【推荐1】If you have stage fright, or a fear of speaking in public, you are not alone. Stage fright or performance anxiety is a natural phenomenon. The good news is that one can completely overcome stage fright. Here are some tips to help you overcome stage fright.

Understand the symptoms (症状) of stage fright. You feel anxious; you start sweating; you forget all that you have memorised, and your legs become weak. Your heart literally explodes and every part of you is asking you to run. But be relaxed. Many top actors and actresses have experienced these similar symptoms of stage fright.     1    

Plan well. The first step towards successful public speaking (or singing, playing the piano or acting) is to plan well. First, thoroughly study the subject you are going to talk about.     2     It’s necessary to do some research on your audience. Besides, know your subject well. Adequate planning on these aspects will help you achieve your potential to the maximum.

Keep eye contact.     3     Your influence will decrease considerably if they think you are talking over their heads. Keeping eye contact can also help you see their body language.

Focus on breathing. Your mind is deeply connected with your breath.     4     It can help you stay mindful and avoid thoughts about past failures.

    5     Preparation is the key to overcoming symptoms of stage fright. When you practice your speech a thousand times, you will relax in the knowledge that you will be confidently speaking without fear. Prepare so you can relax during the task.

A．Practice as much as possible.

B．Therefore, don’t be too worried.

C．Second, you need to know your audience.

D．The audience like to see you looking at them.

E．So arrive early to get comfortable in the environment.

F．Second, you should use visual aids and technology wisely.

G．The longer and deeper your breath is, the calmer your mind will be.

【推荐2】Many people trying to sell homes find that an increase in home prices has turned the market in their favor.   But sellers can still get the short end of the deal if they aren't careful. Here are a few tips for you:

Don't test your luck. Of course you think anyone who moves into your lovely home should be willing to pay top dollars, especially if you've recently invested in some improvements. But listing a home at a price that's too high above the market price could turn away some buyers.

Buyers noticing that the home still hasn't sold may begin to assume there's something wrong with the house and use that as a reasonable excuse for offering a lower price. And if a home hasn't received any offers after two weeks, it might be time to reset the price.

A price that's too low can bring about an undesired outcome. Listing your home at or slightly below the market price can have the effect of drawing in a large group of buyers and increase the chances that a home will receive multiple offers.   But setting the price too low comes with several risks.   One possibility is that buyers will get skeptical of the home that is listed for $ 15,000 to $ 20,000 less than similar homes in the area, especially if it's not properly marketed. Once again, people might assume there is something wrong with the home and may not bother to look at it.

Spy on the competition. Going to other people's open houses can give you a better sense of how your home compares to others on the market.   Check out the decoration in their kitchens, the size of their backyards and use the information to figure out where your home should fit in the range of the price. But don't set your pricing just on what you see elsewhere.

1. What does the underlined part in Paragraph l probably mean?

A．Be at a disadvantage.

B．Get the upper hand.

C．Have control over the situation.

D．Be unable to fit in.

2. What should home sellers do according to the passage?

A．Price your house on the basis of its geographic location.

B．Price your house slightly above the market price after decorating it.

C．Change the price if no offer has been received within a week.

D．Price your house at or slightly below the market price.

3. If you set the price of your house too low,.

A．buyers might think it not worthwhile to go to have a look

B．you are likely to come into conflict with the neighborhood sellers

C．your house will be crowded with buyers within a couple of days

D．chances of your house being sold at a better price will be greatly increased

4. What is the benefit of going to other people's open house?

A．You can pick up some useful lessons on house selling.

B．You can get your pricing mainly based on what you see elsewhere.

C．You can work out how much money you should ask for your home.

D．You can know how to make your house stand out against other houses.

【推荐3】A study session(会议) with friends can be an excellent way to learn.     1    , a study session can help you to fully understand difficult materials, prepare for exams, and finally earn strong grades. By making careful choices when you are forming the group, you can be sure your study session with friends will be successful.

●    2    . One of the most effective ways to learn is actually to teach other people. Try giving each member a different task and take turns teaching each other. This greatly benefits both the “teacher” as well as the whole group.

●Take quizzes(小测试).   Another great aspect of working with a group is the ability to quiz one another. You can simply ask each other questions out loud.     3    . Or, different members can create quizzes for different parts and give them to the other members to take.

●Share notes. Three or four heads are better than one!     4    . When you put all of that together, you’ll walk away with a much stronger understanding of the material.

●Answer each other’s questions. Knowing what you don’t understand and putting that into a question for your group is an excellent exercise.     5    .

●Create a routine(常规).   If you can make some kind of routine within your study session, you are likely to be more productive. It may take a little time. You may have to try out different methods with your group to see what works for you.

A．Teach one another

B．When it comes to friendship

C．If you make it a regular event

D．This means quizzing one another in speech

E．The first question can be related to self-introduction

F．Try exchanging the notes that you each take in class

G．The attempt to answer each other’s questions is great for every member and the group.

【推荐1】Swimming is indeed a great kind of sport. Here are the top four health benefits of swimming that you should keep in mind to keep yourself up, energetic, and active.

    1     According to several studies conducted by health experts, people over 40 have experienced great improvement in the systolic(心脏收缩的) blood pressure after two weeks of regular swimming activities. It improves the function of the blood vessels( 血管)，which is actually beneficial to the heart and lungs.

It burns fat and shapes bodies. Whether you are in shape or not, swimming is a relaxing way of getting fit.    2     The moment you jump into the pool, all parts of the body are moving. You may not be able to see the kind of sweat that you’ll get when you walk, jog, and even bike, but swimming streng thens your body and burns calories. Being in good shape is no longer a dream.

Keeps away stresses in life. According to surveys, 74% of people have shared that stresses have greatly reduced after starting to swim.    3     Moreover, it also relaxes their mind and creates positive feelings which make them forget the challenges that bother them.

It’s enjoyable and relaxed.    4     Playing with water makes you feel young, and it washes away all the bad feelings that you have. It automatically cools down your mind, and all other parts of your body. This is a magic way of releasing your anger, problems and fears.

So, don’t hesitate.     5    

A．It gives healthier skin,

B．You don’t need to spend too much.

C．Just take every possible chance to go swimming.

D．It controls blood pressure and keeps the heart and lungs healthy.

E．Pleasure is the number one benefit that one gets from swimming.

F．In fact, some of them don’t feel the pressure when finding themselves in water.

G．The process of doing it regularly will surely assist you in achieving the figure you want.

【推荐3】Your Brain Was Made For Walking

If a president, a philosopher, and a famous author credited the same secret for their success, would you try to follow it too? What if the secret was something you already knew how to do?     1     Here’s what Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: “It is only ideas gained from walking that have any worth.” Thomas Jefferson: “Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.” And Charles Dickens made his point with uncharacteristic brevity: “If I could not walk far and fast, I think I should just explode and perish (死亡).”

    2     Get walking! It’s not just these three great minds who made a case for it as a prime creativity booster. Researchers have traced numerous connections between walking and generating ideas. A Stanford University study found that participants were 81 percent more creative when walking as opposed to sitting.

    3     You’ve probably heard the phrase “exercise your creativity”, which refers to the brain as muscle. Our creative mindset is triggered by physical movement, which is exactly why walking feeds creative thinking.     4     Our brains work harder to process in different environments, so walking outside fosters our ability to obtain new ideas, to take in new sights, sounds, smells and flavors. Research has shown that immersion in nature, and the corresponding disconnection from multimedia and technology, increased performance on a creative problem-solving task by a full 50 percent in a group of hikers.

So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking?     5     Walk not just for exercise. Walk for wonder.

A．In fact, you probably do it every day.

B．Are you still sitting there reading this?

C．The movement aspect of walking is obviously key.

D．But the scenery is almost as important as the sweat.

E．In fact, you might not be aware of its true significance.

F．Engage more closely with your surroundings for the next four weeks.

G．Make a commitment to producing exceptional creative work in all your pursuits.