【推荐1】I don’t remember the exact date I met Marty for the first time. Like a lot of people who want to get through a checkout line, I found my thoughts on speed, nothing more. The line I was standing in wasn't moving as quickly as I wanted, and I glanced toward the cashier, who was busy receiving money from customers.

He was an old man in his sixties. I thought, well, it probably took him a little longer to get the jobs done. For the next few minutes I watched him. He greeted every customer before he began scanning the goods they were purchasing. Sure, his words were the usual, “How’s it going?” But he did something different—he actually listened to people. Then he would respond to what they had said and talk with them briefly.

I thought it was strange, but I guessed I had grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of a conversation without thinking. Usually, after a while, you don't give any thought to the question and just say something back quietly.

This old cashier seemed sincere about wanting to know how people were feeling. Meanwhile, the high-tech cash register rang up their purchases and he announced what they owed. When customers handed money to him, he pushed the appropriate keys, the cash drawer popped open, and he counted out their change.

Then magic happened.

He placed the change in his left hand, walked around the counter to the customers, and extended his right hand in an act of friendship. As their hands met, the old cashier looked the customers in the eyes. “I want to thank you for shopping here today,” he told them. “You have a great day. Bye-bye.” The looks on the faces of the customers were priceless.

Now it was my turn. I glanced down at the name tag on his red waistcoat, the kind experienced Wal-Mart cashier wore, it read, “Marty.”

Marty told me how much I owed and I handed him some money. The next thing I knew he was standing beside me, offering his right hand and holding my change in his left hand. His kind eyes locked onto mine. Smiling, and with a firm handshake...

【推荐2】A social phobia (恐惧症) in an anxiety disorder with strong fear in social situations.     1     when other people are around. Here are some suggestions to overcome social phobia.

Learn to relax. People with a social phobia often have anticipatory (预期的) anxiety.     2    . For this, we have to learn to relax instead of having the fear of the future situation. Besides, imagination can play tricks on us in social situations. In most cases you are afraid of things that have not happened or are not happening.     3    . However, that only exists in your mind. So, just learn to relax and enjoy just like everyone else is doing.

Be yourself. To some degree, social phobia is caused by the belief that we have to be perfect as others expect.     4    . So we do not have to focus so much on what others may think of us, but on feeling comfortable with ourselves without having to be perfect.

    5    . If we always avoid social situations out of fear, it is very difficult for us to be able to overcome them. If we try to relate to the outside of our usual circle, we will feel more comfortable little by little. In this way, when a social event arrives that we want to attend or take part in, we will be better able to be comfortable in it.

【推荐3】How to Show Respect

Whether you’re talking to your best friend or a stranger, respecting them shows that you’re kind and considerate.     1    .

●Listen to others.

Practice active listening to show you respect others.     2     Nod your head and ask follow-up questions to stay focused in the conversation. Even if you disagree, try to consider the point of view before responding.

●Confirm (肯定) people’s opinions.

When you’re talking to someone, confirm their opinions in your own words. You can also mention their achievements to let them know you see how hard they’ve worked. You could say something like, “What you just said was really cool.     3    ” Or, “I can tell you’ve worked super hard to get your business off the ground.”

●Apologize when you’re in the wrong.

It shows a great deal of maturity (成熟). If you mess up, a simple “I’m sorry” goes a long way. Try not to make excuses for yourself.     4     For example, if you forgot a deadline, you could say, “I’m really sorry. I’ll be setting reminders so this doesn’t happen again.”

●    5    

Stick to your word. If you commit (承诺) to an event or make plans with someone, come through on your end of the deal. Being reliable shows respect for people’s time. Have your materials in order and complete all the necessary work ahead of time. Just say no if you can’t commit. It can be tough at first, but it’s better to be honest.

【推荐2】Here are four famous cities of Italy.