1 . How to Keep a Relationship Healthy and Strong

Are you new to experiencing relationships? Well, let me give you advice on having a healthy and possibly long-term relationship.

    1    Do not hide things from them, do not lie. Don’t be afraid to say things that isn’t very flattering(奉承/自夸) about yourself. Getting them to trust you is the most important element in any relationship. If there’s no trust, there’s nothing there. So please be honest and they’ll learn to open up to you.

Make sure you give them respect. Now respect isn’t just simply treating her or him nicely. There' s a lot more to it. You have to learn to adjust to their liking.    2     Don’t just think about yourself, think about what your partner needs out of it as well.

Make sure you are encouraging to your partner.    3    Make them feel you are someone they can really count on and build a future with. This is an important step in a relationship. Your partner has to be able to count on you when needed.

Make sure you have a good sense of humor with them. Laughter is the key to happiness. Laugh a lot with them, joke with them. Laughter may seem silly, but it’s the secret to a lot in life. It will keep the sparks alive.    4    

Make sure the communication is good. This goes along with trust, but always communicate how you feel, even if it’s something that upsets you. Instead of screaming, talk to them.    5    It’s important to communicate this to them, not keep it bottled up.

3 . Listening heals hurts and builds bridges. It gives us the ability to understand and view the world from our own point.

As it turns out, effective listening is actually a combination of two key communication skills: listening and confirming. As an effective listener, your goal is to hear and absorb what another has to say.     1    

This is much easier said than done, so here are a few helpful tips:

•Give the speaker your full attention.

    2     Turn off the TV, your phone, or computer. Watch your body language. The right listening body language communicates that we are listening openly and attentively, and puts the other person at ease.

•Be patient.

Not everyone is a gifted speaker. Some people take longer to find the right word to make a point. Others are too worried to get their message across properly.     3     It will help him/her speak more exactly and it will help you hear and understand better.

·     4    

If what someone is saying creates an emotional response in you, make an extra effort to listen carefully. When we' re angry, frightened or upset, we often miss key parts of what is being said.

·Hold your fire.

Don't jump to conclusions immediately.     5     If you respond in a way that makes the other person defensive, even if you "win" the argument, you may lose something far more valuable.

5 . Ways to make a great first impression

You’ve heard it a million times already, but it really does take a few seconds to make that all-important first impression (印象). Here are some easy ways for you to impress your classmates or teachers.

● Have a proper handshake

Before you shake hands with somebody, make sure that your hands are clean. The handshake should not be too strong or weak. Most people use their right hands, unless they have a reason to use the left.     1    .

● Be on time

When meeting someone for the first time, arriving on time is as important as breathing. You may have an excuse, but that will leave the person who hardly knows you with a bad impression.

    2     It’s better to be hanging around the place than be stuck in traffic.

● Introduce yourself and ask for names

Make sure you properly introduce yourself. Ask for their names in a polite way.     3    . This will increase the chances of their remembering your name in the future. Always remember to stand up when greeting someone and be sure to introduce them to anyone you’re with.

●    4    

To get the most out of your discussion, try to find something common between the two of you.     5    . A person will feel more comfortable with someone they can relate to (产生共鸣).

6 . Teenagers are especially likely to suffer loneliness. Here are some suggestions for speeding a recovery from loneliness.

Reach out to others, but start small. A smile and a friendly greeting for the student behind you in line at the cafeteria won’t make you best friends.     1     It also can make it easier to interact the next time.

Find a safe place to make connections. If going to the school dance makes you feel like you just don’t belong, try joining a special­interest group. Maybe it’s the drama club or the marching band.     2    

Find other ways of making connections. Lonely people hunger for acceptance and friendship. Sometimes feeling accepted and liked comes more easily when you do something for others.     3     Teach a child in reading. Take notes for a disabled classmate. You might be surprised at the connections you make after reaching out in these ways.

    4     Loneliness is an absence of quality friendships, not of a particular quantity of friends. That’s why it’s important to know how to select a friend. The best friendships are those based on similar values and attitudes.

You get what you expect, so expect the best. If you expect others to be friendly, you will behave in similar ways.

    5     It goes away as teens learn how to find their way through their social world and connect with others.

8 . Communication is possibly one of the most important business skills. Good communication makes you more popular.       1     Here are some tips to help you become a better communicator.

Listen. Most of us are terrible listeners. Instead of truly listening to what the person is saying, we interrupt, prepare our reply, or think we already know what the speaker is going to say next.     2    

Pay attention to body language. Body language can tell you just as much as what a person says, if not more.       3     Is your partner saying she can finish her task on time, but wringing her hands (搓手) while she says it? She might be afraid to tell you it will be hard to meet the deadline.

    4     Not everyone likes to communicate in the same way. Email works for some, but others would rather pick up the phone and talk, text, or even use social media to say something.

Respect the person you’re trying to communicate with and use the method he/she accepts more easily.

Consider your tone (语气). The problem with email and social media is that it can be difficult to determine the tone.     5     But if it comes out pushy or angry, you could cause a misunderstanding with the one you are talking to. Make sure your language is clear, and if you are angry, take a few minutes to calm down before you type.

9 . Good neighbors are a lot like electricity or running water: We don’t know how much we depend on them until we don’t have them.     1     Here is how to develop your relationships with these very important people in your life.

• Reach out to the newcomers.

These days, the old Welcome Wagon (欢迎礼车) is a thing of the past.     2     If they have kids, tell them where the children in the neighborhood live. Introduce the best places to eat and sleep. Invite them over for coffee or tea when they get settled, give them your number, and point to your house as you say good-bye.

• Avoid causing inconvenience.

Return anything that you borrow from a neighbor, such as tools, in good condition as soon as you’ve finished with them. Replace anything that belongs to your neighbor if damaged.     3     Such acts of consideration will have your neighbors talking—and the talk will be good.

• Make time for friendships.

If you value a friendship with your neighbors, spend time with them. Better yet, you might even consider throwing a get-together in their honor. Deliver the invitations in person to everyone who lives on your street and chat with each for five minutes before moving on to the next house.     4     So you can plan for proper food and music.

•     5    

Help to bring in the mail for the elderly neighbor when there is a heavy rain. When your neighbor forgets to take in his rubbish cans, roll them back into his yard. If you’re truly concerned, you’ll give a bunch of flowers or a helping hand when it’s needed. All it takes to develop your relationship with neighbors is the respect for their feelings.