Being polite is an important social skill. It can help you show respect, make friends and achieve success. It's     1     hard to be polite. Here are some ways.

Greet people politely. You can be polite by offering a proper greeting. When first meeting or greeting someone, give him a warm     2    . It shows that you are in good spirits and are happy to see him. Also,     3     hands to show respect.

Have small talk. Instead of jumping right into     4    , you can have small talk first. Talk about their lunch, their kids or their day. Listen carefully and pay attention to     5     they are saying to you. Show them you're     6     by asking questions.

Congratulate other people on their success. When     7     do well, offer them your praise (赞美). If you meet a friend in the store who has recently graduated, got married or     8     a new job, congratulate him.

    9     uncomfortable topics. Some topics can make people uncomfortable. It's not polite to talk about such topics. Try to keep your conversation in the pleasant areas.

Make eye contact (接触). When you are having a conversation     10     someone, look them in the eye. Keeping eye contact shows that you are paying attention. However, don't stare at (盯着) people all the time.