【推荐2】Good communication is vital in modern society. We know that much of the communication is unspoken. Consciously or unconsciously, we show our true feelings with our eyes, faces, bodies and attitudes. Your good qualities can make good communication. The personal qualities include：physical appearance, energy, rate of speech, pitch and tone of voice, gestures, expressiveness of eyes, and the ability to hold the interest of others.

What should we do so that our communication will be effective？Here are my suggestions.

Firstly, you should be yourself. The trick is to be consistently you, at your best. The most effective people never change character from one situation to another. They're the same whether they're having a conversation with their close friends, addressing their garden club or being interviewed for a job. They communicate with their whole being.

Secondly, whether you're talking to one person or one hundred, always remember to look at them. Don't break eye contact while talking. As you enter a room, move your eyes comfortably, then look directly at those in the room and smile. This shows clearly that you are at ease. Smiling is important. The best type of smile and eye contact is gentle and comfortable, not forced.

You should also absorb other people before showing yourself. You can't learn anything when you talk. When you attend a meeting, a party or an interview, don't immediately start throwing your opinions.Stop for a second.Absorb what's going on.What's the mood of the others？Are they down, up, happy, expectant? Are they eager to learn from you, or do they show resistance? If you can sense what's happening with others, you will be better able to reach them. So, listen before you talk.

The fourth suggestion is that you focus your energy. How do you get your energy up? Before the meeting, collect your thoughts about the goal of the meeting — yours and the others'. Once you go through the doorway, no longer think about yourself. Focus on the person you are meeting to find out what he is interested in. Properly collected energy comes across when we sincerely believe something. When you speak with energy, you are involved with your audience and your message. You create an air of certainty.The audience may disagree with you, but they can't question your belief.

Lastly, I would like to remind you that you should lighten up. Take a good hard look at yourself.Do you say “I” too often? Are you only concentrated on your own problems? Do you complain frequently? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you need to be more relaxed.

【推荐3】Communication is the sharing of information or ideas. No matter our age or background, it is important to know communication is a valuable skill. It’s also a skill that everyone can learn. Skillful communication can even turn a potential fight into a productive talk.    1    

Place yourself on even ground. Make sure not to stand over the other person as you are talking.    2    If your listener is sitting, you should sit with them.

Listen to the other party. Let listeners share how they feel and wait until they are finished talking before speaking yourself.

Speak in a calm voice.    3     You can try taking deep breaths to calm down.

    4    Sometimes a conflict takes time to work itself out. Rather than trying to rush a decision, consider stopping the discussion with a plan to revisit it at a later point.

Use “I” messages. When raising concerns, try to start your sentences with “I...” instead of “You,” stating clearly how you feel about the situation rather than blaming others.    5    For instance, instead of saying “You’re messy and it drives me crazy,” you might say, “I’m really uncomfortable surrounded by clutter like this. Is there something we can do to deal with it to keep it from being a problem?”

Good communication is a great tool. Practicing will help you get better at it. Having strong communication skills will improve your relationships. You’ll see a difference at home, at school and anywhere else you go.

【推荐1】Big-Name Architecture in Small-Town America Cloquet, Minnesota’s Gas Station

Stop for fuel in this little northern Minnesota town and you could pump gas at a station designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Yes, the most popular American starchitect, best known for his elegant, nature-inspired works, also designed a gas station. The R.W. Lindholm Service Station has a characteristically Wright-style cantilevered (悬臂式的) roof and a glass-walled viewing lounge.

Rocklin, California’s College

When the Herman Miller furniture company shut down its western factory in Rocklin, California in 2001, the question on everyone’s minds was “what to do with the buildings?”. The 125-acre campus had been designed by starchitect Frank Gehry. Luckily, William Jessup University was looking for a new home. The school moved in, adapted the existing buildings, and kept the work of a master designer alive for ages.

Owatonna, Minnesota’s Bank

Owatonna, Minnesota is home to a surprising architecture: The National Farmers’ Bank, designed by the “father of skycrapers” Louis Sullivan. The bank was built of red brick decorated with green terracotta (赤陶) and vast arched stained glass windows. It’s currently home to a Wells Fargo, so feel free to stop and use the ATM.

Ewing Township, New Jersey’ Bathroom

This cross-shaped gray brick building, in the peaceful community of Ewing Township, is a relatively early work by the pioneering Philadelphia architect Louis Kahn. It was built to house toilet and changing facilities for the adjacent(邻近的) pool. The structures sat quietly in a field for years until a restoration in 2010.