It's normal for you to feel shy and nervous when you are in the new environment. It's natural to feel nervous, or shy in front of others at times. If you think you are too shy and want to be a little more active, try the following advice.
There is no need to hide it. When people get to know you are a shy person, they may understand you better. It will also help you feel easier in talks.
When you smile, people will think you're friendly and want to talk with you. Remember that all people have feelings and most people will stay away from an angry-looking face.
You shouldn't keep quiet at a party all the time. If you find it hard to start a talk, you can say something nice about people around you. It must be very helpful for you to start a talk! And after you begin to talk to someone or smile at someone for the first time, remember to say "I did it!" to yourself.
Think about more ways to enjoy the party and have fun. Don't waste time worrying about your look or whether all people like you or not.
If you keep trying the advice, you may not be shy in the new environment one day.
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A. Imagine how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. B. I believe you can do it! C. Try to smile often. D. Tell people you're shy. E. Pay your attention to important things. |
A. I'm going to go to the store soon. B. I'm going to make a big cake. C. It's a tradition that makes people very happy. D. We like to surprise people on their birthdays. F. We always eat fairy bread on our birthdays |
There is something different in this week's blog. Let's look at some birthday customs around the world.
Harry Baker, Perth, Australia
It's my birthday next Wednesday. I'm going to be 10 years old. in my country. My mom's going to make me a huge plate of fairy bread. It's a snack. We make it with bread, butter, and colorful sugar called "Hundreds and thousands".
Jim Dixon, Montego Bay, Jamaica
I love birthdays! They are a lot of fun. Here in Jamaica, we have an old custom. Guess what we do? We throw flour (面粉) at our friends! It's my best friend's birthday tomorrow. I'm going to buy a lot of flour to throw at him.
Victoria Smith, London, UK
My grandmother is going to be 100 years old in June. She's very excited because she's going to get a special letter from the Queen. The Queen sends a letter to every person who reaches 100.
Jiang Li, Beijing, China
In my country, we celebrate birthdays with a special type of the food. Noodles are a sign of long life for us. This year, I'm going to make some "long life noodles" for all my friends. and have a great evening!
We have found plastic in the ocean and in animals like birds, fish and whales. But for the first time, scientists have found plastic in human poop (大便) , USA Today reported. The findings came from a study led by scientists from Environment Agency Austria The volunteers wrote down what they ate for a week and then provided a stool sample (大便样本) for testing.
About 20 small plastic particles (IM) were found in every 10 grams (克) of stool. "The smallest plastic particles can enter the blood, the lymphatic system, and may even reach the liver (肝脏)," said Philipp Schwabl, who took part in the research. They're not sure how the plastic got in the volunteers' bodies, either. But most of the volunteers said they drank from plastic bottles and also ate seafood that could include plastic from ocean pollution.
In fact, plastic is everywhere around us. Every year, lots of plastic waste goes into the ocean. Most of the particles stay in the ocean. Others can spread into the soil, and air. Could plastic in the air fall onto food and get into the human body?
Some past studies may also give us a clue. And even some drinking water has been found to have tiny plastic particles in it.
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A. There, sunlight and waves (海浪) break the plastic waste down to very small pieces. B. The scientists are sure that the plastic must be harmful to humans. C. According to USA Today, 90% of sea salt which is sold in the world includes plastic. D. The scientists followed eight healthy volunteers from different parts of the world. E. However, the scientists aren't sure if the plastic is harmful to humans. F. Scientists found nine different kinds of plastic in the stool samples, according to the study. |
The Inside of the World
When I was a very little boy, I was always asking questions.
One day when I was walking with my nurse along the city street, I asked, "Jane, what's under the street?" "Oh, just dirt (尘土) ," she replied. "And what is under the dirt?" "Oh, more dirt," she replied.
. So I asked again, "Well, what's under that?" "Oh, nothing-I don't know-why are you always asking so many questions?" she asked
I knew there must be something under that. . I also heard that Chinese lived on the other side of the world, head down. I wanted to find out if that was true.
, down, down, down, till I came through on the other side, and then I would know. I was a very little boy, you see. With a small shovel (铁锹) , I started a hole in the back yard behind the grapevines (葡萄藤). No one knew what I was doing. .
Then one evening my father asked, "What's that hole in the back yard?" .
He didn't laugh when I told him, but he asked me if I knew how far I would have to dig.
I hadn't dug through the world, but I did know how far it was.
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A. I knew my secret was out B. I wasn't satisfied with her answer C. And I just wanted to know what it was D. So I made up my mind I would dig down through the world E. I wanted to keep it a secret until I had dug all the way through F. As a result, I became closer and closer to the inside of the world |
Need a reason to be happy? Then you will be happy to know that March 20th is the International Day of happiness.
The united Nations set up the International Day of happiness in 2012 to remind us that happiness is a basic human goal and right.
It was celebrated for the first time in 2013. On that day, we celebrated hundreds of "Happy Heroes" – those who did so much to bring happiness to others. They helped the homeless to live a comfortable life and the poor kids to go to school.
The 2014 Day of Happiness actions asked people to share pictures of making them happy. People all over the world showed their favourite pictures on the Internet. "It's exciting to see so many people sharing photos of what makes them happy." Joe, a senior high school students from Canada said. The 2015 Day of happiness actions gave attention on relationships. Modern society is leaving more and more people felling lonely. On that day, thousands of people all around the world reached out to make new connections with others. They visited their neighbours, gave calls to the doctors they didn't know very well, drove the strangers to station for free…
The theme of the 2019 Day of Happiness is "Happier Together". It encourages people worldwide to focus on what we have in common, rather than what divides us.
The population of the world continues to increase, but in some areas the population is falling.
This is true in Europe and especially in Eastern Europe. In Russia, the population is going down by about 100 people EVERY HOUR! Russia's population could fall by ONE THIRD by the year 2050! And in Poland (波兰) the population is also going down because people are leaving to work in other countries.
One of the main reasons is a change of lifestyle. All over Europe people, especially educated women, have a different attitude(态度) to children than their parents. "I have one child and she is enough for me," said Galina Tereschkova, a doctor from Moscow. "My husband and I both work full—time. We can't imagine having more than one child." Many women decide to have children later in life or not to have children at all. "I don't want to have any children until I have worked for at least 10 years," said 19-year-old student Hana Markova from Prague. Her opinion is typical of 18~24 year old women everywhere in Europe.
In Poland, the population is going down for a different reason. A lot of people, usually aged between 20 and 30, are leaving the country to work abroad. Poland joined the European Union in 2005 and since then more than half a million people have moved to Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy. Even so, the population of those four countries and many other countries in West Europe is also going down.
Many governments are now encouraging people to have larger families. In France, women now receive nearly $1,000 a month for a year if they have a third child. Austrian women receive $700 a month for three years when they have their first child.
It is a great thing to help others. First, you can learn new things. Second, it can also make you feel good.
How can you do it? Helping through charities (慈善团体) is a good idea. Charities are organizations (组织) that help others. September 5 is the International Day of Charity.
You can help charities by giving your time, giving money or giving things that you own.
Volunteering
Volunteering is to give time to help others without pay. Some ways of volunteering are:
☆visiting old people to talk to them or help them
☆walking dogs at an animal shelter (收容所)
☆cleaning up a park
☆helping some children. You can teach the children without life skills how to take care of themselves.
● Fundraising
Fundraising is to collect or produce money to a charity to help others. Some ways of fundraising are:
☆making cakes or biscuits to sell
☆ doing sponsored (有赞助的) activities. For example, families and friends give you money if you finish a long walk.
Donating
Donating is to give your things to a charity to help others. Some ways of donating are:
☆giving your old toys or clothes to a charity that helps sick children or poor people
☆giving your old books to a library.
So, what can you do to help others?
There are some things that are almost impossible to say to our close friends — especially if we want (A) them to be our friends for life. Are you wondering what problems others have?
"I can't stand your other friends."
(B)My best friend, Kate, sometimes hangs out with some people that I really don't like. I think they have a bad influence on her, and she only spends time with them because they are "cool". Could you tell me if I should bring the matter up with her, or if it would be better for me to keep quiet? I don't want to lose her as a friend.
— Linda
"I won't help you cheat."
My closest friend, Kim, has lost interest in school and studying. He says he's bored with the whole thing, so he often asks me whether I'll let him copy my homework. By now I've said no, but he keeps asking me. I told him, "I think we'll get in trouble." but he just laughed and told me not to worry. I don't want to put my grades at risk, but I'm afraid to face my friend about this, so I just keep avoiding the topic. How can I get him to stop asking? I was wondering if you could give me some suggestions for dealing with my problem.
— Mike
"No, I CAN'T do that for you!"
Anna is my best friend. We get along with each other well, but she is asking me to do things for her all the time. "Could you help me pick out some new clothes? Would you mind if I borrowed your bike? Can you look after my apartment while I'm away?" And these are just a few examples. I've said yes so many times that now I'm afraid I'll hurt her feelings if I say no. Any ideas?
— Amy
Kate only spends time with some people that Linda really doesn't like because.
Drones are like airplanes, only without a pilot. No one without a pilot's license should be allowed to have one.
Something bad or unexpected can happen when people send up a self-controlled flying machine like a drone without knowing how to really control it. Drones can become flyaways, and can be caught up on a jet stream (喷气流) and blown away. A falling drone can do much damage (损害) to buildings and people.
Though drones can be harmful, they can be very helpful.
At a sports event, drones can be used to give the spectators (观众) a view from above or help coaches see how their players are doing.
They are also becoming a useful tool for firefighters, helping them find and fight wildfires. Drones can watch secretly on populations of animals in the wild, especially endangered ones.
In some faraway places in the world, drones are the fastest way to send medicine to people who are in great need of it.
Some people think drones can only be used by governments to help when needed. Others think that if rules are obeyed, there should be little risk to people and property (财产).
Drone makers say drones are exciting new technology and that the future will be controlled by them.
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Paragraph (段落) Two is mainly about.
[1] In today's world, the most successful companies are the ones who understand how important it is to make contacts（联系）around the world. However, doing business in different countries isn't simple. It is important to know the local customs and traditions of the people you are dealing with, which is the best way to impress(使…印象深刻)your hosts.
[2] One example that comes to mind is of a German company that has recently tried to gain (获得)a new contract in South Korea. The German visitors arrived at the Korean company's office early in the morning and spent the whole day in long meetings. By the evening, the Germans were so tired that they politely turned down the Korean's invitation to go out for dinner and drinks, since they wanted to return to their hotel and get some rest. The Germans did not understand that in South Korea business talks often continue into the evening. The Germans only came to realize that they offended(冒犯)their hosts after they had lost the contract.
[3] In Europe or the USA, business is seldom discussed into the evening. However, it is important to be on time for a meeting. If you are ①__________, your hosts may think you do not care. In fact, it is better to arrive at least ten minutes before the meeting starts. This way, you can show how keen(强烈的) you are to do business with them. You will also have time to talk with your hosts before you sit down to discuss business.
[4] However, in many countries meetings may not start on time. There are many ②_____________for this, such as transport difficulties, unusual weather and the breakdown of cars.
Sometimes the time of day is also important. In South America and many countries in southern Europe, people have a short sleep after lunch. Therefore, if you try to arrange(安排) a meeting for the early afternoon, you may find that not many people will③__________, or that your hosts will be unhappy.
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