Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they'll probably start a conversation. "Hot today, isn't it?"one might say. "You said it." another replies.

       Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don't begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.

       Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.

Small talk even helps people get hired. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.

        So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.

        Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment (赞美) the other person to make himor her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.

        Third, keep eye contact (接触). When you look people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and builds trust.

         Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don't know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small talk does get easier.

         Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!

    Do you have any problem with time? Start doing these and you will see the difference.

●Write it down

    Don't rely on your memory to keep track of every little detail. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Write down the things you need to do in a small notebook, or use online tool to create and update your “to-do” list.

●{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Working for long periods without a break can waste your time. It is more efficient to work or study for a shorter period of time, take a break, and then go back to work. You may get more done in tow focused 45-minute sessions.

● One thing at a time

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Do one thing at a time, and do it well. As the Chinese proverb says, “One cannot manage too many affairs. Like pumpkins in the water, one pops up while you try to hold down the other.”

● Schedule email time

    On your cell phone you get a notification every time someone sends you an email. If so, you have to check your email many, many times a day. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Schedule time to check your email. It doesn't matter when.

● Choose to say “No”.

    It's easy to become overwhelmed if we say “yes” to everything. Think about the task before you commit to it. Do you need to do it? Can someone else do it? Avoid saying “yes” to every request. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

● Keep a goal journal

    Write down your goals in a journal and evaluate them regularly. Mark your progress for each goal. Be sure you take the necessary step to achieve your goals.

    When Dan Shaw gets up from the sofa in his home, Cuddles is never far away. When he wants to go outside, he doesn't take Cuddles out for walk—Cuddles takes him for a walk. Cuddles is clearly no ordinary family pet. It is a two-foot-high miniature horse and serves as the guiding eyes of Shaw, who is blind.

    When Shaw lost his sight, his wife suggested he apply for a guide dog. Shaw, an animal lover, said he couldn't bear to part with a dog (which usually lives about eight to ten years) and get used to a new one, perhaps several times in his life.

    Then Shaw heard of a program about the tiny guide horses. He learned that the horse possess many qualities that make them an excellent choice for guiding people. They are clean friendly, smart and have great memories. They can be trained to remain calm in noisy and crowded places. Best of all, they live for 25-25years, which would enable Shaw to have the same guide companion for most or all of his life.

    Shaw immediately applied to be and was accepted as the first person to receive a guide horse. The instant he met Cuddles, he knew he was making the right choice. Then he began his training.

    Through training ,Shaw and Cuddles learned to find way on busy streets, step over curbs (便道沿儿) and find elevator buttons. Cuddles even demonstrated (显示)its ability to step in front of Shaw and block him, to prevent him from walking into a dangerous situation. The little horse also expertly led Shaw through busy shopping malls. They got along without any difficulties. Now Shaw is confident that Cuddles will change his life for the better.

ChatGPT, launched in November, 2022, has attracted over 100 million monthly users in just two months, which is considered the fastest-growing consumer app. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

ChatGPT can write emails, computer code, even academic papers and poems. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} With various functions, it is suspected to do no good to multiple areas, above all the higher education.

So is ChatGPT a benefit or a trouble?

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Some universities have banned it due to the warning that it could prompt more students to cheat, especially in exams. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Andreas Schleicher, director of education and skills of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development, for instance, said he welcomes ChatGPT because "it gives people a chance" to concentrate less on tasks that technology can perform equally well.

According to a survey covering more than 100 educators and over 1,000 students, one-third of the educators said they believe ChatGPT should be banned in schools and universities, while the rest supported students having access to it. The attitude of most students sees a distinct difference. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

As a result, the observed value and usefulness of ChatGPT seem to outweigh the risks. What we should focus on has shifted to better deal with the chatbot and its development.

A. The answers varies greatly across the world.

B. It is undoubtedly a shocking achievement.

C. Also it has succeeded in passing different kinds of exams.

D. By comparison, others regard it as a blessing rather than a curse.

E. They admitted having sought help from ChatGPT to complete their homework.

F. The worry is that ChatGPT could change the basic training structure of higher education.

G. It is widely discussed whether and to what extent AI should be involved in a scientific article.

Body language can reflect our confidence level. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} and another way when we're nervous. At a glance （看一眼）, most people can tell if we're confident or not. So we should learn some tips to show confidence through body language so that we always appear confident and ready.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The first tip to show confidence with body language is to keep your hands out of your pockets. We often put our hands in our pockets when we're unsure of ourselves. And that's how other people will view us.

Keep your eyes forward

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}, it often feels natural to lower your head slightly and watch your step. However, this gesture communicates to others that you don't want to interact. And if you're not careful. you might get into the habit of doing it all the time. So keep your head up and your eyes forward. even when you're walking down the street by yourself.

Smile

Try this as an experiment: Smile at someone as you pass by them on the street or walk around the office. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Now wouldn't you like to have that effect on people all the time?

Firm handshakes

There are few things worse than reaching out your hand during an introduction and getting a handshake which is not firm enough. Don't be that guy. Instead, hold the other person's hand firmly and confidently. Of course, a handshake is not a contest. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A．Take wide steps

B．Avoid your pockets

C．It's very likely that they'll smile back

D．When you're walking anywhere by yourself

E．Don't try to hold the other person's hand too long

F．If you want to show confidence with body language

G．We stand and walk a certain way when we're confident