1 . How to Teach Confidence

While it might seem like some people are just born confident, confidence is largely an acquired skill.     1     Start by building up their self-esteem, independent thought, and positive self—talk. Show them how to achieve goals, and how to deal with failure when it happens. With lessons like these, you can teach the people around you to become more confident.

Model confident behavior far people.

If you’re trying to improve someone’s confidence, be a model for how they should behave in a confident way.     2     Show them confident interpersonal relations like eye contact, handshakes, and making small talk. This lets them practice in a safe environment.

Praise small accomplishments to raise a person’s self-worth.

If you’re trying to build someone’s confidence, start small. Each accomplishment they complete is a cause for celebration, even if it seems small. Be happy for your friends, kids, or students.     3    

Give specific praise so people know what they did well.

A specific praise is better than a simple “You did well”.     4     . This makes your praise more genuine and boosts the person self-esteem more by showing them their strengths.

Start with a positive statement before correcting something.

    5     This is especially important if you’re a parent, teacher, or coach. If you do have to make criticisms or corrections, always start by saying something positive first. This raises the person’s spirits and makes it easier for them to take the critical feedback that’s coming up.

A．Instead, tell the person exactly what they did well.

B．It’s something you can model and teach other people.

C．You may have to point out where someone needs to improve.

D．Instead of feeling criticized, the person will know you’re sincere.

E．Act confident around them and in your interpersonal interactions.

F．Your positive energy will teach them to celebrate their achievements.

G．You might show someone’s strengths to help them see the bright side.

2 . 假定你是李华，你和另一个学生是合住一间宿舍的常住生。你发现无法忍受室友的一些行为，请给宿舍管理员写一封信，申请下学期更换房间。
内容包括：(1)提出换房要求，
(2)阐述具体原因。
注意：字数80左右。
Dear Sir or Madam,
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Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

3 . Have you ever felt the need to be alone for a while? I don’t mean situations when you should be alone, but occasions where you are with a group of people at a party or a restaurant. You get tired of jumping from conversation to conversation, and your mind starts to wander towards that interesting book you left halfway done, or that movie you have been meaning to watch.     1     Now before you rush to defense, please understand that being an introvert (内向的人)is completely normal.

A common misunderstanding about introverts is that they are loners or anti-social.     2     They have friends, probably not as many as extroverts (外向的人), but enough to suit their needs for human interaction. Scientifically, all humans fall somewhere between being an introvert and being an extrovert, and at least 25 percent of us are introverts.

    3     Therefore, the ability to network is extremely valuable. Of course, sometimes introverts might be as capable of talking with people as extroverts, but sometimes they have to force themselves to engage with others in order to “fit in”. While extroverts feel comfortable shaking hands and making jokes, introverts get increasingly exhausted.     4     For the introverted, to continue in this awkward situation could really end up bringing them harm, with individuals reporting to suffer from loss of sleep, panic attacks and depression.

    5     They form deep thoughts, conduct themselves carefully, and pay significant attention to detail. So, for the best results in a project involving group work, both introverts and extroverts are needed.

A．Society appears to favor extroverts.

B．Most introverts, however, are just regular people.

C．These are feelings usually typical of an introvert.

D．Introverts tend to recover by spending time alone.

E．You might have ignored that “strange” thought you had before.

F．Introverts, just like extroverts, have their own set of advantages.

G．Even if standing alone for a while, they get asked “Why are you all by yourself?”

4 . Everyone thinks they're great listeners. But the truth is that hearing isn’t necessarily listening, nor is it necessarily listening well. Listening is an art as well as a basic life skill that we are encouraged to practise and master.    1    

●Don't interrupt

    2     To master the art of listening, you need to stop any good thoughts that come to mind and let the person say everything they need to say. Often times people simply need someone to talk to, not someone who will cut in and give their own thoughts and opinions.

●Practice active listening.

To understand better in communication, you can first practice active listening. The art of listening isn't simply about staying quiet 100% of the time, it's also about asking questions, which are for clarification or for further explanation, so that you can fully understand what the speaker is telling you.     3     You can also make noises that show you agree with what he person is saying such as “yes”, ‘'yeah", and “okay.”

●    4    

About 60-75% of our communication is accomplished without speaking. In order to know whether to encourage the speaker, or to open yourself more, it's essential to know what the person's body is saying. Do they display signs of discomfort? Are they cautious about you? Their body language tells a lot.

●Create a suitable environment.

It can be difficult to listen to another person when the TV is screaming, your phone is buzzing and there are thousands of cars passing by.     5     Also, when you indicate it would be good to “find a quiet place," you put importance in the person and what they say, and then you show care and consideration.

A．Listen to non-verbal communication.

B．Let the person speak without interruption.

C．Listen without forming responses in your mind.

D．Here's how to bring the vital life skill into your daily existence.

E．Additionally, it's important to hold back your negative judgments.

F．Another great way to show your understanding is to respond by nodding.

G．When you remove the distractions and find a quiet place it’s easier to listen attentively.

6 . On her first day of school, a six-year-old girl stands outside, fearfully clinging to her mother’s leg.     1     As the girl learns she will be separated from her parents to enter a new building filled with new people, she begins to cry. During the first couple of weeks in her new classroom, the girl does not volunteer to speak when her teacher asks the class questions. At break, she stands by a wall, watching the other children running around the playground.     2     She can be heard laughing and chatting, louder and braver than at school. As the school environment becomes more familiar, her behaviours there will more closely resemble her behaviours at home. This first-grader is shy.

    3     Although definitions vary, shyness is most often characterised by cautiousness or fear in new social situations. In many places, especially in North America, sociability and liveliness are positively valued, and children are encouraged to speak up in different contexts, connect with their peers and trust their teachers.

It’s been estimated however, that as many as 10 to 15 percent of children consistently exhibit shyness, and we know that the tendency to display fear and avoidance in the presence of unfamiliarity is found across species, across cultures and across generations. The ubiquity (无处不在) of shyness suggests that it likely possesses some adaptive functions.     4    

Shy children might be more likely to detect social threats in their environment compared with non-shy children.     5     For example, a shy child might more readily notice an unkind peer or bully. She might not immediately offer personal information about herself and engage in careful decision-making about whether to become friends with the person. These factors might help shield shy children from social conflict and negative social evaluations.

A．They tend to look before they leap.

B．When she gets home, though, her behaviour is different.

C．Childhood shyness is often regarded as a negative quality.

D．Her teacher works with her parents to get the child into the school.

E．She stops crying only when she notices that others are watching her.

F．Shyness is not a sentence for a lonely or difficult life in and of itself.

G．Indeed, there is evidence that shyness is not always a disadvantage or a problem.

7 . 阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

Some people are naturally outgoing, but other people have to practice to become outgoing. If you want to become outgoing, there are several strategies(策略)that you can use. Being “outgoing” involves learning how to present yourself to others, starting conversations, and being more confident in yourself.

One of the easiest ways to present yourself is to ask your friends, colleagues, or classmates to introduce you to their friends. For example, if you walk into a room and your friend is talking to someone else, make it a point to say hello and introduce yourself. The next time you see that person, you can say hello and, since you have already been introduced, you have built a bridge into future communication.

When you’re in a social situation, such as at a party, try to make eye contact with the other people there with a friendly smile. If the other person responds or smiles back at you，then go over to them and introduce yourself. That is usually a good sign for a possible conversation. If the person does not respond, let them go their way. There’s a difference between being “outgoing” and “pushy”. Another practical way to start a conversation with others is to use compliments(赞美). When you’re attracted by certain people, you're bound to notice little things that you appreciate. You can acknowledge these things with a sincere compliment.

Doing something that makes you feel a little uncomfortable is a good way to promote your confidence and help you become a more outgoing version of yourself. If you have never danced before but want to take a ballet lesson, try it out. Do your best to fight the inner voice telling that you can’t do something or defining(定义)yourself by what you think you should be doing instead. With each little victory, you’ll gain the confidence to step further and further outside your comfort zone.

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8 . How would you feel if you were sharing a personal story and noticed that your friend wasn't really listening? You probably wouldn’t be too excited. Without active listening, people often feel unheard and unacknowledged.     1    

Listen without making judgements. Most people tend to judge others during conversations.     2     If you let your opinions come into play, they may ruin the conversation. However, if you enter a discussion with the goal of understanding someone else's opinion, they will want to have deeper discussions with you.

    3     Physically showing that you’re listening doesn’t come naturally for everybody. But if someone is ready to open up to you, and you sit back with your arms crossed without saying a word, they’re not going to say much. To encourage someone to keep talking, focus on the speaker by turning your head and body to face them and by making eye contact.

Ask questions. Asking questions is one of the best ways to show you're interested. If someone is telling you about their ski trip, don’t respond with “That’s nice.”     4     Instead, you can ask, “How long have you been skiing?” or “What was your favorite part of the trip?” The person will think highly of you because you have asked a few questions.

Think before responding. After the speaker has finished talking, a good listener may take some time before responding. Simply take a few seconds to think or say, “Give me a second to think about that.” Doing so either makes the speaker first feel you’re listening to what they’re saying.     5     In this way, it will make the speaker feel comfortable as they see you processing what they've said.

A．Use positive body language.

B．Pay attention to the speaker’s judgement

C．That would show a lack of interest and disrespect.

D．Give the speaker a chance to correct your understanding.

E．But judging isn’t helpful when you’re having a conversation.

F．Then they will know you want to be thoughtful in your response.

G．That’s why it’s important for everyone to learn how to be a better listener.

9 . Is being different around different people like putting on a mask? When I am around different people I act differently. I switch my attitude around so it is similar to that of my friends.     1    

The honest truth is that every person has many different parts of his or her personality that make up the whole person. For example, there are times when I am excited and noisy. At other times I like to be more quiet and reserved. During neither of these times am I being dishonest; just another aspect of my personality is coming out. And sometimes I behave differently depending on the social situation that I am in. For example, I am a pretty casual guy, so I really do prefer wearing jeans and T-shirts whenever possible.     2    

This is not wearing a mask. It is just being respectful and appropriate to the situation. And there are even groups of people that bring out certain parts of my personality. For example, when I am hanging out with ray male friends, I can be loud and wild. But when I am at home with my wife and kids after a long day at work, I am much more reserved and quiet.     3    Rather, I am just being socially appropriate, and sensitive to the people that I am with or the situation that I am in. At other times I feel comfortable being loud around my family and reserved with my friends.     4    They wouldn’t be good friends if they didn't value all the different aspects of my personality.

By contrast, what if I were with a group of people who support abortion?     5    Just to avoid conflict. If you have a friend or friends who don’t like the silly part of you, then they may not be good friends.

A．Is this considered putting on a mask?

B．Only you can decide if you are wearing a mask.

C．I don't feel that I must act in a certain way to be accepted.

D．However, at a funeral or wedding, I always wear a suit and tie.

E．So I do not believe I am wearing a mask in any of these situations.

F．If they asked me my opinion, it would totally be a mask for me to agree with them.

G．So if we are not being the same person in the presence of any group, we are wearing a mask.