【推荐1】In our lives. we will have experienced a number of interviews as either interviewee or interviewer. Effective interviews are purposeful, planned and well-structured interactions. To be good at interview is vital to personal development in modern society.     1     The following are the practical guidelines both interviewer and interviewee can benefit from.

Be prepared and confident. Understand the purpose of the interview, anticipate the questions you will ask and be asked, understand your goals and be able to communicate them clearly.     2     If you are not excited by your ideas and abilities, why should anyone else be?

    3     Problems occur in interviews when either the interviewer or the interviewee fails to listen closely to what the other is saying. If participants listen carefully and are not thinking merely about what they plan to say next, the interview has a better chance of being productive.

Practice sending and receiving messages. By its very nature, the interview demands that each party be skillful at sending and receiving verbal messages.     4     Not only must you clearly encode(编码)the messages, you each must be skilled at reading the reactions and checking on the perceptions of the receiver.

Be flexible. Don't over-prepare or just memorize statements. Think things through thoroughly, but be prepared for questions or answers you haven't anticipated.     5    

As we can see, the interview, like any other interpersonal relationship, requires the cooperation skill and commitment of both parties to get effective results.

【推荐2】When you go to a foreign country, you often enter a new culture. The differences between cultures may make you feel stressed and you often find it difficult to adjust to the new surroundings, which is usually called “culture shock”.

The psychological and physical symptoms of culture shock may appear depending on the individuals. Some often feel anxious while adjusting to a new culture—even more so when the cultural distances are wide.     1     They remain to homesick and feel so sad about being separated from their friends back home that they long to return, especially within the first year.

    2    People adjusting to a new culture often feel lonely because the language barrier makes it hard to create new relationships. Furthermore, having trouble with the native language often makes them unwilling to interact with other people.

    3     You may do some research on the cultural aspects of the new country such as the history, customs, and religious beliefs, rather than on what to see and where to go, so you may get prepared for a culture that is different from yours. Studying the language is also a great way to help bridge the gap between the cultures.     4    

A local club provides the perfect environment to get to know people who have a similar focus, so join one so that you can meet some locals and develop new friendships.     5     There are other travelers who have the same experiences in a foreign country. Talk with them, sharing feelings, tips and insight.

【推荐3】Are you truly happy? What does it mean to be happy? What does it take to achieve happiness?     1     The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

Make a plan for achieving goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods (心情) will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.

    2     It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. On the contrary, if you are around people who are happy, their emotional state will be infectious.

When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution (解决办法) instead of being absorbed in self-pity. Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can.

Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy.     3     And this will lead you to continuous happiness.

    4     Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously putting yourself in a better mood.

Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.

Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness.     5