Developing self-confidence is one of the most important things you can do to create a more powerful, successful life. It influences all aspects of our lives, from relationships to career. But the journey is long. That's why it's so important to have a long term goal, but to break it up into small manageable parts. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

    Here are 5 quick tips to make this a confident week:

   ① Sit up!

   Set your alarm to go off 3 times throughout the day to check in with your posture （姿势）. Body language is one of the quickest ways to gain instant confidence.

    ② {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    Have lunch with someone in your office that you don't normally hang out with．Breaking your routine （常规） allows you to jump out of your comfort zone which is a great means for self confidence breakthroughs．

    ③Work it out.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Whether it be a fast walk for part of your lunch, or a quick work out during the tea break in the afternoon, it will surely do you good. Exercise fills the body with positive energy that you will be projecting throughout the day. Good health is not just an important part of living well —it also happens to be an instant confidence builder.

    ④Involve yourself in a social activity that you normally wouldn't

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Putting yourself out in the world forces you to face situations and meet people. In this way you can slowly build your confidence so you can find your place in it. This is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

    ⑤Knowledge is power.

    You have to keep feeding your mind. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} So whether it's a new language, a new skill, or a new hobby - sign up for something this week that will broaden your knowledge, skill level and happiness．Learning something you can be proud of and providing you happiness is an immediate confidence builder and the recipe for success.

       A. Get to know someone new.

       B. Whether you like it or not, the world is a social being.

       C. Make a point to get some exercise during the day.

       D. Have lunch in the office.

       E. Once you've learned something, no one can ever take it away.

       F. Small but achievable victories will have you well on your way.

       G. Sitting at your office does not contribute to confidence building.

    The average computer user has between 5 and 15 username/password combinations to log in different kinds of accounts. Some demand you use a specific number of symbols and digits, while others require you to change your password every 60 days. The feeling of confusion resulting from memorizing these login information has grown so common that it actually has a name: password fatigue(疲劳).

    Having to remember so many different passwords is annoying, but it can also be dangerous. Because it is virtually impossible to remember a unique password for each of these accounts, many people leave handwritten lists of usernames and passwords on or next to their computers.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} While these practices make it easier to remember login information, they also make it easier for thieves to hack into accounts.

    Single Sign-On (SSO) confirmation and password management software can help solve this problem. With SSO, users only need to remember one password to log in to the main system.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} SSO software is typically used by large companies, schools, or libraries.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If a user loses or forgets the password required to log in to SSO software, the user will then lose access to all of the applications linked to the SSO account. Users who rely on password management software face the same problems.

    Although most websites or network systems allow users to recover or change lost passwords by providing email addresses or answering a prompt（提示）, this process can waste time and cause further frustration. What is more, recovering a forgotten password is only a temporary solution.

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    Some computer scientists have suggested computers rely on biometrics(生物测定学). {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The use of biometrics raises questions concerning privacy and can also be expensive to practice.

    Software engineers and computer security experts are still searching for the cure to password fatigue. Until they find the perfect solution, however, everyone will simply have to rely on the password system currently in place.

    Does this situation seem familiar to you？Your English is progressing well, the grammar is now familiar, the reading comprehension is no problem, and you are speaking quite fluently.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening is probably the most difficult job for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. The most important thing is to listen as often as possible.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The Internet is really a useful tool for English students. You can download The RealPlayer from RealMedia.com.The RealPlayer allows you to use the Internet like a radio station.

    Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated(受阻) by limited understanding.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Here is some of the advice I give my students：

    Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.

    Stay relaxed when you do not understand, and try listening to the material for more times.

    Do not translate everything into your native language.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Don't concentrate on details before you have understood the main ideas.

    Listen to something you enjoy.

    I remember the problems I had in understanding spoken German when I first went to Germany. In the beginning, when I didn't understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This method usually resulted in confusion.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Firstly, translating creates a barrier between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm, I noticed that even if I didn't pay much attention I could usually understand what the speaker had said.

A．Then, after the first six months, I discovered two extremely important facts.

B．But listening is a problem for most of the beginners.

C．But you can't follow a native English speaker at all!

D.  However, after several weeks, I got used to the new environment in Germany.

E．So, what you need to do is to find listening resources.

F．What should you do?

G．Listen for the general idea of the conversation.

    Right now you are reading English. That means that you are using your brain in a very active way. Reading is a very active process. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When you read a text, you have to do some or all of these:

    Imagine a scene in your head

    Understand clearly what the writer is trying to say

    Agree or disagree with the writer

    There are also many advantages associated with reading, including:

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    You will usually meet with new words when you read. If there are too many new words for you, then the level is too high and you should read something simpler. But if there are, say, a maximum of five new words per page, you will learn this vocabulary easily. You may not even need to use a pocket dictionary because you can guess the meaning from the rest of the text. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    A model for writing

    When you read, it gives you a good example for writing. Texts that you read show you structures and expressions that you can use when you write.

    Seeing “correctly structured” English

    When people write, they usually use “correct” English with a proper grammatical structure. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} So, by reading you see and learn grammatical English naturally.

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    You can read as fast or as slowly as you like. You can read ten pages in 30 minutes, or take one hour to explore just one page. It doesn't matter. The choice is yours. You can not easily do this when speaking or listening. This is one of the big advantages of reading because different people work at different speeds.

A. Working at your own speed

B. Learning vocabulary in context (语境)

C. This is not always true when people speak

D. Focusing on exactly what you want to learn

E. you should write down unknown vocabulary in whole sentences

F. Not only do you learn new words, but you see them being used naturally

G. It is true that the writer does a lot of work, but the reader also has to work hard

    Thanks to world-famous Colombian writer Garcia Marquez, many people think of Latin America as a land of magic. In his books, impossible things happen.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It may come from the mix of different cultures and ethnicities (种族) in Latin America. Although some of these differences have caused conflicts, they have also been a source of beauty, as well as encouraged people in Latin America to be more open-minded.

    Latin America includes more than 30 countries and areas located south of the United States in the American continent. From north to south, it starts from Mexico in North America, goes through the Caribbean and ends at the southernmost tip of South America.

    Latin America's environment is quite diverse. People can enjoy sunshine in the Caribbean islands, ride horses on the green grasslands of the Pampas, and explore volcanoes and snow-capped mountains in the Andes. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Many of the world's most unique plants and animals live there.

    There is also a diverse mix of people in Latin America. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In countries like Mexico and Colombia, over half of the population is of mixed ethnicity. However, most of them speak the same languages — Spanish or Portuguese.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Latin American people have created the samba, rumba, cha cha and tango. These dance styles require dancers to hold each other closely and move passionately. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Latin America is an open and romantic place. Its impressive natural environment, historical contributions and cultural traditions have made it unique and influential.

A. It has natives, Africans and Europeans.

B. Where does the magic in his books come from?

C. They are cheerful and can bring strangers together.

D. It even has the world's biggest rainforest — the Amazon.

E. Many people in Latin America have open and romantic hearts.

F. The music and dance of Latin America are quite well-known.

G. To most people, Latin America is a land of happiness and passion.

Overcome Culture Shock in the Classroom

    Culture shock occurs in a classroom when students are exposed to a new situation.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. However, it can also happen to students moving from a small town to a large city, to home－schooled students starting formal school education or to students progressing from one level of education to another. There are several strategies that teachers can use to help students overcome culture shock.

    Make group rules

    Brainstorm(集体讨论) group rules with the class as a whole to create a safe space and good learning environment.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Rules could include respecting differences, listening when someone is speaking and not teasing, for example.

    Provide a partner

    Find a partner for the new student in the adjustment period.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. A good partner is someone who is friendly, outgoing and patient. The partner should show the new student around the school, spend time with him or her after class and eat lunch with him or her.

    Know the source of a problem

    Identify problems early and work with the student and his or her family to deal with them. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. It can also be caused by overseas or home school environment. Students and parents need to be aware of all the rules and customs that apply.

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    Create lessons that include information about different countries and traditions. These could include story reading, geography, cultural studies and history. Encourage the student to share some information about himself or herself.

A. Create special lessons

B. Respect other cultures

C. They have lost their own language and culture

D. Explain the rules and require everyone to follow them

E. A partner can help him or her quickly adapt to the new environment

F. Classroom culture shock is often caused by the very different environment of a classroom

G. Typically, this happens when a new immigrant(移民) arrives in a classroom for the first time