2 . Simple ways to improve your written English

Many people think it is really difficult to improve (提高) their writing in English. Don’t worry, though. Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your written English.

● Increase your vocabulary.

To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That’s not just being able to know lots of words — it means actually being able to use them correctly.     1    

Tip: When you learn a new word, try to learn all the forms of that word.

●     2    

People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in many ways. It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words properly.

Tip:     3     Learning shouldn’t be boring. Read each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and expressions in the text.

● Improve your grammar.

Grammar is very important because it improves the quality (质量) of your writing.

Tip:     4     The first time, look for general mistakes and the second time look for mistakes with the grammar point you are studying at the moment.

● Just do it!

The best way to improve your writing is to get a pen and paper and write. Be prepared to write several versions (版本) of each text.     5    

3 . "Everything happens for the best, "my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. "If you carry on, one day something good will happen. And you'll realize that it wouldn't have happened if not for that _________ disappointment.

Mother was _________. As I discovered after graduating from college in 1932, I had decided to hunt for a job in _________, then work my way up to sports announcer. I went to Chicago and _________ on the door of every station--but got _________ every time. In one studio, a kind lady told me that big stations couldn't _________ hiring a(n) _________ person. "Go out in the suburbs and find a _________ station that'll give you a chance, "she said. I turned to Dixon. Illinois.

While there were no radios announcing jobs in Dixon, they had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to _________ its sports department. The job __________ just right for me. But I wasn't hired. My __________ must have shown. "Everything happens for the best, " my mother reminded me. Dad offered me the car to __________ job. As I left his office, my frustration __________. I asked aloud, "How can a fellow get to be a sports announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?" I was __________ the elevator when I heard MacArthur calling, " What do you say about sports? Do you know anything about __________ ?"Then he let me stand before a __________ and asked me to broadcast a(n) __________ game. I did a 15-minute football occasional commentary（实况报道）, and Peter told me I would be __________ Saturday's game! On my way home, as I have many times, I __________ my mother's words: If you carry on, one day something good will happen.

I often wonder what __________ my life might have taken if I'd not gotten the job at Montgomery Ward.

Twenty years ago I was appointed and have worked     1    a volcanologist since then. The job is exciting but     2    (occasion) dangerous. I don't mind the danger because I help protect ordinary people from the volcanoes. What I do is collect information for a database about Mount Kilauea.     3    active volcano in Hawaii     4    (collect) and evaluated the information, I help other scientists to predict where lava from the volcano will flow next and how fast.

When boiling rock erupts from a volcano and crashes back to earth, it causes     5     (little) damage than you might imagine. The reason is that no one lives near the top of Mount Kilauea,     6     the rocks fall. The lava can bury everything in     7     (it) path under the molten rock.

Once I was lucky enough to have a much closer look at the volcano the day after its     8    (erupt) with two other scientists. We had to wear     9     (protect) suits , that covered our whole body. We made our way to the edge of the crater and collected some lava for     10     (late) study. That was my first experience.

6 . Public Speaking Training

Get a coach

    1    , so get help. Since there are about a billion companies out there all ready to offer you public speaking training and courses, here are some things to look for when deciding the training that's right for you.

Focus on positives

Any training you do to become more effective at public speaking should always focus on the positive aspects of what you already do well. Nothing can hurt confidence more than being told that you aren't doing well.     2    , so good public speaking training should develop those instead of telling you what you shouldn’t do.

    3    

If you find a public speaking course that looks as though it’s going to give you lots of dos and don'ts, walk away! Your brain is so full of what you’re going to be talking about.     4    . As far as we’re concerned, there are basically no hard and fast rules about public speaking. Your audience can be your friends.

You are a special person not a clone.

Most importantly, good public speaking training should treat you as a special one, with your own personal habits.     5    . Your training course should help you bring out your personality, not try to turn you into someone you're not.

7 . Doctors say anger can be an extremely damaging emotion, unless you learn how to deal with it. They warn that anger can lead to heart disease, stomach problems, headaches, emotional problems and possibly cancer.

    1     Some people express anger openly in a calm reasonable way. Others burst with anger, and scream and yell. But other people keep their anger inside. They can not or will not express it. This is called repressing anger.

For years many doctors thought that repressing anger was more dangerous to a person’s health than expressing it. They said that when a person is angry, the brain releases the same hormones (荷尔蒙). They speed the heart rate, raise blood pressure, or sugar into the blood, etc.     2    

Some doctors say that both repressing and expressing anger can be dangerous. They believe that those who express anger violently may be more likely to develop heart disease, and they believe that those who keep anger inside may face a greater danger of high blood pressure.

    3     They say the first step is to admit that you are angry and to recognize the real cause of the anger, then decide if the cause is serious enough to get angry about. If it is, they say, “    4     Wait until your anger has cooled down and you are able to express yourself calmly and reasonably.”

Doctors say that a good way to deal with anger is to find humor in the situation that has made you angry.     5    

8 . There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love. One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving birds.     1      She cared them with love and the birds grew strong. Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful song. The girl felt the great love from the birds.

    2    . The larger and the stronger of the two birds flew from the cage. The girl was so frightened that he would fly away. As he flew close, she grasped him wildly. Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing him.     3     . She opened her hand and stared in horror at the dead bird. Her desperate love had killed him.

She noticed the other bird moving back and forth on the edge of the cage. She could feel his great need for freedom. He needed to fly into the clear, blue sky.     4    . The bird circled once, twice, three times.

The girl watched delightedly at the bird’s enjoyment.     5     . She wanted the bird to be happy. Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder. It sang the sweetest songs that she had ever heard.

The fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tight, while the best way to keep love is to give it wings!