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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.

    With the development of society,it is common that many people are rushing all the way and all day,tired and subhealthy.A patient came to see me about the stress in her life{#blank#}1{#/blank#}One was to make her bed—from the moment she woke up until she flew out of the door for work.I suggested she experiment by not making her bed for two weeks. She was shocked,probably thinking I'd been brought up by wolves in a forest.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Two weeks later she went into my office merrily.She had left her bed unmade for the first time in 42 years—and nothing bad had happened."And you know what?"she said.“I don't dry my dishes anymore,either.”

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}One was discovering that she had choices in her life that she had never seen before.The other was giving herself permission to be less than perfect.This story shows an important principle about managing time: No one can do it all.Each of us has to make choices and accept trade-offs（利弊权衡）.The problem is that many people choose in ways that put themselves and their health last.They take better care of their houses and cars than they do of themselves.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    So what is the solution?There's an easy way.Decide what you want in your life,and put that first.On a daily basis,that should include regular meals,enough sleep and time with your family.Exercise,leisure,friendships and hobbies should also he regular aspects of life{#blank#}5{#/blank#}The choice is yours: whatever makes you feel good about yourself and your life.Take a nap.Take a walk.Take time to play the piano.Stop bringing your briefcase home from the office. Stop keeping your house as clean as your mother kept hers.Fill more of your time with want-to-dos instead of have-to-dos.

A.However,she went along with my idea.

B.She described all the things she had to do.

C.This woman had made two major breakthroughs.

D.Most people do not take time to relax themselves.

E.They put everyone else's needs ahead of their own.

F.The point is to do something for yourself every day.

G.Above all,you needn't do anything for yourself regularly.

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is rushing into business. Firms of all types are using AI to forecast demand, hire workers and deal with customers. The McKinsey Global Institute, a think-tank within a consultancy, forecasts that just applying AI to marketing, sales and supply chains could create economic value of $2.7trn over the next 20 years.

    Such grand forecasts fuel anxiety as well as hope. Less familiar, but just as important, is how AI will transform the workplace.

    Start with the benefits.AI ought to improve productivity. Humanyze, a people analytics software provider, combines data from its badges（工牌）with employees' calendars and e-mails to work out, say, whether office layouts favour teamwork .Slack, a workplace messaging app, helps managers assess how quickly employees accomplish tasks. Companies will see when workers are not just dozing off but also misbehaving.

    Employees will gain, too. Thanks to advance in computer vision, AI can check that workers are wearing safety equipment and that no one has been harmed on the factory floor. Some will appreciate more feedback on their work and welcome a sense of how to do better.

    Machines can help ensure that pay rises and promotions go to those who deserve them. That starts with hiring. People often have biases but algorithms（算法）, if designed correctly, can be more unprejudiced. Software can flag patterns that people might miss.

    Yet AI^'s benefits will come with many potential drawbacks. Algorithms may not be free of the biases of their programmers, which can have unintended consequences. The length of a travel may predict whether an employee will quit a job, but this focus may harm poorer applicants. Older staff might work more slowly than younger ones and could risk losing their positions if all AI looks for is productivity. And surveillance（监控）may feel Orwellian—a sensitive matter now that people have begun to question how much Facebook and other tech giants know about their private lives.

    As regulators and employers weigh the pros and cons of AI in the workplace, three principles ought to guide its spread. First, data should be anonymized where possible. Microsoft, for example, has a product that shows individuals how they manage their time in the office, but gives managers information only in aggregated（整合）form. Second, the use of AI ought to be transparent. Employees should be told what technologies are being used in their workplaces and which data are being gathered. As a matter of routine, algorithms used by firms to hire, fire and promote should be tested for bias and unintended consequences. Last, countries should let individuals request their own data, whether they are ex-workers wishing to contest a dismissal or jobseekers hoping to demonstrate their ability to prospective employers.

    The march of Al into the workplace calls for trade-offs between privacy and performance. A fairer, more productive workforce is a prize worth having, but not if it chains employees. Striking a balance will require thought, a willingness for both employers and employees to adapt and a strong dose of humanity.

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.

    When big news breaks, it's easy to get caught up in following the story online. The Internet can be a place to find useful information. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Helping kids understand the news and how to separate fact from fiction is an important job for parents and educators.

    Here's some advice that parents can offer kids to help them be quicker to judge as they consume news online.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In the rush to cover stories, reporters make mistakes, officials don't always have correct information and tidbits (八卦新闻) that sound reasonable often get passed around before anyone has checked them for accuracy.

    Use social media wisely. Some say Twitter is a great source of news in the first few minutes of a tragedy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} On the other hand, Facebook can be a great way to connect with friends affected by events in the news and to spread personal news within a more limited circle.

    Be skeptical. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} After the Boston Marathon bombing, NBC Sports reported that some runners kept running all the way to the hospital to donate blood for the victims. Not true. There are plenty of websites devoted to exposing false news stories. The Washington Post also has a Fact Checker column that delivers claims made by public officials and politicians. Visit them to find out if a story is true.

    Keep it age-appropriate. Kids aren't always ready to digest big, tragic news - especially if the news is about kids, such as school shootings or abuses. The constant repetition of information can be confusing for younger kids, and at the beginning of a news event, parents might not be able to offer any correct answers. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Remember, breaking news is often wrong.

B. It also can be the source of misinformation.

C. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

D. Make sure you and your kids aren't falling victim to false news.

E. However, after that it just becomes messy and largely inaccurate.

F. With social media at your fingertips, it's convenient to express your opinion.

G. Kids who are eager to learn more about certain events can check kid-guided news sources.