1 . Shyness is a kind of fear. People who are shy always worry too much about what people think of them or embarrassing themselves in some way in front of others. How can we overcome shyness?

Have a good posture (姿势)

The way a person holds themselves says a lot about that person. People with sloped (倾斜的) shoulders don’t think themselves as important. So stand up straight, shoulders back, keep your head up, and always make eye contact (接触). By practicing posture, you will feel you have the ability to do things well.

Increase your walking speed

You can tell a person is confident by the way they walk. People who walk in a slow way, or look at the ground while walking usually have no confidence in themselves. While people who have confidence in themselves walk faster. That is because they have important things to do, friends to meet, places to go, and so on. So walk a little faster, head held up, and look straight ahead.

Do some exercise

Exercise increases your energy levels in the body. That will put you in a more positive (积极的) state of mind. By taking exercise, You will feel sure of yourself. It is better to do some exercise than just watch TV all day.

Do things that make you feel good about yourself

This can be anything that you really like doing such as going to the theater, listening to music, traveling, helping someone out with a problem, etc.

3 . Do you know what an English first name means? Do you want a good name for your baby boy? Here is a list of British, American and Australian first names for boys and you can know what they mean. Then you can choose a meaningful name for your baby boy.

5 . Working on a team is a good thing, but sometimes it can bring you some trouble. If people on your team are not good at communicating, you may often feel terrible. To create a successful team, good communication is the most necessary thing for both team members and leaders. Here are some helpful suggestions.

● Don’t criticize（批评）any people. When someone on your team does something wrong, don’t criticize him. You can help him find out reasons and then help him solve the problem. Criticizing your team members too often may make them keep away from you. As a result, you may feel lonely.

● Think about other people’s ideas carefully. When someone tells you about his ideas, you should think about them carefully, no matter how silly they may seem. This shows you interested in his ideas, and it will make him feel good.

● Listen to other people actively. When someone is speaking to you, you need to listen to him actively. If you’re unclear about something, you should ask him about it. By doing this can clear up your confusion（困惑）before moving on.

● Share your ideas with other people. When you have a new idea, talk about it with team members. This helps to improve the idea. Besides, it also helps to improve relationships with your team members.

In China, the 12th month of the lunar calendar is called Layue. The month is full of interesting festivals and customs.

Laba Festival, which is on the 8th day of Layue, is the first festival in this month. From this day on, people begin to get ready for the Chinese New Year.

On Laba Festival, people eat hot Laba porridge. There are usually eight things in the porridge: rice, red beans, peas, dried lotus seeds, dates, and three different kinds of fruits and nuts. The porridge is not just good for your health, but a blessing for the coming of the Chinese New Year.

Laba porridge is not the only tasty food in Layue. Laba garlic (腊八蒜) is popular in the north. People begin to soak garlic in vinegar from that day on, and eat it with dumplings during the Chinese New Year. While in the south, people like making sausages.

Another major celebration before the Spring Festival is Xiaonian. It is usually on the 23rd or 24th day of the last lunar month. Traditionally it is an important day when people offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God who looks after the family.

Don’t forget to clean your home. This is also an important thing to do to prepare for the Chinese New Year. It means sweeping away the dust of the old year and welcoming a fresh start. Now, the last thing for you to do is to wait for the coming Spring Festival.

7 . In the United States, 16, 18 and 21 are very important ages in a person’s life. A person can do new things at each age to show that he or she is no longer a child. That means you are an adult.

After turning 16 in the United States, a person can be employed, get a driver’s license, and leave home. Many high school students learn to drive and get part-time jobs soon after celebrating their 16th birthday. At 18, people in the United States can vote and join the military (参军), but they are not allowed to go into nightclubs, to buy beer or wine until they are 21.

In many Latin American countries, a young woman’s 15th birthday is important. At this age, people think she is no longer a girl, but a woman. To mark this special day, families with 15-year-old daughters have a celebration called a quinceanera (成人礼). The young woman and her family will have a big party to which many guests are invited.

In Japan, boys and girls are thought to be adults at the age of 20. At this age, they are allowed to vote and drink beer or wine. The second Monday in January is a national holiday called the Coming-of-Age Day. On this day, 20-year-olds are invited to listen to speeches with their family. After that, many celebrate late into the night. In many countries, celebrations are always there, such as their 50th birthdays or the birth of their first child.

10 . You may not have heard of “freshman fifteen” before, but they are very important for students who are entering university. A freshman is a first-year college students who are going into university (大学). A freshman is a first-year college student. “Fifteen” means fifteen pounds—the fifteen pounds added (增加) to a student’s weight in his or her first year. There are a number of reasons why first-year university students gain (增加) weight; but it’s hopeful to know that freshmen don’t have to add these harmful fifteen pounds.

University kitchens serve many kinds of food. Some students choose unhealthy food, because now their parents are not nearby to help them choose. Some students visit the kitchen many times while studying. Late at night, some students get harmful fast food such as French fries and fried chicken with soda to drink. Students also have less time for walking, running, and doing sports because of their schoolwork.

If you’re careful, you don’t have to add fifteen pounds. Here are some ideas:

Think more about what you eat.

Don’t eat desserts full of sugar; have fruit after dinner.

Try not to eat so much junk food while you study.

It’s all right to have a little fast food sometimes—but not often.

Walk, run, do sports—move and you will feel better!

Remember that the “freshman fifteen” can happen to anyone. Talk to your friends about it. Together, try to eat healthy food and not to eat junk food. Walking, running, and playing sports is always more fun with friends. Help each other and you can have a healthy and happy freshman year.