1 . How to persuade people

Convincing people that your way is the best way is often very difficult —especially when you’re not quite sure why they’re saying no. The trick is to get them wondering why they’re saying no.     1    .

 Understand how timing is everything. Knowing how to persuade people isn’t just in words and body language — it’s also in knowing the right time to talk to them.     2    , you will most likely achieve faster, better results.

 Get to know them. A large part of whether or not persuasion is effective is based on the general relationship between you and your client/son/friend/employee. If you don’t know the person well, it’s vital to start building this relationship immediately — find common ground as soon as possible. Humans, in general, are more fond of people that are similar to them.     3    .

    4    . People are more persuaded by a fast, confident talker than accuracy. The faster you talk, the less time your listener has to process what you’ve said and question it. You may create the feeling that you truly grasp the subject by running through the facts at warp speed, confident of them all.

 Create urgency. In order to get people to act in the moment, you have to be able to create a sense of urgency.     5    , it’s unlikely they’ll change their minds in the future. You must persuade people in the present; it’s all that matters.

2 . When I was in middle school, I tried my best to be popular. However, one afternoon, I had a(n) ____ with my mother, which changed my mind eventually.

We were sitting in the dining area of a local restaurant. I told her that I wanted to be ____. She asked me why I felt that way. ____, I had never stopped to think about why I felt the need to fit in. I ____ did.

My mother told me a story. My grandmother made her several ____ sweater vests. Although those were hardly “in style”, my mother really ____ to wear them. What was surprising was that many other female students at my mother’s school began ____ sweater vests after a few weeks. My mother had started a ____. What she wore became fashionable because the other students saw the ____ with which she dressed.

At that time, the information was too much for a thirteen-year-old girl to ____. I didn’t believe her. I thought my mother was ____. So I continued to wear the same clothes, seeking popularity as usual — I had not yet seen the ____ at the end of a dark tunnel (隧道)then. However, our conversation that day ____ over and over in my mind.

I thought long and carefully, and then I ____ that my mother’s words might have some ____. I began to check my wardrobe (衣柜) to find which items I’d bought because I truly like them. I also____ my actions, trying to determine how many of them I wore to ____ the crowd. Gradually, I found myself ____ less and less what people thought about me. I was greatly ____.

The conversation I had with my mother was a ____ lesson for me. Sometimes swimming against the current can only make me stronger.

3 . Living with other people can be difficult, especially when each person has their own ideas about how they want to live.     1     Taking a few simple steps will help you share your living space harmoniously.

Discuss your expectations ahead of time.

    2    . This applies to finances, food, possessions, use of common areas, loud activities or parties, quiet hours and so on.

Divide up responsibilities.

Make a plan to divide up responsibilities and chores(家常杂务) between you and your roommate. For example, if your roommate is a good cook and you are not,    3    . It may also be a good idea to set up a chores schedule, where you will take turns cleaning the bathroom, taking out the trash and so on.

    4    .

Not everyone has the same ideas about day to day living as you do. Take your roommate's feelings into consideration. For instance, if you re dying to throw a party on Thursday night but your roommate has a final early the next morning, agree to postpone the party till Friday evening, instead.

Communicate effectively.

Communication is key in making the relationship work. If a problem comes up, it's better to talk about it right away than to ignore it. For example, say "Chris, it upsets me when I wake

up to find all the milk gone. If you use the last of something, can you please add it to the list?" If you simply cannot communicate openly and there is tension all the time,    5    .

4 . Mistakes can be extremely    1     (value), but when you try to get others to pay for your mistakes, then you lose the opportunity to learn from them. When something goes wrong,     2     is usually very easy to find someone else to blame, but what does that really accomplish?

Much of the value of mistakes comes from the fact     3     they demand a cost that must be paid. The person who learns the most from a mistake is the person who pays the price for that mistake.

When you make a mistake, the last thing you want to do is run away     4     it. You need to accept it because you can learn a lot from it. The mistake     5     (make) already, so make the most of it.     6     (pay) the price, learn the lesson, and grow that much stronger.

When you make a mistake, don’t look     7     at it long. Remember the reason for it, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of     8     (wise). The past cannot be changed.     9     present is still in your power. Take full advantage of your mistakes     10     (achieve) your goals and aspirations.