon, the person is thinking less about what might feel uncomfortable and more about what might be fun.

A. Friends can overcome their fears easily.

B. But for someone, the anxiety can be extreme.

C. They are not able to make eye contact with classmates.

D. Social phobia makes people lonely or disappointed over missed opportunities.

E. Each small step forward helps build enough confidence to take the next small step.

F. It also takes an action to go forward rather than back away when feeling shy.

G. The support from those key people helps them gather the courage to try something new.

    What Does Teamwork Really Mean?

    We often hear the word "teamwork". But are you a team player? Understanding the question can surely promote team spirit as well as individual development. In many job interviews, a common question is whether the interviewee is a "team player". More often than not, he or she will say "yes". But what does being a team player really mean?

    On the most basic level, a team player is someone who can work within a group of people. This group is a number of people greater than one. Therefore it is an essential requirement of any employment that any potential employee is a team player.

    On a deeper level, a team player is someone who can play a role in the team, to achieve and support the goals set and agreed upon by the team. The simplest analogy（类似）to the corporate team would be a sports team.

    There are two main aims of the football team. One is to score goals and the other is to prevent the opposition team from scoring. In football, there are eleven players per side, and almost the same number of players in reserve. There are also other vital members of the team in the background, such as the coach, the doctor, etc.

    Every member of the team has a very specific role - as a captain, goalkeeper. Every member of the team is vital to the success of the team. If one player does not perform to the best of his or her ability, the team is handicapped(阻碍，妨碍).

    Similarly in the corporate world, each company has its clearly defined goals. Every member of the corporate team should have specific roles and responsibilities in view of achieving these goals.

    Being a team player does not mean you should always agree with the rest of the team. There are times when your vision may differ from the vision of the company, the leader or the rest of the team. It may be a valid vision and if you believe in it strongly enough, you should share it with the rest of the team. If the leader is a competent one, he or she will assess it on its merits and not let ego(自我，自负) get in the way. However, if the team should not agree with your vision, don't take it personally.

    They may find the idea inappropriate, not YOU personally. Don't take it as a sign of personal rejection. If your leader or team members see that you can handle rejection of your ideas in a mature manner, it is only to your own credit.

    So, don't be afraid to offer new ideas even seemingly crazy ones. Everyone in the team should feel free to offer ideas and not worry about them being dismissed.

    The pleasure of working in an environment where every member of the team is a team player is unparalleled. If you are not enjoying your working environment, chances are high that your team is also not working well. Ask yourself this:

    Are your team objectives in line with those of the company? If not, why not?

    What Does Teamwork Really Mean?