1 . A is for always getting to work on time.

B is for being extremely busy.

C is for the conscientious(勤勤恳恳的)way you do your job.

You may be all these things at the office, and more. But when it comes to getting ________, experts say, the ABCs of business should include a P, for politics, as in office politics.

Dale Carnegie suggested many years ago: Hard work alone doesn’t ________ career advancement. You have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas, both publicly and behind the scenes. Yet, despite the obvious ________ of engaging in office politics-a better job, a raise, praise-many people are still unable—or unwilling-to “play the game”.

“People take it for granted that office politics ________ some manipulative(工于心计的)behaviour,” says Deborah Comer, an assistant professor of management at Hofstra University. “ ________ politics originates from the word ‘polite’. It can mean lobbying(游说)and forming associations. It can mean being kind and helpful, or even trying to please your superior, and then expecting something ________.”

In fact, today, experts ________ office politics as proper behaviour used to pursue one’s own self-interest in the workplace. In many ________, this involves some form of socializing within the office environment-not just in large companies, but in small workplaces as well.

“The first thing people are usually ________ on is their ability to perform well on a regular basis,” says Neil P Lewis, a management psychologist. “But if two or three ________ are up for a promotion, each of whom has reasonably ________ ability, a manager is going to promote the person he or she likes best. It’s simple human ________.”

Yet, psychologists say, many employees and employers have trouble with the concept of politics in the office. ________ people, they say, have an idealistic idea of work and what it takes to succeed. Still others ________ politics with flattery(奉承). They are fearful that, if they speak up for themselves, they may ________ to be flattering their boss for favours.

Experts suggest altering this negative picture by recognizing the need for some self-promotion.

2 . Developing better relationships with neighbours

Good neighbours are a lot like electricity or running water: we don’t know how much we depend on them until we don’t have them. They make our lives more pleasant and give us a sense of who we are, both as an individual and as a member of the community. Here’s how to develop your relationships with these very important people in your life.

Strike up a conversation. Often neighbours don’t even know each other’s names.     1     Most neighbours enjoy making small talk with the folks on the other side of the fence. So as you see them at work in their yards, smile, wave, and say hello. Ask how their kids are (whether they’re babies or in college), whether they could use an extra cucumber from your garden, or what they think of the price at the local supermarket.

Reach out to the newcomers. These days, the old Welcome Wagon is a thing of the past. But your new neighbours may be feeling lonely and unsure, especially if they’re far from home, and might appreciate a friendly face bearing fresh-baked chocolate cakes.     2     Invite them over for coffee or tea when they get settled, give them your number, and point to your house as you say goodbye.

Avoid causing inconveniences. Return anything that you borrow from a neighbour, such as tools, in good repair and as soon as you’ve finished with them. Replace anything that belongs to your neighbour that you, your children, or your pets break or soil. Make sure that your car is not blocking his doorway.     3     The talk will be good.

    4     In a good relationship, it’s really the little things that count. Help to bring in the mail for an elderly neighbour when there is a heavy rain. When a neighbour forgets to take in his rubbish cans, roll them back into his yard. If you’re truly concerned, you’ll know when your neighbour needs some cheering up — a bunch of flowers or a helping hand when it’s needed. All it takes to develop your relationships with your neighbours is the respect for their feelings.

Have you ever heard the old saying,“Never judge a book by its cover? This is     1     good rule to follow when trying to judge the intelligence of others. Some people have minds     2     shine only in certain situations. A young people with an     3     (usual) gift for writing may find himself speechless in the presence of a pretty girl when he speaks. He may not be able to find the right words. But don’t make the mistake of thinking him stupid. With a pen and a piece of paper, he can express     4     (he) better than anybody.

Other people may fool you into overestimating their intelligence by     5     (put) up a good front. A student listening attentively and taking     6     (note) in class is sure to make a favourable impression     7       his teachers. But he may score near the bottom of the class when it     8     (come) to exams.

The only way     9     (determine) a person’s intelligence is to get to know him. The     10     (much) situation you see, the better your judgment is likely to be. So take your time. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

6 . Do you have a best friend at work? A person once said, “Relationships _______ more than work. Years from now, you will forget the _______ of the work you have done, but you will still _______ the people and the relationships you built.” 

We hear a lot about this and it’s true. We spend more time with our co-workers than our families. Getting along well with workmates is the _______ to our success in the job. 

Gallup, our employee engagement survey provider, has been asking us to _______ “Do you have a good friend at work?” for 30 years. He has discovered a strong _______ between having a good friend at work and performance on the job. 

I’ve worked with a lot of people over my career. The most _______ achievements, when I looked back, were made with _______ that I felt a strong social connection with. We not only worked as a team but also spent our spare time _______ with each other and caring about each other’s daily life. I do believe that our success ________ strong social connections at work. 

I’ve been through a lot with many people I would ________ my best friends at work. We’ve celebrated our ________ of the work, promotions(升职) and retirements(退休) together. We have supported each other through marriages, births, illnesses and even deaths. 

Good relationships and a sense of ________ are part of work culture that we shouldn’t ignore. ________, I have been working with amazing people over the years. Can you imagine going to a ________ every day where there is no fun or friendship?

7 . We were a group of people who took a bus to work every day. One of the _____ was a small old man who took the bus to the health centre every morning. He always _____ behind the driver. No one ever paid much _____ to him.

But one July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled at others. The driver nodded. The rest of us were _____ as usual.

The next day, the old man got on the bus and said in a loud voice, “A very good _____ to you all!” Some of us looked up, _____, and said, “Good morning.” From then on he said good morning to us every day and we began to _____ to each other.

One morning he had some flowers in his hand. The driver turned around _____ and asked, “Are these for me, Charlie?” We never got to know if his name was really “Charlie”, _____ he waved the flowers and said yes. People laughed. Every morning after that Charlie always ______ a flower.

Until one morning Charlie wasn’t ______ at his usual stop. And he wasn’t there the next day and the day after that. What might have happened to him? When we came nearer to the health centre, a woman ______ the driver to wait a moment. We all held our ______ when she went to the door.

She said she knew who we were talking about. The elderly gentleman was sick. We ______ him back on Monday.

The next Monday when Charlie got on the bus, all of us who he had brought happiness to in that summer sat with a ______ in our hands.

10 . Do you listen? Do you really listen? Is there more to listening than just hearing?

Listening is, by far, one of the most important aspects of communication. So often, you pay attention to your way of speaking, your _________ , your dialect, but neglect your ability to listen.

It is my _________ that people usually change the intended purposes of much of what they hear by refusing to listen carefully. Too often, we consider listening the _________ part of conversation, although it requires us to actively focus and take part.

Listening means giving ear, paying attention, obeying, witnessing, hearing with thoughtful attention, or understanding. The most basic of all human _________ is to understand and to be understood. The only way to understand is to _________ .

Learn to be an active listener. Give off positive body language._________ a willingness to listen and socialize. Ask the right questions. Increase your _________ so that you can understand more and achieve _________ listening.

Listening means we should respond, that we should be touched, and that what we hear has a(n)_________ on us. I believe that history __________ itself only because no one is willing to listen for the first time. You were given two ears, but only one mouth, which probably means that we should listen more and that listening is twice as important as talking. Listening plays a key role in everyday __________. Good listening skills are of great importance, as listening is the fundamental __________ of all information.

Isn’t now the time to listen to those around you? Given them your entire__________. Use your born __________ to become a better listener. For me, I’m going to put into __________ what I believe in my heart and become a better listener.